2006 Newport North End Master Plan by Newport Tree Conservancy

2006 North End Master Plan

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INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2006 North End Master Plan

This is an exciting time for Newport! The North End represents the only area left in the City with potential to configure large parcels of land for future redevelopment. The manner in which these parcels are developed will add value to adjacent parcels and will provide a catalyst for further economic development. Along with streetscape improvements, these new developments will enhance the image of the North End and provide an attractive north entrance/exit to the city. To achieve these results, the North End Master Plan (the Master Plan) intends to creatively use infrastructure investments and public property in the North End to result in smart growth planning policies to benefit the City as a whole. The Master Plan builds on the success of recent City of Newport redevelopment initiatives in the Ranger Road (Chafee Boulevard)/Newport Heights area of the North The North End Master Plan End: the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) builds on the success of opened in 2005; a Head Start facility; a proposed Newport Heights. administration and operations center for BankNewport; a new playfield; and the attractive affordable housing development begun in 2004 and continuing. The Chafee Boulevard Plan received the 2006 Best Plan Implementation Award from the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Planning Association. The Master Plan specifically identifies economic development opportunities for other key parcels of land in the North End, including the former Navy Hospital on the waterfront, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) properties at the Pell Bridge Interchange (the Interchange) and farther north on J.T. Connell Highway, and the Newport Housing Authority’s Florence Gray Center on Girard Avenue. The Master Plan also provides recommendations for the established sections of the North End so that the new development opportunities and the existing neighborhoods will function as an integrated whole. The greatest redevelopment opportunity in the City is the approximately 31 acres of land freed up by the planned reconstruction of the Pell Bridge Interchange. This land area can be configured into highly desirable development parcels. This redevelopment opportunity also would provide for potential intermodal transportation facilities and services because the site is near highways and a railroad corridor with potential easy access to downtown Newport. Among opportunities are the following: satellite parking for visitors and users of new developments, pedestrian and open space links to the rest of the North End and mixed‐use transit oriented development (TOD). This type of development would generate new jobs and property and certain sales tax revenues. It would create a new image for the North End and provide other substantial benefits for Newport’s economy. In addition, the Master Plan

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1.0 Introduction and Background

identifies opportunities for taking maximum advantage of the North End’s waterfront (occupied by Naval Station Newport with access restrictions), provides for a connecting network of open space links, and enhances and protects natural resources including the Elizabeth Brook (the small waterway that drains the Interchange area to Coasters Harbor), and Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks. The combined effects of these future redevelopments, in accordance with a cohesive vision and action plan in the Master Plan, will provide for a substantial improvement of the North End and the city as a whole.

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES Goal The goal of the Master Plan is to provide a decision‐making guide for the future development of the North End. The planning strategy is to creatively use planned public infrastructure investments and potential land development opportunities in the North End to result in a cohesive and well functioning mixed‐use community benefiting all of Newport.

Objectives The following are the City of Newport’s planning objectives for the Master Plan: Identify new uses development parcels;

for

key

View of Pell Bridge Interchange from the west. Former Naval Hospital in foreground.

Explore economic development opportunities related to the reconfiguration of Pell Bridge interchange; Identify opportunities to expand tax base and create new jobs; Improve circulation and parking, including opportunities for satellite parking and transit oriented development; Preserve and enhance open space and recreation opportunities; Develop a strategy for protecting natural resources;

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2006 North End Master Plan

Provide opportunities for affordable housing initiatives; and Develop an Action Plan for implementation.

PURPOSE AND NEED The purpose of the Master Plan is to provide the City of Newport with a decision‐making guide regarding planning and zoning issues and public capital and service investments in the North End. The Master Plan will enable the City to make these decisions in response to immediate short‐term opportunities without precluding the realization of longer‐term objectives. The Master Plan is needed since the largest potential parcels left in the City for future development are solely in the North End. This unique opportunity requires a cohesive development strategy that meets City planning objectives.

METHODOLOGY The methodology used to prepare the Master Plan is included as Appendix A, Scope of Work, in Volume 2 of 2 of the North End Master Plan and summarized below:

Market Analysis The first step was to synthesize available economic data for Newport and the region to prepare a comprehensive market analysis. The market analysis was used to identify the “highest and best use” redevelopment scenarios for key commercial and potential mixed use parcels such as the Interchange area and the former Navy Hospital site. The results of the market and economic analysis are included in Appendix B, Market Analysis in Volume 2 of 2 of the North End Master Plan. The next step was to formulate conceptual land use alternatives for these parcels based on both the market analysis and the City’s objectives. The constraints and opportunities for each parcel were analyzed. This was essential to quantify their development potential. Several alternative development schemes were prepared. Finally, creative methods of financing or funding infrastructure improvements and amenities also were identified. The concepts for the Master Plan were refined based on a blending of the results of the market analysis, which set baseline supports for specific land use opportunities, with a number of inputs. These inputs included an evaluation of alternative potential land uses against the City’s planning objectives, and feedback from the project’s Steering Committee and citizens who participated

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The 10-acre former Naval Hospital waterfront parcel is a key redevelopment opportunity.

1.0 Introduction and Background

in the public outreach process. The resulting Master Plan addresses the following elements and provides solutions that meet the City’s objectives:

Circulation and Parking Circulation, traffic congestion, and parking are major concerns in Newport especially during periods when visitation is the highest (July through October). To address these concerns, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) conducted in 2005 and 2006 a conceptual design study of the Interchange ramp system and a redesign study of J.T. Connell Highway. For the Master Plan, work included review of both RIDOT studies and an evaluation J.T. Connell Highway traffic, abutter of traffic impacts on the resulting local roadway access, and appearance are major network of the recommended development concerns. program. A circulation plan for the North End was developed that considered prior planning, the latest being the Conceptual Circulation Study for the City prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2000. Intermodal transportation potentials also have been incorporated, wherever feasible, and the effects of a proposed satellite parking garage and downtown shuttle system were reviewed.

Natural Resources The North End is home to Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks and several smaller park and recreation facilities. It is the stated goal of the 2004 Comprehensive Land Use Plan to protect and enhance open space within the City of Newport. The Master Plan intends to implement this goal by identifying existing open space and establishing policies and strategies that preserve high value wetlands, woodlands, coastline, and other natural resources. Of particular interest is The combined Miantonomi Park and the potential to improve the greatly compromised Sunset Hill Park is Newport’s largest drainage channel (by phragmite reeds) between public open space resource. the Interchange area and Coaster’s Harbor, which is referred to as Elizabeth Brook in a prior natural resources study conducted for the Naval Station Newport. Appendix C, Drainage Study provides background information about this waterway. The Master Plan uses the existing and potential new public open space in the North End to create a coherent park system by identifying those properties that would need to be improved or acquired in order to link them.

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2006 North End Master Plan

Land Use The City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan guides land use policies. A number of challenging land use issues were addressed in the Master Plan including, provision of affordable housing, public access to and along the waterfront, and constraints to redevelopment such as wetlands alteration and brownfields cleanup. The Master Plan provides solutions to these challenges by strategically planning for growth and recommending innovative ways to implement solutions to these land use challenges. Prior land use studies that affect the North End Study Area have been reviewed for their applicability. A description of the most comprehensive study that affects the North End, which was prepared by the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission, is included as Appendix D, West Side Master Plan.

Design The City of Newport Planning Department developed draft commercial design guidelines that will establish standards for commercial aesthetics throughout the City. The North End’s highway commercial orientation presents particular challenges to aesthetics. The Master Plan includes a set of design guideline concepts that can be incorporated into the City’s zoning and land use regulations, including the above referenced design commercial guidelines.

Housing The City committed to site 60 units of affordable housing units to replace units that were removed to develop Newport Heights. Fifteen to 19 of these units remain to be sited. In order to complete Newport Heights in a timely manner these units must be sited with financing arranged by 2010. The Master Plan recommends an approach to site these units in the North End and throughout the City.

IMPLEMENTATION Phased Growth The Master Plan recommendations are phased to account for the potential timing of land becoming available for development. For example, the planned disposition of the former Naval Hospital site is under the control of the Department of Defense. In addition, the availability of development parcels at the Interchange and the construction of the J.T. Connell Highway improvements are dependent on RIDOT’s design and construction schedules. Nevertheless, the phased implementation program for the Master Plan is based on the best estimates of when these actions are taken by others and how the City can implement its own improvements and actions in a coordinated fashion.

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1.0 Introduction and Background

Zoning The Newport Zoning Ordinance is the City’s key land use control. The Master Plan recommends both zoning changes and design guidelines to make certain that new land uses and the urban form desired are realized.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Four general public planning meetings were held during the study process to inform the public about the Master Plan and to encourage input into the planning process. Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) is the City’s prime contractor to prepare the Master Plan. Bonz and Company (Bonz), a real estate market analysis firm, and Crosby Schlessinger and Smallridge (CSS), an urban design and landscape architecture firm, are subcontractors to PB for the Master Plan. Public notices of the meetings were printed in newspapers. The Newport Daily News and the Providence Journal covered the public meetings. PowerPoint presentations from each of the public meetings can be viewed at www.cityofnewport.com/planning/projects/North End Master Plan, the City of Newport’s website. The first Kickoff Meeting was held December 15, 2005 in the City Council Chambers in Newport City Hall. The City’s Planning Department conducted the meeting and provided introductory material about the Master Plan process via a PowerPoint presentation. Approximately 30 persons attended including the newly appointed Steering Committee to help guide the planning process. The second Public Meeting was held March 13, 2006 in the CCRI auditorium on J.T. Connell Highway. PB introduced the study including the scope of work and schedule and identified major planning issues and opportunities. Bonz presented the results of the market analysis that it conducted for the Master Plan. A PowerPoint presentation was given, followed by open discussion. Approximately 50 persons attended. The third Public Meeting was held June 7, 2006 in the CCRI auditorium. PB and CSS presented preliminary alternative land use concepts for the various parcels being studied. The audience of 35 persons was divided into three discussion groups to review and comment on the alternatives presented. The attendees reconvened in the auditorium where a representative from each group summarized their comments. The fourth Public Meeting was held October 17, 2006 in the CCRI auditorium. Approximately 45 people attended the meeting. PB presented refined land use concepts developed by the consulting team based on feedback from the public participation process and the Steering Committee. The Implementation Program also was presented. Feedback forms were distributed and approximately 40% of the attendees returned the forms to the

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2006 North End Master Plan

consultant with additional comments. This public input was used to further refine the development program, which is presented in the Master Plan. Steering Committee. A Steering Committee of representatives from City agencies and other relevant and interested organizations was established by the Planning Department. The purpose was to work with and advise the Department and the consulting team regarding issues of relevance and to review and comment on project presentations before they were presented to the public. The Steering Group met five times, three with the consultant team. Members included the following: James Reed Jan Shapin Scott Wheeler Richard Carrubba Peter Martin Keith Stokes Teresa Crean Edward Parker Lori Capaldi Bruce Bartlett Charlotte Yeomans Roger Poisson Julie Forgue Peter Janaros

Newport Housing Authority Newport Housing Authority Parks and Recreation Department Planning Board Planning Board Newport County Chamber of Commerce Aquidneck Island Planning Commission RIDOT Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Newport Redevelopment Agency Newport Redevelopment Agency Naval Station Newport Department of Public Works Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority

PAST STUDIES AFFECTING THE STUDY AREA City of Newport’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan The City of Newport’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan was prepared pursuant to the Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act of 1988 (RI General Laws at 45‐22.2). The Act requires towns and cities to prepare a new and update comprehensive plans every five years. The plan forms a legal basis for zoning ordinances and land development ordinances, which must be consistent with the comprehensive plan. Newport’s past Comprehensive Plans were prepared in 1972 and 1991. The current Comprehensive Land Use Plan was updated for 2002 by the Planning Board, adopted in 2003 by the City Council and approved in 2004 by the Statewide Planning Program. The Comprehensive Plan includes the eight required elements by the 1988 Act: Land Use; Housing; Economic Development; Natural Resources; Community Facilities; Open Space and Recreation; and Circulation. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan provides general planning guidance that are of particular relevance to the North End. Some policies of interest to the North End Master Plan include the following:

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1.0 Introduction and Background

The community must identify methods of diversifying the local economy, in order to provide meaningful employment for Newport residents; encourage less dependence on tourism and Defense. Optimize use of vacant or underutilized land. More affordable housing must be provided …and must be integrated throughout the city …on a small site scattered basis.

