2026-08

AN ORDINANCE IN AMENDMENT OF TITLE 10 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, REVISION OF 1994, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED, "VEHICLES & TRAFFIC":

BE IT ORDAINED by the City of Newport:

SECTION 1. Chapter 10.32 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Newport, RI, Revision of 1994, as amended, entitled, "RESIDENTIAL PARKING PROGRAM" is hereby further amended, as follows:

DELETE SECTION 10.32.070 IN ITS ENTIRETY

10.32.070. Residential parking permits Visitor passes Temporary permits.

A. Any resident over the age of sixteen (16) may apply for a residential parking permit for a noncommercial vehicle by completing an application therefor prescribed by the city manager, which application shall be designed to provide the following information:

1. The name and residential or commercial address of the owner of the vehicle.
2. The name, residential or commercial address and driver's license number of the principal operator and the vehicle and
3. The make, model, color and registration number of the vehicle.

The driver's license and vehicle registration shall be presented with the application.

B. Any resident over the age of sixteen (16) may apply for a residential parking permit for a commercial motor vehicle for which the manufacturer's weight does not exceed ten thousand (10,000) pounds, provided the commercial vehicle is the only form of transportation available to and from work, by complying with subsection A of this section. The driver's

license and vehicle registration shall be presented with the application.

G. Whenever the director of finance finds that the applicant qualifies under this chapter for a residential parking permit for the vehicle described in the application, he or she shall, upon payment of the fees set forth herein, issue one residential parking permit in the form of a sticker or other method prescribed by the city manager. There shall be no annual fee for residential parking permits for property owners and those whose vehicles carry a Rhode Island registration with a Newport address if they are sixty-five (65) years of age or older at the time of application, or for those whose applications are received by mail with a postmark prior to April 1 as long as the application includes the required documentation and no outstanding fees are due the city; the fee for applications postmarked April 1 or later shall remain two dollars per year. The fee for all others qualifying for a resident parking sticker shall be ten dollars per year. Said fee shall be payable at the time of the submission of the application for the permit. Regardless of any other provision of this chapter, a residential parking permit shall not be issued to any resident who owes the city outstanding payments for parking violations, fines or costs for motor vehicle-related violations, or motor vehicles excise taxes. The effective period of the permit shall be from May 1st through April 30th of the following year. The fee shall not be prorated and no portion of any fee shall be refundable. The permit shall also authorize three hours of free parking daily in the Mary Street parking lot.

D. The director of finance may issue one general visitor pass per dwelling unit on a residential parking street and per dwelling unit of a property located at the corner of a residential parking street but with a different street name address. Such visitor pass shall be utilized only for one visitor vehicle. Such visitor pass shall indicate the year for which it is valid.

E. The director of finance shall issue a temporary residential parking permit for use by a bona fide visitor to a dwelling unit on a residential parking street. An application for such a permit shall be made only by a resident of a dwelling unit on a residential parking street on such form as is prescribed by the city manager. The fee for a temporary residential parking permit for the same vehicle in a seven-day period shall be one dollar per permit for two days and two dollars for each subsequent day.

F. Passes, as described in subsections D and E of this section, shall also be eligible to a dwelling unit or guest house located on a street, or section of a street, within a designated residential parking district on which all on-street parking is prohibited by city ordinance.

G. Owners of service vehicles doing business within the city shall qualify for issuance of temporary parking permits for specified periods of time at the discretion of the director of finance. Such temporary parking permits shall be in a form prescribed by the city manager and shall be valid only for the period indicated thereon.

H. A resident who would otherwise qualify for a residential parking permit but utilities as his or her principal vehicle a vehicle registered to an entity other than himself or herself shall qualify for the issuance of a fleet pass. Such fleet pass shall be in a form prescribed by the city manager and shall be valid only for the period indicated thereon.

I. The director of finance may issue one general visitor pass for each residential unit located on a commercial street where residential parking has been implemented on the surrounding streets.

J. A resident who would otherwise qualify for a residential parking permit but uses as his or her principal vehicle a leased vehicle must provide proof that the vehicle is leased in his or her name at the address on his/her driver's license or application for said permit.

K. An applicant for a residential parking permit whose lease is for a duration of between six and nine months must show proof of rental dwelling registration, as required by Section 15.16.040, or must complete an affidavit of exemption for an owner-occupied premises, prior to issuance of a residential parking permit. Falsification of the records, including the affidavit, will lead to revocation of the residential parking permit in accordance with Section 10.32.140.

ADD IN LIEU THEREOF THE FOLLOWING:

10.32.070 - Residential Parking Permits—Visitor Passes—Temporary Permits Eligibility.

Any Resident over the age of sixteen (16) may apply for a residential parking permit for a noncommercial vehicle registered to, or verifiably controlled by the Resident by completing an application and providing the Eligibility Proof required for the issuance of the same based on the applicant's

Residential Class. A Resident shall fall within either Resident Parking Class 1 (R1) or Resident Parking Class 2 (R2)

R1 - Newport Residents with primary residence, Military;
R2 - Non-Resident Property Owners, Short-Term Tenants

B. Application Requirements (Revised).

The application shall include the following:

1. Name and address of the vehicle owner.
2. Name, address and driver’s license number of the principal operator.
3. Make, model, color, and registration number of the vehicle.
4. The driver’s license and vehicle registration shall be presented with the application.

