Recap: August 14th Newport City Council Meeting

Newport City Council met for approximately three hours and seven minutes on Wednesday night.

Here’s our attempt at a quick recap of the meeting and the council votes. Of note, you’ll see votes totaling six instead of seven. Councilor Lynn Ceglie was absent from the meeting.

See The full City Council Agenda Here, Watch The Meeting Here.

City of Newport Docket Of The Council Meeting – August 14th

Diane Higgins, d/b/a Higgins Wedding-Fireworks Display, barge off of Belle Mer; August 16, 2019 for a six-minute display beginning at 9:15 p.m.

Members of City Council vote 4 -2 to approve this application (With Leonard and Napolitano voting against). Some concerns here were the application coming before Council two days before the event, whether Coast Guard has signed off on the barge for the display, and that no one from the event was in the audience to speak about it. Of note, Council recently held a workshop on fireworks ordinances and will likely require at least two months notice on applications for firework displays going forward.

Communication from the Alliance for a Livable Newport Executive Committee, re: Building and Renovating Newport Public Schools – A Prudent Path to the Future (Receive)

With a Newport City Council and School Committee workshop on the scheduled for Thursday night, Council voted 6-0 to receive the following from the Alliance For A Livable Newport and said much more discussion would be heard during that meeting;

Communication from Kim Salerno, Chair, Planning Board, re: Proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance (Receive)

After some discussion, City Council voted 6 – 0 to receive this. A point of clarification or confirmation was made that this will require three weeks advertising. Councilor McLaughlin said that “we should be saying how zoning should be done, not being told how it should be done by a private group like Carpionato.”

Victualing License, Expansion, Midtown Oyster Bar, LLC, d/b/a Midtown Oyster Bar & Grill, 341-343-345 Thames St., to add street level outdoor seating area on the north side of the building consisting of four (4) tables and 16 chairs (In conjunction with liquor license expansion)- Continued from July 24, 2019

This application, and the liquor application that goes along with it, was approved 6 – 0. There was some discussion and opposition to the application from the owner of Red Parrott due to safety concerns, but ultimately it was passed because Midtown Oyster Bar has/had agreed to abide by sidewalk cafe restrictions with the four tables and 16 chairs.

5.	Daily Entertainment License, NPG Hospitality, LLC, d/b/a Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina, 1 Goat Island, August 31, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.- South Lawn

After some comment from the lawyers representing Belle Mer (in objection) and the lawyer representing Gurney’s this daily entertainment license was eventually approved 6 – 0. Gurney’s will apply for a permanent entertainment license for the south lawn in September.

7.	Requests for Proposals – K. Leonard

This was voted down 1 – 5 with just Councilor Leonard voting in favor.

8.	Weight restricted streets – L. Ceglie, S. Taylor, K. Leonard

This was voted 6 – 0 to approve. Discussion was had about stepping back even further and looking at what streets in the city don’t allow trucks and buses, where these trucks and buses are going, and enforcement.

9. Amending Section 5.12.040 of the Codified Ordinances, entitled, “Number of licenses Permitted” to increase the number of Class BT alcoholic beverage licenses by two (First Reading)

At the request of Turner Scott, the first reading of the ordinance was continued to September 11th.

Ordinances around Food Truck – agenda items 10 – 16

Council passed docket items 10-15, which was removing references to the sale of food from the hawkers/peddlers chapter. They discussed and voted on a series of amendments to chapter 5.57. They then voted to continue chapter 5.57 AS AMENDED to the August 28 meeting. So at that meeting, they will consider in a clean format, all the amendments discussed and voted on. On the 28th, they’ll vote on 5.57 as they amended it. What’sUpNewp will do a further follow up on what this all means for food trucks this week.

