Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | Page 81

6 Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods give city residents a sense of place and belonging within the community. The
quality of life for city residents is closely tied to the conditions within their own neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods should provide a sense
of security and freedom from excess
Relative to state averages, there
traffic and noise.
is a very high level of residential
turnover on Aquidneck Island.
The number of years that residents live
Approximately 27.2% of the
in the same house is one indicator of
population of Newport has lived
community stability. Many of the
at the same residence since the
rental properties in the city are leased
year 2000.
for the summer by families or groups of
unrelated individuals who come to
Newport for recreation or summer employment. Real estate agents report that there are at
least 3,000 summer rentals on the island with approximately 2,500 in Newport alone. It has
become increasingly easier to rent out houses, and even rental apartments, for short periods of
time using the internet and smartphones. Technology now plays a major role in the rental
market and can be an enabler of so-called “party houses.”
The prevalence of rental properties,
and in particular “party houses,” has
led to recent City Council action to
strengthen the noise ordinance and its
enforcement mechanisms. Limits have
also been placed on the number of
guest parking passes assigned to rental
properties. The issues and problems
of “party houses” are not likely to
disappear and more preventative
action and enforcement may be
required.

Many residential neighborhoods
have been experiencing the
phenomenon of the “party
house” in which several
unrelated individuals share a
house or apartment for the
summer. Oftentimes, this leads to
large numbers of guest staying
overnight with accompanying
loud parties.

Another issue facing residential neighborhoods adjacent to large institutional facilities, such as
Salve Regina University and Newport Hospital, is the conversion of year-round residences. These
conversions are designed to meet the needs of expanded or related medical employment,
student housing, or other improvements such as parking. Both the University and the Hospital
are important institutions bringing
Conversions of year round
many benefits to the community;
residences disrupt neighborhood
however, this fact must be balanced
stability for those who wish to
against the needs of nearby
maintain stability in their
neighborhood residents to maintain
neighborhood.
year-round residential character and
stability in their neighborhoods.

Draft Existing Conditions (March 2016)

Page 6-1