Industries are a small factor in the total employment in Newport. Therefore, industrial‐zoned land, only available in the North End, does not need to be expanded. However, any redevelopment in the North End must be in scale and character of neighboring uses. To guide future retail growth, encourage a healthy mix of businesses that serve the local and regional populations.

Avoid future large scale housing developments regardless of price.

Create incentives to set aside space for affordable studio/workshop space in new commercial developments.

Encourage small scale development in order to preserve Newport’s small city and neighborhood character.

Capture new firms and commercial development, including small offices, to generate property taxes.

The City should create a Strategic Economic Development Plan.

Due to high traffic during peak periods, the addition of more commercial development will require sound planning and traffic and parking assessments.

Encourage the development of privately owned swimming pools, skateboard parks and indoor/outdoor ice skating facilities. Encourage alternative means of transportation, such as bicycle, walking, and bus, rail and water transit…to reduce automobile traffic. Current zoning in the North End needs to be changed from Commercial/Industrial, which allows industrial uses, because the North End contains the largest area in the city for future commercial with good transportation access.

High density residential uses exist in the North End, but many do not conform to zoning district R‐10, the City’s highest density. Higher density housing than R‐10 requires a special permit. Encourage development of Navy excessed or leased land to contribute to City tax base. Encourage “family oriented” tourism activities, to among other benefits reorient Newport’s image away from alcohol consumption.

1997 Newport Harborfront Plan The Newport Harborfront Plan was prepared in 1997 by WTG Planning and Design Consultants for the Foundation for Newport, a non profit organization. It was presented to the City of Newport which accepted it but it was never officially adopted as part of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Nevertheless, the planning study included the North End, specifically the reconfiguration and development of the Interchange area. Of particular relevance to the North End were the following proposals from this 1997 plan: reconfiguring the Pell Bridge Interchange to free up land that could be redeveloped; connecting Farewell Street and J.T. Connell Highway; building a satellite garage and

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2006 North End Master Plan

relocating a bus garage; developing a transportation center; establishing light rail transit and a bike path north of the transportation center, and building a two‐way street in the Newport Secondary Railroad right of way; and converting the Gateway Center to a conference facility and satellite visitors center. Current City planning policy, however, is to maintain the Gateway Center for visitor orientation and intermodal transportation because it is closer to downtown destinations and other transportation connections. The figure below is a scan of the portion of the plan that is in the North End Master Plan study area.

Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Established in 1984 as the joint planning commission for the towns of Middletown, Portsmouth and the city of Newport, the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC)

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1.0 Introduction and Background

formed a Task Force to begin a comprehensive planning study that culminated in the 2005 Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan (WSMP). The WSMP was prepared by The Cecil Group, Inc. of Boston under the direction of AIPC’s West Side Task Force with grant funds provided through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The WSMP represents a decade‐long collaborative regional effort among the communities and residents of Aquidneck Island to plan for the 5,000 acres along the west coast of Aquidneck Island, reaching from the Gateway Visitor’s Center in Newport north (through the west half of the North End) to the Mount Hope Bridge in Portsmouth. The WSMP presents overarching strategies and concepts for the Island as a whole, and offers detailed recommendations for specific areas within each of the three municipalities on Aquidneck Island, focusing on land use, transportation, economic development, and utilities. Specific to Newport, the WSMP identifies the North End of Newport as a targeted “Growth Center” for future development. The growth center concept is presented as part of the Rhode Island State Guide Plan and emphasizes the following criteria: Strengthen and encourage growth in existing centers Scale new infrastructure to support compact growth Include mixed land uses Create a range of housing opportunities and choices Protect and enhance critical environmental resources Provide a variety of transportation choices with access to mass transit

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2006 North End Master Plan

Promote community design that contributes to a sense of place Encourage growth in appropriately scaled centers The WSMP offers options for Newport to consider for the development of the Pell Bridge Interchange, as well as the Newport Secondary Railroad right‐of‐way (ROW). It suggests the development of a retail center in the area freed by the reconfiguration of the Pell Bridge Interchange. The development of a waterside park and a mixed use development at the former Naval Hospital site are also suggested. For the railroad ROW, it offers many suggestions for possible use, from a shared bikeway and railroad, to the potential for a linkage to commuter rail service through Fall River, Massachusetts. There also is mention of an interceptor parking lot that would be used during the high tourist season. While the City of Newport has not officially adopted the West Side Master Plan as an amendment to its Comprehensive Land Use Plan because the WSMP is regional and advisory in scope, the Planning Board has endorsed the Plan. The City Council will be asked to endorse the WSMP while adopting the Newport‐specific recommendations as part of the more detailed North End Master Plan effort. AIPC staff prepared a summary of the WSMP recommendations specific to Newport, which is included in Appendix D, West Side Master Plan of this North End Master Plan. The previous figure from the WSMP shows land use planning concepts for the North End area between the reconfigured Pell Bridge Interchange and the former Naval Hospital site. The North End Master Plan is consistent with these general WSMP concepts with two exceptions. The North End Master Plan recommends that the transit center be located north of the Interchange, adjacent to the mixed use retail village and satellite parking. In addition, it recommends demolition of the former Navy Hospital buildings to best maximize the potential for water views and access from new buildings.

Calthorpe Plan Map In 1999, Peter Calthorpe, an urban design firm from Berkeley, California, prepared a schematic map of the entire North End, employing “New Urbanism” principles. The map shown below entitled Preliminary Master Plan indicates a street network in the Pell Bridge Interchange area continuing the established Newport street grid pattern. The plan assumes that the Pell Bridge Interchange ramp to Admiral Kalbfus Road is removed. While the plan map was not supported by a narrative report, it showed important urban design principles that the North End Master Plan is employing to the extent feasible. Because the Calthorpe Plan was general in concept, and not supported by implementation details, it was not adopted by the City Council as an amendment to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. However, many of the planning principles are valid today and are incorporated into the North End Master Plan recommendations in Chapter 5.

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1.0 Introduction and Background

The 1999 Calthorpe Plan was based on "New Urbanism" principles.

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2006 North End Master Plan

Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Park Plans The North End Master Plan includes management plans for both Miantonomi Park and the adjacent Sunset Hill Park. On the aerial photo on this page, Sunset Hill Park is the most northerly portion of the woodlands near the housing. (The housing shown has been replaced with new housing and new streets.) The northern boundary of Sunset Hill Park is Miantonomi Park. The recommendations in this North End Master Plan for both parks build on previous studies and on discussions with senior staff from the Planning and Parks Departments. Miantonomi Park has been the focus of various planning and other studies. For example, a renovation master plan was prepared in 1990 and a Miantonomi Memorial structural inspection report was prepared in 2001.

Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks combined is the largest public open space in Newport.

The Sunset Hill Park parcel was recently transferred from the Newport Housing Authority (NHA) to the City. The Aquidneck Land Trust prepared conservation easement management plans for Miantonomi Park in 2002 and Sunset Hill Park in September 2006. A planning concept of the NHA is to provide a “gateway” to these two parks through the southern end of Newport Heights. Previous master planning concepts preserved the hilly woodlands and included trails. The flat open areas were reserved and developed as active recreation areas. The management plans for both parks, which integrates both parks as a single resource, is built upon concepts in these previous studies and new opportunities and constraints. For example, several small parking areas near trail heads and a bike path connecting Miantonomi Park with the North End waterfront are proposed.

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EXISTING CONDITIONS

2006 North End Master Plan

LOCATION The North End Study Area is located in the northernmost point of Newport as shown on Figure 2‐1. (The aerial photo in Figure 2‐1 does not show the more recent changes to the street network in Newport Heights, located under the name “Maple Avenue”.) The Study Area boundaries include the following: East: The Middletown Town Line from J.T. Connell Highway to Broadway, Broadway from Admiral Kalbfus Road to Summer Street; South: Van Zandt Avenue from the waterfront and Summer Street to Broadway; West: Waterfront alongside the former U.S. Naval Hospital site, the Newport Secondary Railroad right of way to approximately Gate 4 of Naval Station Newport (NSN); and

FIGURE 2-1:

NORTH END STUDY AREA

North: J.T. Connell Highway from Gate 4 to the Middletown Town Line.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SETTING The natural environmental setting in the North End has been altered substantially largely as a result of construction of the Pell Bridge Interchange in the late 1960s. The Interchange infields and embankments for the uncompleted “road to nowhere” changed drainage patterns in the area and created manmade wetlands and altered Elizabeth Brook, both now This segment of the Elizabeth Brook is located in front of the West Marine store northwest of the Rotary.

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2.0 Existing Conditions

choked with perennial phragmite reeds. See Appendix C, Drainage Study. Elizabeth Brook is the name of the small waterway that meanders through the Pell Bridge Interchange area and that flows to Coasters Harbor. Large parking lots associated with the Newport Grand and the Newport Towne Center retail plaza and other paved areas associated with the commercial strips along J.T. Connell Highway have changed stormwater runoff patterns. The eastern half of the study area has not been altered to the same degree, except for the recent development in Newport Heights. Topography varies considerably in the Study Area, from high elevations in the eastern half to low elevations in the western half. The highest elevation in the city is at Miantonomi Hill in Miantonomi Park, approximately 150 feet above sea level, upon which a historic monument stands. At the western base of the Park is Girard Avenue, where the elevation drops to approximately 70 feet above sea level. Across Admiral Kalbfus Road from the Park, the elevation of Malbone Road is approximately 80 feet above sea level. At J.T. Connell Highway farther west, just north of the Rotary, the elevation is approximately 10 feet above sea level. Thus, most of the surface drainage in the North End flows westerly into the Interchange area then northwesterly to Coasters Harbor. Drainage north of Miantonomi Hill flows into Coddington Cove. Some of the drainage is facilitated by man made channels from Malbone Road west and through the Interchange area via the remains of Elizabeth Brook, under J.T. Connell Highway and an auto dealer parking lot, through Naval Station Newport to Coasters Harbor. Many of the lower elevations in the Pell Bridge Interchange and Rotary areas are in a 100‐year flood zone, as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Figure 2‐2). Flooding of the rotary and basements of some houses in the Prescott Hall neighborhood south of the Interchange has occurred during heavy rain events, according to the City Department of Public Works. Also in this area is a large capped landfill that extends from Halsey Street across Admiral Kalbfus Road to where the West Marine store is located. Small ventilation stacks are visible at the remediated site where West Marine is located. Much of the landfill has not been remediated but has been paved over for the Newport Grand parking lot, Halsey Street, and for the adjacent industrial area including the City Yard.

