Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Existing Conditions | страница 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