The following were approved or received without any or much discussion;

2) Donna McManus, d/b/a Community Yard Sale, 1 Eisenhower Rd.; August 17, 2019 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
3) Newport Tree Conservancy, d/b/a Evening of the Arboreta, 31 Bowery St.; August 23, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
4) Fort Adams Trust, Inc., d/b/a Civil War Reenactment Weekend, Fort Adams State Park, 100 Fort Adams Drive; August 24, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and August 25, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
5) Newport Historical Society, d/b/a Newport Historical Society Living History Event, Washington Square, Colony House, Wanton-Lyman Hazard House; August 24, 2019 from noon to 5:00 p.m.
6) Newport Elks Lodge 104, d/b/a Flea Market/Craft Fair, 141 Pelham St.; August 31, 2019 and October 19, 2019 from 8 am – 4 p.m.
7) Bike to the Beach, Inc., d/b/a Bike to the Beach – New England, City Streets (see attached route); August 31, 2019 from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
8) IYRS School of Technology & Trades, d/b/a 40th Annual Newport Classic Yacht Regatta; August 31-September 1, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
9) U.S. Naval War College, d/b/a Baseball Game, Cardines Field; September 6, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Rain date – September 13, 2019)
10) Newport Historical Society, d/b/a Fourth Annual Culinary Adventure, Colony House; September 14, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
11) Patrick L. Burke, d/b/a Middletown Rotary at the Fort Car Event; Fort Adams State Park; September 22, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
12) Audrain Automobile Museum, Inc., d/b/a Audrain Automobile Museum, Concours Entrant Dinner, Ochre Court; October 3, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. with 15-minute fireworks display at 7:15 p.m. (Rain date – 10/5/2019)
13) Fort Adams Trust, Inc., d/b/a Fortress of Nightmares: Haunted House, Fort Adams State Park; October 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 & 26, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
14) Bowen’s Wharf Co., Inc., d/b/a Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival, 13 Bowen’s Wharf; October 19, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and October 20, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
c. Holiday Selling License, New, Edwina Cusick, d/b/a Vignette, 225 Goddard Row
d. Holiday Selling License, New, Natural Elements: A Nature & Science Store, LLC, d/b/a Natural Elements: A Nature & Science Store, LLC, 435 Thames St.
e. Banner License, Salve Regina University, for permission to hang one banner between the Red Parrot and Midtown Oyster Bar from October 3-7, 2019 advertising Alumni Weekend
f. Tattoo License, New, Individual Artist, Christine E. Petty, Anchor Steam Tattoo, 44 Broadway
g. Private Detective License, New, Michael T. Farley, d/b/a Michael T. Farley, One Courthouse Square
h. Communication from Chuck Flippo, re: Request to hold a block party on Bush Street, September 2, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Approve subject to details being worked out with city administration)
i. Communication from Darlene Hutten-Czapski, re: Request to hold a block party on Weatherly Ave., September 21, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Approve subject to details being worked out with city administration)
k. Communication from the Cliff Walk Commission, re: Recommendation regarding “Food Truck” Ordinance (Receive)
l. 2018 Annual Report- Trust & Investment Commission (Receive)
m. Report and Update on AIPC Activities and Finances from John Shea, Executive Director of the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (Receive)
n. Communication from David Allard, re: Resignation from the Planning Board (Receive with regret)
o. Communication from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), re: Newport’s receipt of the “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Finance Reporting for the Department of Finance, City of Newport for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 (Receive)

Licenses & Permits

2. Pedicab Business License, New, Frank Olmstead, d/b/a Aquidneck Pedicab, for one (1 pedicab license)
3. Victualing License, New, 1899, LLC, d/b/a Racquets Pub/The Porch at Canfield, 5 Memorial Blvd., porch and lower level (In conjunction with liquor license transfer)

Communication From City Manager

Board Of License Commissioners

1.	Class F-1, Daily Liquor License, Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island, Inc., d/b/a Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival, 13 Bowen’s Wharf; October 19, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and October 20, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. LICENSES AND PERMITS

Seafood Festival

Application of Midtown Oyster Bar, LLC, d/b/a Midtown Oyster Bar & Grill, 341-343-345 Thames St., holder of Class BV alcoholic beverage license to expand the licensed premises to add street level outdoor seating area on the north side of the building consisting of four (4) tables and 16 chairs (Hearing)- Continued from July 24, 2019

Midtown

Application of Hall of Fame Properties, LLC, holder of a Class BV alcoholic beverage license, d/b/a Canfield House & Racquets Pub, 5 Memorial Blvd., first floor including lobby, second floor, basement and patio to transfer ownership to 1899, LLC (Thames Capital Ventures LLC- 51% (Nicholas Schorsch sole member) and (Aquidneck Holdings, LLC 49% (Nicholas Schorsch, sole member), d/b/a Racquets Pub/The Porch at Canfield, 5 Memorial Blvd., basement and patio (Hearing)