FIGURE 2-2:

FLOOD ZONE MAP

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Wetlands in the North End are isolated and some may be the result of runoff from the Interchange embankments, with the largest wetland located in the infield of the ramp to Admiral Kalbfus Road. Other linear wetlands are located along the south side of Admiral Kalbfus Road and Halsey Street and between the railroad corridor and Third Street north of Dyer Street. Moreover, much of the railroad right of way is bordered by wetlands and also is in the 100‐year flood zone. Extensive woodlands are located in and near Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks. Together, the two adjacent parks represent the City’s largest “urban forest” resource. Scattered woodlots exist elsewhere in the residential areas, particularly at the Malbone Estate area, and within portions of adjacent Naval Station Newport. In general, the North End Study Area is largely built out, except for the RIDOT parcel on J.T, Connell Highway (described later) and land associated with the Pell Bridge ramps.

SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS Socioeconomic characteristics described in this section are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program and the City of Newport. The North End study area is composed of nearly all of Census Tract (CT) 405 and portions of CT 406, and CT 411 (Figure 2‐3). When available, data reported for the Study Area is based on Census Block data for CT 405 BG1 and BG2, CT 406 BG1, CT 411 BG1 and CT 412 BG9, as shown on Figure 2‐4, or by census tract (as noted).

Population Trends Both the North End Study Area and the City as a whole experienced a decline in population between 1990 and 2000. As indicated in Table 2‐1, the 2000 Study Area population of slightly over 8,000 people represents more than an 800‐person decrease (‐9 percent) since 1990, while the City’s 2000 population of nearly 26,500 represents a nearly 1,800‐person decrease (‐6.2 percent) since 1990. Approximately 30

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FIGURE 2-3:

NORTH END CENSUS TRACTS

2.0 Existing Conditions

percent of Newport’s population resides in the North End. From 1990 to 2000, the population of Rhode Island increased slightly. These trends are expected to continue, assuming no other changes, based on population projections developed by the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program for 2025. For example, the population of Newport has declined to 25,340 in 2005, according to State data.

TABLE 2-1:

POPULATION TRENDS

Area North End Newport Newport County Rhode Island

1990 8,840 28,227 87,194 1,003,464

2000 8,017 26,475 85,433 1,048,319

From 1990 to 2000, the number of households in the study area, the City of Newport and the County increased slightly. In the Study Area, there were 3,021 households in 2000 compared to 2,914 in 1990. In the City as a whole, there were nearly 11,600 households in 2000 compared to 11,200 in FIGURE 2-4: NORTH END 1990. This increase in households occurred at the BLOCK GROUPS same time the population decreased, reflecting a trend toward a more dispersed population since fewer people lived in more households. In addition, Newport is occupied by many non‐ resident households who own homes in the city and only occupy them seasonally. The median family income in the North End Study Area is lower than in the City or in Newport County. In 2000, the median North End household income was approximately $37,000 compared to $40,000 for the City and $50,000 for the County. The 2000 census reported the per capita income in Newport was over $25,000, compared to over $22,000 nationally. In the study area, nearly 20 percent of all families were below the poverty level in 2000 compared to 14 percent for the City as a whole. 1 The poverty level in 1999 was established at over $8,500 for one individual up to nearly $37,000 for a family with nine or more members that are 18 years or older. For both the study area and the City, the percentage of families below the poverty level increased from 1990 to 2000. Based on Census Tract data.

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The racial composition of Newport changed from 1990 to 2000; by 2000, non‐whites represented a greater percentage of the population for both the City and the Study Area. In 2000, the white population was approximately 84 percent of the total while the largest non‐ white racial group, Black or African American, was approximately 8 percent of the total population. In the Study Area, the white population represented 80 percent of the total population in 1990; by 2000, this group had fallen to 58 percent of the total. Reported criminal activity in parts of the North End is relatively high in comparison to the rest of the City, but decreasing. In Fiscal Year 2005, there were 2,591 calls to the Newport Police Department from the North End down 28 percent from 3,649 calls in Fiscal Year 2003. The decrease in calls may be due to a decrease in population because of demolition of 498 public housing units in Tomony Hill and Park Holm, which have been replaced with fewer affordable housing units as part of the Newport Heights construction program during this period, according to the Police Department. In 2000, more than 80 percent of the study area’s population had a high school diploma; and over 30 percent had a Bachelor’s degree or higher.1 By comparison, 87 percent of the City of Newport’s population had a high school degree or higher; and over 40 percent had a Bachelor’s degree or higher. The median age of Newport’s population is 34.9 years. In the study area, the median age is 35.2 years.

Housing There were over 13,000 housing units in Newport in 2000, of which approximately 5,700 were single family units and approximately 7,500 were multi‐family units. In the study area, there were 3,234 housing units, of which over 2,300 were single family units. Newport is a mature community and approximately 90 percent of all land parcels have been developed. In 2000, only 15 building permits were issued for new single family units, Newport Heights under construction, 2006 reflecting the City’s relatively developed and built out character. However, these permits do not include hundreds of permits for renovations and additions to existing buildings, according to the Planning Department. The City’s population density is 5.2 persons per acre; the Study Area, with 10.7 persons per acre, is more than twice as dense as the City as a whole.

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2.0 Existing Conditions

Well over half of Newport’s residents rent rather than own homes. Citywide, about 58 percent of the housing units were rented in 2000. In the North End, 62 percent of housing units were rented. These percentages were virtually unchanged from 1990 for both the City and the study area. In the North End, there were almost 3,100 units of rental housing in 1990 and nearly 3,200 in 2000. The existing housing stock provides sufficient excess capacity to absorb anticipated population growth. In the study area, vacancy rates approached 7 percent in 2000. Vacancy rates for the City of Newport and the County were even higher at 12.5 percent and 11 percent, respectively. In the Study Area, however, median home values are generally lower than the City or the County. In 2000, the median home value for Census Tract 405, which is the bulk of the study area, was $130,200, compared with $166,600 and $163,200 for the City and the County, respectively. For two of the three census tracts in the study area, median home values decreased slightly from 1990 to 2000. One new 40 plus unit condominium project was opened in the North End in 2006 selling for $298,000 and more for two‐bedroom, two‐bath units.

Employment The North End is closely tied to Newport’s overall economy. From 1991 to 2001, Newport’s economy experienced significant growth. Citywide, private sector employment grew by almost 1,400 jobs, an 11.6% increase.

Newport Grand is among the City’s largest employers.

From 1990 to 2000, employment in the study area increased 1 percent to over 5,400.2 During the same period, employment in Newport decreased by nearly 2 percent. In the study area, armed services employment decreased between 1990 and 2000 by more than half, from over 400 to fewer than 200.

There were approximately 1,200 businesses operating in Newport and approximately 60 businesses (with 5 or more employees) in the North End. Some of the City’s largest employers are located in the North End.

Wal-Mart Super Stop and Shop Newport Grand

250 employees 225 employees 188 employees

Source: 2004 Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Based on Census Tract data.

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The unemployment rate in 1990 for the North End was 7.7% and for Newport it was 6.3%. In 2000 the unemployment rate for the North End decreased to 6.0%, while the unemployment rate for Newport increased to 7.3%.

Tourism With estimates of over 3 million visitors each year, tourism accounts for a significant part of Newport’s economy. But, tourism has shown little growth in recent years. In addition, tourism is highly seasonal; Newport’s infrastructure and lodging is saturated in the peak summer months, but utilization off‐season is low. During the peak summer months, Newport is already near capacity in terms of hotel rooms and traffic. The North End is not insulated from this dramatic seasonal influx, since hotels, restaurants and traffic are also affected by tourism in the district.

The Navy The U. S. Navy plays a large role in the economy of Newport. It has been the single largest employer in Newport for the past decade. The Naval Station Newport remains the single largest employer on Aquidneck Island, with nearly 7,600 employees in 2001. Approximately 60 percent of the employees are civilian staff. In addition to jobs directly created by the Navy, there are many other technology and defense‐related jobs generated indirectly by the Navy on Aquidneck Island.

Naval Station Newport is the largest employer on Aquidneck Island.

Retail The retail industry is the second largest employment sector in Newport. There are 240 retail establishments employing over 1,600 people in the City. Of these establishments, there are approximately 18 in the North End. Outside of downtown Newport, the largest concentration of retail development on Aquidneck Island is the Route 114/138 corridor located 1‐2 miles northeast of the North End, which serves the daily shopping needs of Island residents. This corridor contains a series of auto dealerships, motels, and small‐mid size retail centers. Many of the older properties are quite small, on the order of 20,000 square feet or less and feature relatively low‐end tenants such as second‐hand stores, personal service providers (e.g., nail and hair care), and auto repair services. Due to the wide variety of space available, lease rates range broadly from $8 per square foot to as high as $15 per square foot on a triple net basis. Larger shopping plazas along Route 114 and East Main Road include two centers anchored by large, modern supermarkets, and containing a range of chains and other stores. Other national franchise retailers in the corridor include casual dining restaurants, fast food

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restaurants and drugstores. A high demand exists for these spaces due to the lack of larger, high‐quality shopping centers in the area. Real estate brokers indicate that lease rates for the area’s retail plazas currently range from $16 to $18 per square foot (not including utilities, taxes, and insurance). In the North End, the Newport Town Center contains approximately 274,000 square feet of retail space, which was redeveloped in the mid‐1990s. While Newport and Middletown provide many retail services both for tourists and residents, shoppers must travel 20‐30 miles to reach a broader range of stores and services available in off‐Island regional shopping malls, “big box” retailers or higher‐end and mixed use retail centers called “lifestyle” centers by the industry. Life style centers have mixed uses, pedestrian oriented, open air configurations and are designed to resemble a traditional town center. Retail quality tends to be mid‐market to upscale, and may include restaurants and cinemas. Parking is on the perimeter and may be on surface or in garages. The nearest regional shopping malls and concentrations of other large chain and discount stores are located in the Warwick‐Cranston area, and around North Dartmouth and Swansea, Massachusetts. Smaller centers anchored by discounters and food stores are also located in Fall River and North Kingstown. The nearest “lifestyle” center is the Village portion of the Garden City Center in Cranston and in the relatively new and much smaller South County Commons in South Kingstown.

