Newport City Council and Planning Board Joint Workshop on Comprehensive Plan Update – July 20, 2026

This joint workshop of the Newport City Council and Planning Board was held to review progress on the city's Comprehensive Plan update, led by consultants from Interface Studio. The meeting focused on draft vision statement feedback, tourism data analysis, and strategies for congestion management, infrastructure funding, and economic diversification. Public comment followed the presentation.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Beth Cullen (School Committee member, city council candidate) argued that economic development in Newport is broader than tourism, citing cybersecurity, health care, and Naval activities as significant opportunities. She emphasized that education is critical to economic diversification and should be a priority in the plan. She noted that the city has reached its carrying capacity for tourism and that infrastructure upgrades were for aging systems, not for new hotels.
• An unnamed resident questioned the need for more hotels, noting that Discover Newport data shows hotels have never been fully occupied at peak season. She raised concerns about hotel proliferation under current zoning (by-right in business zones) and urged the comp plan to address this.
• Lola Herrera (resident) stressed the importance of including low-income populations in the city's development and called for stronger regional cooperation among Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. She highlighted that the north end should not be treated solely as a parking lot, and that the Navy's contaminated properties (Superfund sites) could be opportunities for housing or blue economy uses.
• Bart Lloyd (resident) urged action on affordable housing, noting that past plans like the Libra plan have not been implemented. He called for inclusionary zoning requiring 20% affordable units in projects over 20 units, and criticized the city for not requiring affordability in recent developments.

Discussion Items

• Vision Statement Feedback: Council and board members offered suggestions on the draft vision. One member recommended changing “harbor identity” to reflect the full coastline (cliffwalk, beaches, Ocean Drive). Another questioned whether the city can control all aspirational goals, suggesting the language should be more about “working towards” rather than a state of arrival. A member asked how the vision aligns with the city’s strategic plan; the consultant agreed to review alignment.
• Tourism Data Presentation (Kevin Highley, economist): Highley presented data showing tourism is a major economic driver, with 35% of jobs tourism-related, 11% of property tax from the harbor front, and $16 million in summer-related revenues. He compared Newport to other resort communities, noting Newport has high tourism job concentration but lower resident incomes. He highlighted that 55% of commuters cross the Newport Bridge, and there is a 13,000-car average daily swing between December and July.
• Congestion Management Strategies: Consultants proposed enhancing the new access hub (intercept lot) near the Pell Bridge with better marketing, convenient transit, and micro-mobility options. They suggested exploring vertical parking in the downtown and temporary pedestrian-only zones on peak weekends, citing examples from Annapolis and Salem.
• Infrastructure Funding: Discussed the need for sustainable infrastructure funding, especially for stormwater management. The consultant noted that 8 of 9 bacteria exceedance events in 2024 were linked to rainfall, causing beach closures and lost revenue. They explored options like separating stormwater from sewer rates and charging based on impervious surfaces, and mentioned a development impact fee as a potential (but state-dependent) tool.
• Economic Diversification: Kevin Highley presented strategies to diversify beyond tourism and the Navy, focusing on the “blue economy” (marine-related industries). He emphasized preserving waterfront for water-dependent uses, creating a development entity to acquire key properties, and working with neighboring communities for employment space. He noted that $1.3 billion of property value is at risk from storm surge. Council members expressed frustration that past diversification efforts (hydroponics, quantum computing) failed due to limited land, housing shortages, and state-level challenges.
• Housing & Regional Coordination: Several speakers noted the interconnection of housing, jobs, and transportation. The consultant acknowledged that housing is a key constraint and that the plan will address it, building on the 2024 housing plan update. The idea of a regional comp plan for Newport County was raised but not formally pursued.
• Public Engagement: Concerns were raised about the representativeness of public input (survey had ~1,000 responses). The consultant noted ongoing outreach, including focus groups in the north end and an August 27 public open house to share a complete set of strategies.

Key Outcomes

• No votes were taken; the workshop was a discussion session.
• The consultant team will incorporate feedback received tonight and during this week’s focus groups (land use, economic development, housing on July 21; city services, water, transportation; north end evening meeting; open space and energy sessions on July 22).
• A public open house is scheduled for August 27, 2026 (weather permitting, in the plaza outside City Hall) to present full 11-topic strategies.
• The next advisory committee meeting will be held during the current visit.
• The draft comprehensive plan is expected to be ready for review in fall 2026, with subsequent referral to the Planning Board and City Council.