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Board approves several guest‑house conversions with parking conditions
Summary
The board approved three guest‑house conversion petitions (Fame Street, 30 Franklin and 40 Prospect Hill) and attached conditions to address parking: off‑site leased spaces, annual certification, and a manager‑parking condition that applies only to current owners.
At its April 28 meeting the Newport Zoning Board approved multiple petitions to convert existing dwellings to guest‑house (short‑term rental) uses in the city’s general business zone, adding conditions aimed at mitigating parking impacts.
For Fame Street (138‑142 Fame St.), counsel said the applicant negotiated two dedicated off‑site spaces at 38 Washington Square; the board required annual certification the lease remains in effect, zoning‑officer confirmation of the spaces, and signage identifying the spots. For sister petitions by Gabriel and Viviana Royo (30 Franklin and 40 Prospect Hill), the board granted narrower parking stall widths and a waiver of a manager parking space for the current owners only — the board attached a condition that any new owner would need to seek a new application to continue guest‑house use.
Board members emphasized owners’ local residency and hands‑on management as part of the justification for manager‑parking relief, and the board discussed tandem parking and the risk of tenants being boxed in; staff and the board agreed the applicants’ plans to direct renters to available spaces and to provide signage and documentation were sufficient to approve the variances. Each petition passed on a unanimous or near‑unanimous vote among members present.