LAND USE AND ZONING Existing Land Use The 615‐acre North End Study Area (almost a square mile) is a diverse but disparate area of the City (8 square miles in total). There are few physical connections among the neighborhoods and commercial districts in the North End as shown in Figure 2‐5 and Table 2‐2.

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2006 North End Master Plan

FIGURE 2-5:

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EXISTING LAND USE

2.0 Existing Conditions

TABLE 2-2

NORTH END LAND USE DISTRIBUTION

Description of Land Use Medium to High Density Residential Medium to Low Density Residential Low Density Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation, Communications, and Utilities Mixed Urban Open Space and Recreation Vacant Public Facilities and Institutions Water Wetland Transitional Areas (urban open) Total

Acres 230 27 17 101 30 52 13 72 8 60 0 5 0 615

Source: RIGIS

Approximately 274 acres or 44 percent of the land area in the Study Area is residential, the predominant land use. Residential uses, largely medium density, flank the periphery of the Study Area: northern (Newport Heights), eastern (Park Holm) and southern (Malbone‐ Broadway and the Swamp) neighborhoods. The new, attractive affordable housing under development at Newport Heights will replace public housing units at Tonomy Hill. A total of 425 new units (including 100 home ownership units) are being constructed in five phases under a $20 million Federal Hope VI grant and additional financing from the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation. This is the largest housing development project in Newport. The Malbone‐Broadway and Prescott Hall neighborhoods are comprised primarily of single family detached homes. Multi‐family rental and condominium developments are located along Girard Avenue in the center of the Study Area. Two subsidized rental apartment developments are located between the Newport Secondary Railroad right of way and Third Street. The railroad, Admiral Kalbfus Road Boulevard and the Interchange area effectively separate all these residential areas from each other. The center of the North End is primarily commercial/industrial with little or no relationship to the surrounding residential areas. The Newport Towne Center is the largest retail plaza in Newport (approximately 274,000 square feet) with a Wal‐Mart (98,476 square feet) and a Super Stop and Shop (63,431 square feet) as anchors. Access to its 1,100‐space surface parking lot is via J.T. Connell Highway and Admiral Kalbfus Road. The retail plaza is oriented to a larger and automobile‐oriented regional market. The rear of the Center is practically adjacent to the apartment and condominium developments along Girard Avenue but no formal sidewalk has been provided to it.

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2006 North End Master Plan

Other highway commercial uses along J.T. Connell Highway north of the rotary include a car dealer, gas station, hardware store, fast food restaurants, a mini storage facility and together also serve larger regional markets than the North End. J.T. Connell Highway as the northern gateway to Newport also provides access to the Pell Bridge and markets to the west (Jamestown and South County on the mainland), which is the primary reason this type of automobile‐oriented development has located there. Commercial uses south of the rotary on J. T. Connell Highway include a truck rental facility, the Newport Dinner Theatre and a bus tour company garage. Other commercial uses include the Newport Grand and a small node west of the Rotary. The largest single commercial land area in the North End is the 22‐acre Newport Grand parcel. One of two State‐approved gaming operations in Rhode Island, it occupies the eastern end of the parcel that also includes a 2,000‐space surface parking lot that is usually only about 15‐20 percent occupied. This facility attracts a regional market well beyond State boundaries and has no relationship to the North End community. Other commercial facilities in the study area include a small node of office uses and restaurants located near the railroad, Third Street and Training Station Road.

Waste Management occupies a parcel on Halsey Street surrounded by housing, the City Yard and the Newport Grand parking lot, all near the Pell Bridge Interchange.

Industrial‐type uses are located in the center of the Study Area, primarily between the Pell Bridge Interchange and Newport Grand. Major uses include Waste Management, small private businesses in warehouse type structures and the City Yard, including offices of the City’s Department of Public Works and the Parks Department storage facilities for both departments. In addition, the City Yard parcel is used for parking of approximately 14 school buses.

Open spaces are located within the Study Area but primarily in the residential areas. The major open space in the Study Area is the nearly 31‐acre largely forested preserve called Miantonomi Park managed by the Newport Parks Department with oversight by the Miantonomi Park Commission. The Aquidneck Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the property. Adjacent and north is the 6‐acre Sunset Hill Park (also largely forested) acquired in 2006 by the City from the Newport Housing Authority (NHA). The NHA still owns similar forested open space on a hilly slope between Miantonomi Park and Girard Avenue. The two publicly‐owned and adjacent parks occupy nearly 38 acres, the largest open space in the North End. As such, they function as an “urban forest”, a unique habitat in the middle of a densely populated community. It is located north of Admiral Kalbfus Road between Girard and Hillside Avenues. Other public open spaces include Abruzzi Little League complex on J.T. Connell Highway, Tonomy

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2.0 Existing Conditions

Field, Park Holm Field, Sullivan School playground, and the Hunter Park (located on Van Zandt Avenue). The City leases a roughly 1.5 acre remnant parcel on J. T. Connell Highway from RIDOT for use as a “Dog Park”. The Dog Park will be displaced during construction of the reconfigured Pell Bridge Interchange, and the Parks Department would like to find a replacement site as it has proven popular. Major public institutional uses include the new Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and East Bay Community Action Head Start School on Chafee Boulevard, as well as the Sullivan and Coggeshall Elementary Schools. The Sheffield School (closed in mid‐2006), located on the east side of Broadway, abuts the Study Area. The Florence Gray Center, a multi purpose community center on Girard Avenue, and the Maher Center on Hillside Avenue provide special needs programs to Newport County residents. The East Bay Met School, an alternative regional high school based in Providence, opened a small branch in the Florence Gray Center in August 2006. The East Bay Met School serves students from the entire East Bay (i.e., most of Newport and Bristol Counties). In 2005, an educational facilities consultant recommended to the City that the existing six elementary schools in Newport be consolidated and replaced by two or three new, larger, modern and more efficient schools. If followed, a new school would be built on City‐owned property either on the site of the existing Sullivan School or across the street. Under the three‐school alternative, a new or expanded school would be developed at the Coggeshall School site. The closed Sheffield School and site could possibly be adapted for other uses such as mixed income housing, arts center or medical offices. The Newport School Department would like to schedule a school bond referendum to allow the new schools to open in fall 2009. Cost is estimated at $43.7 million for two schools and $56 million for three schools. The largest institutional use in Newport is adjacent to and outside of the North End Study Area on the north and west, the extensive Naval Station Newport (NSN). Access to NSN is via Training Station Road west of the Rotary (a westerly extension of Admiral Kalbfus Road) and via Gate 4 on J.T. Connell Highway opposite Newport Heights. Vacant parcels in the North End include the site of the former U.S. Naval Hospital on Third Street in Naval Station Newport. The Navy has initiated the federal Environmental Assessment process (under the National Environmental Policy Act) as a first step in disposing of the 10‐acre site (including 3 acres underwater) fronting on Newport Harbor. RIDOT currently owns a 5‐acre vacant parcel on J.T. Connell Highway, between a mini‐ warehouse storage facility and a convenience store. Both of these sites are of key interest to the City for redevelopment purposes. In July 2006, the State Properties Committee approved the bid by the City of Newport to purchase the RIDOT vacant parcel on J.T. Connell Highway, and in November 2006 the City moved ahead to acquire the parcel but the sale had not closed as of January 2007. Parcel 1 on J.T. Connell Highway in Newport Heights also is currently vacant but is committed. The 5‐acre site will be redeveloped by

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2006 North End Master Plan

BankNewport to consolidate its administrative functions there. The City will allow a long‐ term triple net lease with BankNewport for use of the property.

Existing Zoning The City of Newport’s Zoning Ordinance is used to aid the implementation of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Zoning Ordinance controls physical development in the city and promotes the prosperity of the city’s people and businesses. The Ordinance also provides guidelines and controls for such characteristics as building height and lot size, which are used to control the type of development in each area of the city. In the North End there are only two zoning districts, “R‐10” and “C‐I”, as shown in Figure 2‐6. The C‐I zoning code signifies commercial and industrial uses exclusively and is meant to condense these uses in one area so that they will not infringe on residential districts. The height of a building in this zone may not exceed 60 feet, and the minimum lot area is 10,000 square feet with a minimum lot width of 100 feet. This zone allows such uses as warehousing, churches, and research laboratories. With a special use permit, other uses such as schools, convention centers, and shopping centers are allowed. In the North End the C‐I zone covers a large area including Navy and Community College of Rhode Island properties to the north, the Newport Secondary Railroad right of way to the west, the Pell Bridge interchange and the Swamp neighborhood to the south, and the Malbone Road area, Miantonomi Park, and other residential areas to the east. It includes the businesses along J.T. Connell Highway, the Newport Grand, and the City Department of Public Works. The R‐10 zoning code signifies medium density residential development which acts as a transition between the high‐density urban core of downtown, to the more suburban, lower density areas. The height of a building in this zone may not exceed 30 feet, and the minimum lot area is 10,000 square feet with a minimum lot width of 80 feet. This zone allows such uses as two‐family housing, churches, playgrounds, and municipal buildings. With a special use permit, other uses such as hospitals, museums, and rest homes are allowed. In the North End, this zone generally surrounds the CI zone on the south, east, and west sides. The R‐10 district also includes the former Naval Hospital site, the Prescott Hall neighborhood, and Newport Heights neighborhood.

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2.0 Existing Conditions

FIGURE 2-6:

EXISTING ZONING

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2006 North End Master Plan

TRANSPORTATION Existing Roadway System The functional classification system groups roadways according to the level of service they provide and offers a framework within which a common set of design standards can be applied to roadway design. This set of design elements includes items such as roadway geometry, access controls and needs, design speed, pavement design, and signage and lighting requirements. The 2005‐2015 Highway Functional Classification map for Newport, prepared by the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program, is shown in Figure 2‐7. The hierarchy of the functional system shown for Newport consists of only two categories: “principal arterials‐urban” (for main traffic movements) and “minor arterials urban”. However a finer classification system used in 1995‐2005 is more useful to describe the roadway system in the North End.

Connecting Links of Rural Principal Arterials (Urban) Only two roadway segments in the City of Newport are identified as Principal Arterials, and both are in the North End: J.T. Connell Highway and the Pell Bridge Access Road. Together, they are only 1.7 miles in length. The two connect via Admiral Kalbfus Road providing access to the mainland via Jamestown to the west, to downtown Newport to the south and to the remainder of Aquidneck Island, East Bay communities and Massachusetts to the north. Both are designated State Route 138 and provide a short through‐route in the North End. J.T. Connell Highway carried 14,100 vehicles and the Pell Bridge Access Road carried 26,700 vehicles in 2003, average daily traffic volumes (ADT), according to RIDOT. The volumes are subject to seasonal fluctuations, particularly higher during the summer‐fall tourist season.

