[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6498468,"mediaKeyId","5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8","parentId",5782091,"title","Council committee backs rezoning of 1746 Cranston St. for up to 36 condominium units with 15% affordability target","audioSeconds",2013,"startMs",5487000,"endMs",7500000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8&start=5487&end=7500","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8/thumbnail_5487000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6498468/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Council-committee-backs-rezoning-of-1746-Cranston-St-for-up-to-36-condominium-units-with-15-affordability-target","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498468-a85219b136335861684f6a0fc77f4f0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945068&Signature=kdh~9srdAQHmpR8U0~UtR-~4auTxeffV0c7HGhmDl9vW5pyjthy8ABK-bIwd6PYUzxEHYPdCBZRhbAMno1CAOSg4eLT608rJffRrWaMMDqnGumWhyPkNLZtYzqBBKeEPaDruZqH0YuyPIs6N0HQcoqJy7HAAZobbIIHngMqWSFaEfILRfol5ky8u-buLlUV1eIS16dt2tbCiJK~eY3C9xeOxveeh859X9SEq3nD3Kx2GiECEm8DhIkvG9vo--FbhKLmLe8m1~zhcR-MkJs3t4rNXckPT2LJ1c8kBzrEcYZoN~L3~5suFsXOIhWA32FsFWrgKpMN3BbhOjwZ4AKw6eA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author"," City of Cranston","date","2025-09-12T00:34:42.063Z","article","The ordinance committee voted Sept. 11 to recommend rezoning two lots at 1746 (and 1764) Cranston Street from C5 (heavy business/industrial) to C2 (neighborhood business) with conditions to allow multifamily condominium development of up to 36 units, including the existing four-unit mixed-use building.

Attorney Robert Murray, representing the Aceto Family Trust and development partner Richard Bakari, presented the application and said the project is conceptually designed as a pedestrian-focused “European villa” arrangement of buildings that would integrate the existing structure on the site. Architect Eric Zuena showed conceptual sketches and said the design emphasizes varied massing, pedestrian landscaping and street-oriented uses that could include small retail or food-service space in the existing storefront.

The applicants told the committee they held a neighborhood meeting on Aug. 27 and said attendees provided mostly favorable feedback. The planning commission had reviewed the application and issued a positive recommendation on Sept. 2, the administration noted.

Under the conditions included with the committee’s recommendation, the developers may use C3 dimensional regulations (which provide flexibility on setbacks) while the site retains a C2 land-use designation. The proposal calls for two parking spaces per residential unit and includes an affordable-housing component of up to 15% of units; final site, stormwater and traffic engineering will be addressed during the major-land-development review process before the planning commission.

Committee members asked technical questions about stormwater and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, native landscaping, and traffic study timing; staff and the applicants said those details will be resolved in the planning and permitting phase. The ordinance passed in committee with a positive vote and will proceed to the full council for final action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 11, 2025, Special City Council, Public Works Committee and Ordinance Committee Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","The ordinance committee approved a rezoning request to change two lots from C5 (heavy business/industrial) to C2 (neighborhood business) with conditions allowing higher dimensional standards and a 15% affordable-housing component; the developer plans condominium construction and community engagement preceded the vote.","taxTitle","Cranston City, Providence County, Rhode Island","taxId",4549,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498473,"Budlong Pool project encounters peat layer, administration says pool and splash pad remain on track",387,4376000,4763000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8&start=4376&end=4763","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8/thumbnail_4376000.jpg","/articles/6498473/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Budlong-Pool-project-encounters-peat-layer-administration-says-pool-and-splash-pad-remain-on-track","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498473-6e96c9d8aee06b624e246d2acc9b2e44/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945068&Signature=bn8CSbWhXg-xSO4ai-X5iw1xhUirditlxZYUTdTp8Q7uEK~l1ujtYPHQJ5QJbJtYqIONbKyJ0vudLxpEQcOGItY6KYQoz-4Ime3AYDctG0~29G9Gl4RtHANmkdlIf98vHRkfFefeGwiQjoQ76FECHkVU9h8aEgzXr0bTKRJ6OacO7QTEhxmGGz8PMH65qC-n-WcuZaU25F9jgsl81LXeR8uHu-QQRpO4FJACi7dMoxymAMUVC9FgrUxDuuBfVW0R2Ja~zxQ~W3G6WGe0hrn~j5wb4s16X189RQLcA4oAdPSSwzqGkIbggvGkBwNJrnacDKBjH54rfd-mUZvs4KaOMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cranston officials told council committees on Sept. 11 that interior work at the Budlong Pool rehabilitation is nearly finished, but contractors uncovered a small peat layer at the pool’s deep end that requires additional excavation and material replacement.

