The City Council meets Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 43 Broadway, with second readings on the zoning changes that would rezone the former Navy Hospital site on the North End.
Waterfront Campus zoning
The council holds second readings on three related ordinances: rezoning Plat 9, Lot 219 from the Innovation Hub’s Urban Village subdistrict to the Waterfront Campus subdistrict, amending the table of permitted uses, and amending use regulations and dimensional requirements for the Waterfront Campus.
The roughly 8.5-acre parcel is the former Navy Hospital site. The Waterfront Campus subdistrict, as drafted, would permit marinas, docks, marine and oceanographic research laboratories, advanced manufacturing, maritime museums and multifamily housing capped at a share of a project’s gross square footage, while identifying public access to the waterfront as a priority. The council held first readings on Oct. 14.
Stormwater utility
The council takes a first reading on ordinances amending Chapter 13.09 and adding Chapters 13.11 and 13.13, covering stormwater development standards and a stormwater utility.
Union contracts
Action Item 6685/26 would approve two collective bargaining agreements between the city and Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, covering July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, and July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.
Solar on school roofs
Action Item 6688/26 would authorize a letter of intent with Solect Energy for preliminary engineering, design and cost estimating for rooftop solar at city schools. The Energy and Environment Commission has also submitted a communication on solar development on city schools.
Also before the council
- An agreement with the Robert Potter League for Animals for animal shelter services
- An agreement for use of the Easton’s Beach parking lot for snow storage
- A resolution, continued from Oct. 14, that would allocate $60,000 annually to the Sister City Commission from rent the city receives from Save The Bay and the Newport Community School at the Gateway Center. It is sponsored by councilors Lynn Ceglie, Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, Charlie Holder and David Carlin
- A communication from Erin Donovan-Boyle resigning from the Sister City Commission
- A communication from James Houston titled “Powered Micromobility in Newport: What I See, What the Numbers Say, and Ten Things the Council Can Do”
Licenses
The Newport Festivals Foundation is seeking special event licenses for the 2027 Newport Folk Festival, July 23-25, and the Newport Jazz Festival, July 30 through Aug. 1, both at Fort Adams State Park.
Surf Club at 337 Thames St. has a first hearing on expanding outdoor entertainment hours to 2 to 11 p.m. daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Pyramid Club and El Tapatio have second hearings on new entertainment licenses.
Island Wine & Spirits has notified the city it is no longer occupying 287 Broadway.
The council also takes up annual victualing and liquor license renewals.
The full docket is posted online.
