Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newport council takes first step to adopt updated housing chapter, consultants project roughly 1,500 new units over 30 years
Summary
City planning staff and consultants presented an updated housing chapter to the Newport City Council, citing community input and state guidance; the council approved the ordinance on first reading while some members requested a workshop before final passage.
City Planning Director Trish Reynolds and consultants from Libra Planners presented an updated housing chapter the Newport City Council on first reading, saying the document reflects community input, a build‑out study and guidance from Rhode Island Housing. Reynolds said the existing housing chapter in the 2017 comprehensive plan does not reflect current housing availability and affordability and that the proposed chapter is intended to guide zoning changes and an implementation program required by state statute.
"This updated housing chapter is the result of community input and a lot of hard work," Reynolds said, adding that the planning board has given a favorable recommendation. Consultant Peter Friedrichs said the plan examined a 30‑year horizon and estimated a need for approximately 1,500 additional housing units — roughly 50 units per year — to address projected growth and low inventory in both for‑sale and rental markets.
Councilors asked how the chapter would address equity, where growth would be concentrated and what ‘‘workforce housing’’ actually means. Reynolds and the consultants said the chapter targets workforce and middle‑income housing and recommends a mix of homeownership opportunities, smaller urban units and protections for existing affordable neighborhoods. The consultants cited a 2022 figure indicating Newport had about 16% derestricted affordable housing relative to the state's 10% benchmark.
Some councilors urged more time to review the document and requested an open workshop for extended Q&A with staff and the consultants before the second reading. Others said the planning board and planning department had already conducted extensive outreach and favored keeping the project on schedule so zoning changes that rely on the chapter can proceed.
After discussion, the council voted to approve the ordinance on first reading to amend Chapter 14.04.010 (Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act) and incorporate the new housing chapter into the comp plan; the public hearing remains open for the second reading. The council can amend the chapter up to four times a year under state law.
What happens next: the housing chapter will return for a second reading and final vote after council members and staff have an opportunity to hold additional workshops and answer detailed questions.
