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Newport Council Approves Changes to Residential Parking Rules; Debate Over Process and Eligibility Continues
Summary
Council approved multiple residential-parking ordinance amendments including a 24-hour resident-sticker designation for portions of Marsh and Bridge streets and other housekeeping changes; several councilors criticized the process and whether property owners and businesses should qualify for stickers.
The Newport City Council approved a package of ordinance amendments that alter how the city designates residential parking streets and who may receive residential parking privileges.
On first reading the council approved a change designating parts of Marsh Street and Bridge Street as residential-sticker parking and moved the measure toward a second hearing. The vote on that ordinance passed by voice as recorded (Ayes 4, Nays 3). The ordinance language tightened the definition of “resident” and clarified petition thresholds: petitions to designate a street generally require signatures from residents representing at least 51% of resident units, while petitions requesting 24-hour residential parking require 65% representation.
Council discussion was heated. Councilor (name not specified in the record) described the council’s role as policy makers, while other councilors and residents said the change appeared to have moved ahead without the full public-notification process some neighbors expected. Councilor Napolitano said, “I will not be supporting this measure… nobody notified me,” expressing concern that a policy change had been advanced without following community-notification practices.
Deputy City Manager Mike (surname not specified) and staff explained that the ordinance followed a council‑initiated resolution and that the city has a process for petitions and Interdepartmental Traffic Committee (ITC) review; the ITC had reviewed specific parking prohibition requests and returned recommendations on some small-block restrictions.
Councilors also approved related parking-code housekeeping items: extending the free meter time for vehicles with resident parking permits from two hours to three hours, raising certain parking fines (including increasing handicap parking violations from $100 to $150), and codifying definitions and procedures for visitor and temporary permits.
Councilors and staff agreed additional workshops and follow-up will examine remaining residential-parking details such as whether commercial or industrial property owners should receive resident sticker passes and how the city will administer visitor passes and temporary permits.
The changes aim to address neighborhood parking pressure near the waterfront and other areas but left unresolved questions about implementation and notification procedures.