Other Principal Arterials (Urban) Only three roadways in or near the North End are classified as Urban Principal Arterials by RIDOT: Admiral Kalbfus Road, Broadway, and Farewell Street (between Americas Cup Avenue and the Pell Bridge Access Road). All differ in their physical characteristics, but they provide a basic circulation system in the North End and eventually connect to Rt. 138. Admiral Kalbfus Road is designated a principal arterial street east of the Rotary (where J.T. Connell Highway and the Bridge Access Road meet.) Admiral Kalbfus Road connects to Broadway at Route 114 (West Main Road) and Miantonomi Road in Middletown. Admiral Kalbfus Road carried 16,800 vehicles (ADT) in 2003, the North End’s most heavily traveled east‐west link. Farewell Street carried 12,200 vehicles a day (ADT). Broadway connects the northern city limits with downtown, but not directly to other “principal” arteries. There are no Minor Arterial (Urban) roadways in the North End

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2.0 Existing Conditions

FIGURE 2-7:

EXISTING ROADWAYS

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2006 North End Master Plan

Collector Roads There are five collector roads in the North End Study Area. Girard Avenue between J.T. Connell Highway and Admiral Kalbfus Road connects to Malbone Road between Admiral Kalbfus Road and Broadway, via one‐block‐long Summer Street. This is the longest collector link in the North End. (The one‐block segment of Girard Avenue between Maple Avenue and J. T. Connell Highway will be closed and used for access and parking for the playground to the west, and for CCRI expansion to the east. Parallel to and east of Girard Avenue, on the east side of Miantonomi Park, is Hillside Avenue that connects Maple Avenue with Admiral Kalbfus Road. Maple Avenue connects J.T. Connell Highway with West Main Road in Middletown. Training Station Road and Third Street connect the Rotary with Naval Station Newport and the Point neighborhood south of the Study Area. Van Zandt Avenue connects Washington Street in the Point to Malbone Road, and then via Summer to Broadway. Not classified yet is the newly constructed John Chafee Boulevard in Newport Heights. It connects J.T. Connell Highway to Maple Avenue and to Sunset Boulevard, a new street, and would most likely be classified as a collector, at least to Maple Avenue.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Sidewalks are located along most of the principal arterial, minor arterial and collector streets. However, there is no continuous pedestrian route along Newport Harbor in the North End. Sidewalks along Washington Street south of the Pell Bridge terminate at Van Zandt Avenue. The Washington Street Extension right of way north of Van Zandt has been planted with grass by abutters, preventing public access between Van Zandt and Sycamore Street (alongside the embankment for the Pell Bridge.) Access farther north into the U.S. Naval Hospital site also is prevented by a fence. There are no marked and signed bicycle paths in Newport. Nevertheless, bicycle use on Newport Streets is active. The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission’s A Bicycle Guide to Aquidneck Island, Third Edition, 2000, identifies bicycle routes in Newport. The only bicycle route close to the North End Study Area is along Washington Street, but terminates at Van Zandt Avenue.

Intersections By accommodating turning traffic, the major intersections in the study area, J. T. Connell Highway and Admiral Kalbfus Road (the Rotary), Admiral Kalbfus Road and the Pell Bridge Access Road/Newport Towne Center Driveway and Admiral Kalbfus Road and Pell Bridge Access Road/Newport Grand Driveway, serve as the major capacity constraints of the transportation network. Existing operational analysis for these key intersections was performed as part of the Pell Bridge Interchange Project 3. Signalized and unsignalized Results of Traffic Analyses of Concept 4A2 and 4A6, Vanesse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Memorandum dated 2/13/2003 by Robert Clinton, PE.

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2.0 Existing Conditions

intersection capacity analysis procedures used for by that project and for the North End Master Plan follow those presented in the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM)4, as replicated by SYNCHRO 6.0, a traffic signal analysis and coordination software package. Analysis of the existing Rotary was performed using the RODEL roundabout software package, an empirical capacity model developed in the UK. Capacity analysis is conducted to measure the effectiveness of a transportation facility such as a roadway or intersection in processing vehicles during a specific time period, given the physical and operational characteristics of the facility. Results from capacity analysis are a measurement of the quality of traffic flow and are described according to measures of effectiveness (MOE), a series of qualitative measures describing traffic conditions. MOE’s include average delays, queue estimates and level of service (LOS). LOS is an index of the quality of traffic flow for intersections and roadways. As defined in the HCM, these levels of service are assigned letter grades A through F. LOS A indicates that operations are well under capacity. LOS B, C and D indicate intermediate conditions. While LOS D represents conditions operating under traffic capacity, it can indicate a location where congestion may become a problem in the future. At its lower grades, LOS E indicates that the facility is operating at capacity and LOS F is associated with congested conditions, and, in the case of intersections or ramp junctions, long delays. LOS D or better is generally considered acceptable within an urban area. The LOS delay threshold criteria for signalized intersections are given in Table 2‐3. LOS for signalized intersections is defined as the average stopped delay in seconds per vehicle approaching the intersection for the peak 15‐ minute analysis period of the peak hour. The capacity analysis of the existing rotary and proposed roundabout is based on both the approach volumes and the volume circulating the circle and geometric data, such as circle diameter, entry width, entry angle and entry radius. The entry and exit capacities of each approach are determined using an empirical model and equations that have been field calibrated and validated in the UK. Delay and queue estimates are calculated based on the traffic volumes and approach capacities. The existing conditions analysis results for the critical evening peak hour are presented in Table 2‐4. The analysis reflects the North End’s seasonal peak traffic volume conditions that are approximately 18 percent higher than average traffic volume conditions. All of the intersections are operating at acceptable LOS of C or better.

Highway Capacity Manual, Transportation Research Board Special Report 209. 2000.

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TABLE 2-3:

LOS A B

LEVEL OF SERVICE CRITERIA, SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

Traffic Quality LOS A occurs when progression is extremely favorable and most vehicles arrive during the green phase. Most vehicles do not stop at all. Short cycle lengths also contribute to low delay. LOS B generally occurs with good progression and/or short cycle lengths. More vehicles stop than for LOS A, causing higher levels of average delay. LOS C has higher delays that may result from fair progression and/or longer cycle lengths. Individual cycle failures may begin to appear at this level. The number of vehicles stopping is significant at this level, although many still pass through the intersection without stopping. At LOS D, the influence of congestion becomes more noticeable. Longer delays may result from some combination of unfavorable progression, long cycle lengths, or high volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratios. Many vehicles stop, and the proportion of vehicles not stopping declines. Individual cycle failures are noticeable. LOS E is considered to be the limit of acceptable delay in heavily traveled roads and dense commercialized areas. These high delay values generally indicate poor progression, long cycle lengths, and high V/C ratios. Individual cycle failures are frequent. LOS F is considered to be unacceptable to most drivers. This condition often occurs with over-saturation, i.e., when arrival flow rates exceed the capacity of the intersection. It may also occur at high V/C ratios below 1.00 with many individual cycle failures. Poor progression and long cycle lengths may also be major contributing causes of such delays.

Control Delay Per Vehicle 1 (seconds) <10.0 10.1 to 20.0

20.1 to 35.0

35.1 to 55.0

55.1 to 80.0

> 80.0

Source: Highway Capacity Manual, Special Report 209, Transportation Research Board, 2000. 1

Average control delay per vehicle for a 15-minute analysis period.

TABLE 2-4:

EXISTING SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION CONDITIONS

Intersection J. T. Connell Highway and Admiral Kalbfus Road (the Rotary) Admiral Kalbfus Road and the Pell Bridge Access Road/ Newport Towne Center Driveway Admiral Kalbfus Road and Pell Bridge Access Road/ Newport Grand Driveway Farewell Street and Van Zandt Avenue 1

Average stopped delay measured in seconds per vehicle.

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Peak Season Evening Peak Hour LOS Delay 1 3.3 A 24.0

30.0

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2.0 Existing Conditions

Transportation Services Public Transit. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) operates four scheduled bus routes in the city and one each to Providence and Kingston Train Station, respectively (Figure 2‐8). All routes begin and end at the Gateway Center on Americas Cup Avenue and Gladys Bolhouse Drive. Ridership is highest on Line 63 that serves the North End affordable housing developments and surrounding neighborhoods, CCRI students, and shopping centers (Newport Towne Center and those in Middletown). Line 63 follows a circuitous route; from the Gateway Center to Broadway, then to Admiral Kalbfus Road, Hillside, Maple, Girard, then back down to Admiral Kalbfus Road and then to J.T. Connell Highway and to the Middletown Shopping Center. That line carried 659 passengers in January 2006, well over half (57 percent) of the patronage on the four bus routes serving the City. This also indicates a strong demand and a transit‐dependent population in the North End. RIPTA uses the standard diesel powered 44‐passenger buses in the North End. Elsewhere in the city, many of the buses have been replaced with smaller Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)‐powered trolleys, which have proven popular with tourists and Salve Regina University students on the Bellevue Avenue Line. Tourist Bus. Most tourist buses arrive and leave from the Gateway Center. There are no tourist bus routes in the North End, except those that stop at the Newport Grand. Viking Tours of Newport is a local bus operator that transports visitors through the city. Viking’s bus parking and maintenance center is located on J.T. Connell Highway south of the Rotary. Intercity Bus. Bonanza Bus, a unit of Peter Pan Bus Company, provides service between the Gateway Center and Fall River and Boston, Massachusetts. The five daily buses follow Farewell Street, the Pell Bridge Access Road, the Rotary and J.T. Connell Highway through the North End. The only Bonanza “flag” stop in the North End is on J.T. Connell Highway at the Newport Towne Center. Taxis and Limousine Service. Five taxi cab companies service Newport, operating locally but some also offer service to T.F. Green Airport in Warwick. Two taxi companies have offices in the North End (at U‐Haul and Floyd’s Auto). Water Transportation. Eight motorized and sail boats offer excursions of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. Regularly scheduled ferry service is available from Providence and Jamestown with stops in downtown Newport. There is no water transit service in the North End. The pier at the former Naval Hospital is unused and restricted. Naval Station Newport active boat landing sites near the Officers Club also are restricted. The Van Zandt pier is the only public landing dock in the Study Area.

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FIGURE 2-8:

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2.0 Existing Conditions

Rail. There is no public rail transit serving Aquidneck Island, although the Newport Secondary Railroad right of way owned by RIDOT traverses the western edge of the North End Study Area and represents a vastly underused transportation resource for the entire region. This historic rail corridor was part of a large network that expanded across southeastern Massachusetts in the 1850s. Passenger rail service between Newport and Fall River, MA began in 1864 with tracks leading all the way to the end of Long Wharf in Newport. Trains, then, serviced the Fall River Line overnight steamboats between Long Wharf and New York City. Currently the railroad tracks end in Newport at Gladys Belhouse Drive across the street from the Gateway Center. The railroad corridor’s current use is limited to the Newport Dinner Train and Old Colony Railway scenic railroad tours, but only on Aquidneck Island. The railroad bridge across the Sakonnet River to the mainland was damaged in 1988 and not repaired or replaced, effectively ending rail service to the mainland. With the proposed extensions of commuter rail by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from Lakeville/Middleton to Fall River, the potential exists to continue such or other rail shuttle service to Newport. Indeed, the operator of the Dinner Train has proposed a seasonal rail shuttle operation between the Gateway Center and Melville, where major marina expansion has been permitted. The potential for such a rail shuttle service could also serve a revitalized North End, with stations near the Pell Bridge development area and Gate 4 at Naval Station Newport.

