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Zoning board extends guest‑house sunset for John R. McCarthy to five years
Summary
After hearing testimony from the owner and a nearby objector, the board amended and approved an extension of the guest‑house sunset clause for John R. McCarthy's property at 19 South Baptist Street to five years (effective from the prior sunset), rather than removing the condition permanently.
The Newport Zoning Board of Review on Sept. 16 amended a request to remove a two‑year sunset on a guest‑house special use permit and instead approved a five‑year extension.
Applicant John R. McCarthy and counsel J. Russell Jackson presented the petition and said the guest‑house operation had no official violations since the 2022 approval. McCarthy told the board, "There has been no incidences or violations or complaints from my neighbors since that approval." A neighbor who supports the application, Michael Riley, testified he had not observed noise or other problems.
Neighbor Stephanie Guinan opposed permanent removal of the sunset, saying she had experienced late‑night noise and that required buffer plantings and dark‑sky lighting were not installed. Guinan said the permit running with the land could lead to future owners operating differently.
Board members weighed the record of the past two years against broader policy shifts on short‑term rentals. Members proposed and the applicant accepted an amended condition extending the sunset to five years (from the date discussed in the hearing). The motion to adopt the findings and grant the petition as amended passed unanimously.
