2025-32

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:

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.

C. 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.

DELETE PARAGRAPH F IN ITS ENTIRETY:

F. Guest houses

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.

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
APRIL 23, 2025

Laura C. Swistak, CMC
City Clerk