Providence City Council Meeting - January 14, 2026
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Providence City Council Meeting - January 14, 2026
The Providence City Council held its first meeting of the year on January 14, 2026, at approximately 5:20 PM. The council considered four agenda items: a resolution authorizing an easement with Rhode Island Energy, and three petitions for easements or land acceptance. All items were approved unanimously.
Discussion Items
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Resolution for Rhode Island Energy Easement – The council authorized an easement with Narragansett Electric Company (doing business as Rhode Island Energy) over city-owned land at 60 Password Street and 17 Highest Street (Assessors Plat 63, Lot 354) for a new transformer and electrical service upgrades at the JOSE Recreation Center. The upgrades are part of a renovation project to support decarbonization and green energy. The motion was made by Councilman Espinah and seconded by Councilman Sanchez; all present voted in favor.
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Petition of Andrew P. A. Jr. – A petition for an easement on a portion of city land at 17 Dorothy Avenue (Assessors Plat 97, Lot 222) to allow an addition to the petitioner’s house. The property is adjacent to city-owned land described as an abandoned property. The petitioner submitted plans showing a 20-foot by 6-foot easement area, appraised at $4,300. The council approved the petition.
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Petition for Verizon Conduit Placement – A petition from Daniel Ryan of Network Building Consulting on behalf of Verizon New England to install underground fiber conduit along Brook Street and Pheasant Alley. The rerouting is necessary due to construction at 209 Angel Street requiring removal of two utility poles. The cost for the easement was calculated at $3,937 based on lineal footage. The council approved the petition, with the understanding that the payment letter would be processed.
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Petition for Acceptance of Land at Wall Street – A petition from an attorney representing Natalia Constructions and Investment LLC (via Land Family Squire) requesting the city to accept a portion of a cul-de-sac at the end of Wall Street, approximately 2,580 square feet. The land is being gifted to the city to improve fire department turnaround. The council approved the acceptance.
Key Outcomes
- All four agenda items were approved unanimously by the council members present (Chairman Oscar Vargas, Councilors Sanchez, Espinah, Barnes; Councilor Royas absent).
- The city will receive an easement payment of $3,937 from Verizon and will accept a donated parcel of land at Wall Street.
Note: No public comments were received, and no other business was discussed.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, but I mean that's uh probably the home raise it uh January 14, 2026, first meeting of the year it's by 20. Um please call the roof chairman Oscar Vargas present by Sher Miguel Sanchez Man Pedro Espinam, Consider Justin Royas is absent, Consumer Barnes. You have four present one accent, you have a firm thing remote. I want to say welcome to colleagues. Well, it was later today, and this is a feature welcome. So I'm very bad name. Um please. Item number one resolution authorizing the hangar to enter into an assessment with the Narrogansa Electric Company doing business as Rhode Island Energy over, under and across a portion of city own land at 60 Password Street and 17 Highest Street Assessors Lab 63, lab 354. Okay. Is anybody from slides? Uh do we need to Mike is supposed to be here? I don't know. He said he was supposed to show up in the administration. We said it was coming. Was it not like property? All right, so Mike is not showing up. Okay, I just wanted to make sure just fit statement from Jupiter training. Yeah, we'll try to go across the hall or meetings. Okay, do we need to swing on no? No. All right. Thank you. Yeah, so this is the typical Rhode Island Energy easement for a new transformer and electrical service updates at the JOSE Recreation Center. It's part of that whole renovation project for the building. Um, this new electric service is needed to uh have compliant with decarbonization, green energy, basically the new HAC service that's being replaced to install the building. So I believe we've seen a couple of these before. We've been doing this upgrade at a number of our other recreation centers, and this one's for Jocelyn and so these for the new H rack system and gasoline that one of the local. That's correct. Yeah, okay. Yeah, that's an area. I know I know what you're talking about. Um my colleagues have any questions. I do not need all right. Any so that's the case. I need a motion to approve number one. So approved by Consumer Spinat and second by uh Sanchez. Thank you very much. All right, thank you. Thank you. Um I'm gonna look please read number two. Item number two, petition from Andrew P. A. Jr. 17 Dorothy Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island, 02904, requesting an as an easement on a portion of the papers three for the property located on a sensors, lab number 97, lab 222 17 Dorothy Avenue beside the property located on lab for nine. Okay, anyone who is petition. Uh please you may give you okay, and that's the one you know I like welcome. Um you explain a little bit what you look for this yes, it's um to purchase the property that's currently owned, say an abandoned property that's owned by the city to afford me an easement to put an addition onto my house. Okay. Yes, I submitted all the plans and engineering show practically how many it's only 20 feet of the six feet foot right away that's all by the city. It's a uh it's referred to as like the uh Brook Robin Brooke and Robin Brooke uh many years ago buried back in the days when you could relocate rivers with uh a ribbon in front of under the cut land on both sides.
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