Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions

9 Open Space & Recreation always been a more private and intimate beach that has a fairly low amount of patrons. The amenities to this beach are limited to the sand and the ocean water. Newport has a number of other smaller public and private beaches along its coast, including one located within Fort Adams State Park. Existing and Future Open Space and Recreation Needs Newport parks and open spaces are used by a wide range of people – residents, workers, tourists, seasonal residents, and students. The year-round population of Newport is about 24,700, but it swells up to 100,000 on peak summer weekends (summer population is approximately 65,000 on average). Year-Round Resident Park Demand The year-round population has been steady, with a slight decrease from 2000 to 2010 (-7%). Newport’s population is economically and demographically diverse. Income varies significantly, with 16% of households earning less than $20,000 annually and 17% earning more than $125,000. Overall, 11% of households live in poverty. This is higher than other communities on Aquidneck Island (Middletown’s household poverty rate is nine percent and Portsmouth is eight percent), but lower than the average across the state (14%). Newport residents are also diverse in terms of age. Newport’s median age is 37 years old, younger than Middletown (42), Portsmouth (46), and the state as a whole (40). Nearly a quarter of Newport’s residents are between 15 and 34 years old, giving the city a higher percentage of young adults. Overall, 21% of households have one or more children living at home. Eight percent of Newport’s population is 5-14 years old, and four percent is under five years. At the same time, 14% of residents are over 65 years, and this number is projected to increase in the future. Open space planning and programming must balance the diverse needs of residents of all ages. These different ages are also distributed unequally throughout the city. More children and youth live in the North End compared to other parts of the city, while a higher percentage of older residents live in central and southern parts of Newport. This can be translated to a higher relative need for playgrounds and athletic opportunities in northern parts of Newport, and a higher relative demand for passive open space in the central and south. Park demand is higher in the North End and Downtown than in other parts of Newport, Source: Sasaki and Associates. Other factors that relate to park demand are density and income. Lower income residents have a higher demand for nearby parks because they are less likely to have access to a car to access more distant parks. Density also prompts the need for open space; denser communities have a higher need for nearby parks than lower density areas. Seasonal Resident and Tourist Park Demand In the summer, Newport’s population swells with tourists and seasonal residents. Seasonal / occasional use is 11% of Newport’s housing (American Community Survey). Tourists come from across the country and around the world to visit Newport. The majority of domestic visitors come from New England or the Mid- Atlantic. International visitors frequently come from Europe (57%), Canada (19%), and Asia / Middle East (12%). These visitors and seasonal residents increase demand for open space, especially in the summer. In fact, several open space destinations are some of the City’s top draws for tourists, including the Cliff Walk, Fort Adams State Park, Easton’s Beach, and Brenton Point State Park. Draft Existing Conditions (March 2016) Page 9-15

Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | Page 139