Council reviews draft city center revitalization plan that prioritizes housing, streetscape and a 'couplet' traffic change

Consultants and city staff on June 2 presented Newport City Council members with a draft city center revitalization plan that combines land‑use changes, form‑based frontage standards and transportation changes tied to a proposed U.S. 101/Highway 20 ‘couplet.’ The presentation outlined outreach results, proposed code amendments, and near‑, mid‑ and long‑term steps to encourage redevelopment and housing in the city center.

The plan team — led by Jim Henke of David Evans Associates and supported by Derek Tokos of Community Development, Herb's Works (form‑based code), JLA Public Involvement and Eco Northwest (business displacement support) — described an overlay “City Center Design District” that would add standards for public realm improvements, frontage types, and redevelopment expectations while leaving the city’s base zones unchanged.

Why it matters: The package aims to make the downtown more walkable and to enable more residential units above ground‑floor uses by clarifying where and how redevelopment should occur. It also ties major transportation work (the couplet) to opportunities for wider sidewalks, buffered bike lanes and streetscape investments that could change how businesses interact…