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North Providence council approves sale to legalize house built partly on town land on Smott Street
Summary
The Town Council voted to sell a 3,530-square-foot town parcel on Smott Street to resolve a decades-old encroachment and legalize a residence built partly on town property for $2.50 per square foot ($8,825) with conditions prohibiting additional structures.
The North Providence Town Council on Feb. 4 approved the sale of a 3,530-square-foot town parcel on Smott Street (Plat 4, Lot 517) to resolve a long-running encroachment and legalize a structure that municipal staff found partly sits on town land. The council voted to sell the lot at $2.50 per square foot — $8,825 total — with a condition that no additional structures be built on the parcel.
Mayor Lombardi told the council the parcel has been the subject of a dispute for about 37–38 years. He said an outbuilding originally constructed as a garage later became a residence and that engineers were sent in before the sale was proposed. "We sent the engineers in," the mayor said, describing the town's effort to put the issue to rest by selling the small strip of land to the abutter and avoiding further title complications for the assessor and collector.
The proposed sale was presented as a way to simplify property lines and municipal records; Councilman Martin moved to approve the sale and Councilman Famighetti seconded. The motion carried on an affirmative voice vote.
Council discussion noted public-safety benefits from blocking a cut-through that had opened between apartment complexes and the neighborhood; the council said the road has been physically blocked at the lot line to prevent dangerous ingress/egress. No speaker identified objections during the meeting. The council also noted the lot abuts town Department of Public Works property and that the transaction mirrors similar small sales the town has completed in the past.
The sale terms include a covenant that forbids additional building on the parcel; the council said the measure will make tax assessment and collector records easier to administer. The purchaser and town staff will complete the paperwork following the vote.
The council did not identify any pending litigation tied to the parcel during the discussion and did not specify an effective date for the conveyance.
Ending
Council members did not record roll-call tallies in the transcript beyond a unanimous voice vote on the motion. The council indicated it will finalize the legal paperwork and notify the assessor and collector offices once the closing is scheduled.