Director of Public Works Frank Correo and project staff said interior work — including toilets, partitions, painting and flooring — should be complete by the end of the month. Excavation found a 4-to-8-inch peat layer located about 6½ to 7 feet below grade at the deep end. The city’s engineer engaged a geotechnical consultant, and project engineers recommended removing the peat, importing suitable fill and continuing construction. The contractor is preparing a pricing proposal for that additional scope.

Project officials said they remain on schedule to open outdoor facilities next summer and suggested the pool and a proposed splash pad could be in service by July 1. The pool’s exterior work is temperature-sensitive; plaster and tile require appropriate weather to be installed and cured.

Budget officials told the committee that the project has incurred change orders and that the project is roughly 8% over contract value; staff cited about $400,000 in cumulative change orders so far. Funding for Budlong Pool comes from a combination of ARPA funds ($4 million allocated) and a $750,000 federal congressional grant. City staff said ARPA funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026, and are reviewing options for covering additional costs if needed.

Council members asked for periodic updates as the project moves through excavation and the remaining exterior work. Administration staff emphasized it will report further detail on outstanding change-order costs and funding recommendations as the project progresses.

Separately, the administration reported that a public outreach meeting about a proposed splash pad at Budlong drew mostly favorable comments. Staff said fixtures and mechanical components for the splash pad — described at the meeting as a family-oriented amenity targeting children roughly ages 4–12 — have been purchased using ARPA funds and that constructing the splash pad adjacent to the pool leverages existing pool staffing and infrastructure, reducing incremental operating costs.

Officials said final bids and the contractor’s pricing for peat removal will determine whether additional funds are required to complete the project; staff will provide updated cost assessments to the finance office and the council as they become available.","Work on the Budlong Pool interior is nearly complete; crews found a peat layer at the deep end leading to change orders and additional excavation costs. Administration expects pool and splash pad to open together next summer but is still assessing final change-order funding.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498478,"Cranston officials vow stronger enforcement after months-long rodent complaints at Poplar Drive apartments",4946,2747000,7693000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8&start=2747&end=7693","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8/thumbnail_2747000.jpg","/articles/6498478/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Cranston-officials-vow-stronger-enforcement-after-months-long-rodent-complaints-at-Poplar-Drive-apartments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498478-bdc7375f35203b032d37fcfffdd8d866/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945068&Signature=Dc9~1XBMqK-tdZ2IvzIMInYKMfXJ~H6HiLVCH2F5kLKynI7hkGRANONeCyK9fJbiYiDTToPhgIxPhIym7nXvNrjFlKC1ZzPHSmdPPSP6E8zdwv~mpVByHC2NfuDEPwSwboifVMuZlnVt2dV8Odnq0cr6Jdp1-sir0jHjLUawgUH8UPnpZdE767kuS-1Gz4bxwxplHqlSi-r2y8Z2~tNPeLvlbLNXcWulp5l6L6fy68~FcBlwJJKlT9z1r~hbM2hIpdHAxpJpAtTsTePLSSwrqco5cdCgQ3CBWbteA2TkoKHhvNPg-33MooPeDVr0uKuGUbOONHGex1uJZ7UQR96G0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members pressed city inspectors and Public Works officials on Sept. 11 about lingering rat infestations and damaged dumpsters at a multi-building apartment property on Poplar Drive and Midway Avenue, saying repeated complaints have gone unresolved for months.

Inspector Anna Marie Marchetti and Public Works Director Frank Correo told the council that the property management company has hired a licensed pest-control contractor, has set bait boxes and has been asked for documentation of treatment. Marchetti said inspectors have visited the site several times and found multiple burrows in concentrated areas — notably near dumpster locations and a mid-block area that abuts the Washington Secondary Cranston Bike Path.

Council members and the mayor described visible holes and damaged, plastic dumpsters that allowed rodents to access refuse. Councilman Bonanno and Council President Wall urged swifter enforcement, saying the city’s current process — notice, reinspection and municipal-court referral — has moved too slowly for commercial properties that continue to attract rodents. Wall proposed strengthening penalties in the municipal code so fines accrue daily and escalate to municipal-court hearings if conditions are not corrected.