The Self Propelled Rail Car (SPRC) is an option for potential use on the Newport Secondary Railroad Corridor. It is a modern, comfortable vehicle with large windows that could provide a quiet and convenient ride along the scenic corridor.

Parking Surface parking to service existing businesses and multi family developments in the North End appears more than adequate. The vast 2,000 space Newport Grand parking lot is only 15‐20 percent utilized. The potential exists to provide satellite parking in the North End for visitors with shuttle service to Newport tourist destinations, as part of the redevelopment of the Pell Bridge Interchange area. This possibility is discussed in Chapter 5.

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INFRASTRUCTURE The Master Plan for the North End has considered the existing and future capacity of the infrastructure to support growth. Following is a summary of existing conditions and future capacity for the North End’s water service, sewer service, solid waste, stormwater, telecommunications and natural gas. Water Service. The Newport Water Division, a regulated public utility, provides municipal water service to Newport and, through a contract for the purchase of water in bulk, to the Naval Station Newport (NSN). The Newport Water Divisions’ Water Supply Management Plan indicates that sufficient water quantity is available to meet water demand through 2025. NSN is allocated 2.5 million gallons per day (mgd); its usage is approximately 1.5 mgd. Infrastructure upgrades will be required in the future to meet pumping and treatment demand and to extend lines for new development. However, the Water Division’s system is at or near capacity during the peak tourist season. Sewer Service. Wastewater treatment for the City of Newport, NSN and the Town of Middletown is provided by the privately‐operated Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant. The wastewater treatment plant’s capacity is 10.7 million gallons per day (mgd), with current usage at 9 mgd. According to established sewer allocation agreements, Newport’s use of the system is close to its allocation. NSN is allocated 2.9 mgd or 27 percent of the system capacity; current usage is 1.6 mgd or 55 percent of the allocation. Recent storm events have channeled runoff into the sewerage system resulting in overflows of untreated sewage into the Newport Harbor and beaches. A moratorium on sewer hookups to the system was approved by Newport voters November 7, 2006 until this overflow issue is addressed and resolved. Solid Waste. Solid waste generated by municipalities in Rhode Island is sent to the Johnston Landfill in Johnston, which is operated by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. NSN also sends its solid waste to the Johnston Landfill. Given current levels of solid waste received by the landfill, the landfill is expected to operate at present design for the next 15 years. Stormwater. Newport’s stormwater collection system includes street drains, inlets, and catch basins. The collection system also includes point source discharge locations at two permitted outfalls. All stormwater discharge from NSN flows west into Narragansett Bay. Telecommunications. Telephone service is primarily provided by Verizon. Cable television is provided by Cox Communications. Fiber optic and telephone lines are well within their capacity and could accommodate growth. Natural Gas. National Grid provides Newport and NSN with its natural gas supply. The natural gas supply to Aquidneck Island is nearing capacity because of limitations in pipe size and flow volumes. This supply could be expanded, if required in the future to meet increased market demand.

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3.0

CURRENT PLANS AFFECTING THE NORTH END STUDY AREA

2006 North End Master Plan

A number of current master and development plans by the City and others have influenced the recommendations in the North End Master Plan. The following describes the intent and status of the various plans, as well as some unresolved issues.

LAND USE PLANS AND DEVELOPMENTS Consistency with Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan The North End Master Plan is consistent with the goals and policies of the City of Newport’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Comprehensive Plan, which was approved in 2004, defines goals and policies that promote comprehensive public transportation, enhance access and movement, provide sufficient parking, preserve Newport’s natural resources and vistas, protect the historic character and enhance the pattern of land use. The Master Plan supports the Land Use policies of the Comprehensive Plan including, among others, “Establish residential, commercial and mixed‐use areas consistent with the ability of land and water resources to support the development”, “Preserve existing neighborhood character and stability and minimize encroachment of commercial use into residential areas”, “Encourage development of excessed or leased land to contribute to the City tax base”, and “Maintain public access to any waterfront property accessed or leased by state, federal, or city government.” The Master Plan encourages preserving the character of existing neighborhoods while promoting mixed‐use, commercial and residential development on underutilized parcels and property excessed by the Navy. The Master Plan also supports the economic development policies, including: “In order to increase the property tax revenue, encourage the renovation and redevelopment of underutilized commercial properties.” “Strive for excellence in design, so that new development contributes to a higher quality environment, particularly the harbor area.” Promote orderly growth and development that respects the natural characteristics of the land, water, and interior scenery that makes Newport an attractive place to live.” The Master Plan encourages diverse economic development, lowers dependence on tourism, and promotes new jobs in the City. Similarly the Master Plan encourages the preservation and enhancement of open space, another important policy of the Comprehensive Plan, by designating new public waterfront open space at the Naval Hospital site and providing linkages among open space within the North End.

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

The Master Plan also supports the Comprehensive Plan’s goals and policies for transportation: “Minimize the adverse impact of pedestrian and vehicular traffic and visitor parking in the residential neighborhoods,” “Develop and run an economical and efficient public transportation system that meets the needs of all citizens…” The Master Plan supports public transportation and satellite parking to relieve congestion in downtown Newport, improving traffic flow and linkages within the North End. The Master Plan also suggests development patterns that will not significantly increase the traffic burden on Newport’s streets. There is an emphasis on providing opportunities that are good for both the City and its residents. Development Plans for specific parcels are described below.

Ranger Road (Chafee Boulevard) Parcel 1 (City) Parcel 1 is part of the Ranger Road (Chafee Boulevard) project and is located at the corner of J.T. Connell Highway and Chafee Boulevard, across from CCRI, with vehicular access only from Chafee Boulevard. In February 2006, the City Council approved a new 75,000 square foot 53‐foot high office building and two‐level parking facility with 349 spaces proposed by BankNewport. The Bank will consolidate its administrative operations here. A small coffee shop building also is proposed. This will be the first new office building built by its occupant in Newport in years. The City has entered into a long‐term lease for the property with the Bank. This is the last vacant parcel in the Ranger Road (Chafee Boulevard) project area. This development is recognized in the North End Master Plan.

Former U.S. Naval Hospital Site (Navy/GMH) The U.S. Navy is currently planning to sell the site of the former Naval Hospital, a 10‐ acre property located in the southwest corner of the North End Study Area. Three acres are underwater.

Aerial view of former Naval Hospital between Third Street and Narragansett Bay. The Pell Bridge ramp is at bottom of picture.

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2006 North End Master Plan

The Third Street site contains six buildings listed below and a large concrete pier extending into Narragansett Bay. The buildings are vacant and the main hospital building has lead paint and asbestos. Some of the buildings are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, including the main hospital building, the Nurses Home and Quarters A and B, requiring review by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) under Section The front wing of the former Naval Hospital 106 of the National Historic Preservation faces a park like setting along Narragansett Act. While not all the buildings are Bay. The building is known to have lead paint and asbestos, which must be considered contributing, such as the Chapel removed before demolition or renovation. and a small utility building, demolition of the eligible buildings for redevelopment of the site requires a coordinating process. The above area is included in a Historic District proposed by the SHPO in coordination with the Navy, according to the Cultural Resources Survey, Naval Complex, Newport, Rhode Island, 2000. If the buildings remain, the economic value of the property will be reduced. If this waterfront development site were larger than described above, then future developers would have flexibility regarding preservation and/or new construction. If the buildings were demolished, with proper mitigation such as extensive photograph recording, the economic value would increases to both the developer and the City. The current floor area configuration of the hospital is not suitable for modern residences and hotel rooms. Further, the buildings provide limited or no water views. Such views and access to the water are potential amenities and add value to the property. Extensive coordination between the new owner and the SHPO will be needed to resolve these issues. For this Master Plan, the site boundaries of the parcel are Third Street on the east, Cypress Street on the south, Narragansett Bay on the west and Dorsey Road on the north. Within this boundary the following buildings are located with their historic classifications indicated: Building Name Contributing Buildings Main Hospital Garage Nurses Home Quarters A/B Noncontributing Buildings Chapel Transformer Vault

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Building Number

Category

1 7 45 ?

I II II II

62 993

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

Figure 3‐1 is from the 2000 Cultural Resources Survey mentioned previously. Note that the Historic District is larger than the parcel assumed in this North End Master Plan. The Historic District extends farther north; the area assumed to be excessed by the Navy ends at Dorsey Road, the street nearest to the former Naval Hospital. In 2006, a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared by TEC, Inc., an environmental consultant, for the Navy as the first step in the disposition process. As part of the Draft EA, three reuse development scenarios were assessed by TEC, Inc. and are described here as background for the North End Master Plan: Low Density Development. Up to 26 Single Family Residents under current R‐10 Zoning with no Marina or Office Park

FIGURE 3-1: HISTORIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, NEWPORT NAVAL HOSPITAL

The current R‐10 zoning would be used with only single family housing under this scenario. According to existing City zoning regulations, R‐10 developments must have a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet, and cannot exceed 30 feet in height. Given these parameters, and reserving 20 percent of the available area for streets and other infrastructure, the site could be developed into a maximum 26 lots. Other permitted uses under this zoning designation include community residences, churches and parks.

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Full demolition of site structures would allow for increased development of the site when compared to partial demolition due to a more efficient use of the land area. Under either demolition scenario (full or partial), each parcel is assumed to have its own dedicated access and parking. Additionally, the pier and shoreline area would remain as is and be available to the public for fishing, launching of personal watercraft and potential water taxi access, although the acreage of the waterfront park area may be reduced. This scenario could be implemented under the current R‐10 zoning designation and would not require any special approvals. Moderate Density Development. Up to 102 Multi‐Family Residential Units under current R‐10 Zoning with No Marina or Office Park The current municipal zoning of R‐10 would remain in place and redevelopment would be residential in nature (single‐family, two‐family and multi‐family). According to City zoning regulations, R‐10 developments must have a minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet, and cannot exceed 30 feet in height. Additionally, R‐10 residences are designed for two families units, but can allow up to four units per lot. Under a Special Use Permit (assuming approval by the Zoning Board of Review), multi‐family housing, guest houses and rest homes would be allowed under this zoning designation, which would result in an increase in population and the intensity of site usage from that under the low density scenario. Given these parameters, and reserving 20 percent of the available area for streets and other infrastructure, the site could be developed into a maximum 26 lots with a possible 102 residential units. Other permitted uses under this zoning designation include churches; nursery schools and daycare centers; parks and playgrounds; and community residences (i.e. residences for the physically or mentally handicapped). Full demolition of site structures would allow for increased development of the site when compared to partial demolition due to a more efficient use of the land area. Under either demolition scenario (full or partial), residential units are assumed to have shared access and parking. Additionally, the pier and shoreline area would remain and be available to the public for fishing, launching of personal watercraft and potential public water taxi access, although the acreage of the waterfront park area may be reduced. High Intensity Development. Mixed use Including Residence, Corporate Park and Marina under possible Future City Zoning Designation (Note: offices and corporate parks and other commercial uses are not allowed in the R‐10 Zone.) Mixed use development in the R‐10 zone would require a zoning change by the Zoning Board of Review. It is assumed that the mixed use development would be similar to that permitted under the City’s existing Waterfront Business District (WB) zoning and that redevelopment would include a mix of intense residential and commercial development including the development of a marina. Under special permits or rezoning, hotels,

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

multifamily housing and shopping centers, community residences, churches, restaurants and parks may also be allowed. Future land use development schemes could result in zoning changes, but the current R‐10 zoning could also remain in the interim as a means of preventing undesired development. Under this scenario, it was assumed that the pier area would be developed into a marina that would serve the corporate park and/or the neighboring residences. The Pier could also be used as a facility for water taxi service. A separate City‐sponsored study is evaluating establishing a scheduled water transit service which could possibly also service this site in the future. The shoreline and adjacent park area would remain as is and be accessible by the public. Scenario 3 is consistent in concept with recommendations for reuse of the site in the North End Master Plan.

