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Votes at a glance: Middletown council passes hazard‑plan referral, zoning amendments (as amended), several permits and contracts
Summary
At its March 17 meeting the council took a series of votes: it authorized submitting the regional hazard mitigation plan for state and FEMA review, adopted zoning code amendments while removing multifamily allowances in R‑10/R‑20, approved a contract for park/beach painting and voted to grant multiple special event permits and licenses.
The Town Council took the following formal actions March 17 (summary of motions recorded on the meeting agenda and in public minutes):
- Hazard mitigation plan: Motion approved to send the draft regional hazard mitigation plan to the state emergency management agency and FEMA for review (unanimous voice vote). The draft had been prepared by a regional committee and consultant VHB following a BRIC grant award.
- Zoning code amendments: Council adopted the zoning amendments that were before it but voted to remove the planning‑board recommendation to allow multifamily structures in R‑10 and R‑20 districts; that portion was sent back to the planning board for further review and for amendment of density provisions in Article 15.
- Licenses and special-event permits (consent calendar): • Granted a victualling/retail license to Newport Lobster and Seafood, LLC (d/b/a Newport Seafood Market) at 800 Aquinnick Ave, subject to building official, fire marshal and board of health approvals. • Granted special‑event permits and waived fees for: Middletown Outreach annual Easter Egg Hunt (Wyatt Road soccer fields, 04/12/2025, rain date 04/19/2025); Aquinnick Community Table (farmers market behind 110 Enterprise Drive, Saturdays 05/03/2025–10/25/2025); Newport County YMCA summer programs including Aquatics Camp and Outdoor Adventure Camp and triathlon training sessions at Second and Third Beach; and Camp O Rama (Second Beach, 09/10/2025–09/14/2025). All items on the consent calendar were approved by voice vote.
- Resolutions and memoranda: The council passed a resolution supporting restoration of general revenue sharing to cities and towns and passed a resolution endorsing the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns 2025 legislative priorities (including increased educational funding, infrastructure and housing allocations and local revenue flexibility).
- Contracts: The council awarded a contract to Strategic Solutions Team LLC for painting at Second Beach, Third Beach, the campground, Wyatt Road, War Memorial and Aquinnick Fields (three‑year invitation to bid; first year includes all listed sites). The finance director was authorized to execute the agreement; staff confirmed the award is within the parks and recreation budget and references checked out.
- Continued/other: A Coastal Resources Management Council memorandum of understanding item was continued to the council’s April 7 meeting at the administration’s request. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.
For several of the above motions, the minutes record votes by voice (‘All in favor: Aye’) rather than roll call tallies; the record does not list a line‑by‑line roll call vote in the transcript excerpt provided.
