The effort to draft a long-term vision that promises to guide future development in the City’s North End is due to get underway this week.
Representatives from the City’s consultants, NBBJ, will be hosting a series of meetings beginning Tuesday, Jan. 21st to collect initial input from community members and City staff, officially kicking off an anticipated 16-week process that will culminate in the release of a comprehensive North End Urban Plan.
The consultant team will begin their morning by meeting with the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, followed by meetings with representatives from various community organizations, City staff, and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Their day will end with the inaugural meeting of the North End Urban Plan Steering Committee, scheduled for 6 p.m. at Innovate Newport, 513 Broadway.
The meetings are the first step in what is expected to be a robust public outreach effort designed to solicit and collect feedback from community members across the City to shape the future of Newport’s North End neighborhood.
“We’re excited to get this process started,” said Patricia Reynolds, Director of Planning and Economic Development. “There’s a lot of work to be done and we’re hoping the community really takes the opportunity to have their voices heard over the course of the next few months. NBBJ will be leading a community-wide conversation around the North End, and we’ll be looking for input throughout the process by the use of online and in-person forums. My hope is that everyone has the chance to weigh in on this important project.”
The North End Urban Plan is part of a broader push to reimagine the City’s North End through efforts such as the reconfiguration of the Pell Bridge interchange and the introduction of a new Innovation Zoning district intended to spur economic development and create new opportunities for residents to live, work and thrive.
More information about how residents will be able to participate in the development of the North End Urban Plan is expected to be announced following Tuesday’s introductory meetings.
