NEWPORT — Newport’s controversial residential parking proposal just hit another speed bump.
The city abruptly canceled a special City Council meeting scheduled for Thursday night after Newport Buzz flagged a violation of the city’s charter in the rushed rollout of the ordinance.
City Manager Colin Kennedy’s office had planned to hold the first reading of the ordinance Wednesday and the second reading Thursday — despite Newport’s City Charter requiring at least 48 hours between ordinance readings.
The schedule conflicted with Section 2-20 of the Newport City Charter, which requires ordinances to be read on two separate days with at least a 48-hour gap unless declared an emergency.
After the issue was pointed out by Newport Buzz, the city canceled the Thursday meeting.
City officials acknowledged the mistake in a statement.
“In our attempt to get the residential parking program debate back on track, we overlooked the requirement mandating 48 hours of separation between readings,” the city said. Officials now plan to hold the first reading Wednesday, March 11, with a second reading scheduled for March 25 if necessary.
The delay raises new questions about the program’s timeline.
Under the current plan, residents are supposed to begin applying for parking permits on April 1. If the ordinance isn’t finalized until late March, it’s unclear whether the city will still be able to launch the application process on schedule — or if it will need to be pushed back.
The proposal would also require residents to apply for parking permits every year and prove their residency each time, creating a new annual administrative burden for thousands of households and city workers responsible for processing applications.
Critics say the plan is a problem in search of a solution, and the bungled rollout is only adding to concerns about how the policy is being handled.
Some have also pointed out that it’s perhaps not surprising a city manager who was hired in direct violation of the city charter wouldn’t know what the charter actually requires.
For now, Newport’s parking debate debacle continues.
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