Newport Zoning Board of Review Regular Monthly Meeting – March 23, 2026

The Newport Zoning Board of Review held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM (UTC), chaired by Wick Rudd. The meeting faced a packed agenda due to two prior cancellations from blizzards. It included a consent calendar, abbreviated summary hearings, two related appeals concerning guest house bedroom limits, and full hearings on guest house expansions and a home occupation variance. Key votes and conditions were established for multiple petitions.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of December 15, 2025 meeting unanimously.
• Granted a 12-month extension for the approval at 98 Roseneath Avenue.
• Accepted withdrawal requests for petitions at 130 Toro Street, Zero Pelham, 73 Pallum, and 18 Barney Street (appeal).
• Accepted the Newport Green and Complete Street Policy 2025 annual report as informational.
• Set a special meeting date for April 13, 2026 (to make up for a snowstorm cancellation) and regular April meeting on April 20, 2026.
• Approved summary calendar items (petitions of Barbara J. Hughes, Robert E. Justice, Carl Piketty, and Stephen Lang) en masse with standard conditions. The petition for 18 Roseneath Terrace was held due to an objector; after discussion, the objector withdrew, and the petition was approved with additional conditions (paving gravel area and cleaning up debris on abutter's property).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Cromwell, an abutter at 18 Roseneath Terrace, objected to the proposed curb cut and parking, citing gravel spillover and safety concerns. After meeting with the applicant's counsel, he withdrew his objection upon the applicant's agreement to pave the gravel area and clean up debris.
• Written objections were received for the 10 Bull Street petition (from 1 Bull Street and 7 Bull Street) and for the Cafe Zelda petition (from Scott Allemaney). The Cafe Zelda objector was satisfied after learning about off-site parking arrangements.
• No other public testimony was offered.

Discussion Items

• Appeal of Four Good LLC and Dorothy Kostek/Shannon Dunnegan (18 Goodwin Street, Units 1 and 2): The appellants appealed the zoning officer's determination that their applications for dimensional variances to exceed the five-bedroom guest house limit were incomplete. Attorney Michael Mano argued that the five-bedroom limit is a dimensional standard modifiable by variance, and that the board should hear the merits. Zoning Officer Nick Armor and Assistant Solicitor Kevin Gavin argued that the limit is an express condition of the guest house use and can only be altered via a use variance. After deliberation, the board voted 4–1 to deny both appeals, sustaining the zoning officer's decision. Board members Grimes, Rudd, Riley, and Chevry supported denial; Johnson dissented, finding the appellants' legal arguments compelling.
• Cafe Zelda Properties LLC (528 Thames Street): Request for a special use permit and dimensional variance to expand a two-bedroom guest house to four bedrooms and provide off-site parking. Attorney Michael Mano and principal Craig Kilroy testified. The property has no on-site parking; they secured a lease for three spaces at a lot on Lee Street (0.1 miles away). The use will include an on-site manager (tenant of the second-floor unit). The board unanimously approved the petition, finding hardship due to lot size, minimal relief, and no change to neighborhood character. Conditions include providing parking lease and manager lease annually.
• Heidi Woolert (26 East Bowery Street): Dimensional variance to allow a home occupation guest rental of two bedrooms without on-site parking. David Bourgeois (husband) testified that the property was originally a boarding house and that they need off-site parking. The board conditioned approval on obtaining a signed lease for two off-site parking spaces within half a mile. Unanimously approved.
• Michelle McCormick (9 K Street): Dimensional variance to construct a 12'x24' pool, increasing lot coverage from 22% to 25% (20% max). Mike McCormick testified that the lot is compliant in size but existing structures already exceed coverage. No neighbors objected. The board unanimously approved, finding that the hardship (existing over-coverage) is not self-created, the pool is a modest use, and the relief is minimal.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar: All items approved (5 petitions) with standard conditions; one petition added after resolution.
• Appeals denied: 4–1 on both appeals; motion to sustain zoning officer's decision.
• Cafe Zelda: Approved 5–0 with conditions (parking lease, manager lease, annual renewal).
• Heidi Woolert: Approved 5–0 with condition (off-site parking lease within half mile).
• Michelle McCormick: Approved 5–0 with standard conditions.
• Meeting adjourned after all business.