The Newport City Council approved a new ordinance amendment allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) with a requirement of one parking space per unit during a council meeting Wednesday night.
The ordinance allows for the conversion of existing structures on properties smaller than 20,000 square feet into ADUs, as well as new construction on lots 20,000 square feet or larger. It does not require owner occupancy for these units.
Nick Armour, the city’s zoning officer, cautioned that requiring parking could lead to unintended consequences. He explained, “Our worry is that if there is parking required, it will stymie the development of ADUs where they can exist and/or it will lead to an increase in parking variance applications to the zoning board.”
“Our recommendation, as the planning staff and the planning board agree, was not to require additional parking for the ADUs for a number of purposes, one being that it promotes the use of other alternative forms of transportation, biking, bus, walking. These are meant to be smaller units that are hopefully for workforce housing for people that live and work in our community wouldn’t necessarily need to have a are on their property.” – Armour said.
Armour emphasized that without passing a local ordinance, the city would be subject to even looser state regulations on ADUs. The proposed amendments aim to restrict ADU size and bedroom count to the minimum allowed by state law.
Armour noted that the ordinance includes safeguards, such as building code standards and zoning officer review, to ensure proper implementation of ADUs. ADUs are prohibited from being used as short-term rentals under both state law and under the approved ordinance.
Councillor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano argued, “I don’t think it’s fair to our residents. I think if we have the ability to actually provide a parking space, if they want to do an ADU … at minimum, we should ask for one parking space.”
Vice Chair Ceglie, who led the meeting, asked that parking options be looked at a little further.
“I’m going to make a motion that we approve this new chapter 17.79 entitled accessory dwelling units on second reading with a provision that the zoning officer returns to the council in two weeks with parking options,” Ceglie said.
The ordinance, as amended to include one parking space per unit, passed 6-0, with Mayor Xay absent.
The conversation on this item begins at approximately 3 hours and 18 minutes.
Ordinance
it appears the zoning official, Nick Armour, wants to destroy the character of Newport. Newport has very limited parking and he wants to make it worse. He claims ADU “workforce” inhabitants would not need parking because they would walk to supermarkets and work. That is pure BS.
Social justice warriors want more welfare housing in Newport to reach 33% instead of the 19% we already have. Other communities like Coventry and Jamestown need to build workforce housing. From there the workers can commute to Newport to staff the hotel businesses. Don’t be fooled, workforce housing is actually welfare housing and the State will import non residents to fill them. The recent proposal to build atop the Gateway parking facility with low income housing has be simmering for years and proposed by Church Community Housing for decades. Remember when they suggested that the housing would be a good buffer for the Point neighborhood to block the parking lot eye sore. I remember and I prefer the parking garage.