“Bowling Alley” Parcel (RIDOT) RIDOT owns an awkward‐shaped trapezoidal 5‐acre site fronting on J.T. Connell Highway between a mini storage facility and a convenience store. The site is sloped and not flat. An electric utility has indicated interest in building a sub station on the site and an ice making plant that wants to relocate from the downtown Newport waterfront may be interested in the site. In July 2006, The State Properties Committee approved purchase of the parcel from RIDOT by the City of Newport. In November 2006 the City acted to acquire the parcel but the sale had not closed as of January 2007. The Master Plan recommends that the site be used for expanding or relocating businesses and that a corridor is preserved for a possible extension of Halsey Street between Admiral Kalbfus Road and J.T. Connell Highway through the parcel.

Newport Grand Newport Grand, a large gaming facility, is located on a 22‐acre site on Admiral Kalbfus Road. In 1992, the State of Rhode Island allowed Newport Jai Lai, as it was called then, to install slot machines. Local voters approved a Jai Lai Fronton in 1973, but never supported slot machines. In 2005, the State allowed Newport Grand to double the number of slot machines, now referred to as video lottery terminals (VLT), to more than 2,000 VLTs. Under an agreement with the State, Newport Grand committed to invest $20 million to upgrade the facility. Initially planned in early 2006 were the following: an 11,500 square‐foot addition for security facilities, a cash room and receiving; and a 90‐room hotel with large bar and restaurant facility on the top floor. The service addition would be on the back of the building towards Malbone Road and the hotel would be located on the west façade of the Jai Lai Fronton, which is now closed. The General Assembly abolished Jai Lai in the City beginning July 1, 2003. Plans also under consideration in early 2006 would redevelop the

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Fronton into a performing arts facility as an added attraction. The Fronton has stadium seating accommodating approximately 3,000 persons. The Newport Grand owners announced in January 2006 that they also were considering selling the facility and operation, based on a financial analysis by Bear Sterns. This announcement has stimulated investor interest in the site, according to the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. In August 2006, there was interest by at least three major bidders in acquiring the site. However, on August 9, 2006, the Newport City Council rejected a zoning change necessary for the facility to move forward with its expansion plans. Gaming facilities are considered non conforming uses under the Zoning Code. In addition, the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan does not contain language that permits gaming or gambling facilities. The Zoning Code is intended to implement the Comprehensive Plan. Since this is the largest single property potentially available for redevelopment by others and located adjacent to the future Pell Bridge Interchange development parcels, whatever development takes place on the Newport Grand parcel will substantially impact redevelopment of the Interchange parcels (and vice versa). Development of these adjacent parcels will require extensive coordination of the planning and redevelopment processes to make certain that City planning objectives in the North End Master Plan are achieved.

Sullivan School (Newport School Department) Sullivan School on Dexter Street may be demolished and a new larger school built on the site by 2009, under a proposed bond referendum that may take place in 2007. Plans for the new school have not been developed as of November 2006. The larger new school will increase traffic impact in the neighborhood. The North End Master Plan addresses planning issues associated with redevelopment of this site.

Newport Towne Center The owner of the 274,000 square foot shopping center on J.T. Connell Highway received approval in mid 2006 from the City to construct a 6,000 square foot building on the site of a former gas station on its property. Three tenants may be housed in the new building including a Quizno’s. Vehicular access would be via an existing driveway from J.T. Connell Highway (right in and right out only), just north of the Rotary, and from the existing parking lot. Construction began in Fall 2006.

West Side Master Plan Established in 1984 as the joint planning commission for the towns of Middletown, Portsmouth and the city of Newport, the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) formed a task force to begin a comprehensive planning study that culminated in 2005 West Side Master Plan in 2005. The West Side Master Plan addresses the common interests as well as regional challenges facing Middletown, Portsmouth and Newport. The North End Master

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

Plan is consistent with the strategies and priorities of the West Side Master Plan. Among these are: Land Use. “Expand the inventory of systematically preserved open space and natural resources…”, “Protect and enhance scenic roads and vistas within the West Side”, “Reuse the former Navy Hospital for high value uses”. Economic Development. “Investigate the potential for a multi‐ purpose/arts/entertainment facility and advance its development in a location that is well served by parking and transit”, Promote coordinated re‐use of land, transportation, and infrastructure improvements near the Pell Bridge to provide an excellent location for mixed‐use lifestyle center development.” Transportation. “Realign the Pell Bridge Ramp using the ideas contained in Concept 4A2” Highway Capacity. Improve and expand the capacity of J.T. Connell Highway”. A summary of the West Side Master Plan as it pertains to the North End is included in this Master Plan document as Appendix D, West Side Master Plan.

Naval Station Newport Naval Station Newport currently is planning to excess the site of the former Naval Hospital located between Third Street and Narragansett Bay and north of the Pell Bridge. A Private Partnership Venture (PPV) has been established whereby a private firm, GMH, will handle disposition of the hospital property through an arrangement with the Navy. There are no other current land use development proposals by the Navy that may affect the North End Study Area.

Sunset Hill Park In July 2006, the City of Newport acquired the 5.5‐acre wooded open space, located adjacent to and north of Miantonomi Park, from the Newport Housing Authority. The City would like to link improvements made at Miantonomi Park with those at Sunset Hill Park so they function as one resource. The Miantonomi Park management plan in the North End Master Plan addresses Sunset Hill Park. A Management Plan was prepared in September 2006 by the Aquidneck Land Trust for Sunset Hill Park. The ALT Management Plan calls for designating the site for two primary uses; active recreation near the northern edge facing the Newport Heights

The Sunset Hill Park property, the densely forested area behind the dumpster, abuts a new street in Newport Heights called Sunset Boulevard.

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2006 North End Master Plan

neighborhood, and conservation for the remainder of the park to preserve its natural habitat. A trail system between the neighborhood and Miantonomi Park providing access to a Revolutionary War site is planned. A concept of the Newport Housing Authority is to provide a gateway to the park system through the south end of Newport Heights. The Sunset Hill Master Plan in the North End Master Plan address these and additional issues.

Reuse of Florence Gray Center In August 2006, the Metropolitan Career and Tech Center (the Met School), an alternative regional high school in Providence, established a branch at the Florence Gray Center. The initial class of 30 students of the East Bay Met School, as it is called, occupies 3,000 square feet of the 15,000 square‐foot building. Additional space will be required as the School operation grows. The Gray Center is no longer needed to The Florence Gray Center is now home to the house office space by its owner, the East Bay Met School, an alternative high school serving the region. The Center also contains a Newport Housing Authority. The Gray gymnasium. Center includes meeting and office space as well as a gymnasium. Its location on secluded Girard Avenue in Newport Heights makes it more suitable for an institutional use such as proposed, rather than for commercial reuse. The North End Master Plan assessed reuse alternatives for the Gray Center, including the East Bay Met School.

The Landings, Middletown The Anchorage, former U.S. Navy housing in Middletown on Coddington Highway not far from the North End, is proposed for redevelopment into affordable condominiums by the Landings Group and Trammell Crow Residential. The 238 homes are priced between $175,000 and $275,000, which is below the median sales prices for single family sales on Aquidneck Island in 2005 of $282,900. The Landings will use a portion of Naval Station Newport’s sewer allotment at Newport’s sewage treatment plant on J. T. Connell Highway.

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

TRANSPORTATION PLANS Naval Station Newport Gate 4 Area (RIDOT) RIDOT owns the roadway bridge across the Newport Secondary Railroad track, which provides access between J.T. Connell Highway near CCRI and Naval Station Newport at Gate 4. Currently, the RIDOT design for the new bridge is aligned north of the existing wooden bridge that it will replace to allow continued operation of Gate 4 during construction. The connecting roadway from the new bridge to J.T. Connell Highway at Maple Avenue will modify the existing intersection and include traffic signals. The Navy owns the pedestrian walkway on the north side of the bridge, which it repaired in 2006.

Pell Bridge Interchange Reconfiguration RIDOT, at the request of the City of Newport, has undertaken a conceptual design study in 2005 and 2006 for reconfiguring the Interchange ramp system to improve transportation and circulation. The City requested the study in a previous State Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) round. The City’s objective of the study is to demolish the existing interchange access roads with Admiral Kalbfus Road, including a bridge over it, and reconnect the reconfigured interchange with J.T. Connell Highway and connect the latter with Farewell Street. The interchange had originally been built to provide access to an expressway across Aquidneck Island that was never built. The study financed by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority and prepared for RIDOT by Vanesse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) considered several alternatives. Two alternatives were carried forward into the conceptual design stage, which were presented at a public meeting in Newport on September 25, 2006. The two alternatives are pictured on the following page, courtesy of VHB who prepared them. Both concepts have the following similar design elements: a smaller modern roundabout on J. T. Connell Highway at Admiral Kalbfus Road and Training Station Road; a 4‐lane connection of J.T. Connell Highway south of the roundabout with Farewell Street; replacement of the existing “Scenic Newport” exit with a loop ramp that leads to a 1‐lane southbound roadway in the railroad corridor, which would eventually meet Americas Cup Avenue farther south; and an exit ramp to Farewell Street from the 1‐lane roadway south of the Interchange loop ramp. Concept 4A6M (Figure 3‐2) retains the ramp over Admiral Kalbfus Road and adds a southbound lane to this ramp. Currently, the ramp only provides a northbound movement. Concept 4A2 (Figure 3‐3) removes the ramp over Admiral Kalbfus Road with the Interchange loop ramp meeting J.T. Connell Highway south of the roundabout. Both concepts yield approximately the same traffic level of service (LOS). The City of Newport prefers Concept 4A2 because the ramp removal would create the opportunity to form major development parcels.