Inspector Marchetti said the property had been cited for infestation and for defective dumpster enclosures; management reported a purchase order to replace a damaged receptacle, but officials said delivery and replacement timing was unclear. Director Correo said the city could consider an ordinance requiring more durable commercial dumpsters; he noted many businesses use lower-cost composite containers and suggested a new ordinance could require sturdier materials.

Council members discussed practical enforcement steps: setting explicit compliance deadlines tied to inspections, escalating to municipal court when deadlines are missed, and exploring stronger civil penalties for commercial property owners who fail to abate conditions that sustain rodent populations. A proposed ordinance (agenda item 8-25-02) to revise fines and enforcement language was introduced by Council President Wall and discussed at length; the committee moved to continue that ordinance to allow staff and the city solicitor to refine definitions and enforcement mechanics.

Council members emphasized that inspection and pest-control efforts must be coordinated with clearer timelines and stronger penalties for noncompliant owners, especially commercial landlords. Inspector Marchetti said the department is documenting treatments and following up; the council asked administration staff to bring clarified enforcement language and implementation logistics to the next ordinance meeting.

No municipal-court penalties were imposed at the Sept. 11 meeting. The council directed staff to return with revised ordinance language and administrative procedures aimed at faster compliance and clearer assignment of enforcement responsibility.","Inspectors say management hired pest control and has installed bait stations, but council members pushed for faster action and stronger fines after repeated complaints about holes, damaged dumpsters and ongoing infestation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6498482,"Cranston council appoints Amelia Vaziri to citywide seat",281,1094000,1375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8&start=1094&end=1375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782091-91be25e873b3b46e21f7f001c902e9f8/thumbnail_1094000.jpg","/articles/6498482/Cranston-City/Providence-County/Rhode-Island/Cranston-council-appoints-Amelia-Vaziri-to-citywide-seat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498482-d5f24efa15a1021b09d1bb8e83958ac3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945068&Signature=QKGfEn9RcF4yzENgQl~nm6Fs06Piuynub8jDJoPL89TNt9T0FeZjEP0GdtB-Eb-0nQbzpWSiA6UeP0L2kI807tWiDGjuC4TTyfmWX3EdnkvpkNaCAfbHvTbCABI8JWt7oQQrZp~Z3l8MQVfQCoPpB22OzPD2MQvBZtK2FElzIV96JxxLOYFrhWbZDlV6nOkhImsjXGfpmx7qtBk~3WuPB51CsyBQ4tnf3mISVmahyPeG~gQYG4QiLtSK~vHPffF557rYlJQsyvzI26IU5cZzC9Lo8DcaSWura~IKaKknPCPiGmQudhJXu5ybyAp2gPMQyqLph1oeklHyvg~Hsb8M7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cranston City Council appointed Amelia Vaziri to a citywide council seat on Sept. 11, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Councilwoman Jessica Marino.

Council President Wall opened the special meeting and the council voted on a motion to appoint Vaziri. After the roll call, the clerk swore Vaziri into office; she took the oath and was seated immediately. Council President Wall then announced that Vaziri would serve on all five council committees, including the two that were scheduled to meet that evening.

The motion to appoint Vaziri was made and seconded; the council conducted a roll call vote and recorded unanimous support. Several council members offered brief endorsements during the meeting. Councilman Traficante praised Vaziri’s “impressive resume” and “extensive community service,” and others noted her local ties as a Cranston West athlete, coach and small-business owner. Mayor Kenneth Hopkins, speaking during public comment, welcomed Vaziri and said the appointment showed “we’re working together again.”

Vaziri was sworn in by the city clerk immediately after the vote. The council then closed public comment and moved on to committee-assignment updates, confirming Vaziri’s membership on all committees.

No formal conditions or contingencies were recorded with her appointment. The council did not identify a specific date for any follow-up actions related to the vacancy beyond assigning committee seats.","The Cranston City Council voted to appoint Amelia Vaziri to the citywide council seat vacated by Jessica Marino; Vaziri was sworn in and assigned to all five committees.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council committee backs rezoning of 1746 Cranston St. for up to 36 condominium units with 15% affordability target

Budlong Pool project encounters peat layer, administration says pool and splash pad remain on track

Cranston officials vow stronger enforcement after months-long rodent complaints at Poplar Drive apartments

Cranston council appoints Amelia Vaziri to citywide seat