Newport council adopts city center revitalization plan into comprehensive plan

The Newport City Council voted unanimously Sept. 2 to adopt Ordinance 2025-04, amending the Newport Peninsula Urban Design Plan and Transportation System Plan elements of the city’s comprehensive plan to implement the city center revitalization recommendations.

The ordinance inserts comprehensive-plan policies to guide a multi-part package of improvements — including transportation changes on U.S. Highway 101, sidewalk and streetscape work, and programs to encourage housing and private investment in the city center. “What we have is an ordinance that puts in place the comprehensive plan policies that provide direction to implement the city center revitalization plan,” said Derek Tokos, Community Development, during the staff presentation.

Residents and committee members testified during the public hearing both in favor and with reservations. Lori Sanders, a member of the citizen advisory committee, urged the council to seek clearer cost estimates before construction: “It was stated that it was gonna be $11,700,000 for the short couplet and $7,000,000 for the enhanced two-way,” she said, and added that additional, unspecified reinforcement work on Ninth Street could raise costs further. Wendy Engler, a local resident and advocate for multimodal paths, said the package included many elements that can revitalize downtown and voiced “full support for safe multimodal separated paths in city center that network with the rest of Newport.”

City staff and the consultant described the ordinance as the policy step that allows the city to pursue design and funding. Jim Henke, the project consultant, told the council the ordinance compiles recommendations from nine memos produced by an 18-member citizen advisory committee and said the package is intended to position the city to compete for state and federal funds. Tokos said the next transportation step would be to initiate a 30% design for the chosen solution on Highway 101; that design phase is intended to produce more-precise cost estimates.

Council discussion repeatedly emphasized that the ordinance establishes a policy framework rather than committing the city to immediate construction. Councilors said future decision points will return to the council with refined designs, cost estimates and further public engagement. Councilors also noted urban renewal revenues remain available; council staff said the city has “over $35,000,000 of urban renewal” budgeted over the life of the district that has not been committed.

Supporters pointed to non-transportation elements in the package — beautification, wayfinding, a guaranteed permanent location for the farmers market and grant programs to assist building reinvestment — as measures that could catalyze private development even before major transportation work is built. Opponents and skeptics emphasized potential construction disruption to local businesses, the need for clearer estimates for pavement reconstruction and uncertainty about how much local versus state/federal funding will be required.

After remarks and public comment, Councilor [motion mover not specified in record] moved the ordinance for final passage and read it by title; the council then voted aye on a roll call. The motion carried; the council voted unanimously (ayes recorded individually: Councilor Emond; Councilor Romagu; Councilor Hickman; Mayor Jan Kaplan; Councilor Hall; Councilor Jacoby).

The ordinance sets policy direction and will be followed by design work, further public engagement and a subsequent, separate review of the form-based code that staff said is already proceeding through the planning commission. Staff said funding opportunities will be pursued, and that future council decisions will address detailed designs, cost estimates and mitigation for businesses during construction.