Applicants must also provide proof of both (a) ownership or lease of the Newport address and (b) ownership or control of the registered vehicle.

Required Eligibility Proof

Class | Required Eligibility Proof

R1 - Newport Residents with primary residence (1)
Application, (2) valid Rhode Island vehicle registration with Newport address, in addition to a (3) RI license with Newport address.

R1 Active-Duty Military (1) Application, (2) valid vehicle registration from any state, (3) Active military orders with station orders in Newport, (4) active lease with Newport address, and (5) valid driver’s license from any state.

R2 - Short-Term Tenants / Non-Resident Owners (1)
Application, (2) valid vehicle registration from any state, registered to applicant by name, (3) current lease with a term greater than seven (7) months with a Newport address or recorded Deed/Certificate of Devise or Descent showing individual title ownership and for residential property owned by a limited liability company, an individual must show membership in said limited liability company which

owns the property, and for residential property titled in
the name of a Trustee of a trust or the trust itself, an
individual must show proof that they are a trustee or
beneficiary of the trust which owns the property, (4) valid
driver’s license from any state.

In addition to the above Eligibility Proof, applicants
may be required to provide such additional information or
documentation reasonably requested to establish eligibility
within a Residential Class.

C. Permit Caps and Limitations.
Each individual shall be limited to the number of stickers or
digital permits established for each Residential Class:

R1 – three(3) permits; however an individual in R1 may be issued
additional permits for vehicles registered in the individual’s
name for each dependent under the age of twenty-five (25) who is
a member of the individual’s household upon verification of the
dependent’s age and that the address on the dependent’s
operator’s license is the same as the individual’s address.

R2 – three (3) permits per individual owner or lessee of the
residential property; However no more than three (3) members of
a limited liability company owning residential property shall be
issued permits and no more than three (3) individuals, whether
as a trustee or beneficiary, shall be issued permits for a trust
owning residential property.

Permits are nontransferable and may be issued as either physical
decals or digital registrations linked to the vehicle license
plate.

D. Duration, Renewal, and Verification.
Permits shall remain valid until the end of the applicable
permit period at which time they will expire unless sooner
revoked. The effective permit period shall be May 1st of an even
numbered year starting May 1, 2026 until December 1st of the
following odd number year starting December 1, 2027. Any fee
imposed for the issuance of the permit shall not be prorated and
no portion shall be refundable for any permits applied for or
issued within a permit period.

(a) All existing permit holders who received their permits in
2025 by mail without the need to apply for the same will receive

their permits for the May 1, 2026 through December 1, 2027
permit period by mail without the need to apply for the same and at no cost if there are no changes in terms of the previous permits issued and received in 2025. Such permit holder will be required for the permit period starting May 1, 2028 and ending December 1, 2029 and each permit period thereafter to apply for a new permit subject to the terms and provisions of this Chapter 10.32. Any such permit holders who have changes in terms of the previous permits issued and received in 2025, must apply for new permits in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) below.

(b) All other Residents, other than those who qualify pursuant to subsection (a) above, must apply for a permit for the permit period starting May 1, 2026 and ending December 1, 2027 and for each permit period thereafter, subject to the terms and provisions of this Chapter 10.32.

E. Fees.
Fees shall vary by Resident Class. The fee schedule shall be adopted by Council resolution and may include exemptions and discounts adopted by the City Council.

No permit shall be issued to any Resident owing the City outstanding amounts for parking violations, fines and costs for motor-vehicle-related violations, or motor-vehicle excise taxes.

F. Visitor and Temporary Permits.

1. The Director of Finance may issue one (1) general visitor pass per dwelling unit of a Resident on a residential parking street to be used during the period in which residential parking restrictions are in place pursuant to Section 10.32.080A.

2. A temporary residential parking permit may be issued for use by actual visitors to a dwelling unit of Residents on a residential parking street.

3. Temporary permits may be issued physically or digitally for up to thirty (30) days and shall be limited to vehicles connected to a dwelling unit on a street.

4. The Director of Finance may also issue temporary parking permits to service vehicles or contractors for specified

periods upon demonstrated need for the same in order to avoid an undue hardship.

5. Fees for visitor or temporary permits shall be set by Council resolution.

G. Fleet and Leased Vehicles.
Residents who use a vehicle registered to an entity other than themselves shall qualify for a Fleet Pass, valid for the period indicated thereon.
Residents using a leased vehicle must provide proof that the vehicle is leased in their name at the address on their license or permit application.
Applicants leasing for seven (7) to nine (9) months must provide proof of rental-dwelling registration or file an affidavit of exemption for owner-occupied premises.

H. Digital Permit System.
The City may maintain all permits, whether physical or digital, within its electronic parking management system. Digital permits shall be linked to the vehicle’s license plate data and enforceable by automated or manual verification systems.

I. Enforcement and Revocation.
Parking violations shall be enforced under general parking penalties. The City may deny, suspend, or revoke permits upon determination that eligibility no longer exists or is not supported by Eligibility Proof submitted or the Eligibility Proof is false, fraudulent or misleading.

SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect upon its passage and all ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

IN COUNCIL
READ AND PASSED
MARCH 25, 2026

Laura C. Swistak, CMC
City Clerk