NEWPORT –– The release Monday night of a sweeping master plan outlining options for a robust future for the city made two things clear: Newport residents love their community, and they are ready for action – not more study – to bring vibrancy back to downtown.
“I am looking forward to making Newport the city it’s supposed to be,” said Mayor Linda Joy Sullivan, speaking after a standing-room only City Council meeting at the Gateway Center to publicly release and discuss the 82-page plan.
Sullivan said Newport is a city perched on a beautiful lake, abutting a border with Canada, with a regional airport, and more. The newly released master plan, she added, maps out specific projects that use land other those advantages to strengthen the city’s economy and quality of life.
The plan was drafted by VHB, an engineering and planning firm, in partnership with Newport Downtown Development and city staff. NDD has launched a 10-day public comment period to solicit input from city residents and business owners, as well as people who live and work in surrounding towns.
A copy of the master plan can be found at https://www.discovernewportvt.com/master-plan/, along with a link to complete a survey about the proposals and more ways to comment.
NDD is holding a public forum to take comments on Monday, November 25, at 6 p.m. at the Goodrich Memorial Library on Main Street. On Nov. 20 and 27, the ‘Mayor’s Hours’ (at City Hall in the City Council Room from 9 to 11 a.m.) will be devoted to hearing public comments. The public comment period ends on Nov. 27 at noon, and the week of Dec. 2 that input will be provided to VHB to incorporate into the final report, which is due to the Council on Dec. 11.
City Council is expected to vote on the final draft on Dec. 16.
“This is a very exciting time for Newport,” said Dave Laforce, chair of the NDD’s Economic Development Task Force. He said a mass mailing will be going out to all Newport residents, paid for by the NDD, with information about how to read and comment on the plan.
David Saladino, managing director at VHB, told the Council and residents that this is not simply another high-level study. Instead, he said, this master plan is focused on “going deep in action … (taking) actionable steps to move the bar forward.”
The report noted that Newport’s population has been declining and incomes are below the state average. Housing prices, however, are climbing, and there is a shortage of available units (the report suggests creating up to 410 new units in the future).
“I’m really excited about what I saw,” Newport resident Wendy McGillivray told the Council after listening to VHB’s presentation of the plan. She cautioned that housing options need to be available to all income levels, not just wealthy part-timers.
In addition, the plan suggested potential development options for specific sites in the city, including a seven-story parking, retail and residential structure in the vacant lot on Main Street, retail and housing in the former Family Dollar store on Main Street, a hotel near the East Side Restaurant, a new marina and housing at Waterfront Plaza, and more.
Several residents at Monday’s meeting urged the Council not to allow waterfront property to be used for parking. One speaker raised concerns about using Tax Increment Financing to pay for public infrastructure like parking, road work or water system improvements that would support private development. Sullivan said there would be ample discussion of TIF going forward.
Ellen Stanley, who also serves on NDD’s Economic Development Task Force, said she’s optimistic the proposed changes in the plan will make Newport more vibrant and attract young families to the city.
“It’s my hope we’ll have some of those families return to Newport,” she told the Council.
The Mayor and Laforce stressed that the master plan is putting forward various options, enabling the city to work with developers and others to pick and choose how to move forward with the different proposals. Sullivan said she will also be working the state and federal offices to help make the improvements a reality.
“This is just the beginning of the discussion,” she said.
