Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rental topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board grants variance for 3 Goodwin Street guest house with sunset‑on‑sale condition
Summary
The Zoning Board unanimously granted a dimensional variance allowing a four‑bedroom guest house at 3 Goodwin Street without requiring two additional leased parking spaces, adding a condition that the variance will sunset on sale and requiring project start/substantial completion within 12 months.
The Newport Zoning Board of Review approved a dimensional variance on Aug. 25 allowing owner Linda Pereira to use all four bedrooms of her 3 Goodwin Street guest house without providing two additional off‑site parking spaces, provided the variance will expire if the property is sold (a sunset on sale) and the project is started and substantially complete within 12 months.
Attorney Monti argued the lot is uniquely undersized (about 2,500 square feet in an area where 5,000 is typical) and noted the property already contains two on‑site parking spaces accessed by an alley driveway. Monti and the applicant said Pereira rents primarily to families for roughly five months each year and lives in the house seven months, which they said reduces typical parking demand. Monti urged the board that forcing the owner to lease two commercial parking spaces would unnecessarily lock up spaces that would likely go unused and could harm other applicants who need them.
Linda Pereira testified she vets guests and typically sees one car, occasionally two. She said she would advertise a two‑vehicle maximum and lock off rooms when necessary. Board members considered two compliance options raised in staff comments — requiring leased off‑site parking or imposing a sunset on sale — and favored a sunset clause that limits the relief to the present owner’s demonstrated management practices. Vice‑Chair Dave Riley moved to grant the petition with the sunset‑on‑sale condition and standard timing and notice conditions; the board voted 5–0 to approve.
The variance runs with the property while owned by the applicant; the sunset provision requires any subsequent owner to seek new relief if they want the same use.
