Providence City Council Committee Meeting on Property Sales and Land Transfers – April 14, 2026
Providence City Council Committee Meeting on Property Sales and Land Transfers – April 14, 2026
The City Council Committee met to discuss an ordinance requiring notification and community meetings for city-owned property sales, multiple resolutions to convey parcels to the Providence Redevelopment Agency (PRA), and a petition for a minor property exchange with Beneficent House. The meeting was chaired by Councilman Espadon, with Councilwomen Reeves and Peterson present, among others.
Ordinance: Sale or Transfer of City-Owned Property
Councillor Davidson introduced an ordinance to add Section 2-1-110 to the city code, requiring the city councilor of the ward to be notified at least 30 days in advance of any sale of city real property, and for the selling department to host at least one community meeting. An amendment presented by Aaron Gardner, deputy clerk, replaced a restatement of charter provisions with a reference to Charter Section 416 and clarified that a council resolution could waive the notification/meeting requirement to avoid title defects. The ordinance was vetted by the Solicitor's Office. After discussion including City Solicitor Nick Gicatelli, the committee voted unanimously to approve the ordinance as amended.
Resolution: Conveyance of 14 Alaska Street (Item 2)
The committee considered a resolution to transfer a vacant 1,400-square-foot parcel at 14 Alaska Street to the PRA for housing development. Councilman Royus, whose ward includes the property, was not present but requested via conversation that the item be continued to explore a different approach. The committee agreed to continue the item, with the chair committing to schedule a meeting when Councilman Royus is ready.
Resolution: Conveyance of 107 Suffolk Street (Item 3)
A similar resolution for a parcel at 107 Suffolk Street, also in Councilman Royus's ward, was continued without objection for the same reason.
Resolution: Transfer of 700 Allen’s Avenue (Item 4)
The committee approved a resolution to transfer the former DPW building at 700 Allen’s Avenue to the PRA. The property is in the waterfront enterprise district (W3 zone) and will be marketed for blue and green technology jobs or other uses consistent with the comprehensive plan. Councilman Espadon, whose ward includes the site, supported the transfer. The motion passed.
Petition: Minor Property Exchange with Beneficent House (Item 5)
The committee approved a petition from John Pcoy and Kevin Nelson on behalf of Beneficent House for a minor correction of property boundaries along Chestnut Street. A long-standing fence encroachment was discovered during a survey; the proposal conveys Parcel B along Chestnut Street to the city and transfers Parcels A and C to Beneficent House. The motion passed.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 2-1-110 approved as amended (unanimous).
- Items 2 and 3 continued indefinitely pending consultation with Councilman Royus.
- Item 4 (700 Allen’s Avenue) approved for transfer to PRA.
- Item 5 (Beneficent House petition) approved.
Meeting Transcript
Yeah, it's a pretty good space here. President Councilman Espadon. Present. Councilwoman Reeves. Present. Councilman Peterson. Present. We have a form. Great. So uh clerk if you'd be still fine to item number one record. And I just want to acknowledge our data classes here. Thank you for taking care. City clerks thank you for all these. And uh item number one, an ordinance commander chapter two of the code of ordinances of the city of Province by adding section two-one one ten entitled Sale or Transfer of City Owned Property. So uh on this particular item ultimately had someone who'd like to speak on the council meeting itself. Council can take it so I I would agree with that or there were committee members and we have our director here staffing or I need to also we'll start with you and then uh deputy director you need to try. I'll do it when I left. Great awesome. So council chairman, can we just have a uh motion to substitute item number? Oh yes, we need to do that as well. Thank you. So motion I didn't know a second. Second possible. But um all those in favor. All those post the I snap it's uh please. So um I brought forward this ordinance um so that we could um be clear with communities when the city is selling property. Um we learned, and I think it was just sort of a fluke of the process when the Humboldt Street Fire Station was sold by the city. That was done when there was no sitting councillor in that seat. Um and had had there been, we might have been able to have a smoother communication process than ultimately. So that's basically what why I wanted to move this idea forward. So you know what um what this is suggesting is that when the city sells real property, we literally the city councillor of that board is notified. I think that the current language is at least 30 days in advance. Um if there is if there's an unusual circumstance such as which happened or two that there is no city council present, then the city council president would be notified. And um the department selling the property would host a community meeting so that folks in the community could hear a little bit more about it and weigh in about their desires for purpose. So that's really what this covers. Great. Thank you so much for that, uh Councillor Davidson. And I know that we have um amendments here, which you'd like to maybe speak to. If I may, I would like to defer um to Aaron Gardner to elaborate on the amendments. Sure. Oh, right there. Very straightforward. Um again, Aaron, used to go on deputy keeper set with the council. Um so councillor Davidson, she spoke um eloquently on the purpose of the ordinance and what it does. Um the amendment um just touches on literally just two things. Um first of you know, when it comes to restating, you know, language that is in the charter. Um we often within the code, like we restate that language and it's sprinkled around. Um, however, we have run into problems where the charter is changed, then we have to go from the code and fix everything. So rather than restate the charter, we refer to section 416. That's one piece.
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