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2006 North End Master Plan

FIGURE 3-2: PELL BRIDGE APPROACH ROADS AND MAPS (CONCEPT 4A6M)

FIGURE 3-3: PELL BRIDGE APPROACH ROADS AND MAPS (CONCEPT 4A2)

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3.0 Current Plans Affecting the North End Study Area

J.T. Connell Highway/Coddington Highway Improvements (RIDOT) RIDOT is preparing a design to improve J. T. Connell Highway from the Pell Bridge Interchange to the Newport/Middletown line and its continuation called Coddington Highway in Middletown to its intersection with West Main Road (State Route 114). Pare Corporation prepared and submitted a Design Study Report (DSR) to RIDOT in late 2002. The report is still under review by RIDOT; waiting for the decision on the Pell Bridge Interchange Reconfiguration recommendations, described above. The DSR proposes a widening of J. T. Connell Highway/Coddington Highway to provide two travel lanes in each direction and auxiliary turn lanes at certain major intersections. No median is proposed due to right of way constraints. At the request of the City of Newport, the proposed cross‐section for J. T. Connell Highway includes a setback sidewalk and a landscaped strip along the curb line. The signalized intersection at the Newport Towne Center shopping plaza will be maintained. A new traffic signal will be located at the Naval Station Newport Gate 4, across the street from CCRI. Fuss & OʹNeill and Commonwealth Engineers prepared the designs for the new Gate 4 intersection with J. T. Connell Highway and for a new replacement bridge across the railroad right of way into Naval Station Newport for RIDOT. A full description of these projects is included in the West Side Master Plan by AIPC and the description is current.

Newport Gateway-Melville Shuttle (Newport Dinner Train) The Newport Dinner Train currently operates along the RIDOT‐owned Newport Secondary Railroad Corridor between its stations located on Americas Cup Avenue across Gladys Belhouse Drive from the Gateway Visitors Center and Portsmouth. This excursion train currently operates during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. A plan for increasing the level of train service along the corridor has advanced with the receipt by RIDOT of a Federal Congestion Management Air Quality (CMAQ) grant for the upgrade of the track infrastructure. The proposed train service, currently known as the “Islander Shuttle”, would increase the level of train service between the Melville Marina in Portsmouth (where a 1,500‐ slip marina and ancillary facilities are proposed and permitted) and the Gateway Visitors Center in Newport. In addition to the increased train service the proposed project includes the purchase of new train sets and the extension of the railroad tracks across Gladys Belhouse Drive to enable a direct connection between the train service and the Gateway Visitors Center. The proposed increased level of train service along the railroad corridor supports the potential for a station located within the North End area thereby reinforcing the transit connection between downtown Newport and the North End. Such a station as part of a transit center is proposed in the North End Master Plan. An additional station could also be considered near Gate 4 serving NSN, Newport Heights, and CCRI, all within easy walking distance.

West Side Master Plan See Chapter 1.

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OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ISSUES THAT MAY AFFECT THE STUDY AREA Water/Sewer Capacity The City of Newport has adequate dry weather capacity to handle existing and proposed demand, but not during storm events that causes stormwater runoff to use all excess capacity. In those events, the stormwater mixes with sewage and discharges into Newport Harbor. As of November 2006, there was no plan to create a separate sewer and stormwater system. On November 7, 2006, Newport voters approved a referendum banning new sewer hookups until the stormwater runoff/sewage issue is addressed.

Sheffield School Sheffield School was closed during summer 2006. Reuse of the school building is addressed in the Master Plan, since it abuts the North End Master Plan Study Area. (Please see Chapter 5 under Affordable Housing and Chapter 6 under Enterprise Zone and Sheffield School.) Uses such as offices for businesses, studios for art organizations and housing should be considered. The R‐10 zoning would allow housing, but not the other optional uses. A zoning change would be required to allow mixed uses.

Coggeshall School Under the proposed school bond referendum plan, Coggeshall School would either be demolished or expanded to create a new larger school, under the three new schools option. However, the site is very close to the Sullivan School site, which would be the new and large northern school. If a more central site could be found for the third school, if three are to be built, the Coggeshall School building could be renovated and reused for other functions, such as housing. Current zoning would support such a use. (Please see Chapter 6 for further discussion regarding Coggeshall School.)

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4.0

LAND USE AND MARKET ANALYSES

2006 North End Master Plan

KEY PLANNING ISSUES Based on existing conditions and the City of Newport’s planning objectives for the North End, several planning issues and opportunities have been identified. The land use alternatives described later in this chapter were evaluated considering these issues and opportunities. This section describes first the issues, then the opportunities. The analysis of key planning issues focuses on those described below and shown on Figure 4‐1.

Gateway to Newport The Pell Bridge Interchange area should be made visually interesting and function as a “North Gateway to Newport” or “NewportNorth”. This new gateway may also entice day‐ tourists to Newport to park their cars at a satellite parking facility located there, rather than park downtown, and take a shuttle bus to the existing Gateway Transportation and Visitors Center downtown and beyond. The Interchange area could be redeveloped as a mixed use facility with strong urban design controls on adjacent development to turn the Pell Bridge Interchange Area into a significant gateway feature. The Master Plan has evaluated locations within new development opportunities to best achieve this gateway enhancing objective.

Improved Traffic Flow at New Roundabout The City requested the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to reconfigure the Pell Bridge Interchange by removing the ramp across Admiral Kalbfus Road to improve transportation and achieve land use planning objectives. RIDOT’s conceptual level Interchange redesign also includes the reconfiguration of the existing rotary at J.T. Connell Highway, Admiral Kalbfus Road and Training Station Road into a smaller roundabout. As a result, two of the approaches would have unacceptable levels of traffic service during peak periods during the summer, according to RIDOT traffic projections. Roundabout design revisions by RIDOT may resolve this issue and the City and RIDOT should coordinate during the design process since both City and State roads are involved.

Reconfigured Pell Bridge Interchange The conceptual plans currently under development by RIDOT would improve traffic flow at this interchange and improve mobility and access to the North End and downtown Newport. This improvement in traffic flow is particularly important during the peak summer months, when traffic becomes congested. In addition, the reconfiguration would create new development parcels with the removal of the ramp across Admiral Kalbfus Road. As part of the North End Master Plan, not the RIDOT project, an extension of Halsey Street between Admiral Kalbfus Road and J.T. Connell Highway is proposed.

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4.0 Land Use and Market Analyses

FIGURE 4-1: KEY PLANNING ISSUES

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2006 North End Master Plan

Reuse of the Former Naval Station Newport Hospital Site The potential availability of the former Naval Station Newport Hospital site, when the Navy excesses the property, would represent a major opportunity to redevelop this prime waterfront site. This site is the North End’s only potential waterfront parcel that offers views to the War College, the Narragansett Bay, and the Pell Bridge and potential public access to the Bay via an existing pier and future waterside walkway.

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Adjacent to New Pell Bridge Interchange One of the two final alternative conceptual designs developed by RIDOT for the reconfiguration of the interchange will provide a unique opportunity to potentially redevelop approximately 31 acres of land that would be made available. The selected interchange design should enable access to new development parcels and buildings and access to the nearby railroad corridor, a potential resource for future rail transit use. The Master Plan maximizes the potential for TOD to reinforce pedestrian and transit use in the new development area. RIDOT and the City should coordinate plans to achieve this objective.

Newport Grand Newport Grand, a gaming casino, occupies a small portion of a 22‐acre parcel adjacent to the potential development sites near the reconfigured Pell Bridge Interchange. Newport Grand owners have expansion plans and also are considering selling the property to developers. Whatever development plans are pursued, they should be coordinated with the City so that City objectives for the North End, as expressed in this Master Plan, can be achieved.

RIDOT Parcel on J. T. Connell Highway The City is purchasing this 5‐acre site from RIDOT but the sale had not closed as of January 2007. Its potential reuse is discussed in this Master Plan. The odd shaped parcel also is sloped, which may limit its potential somewhat. It would be more feasible to redevelop if combined with an adjacent parcel. An approximately 54‐foot‐wide corridor should be reserved for the potential extension of Halsey Street north from Admiral Kalbfus Road to J. T. Connell Highway, behind the Towne Center shopping plaza.

Ranger Road (Chafee Boulevard) Parcel 1 at J.T. Connell Highway This parcel has unique views of Naval Station Newport and Narragansett Bay beyond and excellent access to J.T. Connell Highway. It also is near residential areas and the entrance to the City at the Newport/Middletown line. The City has selected BankNewport to build an administrative center there. The bank building’s architectural features and urban design scale should complement this northern gateway to the City setting already established by the attractive design of the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) building across the street.

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4.0 Land Use and Market Analyses

Relocation of the City Department of Public Works (DPW) Facility The existing DPW office and storage facilities on Halsey Street off Admiral Kalbfus Road must be relocated to create a new City‐owned parcel for redevelopment. This site’s development potential is excellent because of its accessibility to highways as well as its visibility. The site’s value will be substantially enhanced by one of the concepts to reconfigure the Pell Bridge interchange. The challenge is to find another 6‐acre site that is flat to suit DPW as well as other City Departments that have facilities there including Parks, Recreation and Tourism and Administrative Services. Optional relocation sites have been evaluated and each has considerable issues, as described elsewhere in this Master Plan.

Potential for Brownfields Reuse Part of the Newport Grand parking lot and the City Yard are considered brownfields and would have to be remediated before it could be suitable for redevelopment. Since the area also is in a floodplain, it may be possible to both remediate the brownfield and resolve flooding issues by placing clean fill on these sites from the Pell Bridge Interchange embankment when it is removed. The sites could then be raised above the 100‐year flood zone.

Sullivan School The Sullivan School site has been recommended by an educational consultant as a site for a new larger school requiring demolition of the existing school. Should this happen, consideration should be given to closing a portion of Dexter Street to create a larger parcel for the new school uninterrupted by traffic. Both ends of the residential street could be terminated at the school site by cul de sacs. The east segment of Dexter Street is in Middletown, requiring coordination with the Town.

Affordable Housing The City has committed to replace 60 units of affordable housing, as a result of demolitions at Newport Heights. As of January 2007, 15‐19 of these units remained to be sited. Some of these units could be located in the Pell Bridge Interchange development site and elsewhere in the City. The North End is home to a large concentration of affordable units.

Public Waterfront Access In the North End, public access to the waterfront is limited to Van Zandt Pier. However views of the water are available from various high points, especially from Newport Heights and the top of Miantonomi Hill. The North End Master Plan has explored concepts for creating waterfront access on the former Navy Hospital parcel, providing contiguous linkages among parcels, forming a walkway along the waterfront, preserving and enhancing water views, and providing connections to open space. The Master Plan also recommends creating a water feature as an asset for the mixed use retail village proposed for the Pell Bridge Interchange parcels. The Master Plan recommends enhancing the Elizabeth Brook which meanders through the area by building a more efficient channel with channelside walkways. This enhancement may also improve drainage in this area. 4-4

2006 North End Master Plan

Enhanced Open Space, Sunset Hill Park and Miantonomi Park Management Plan Concepts have been explored for enhancing open space within the North End. Opportunities to establish connections from Miantonomi Park and the newly acquired Sunset Hill Park to the adjoining residential areas and providing walkways to and along the waterfront have been proposed. The management plans for Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks, included in this Master Plan, will provide for active and passive recreation, maintenance and management of these significant recreational resources in the heart of the North End.

Brand Name for North End A new brand name could enhance the North End’s image and market potential to high quality developers. For example, the “Newport Heights” name has changed the image of the area and has attracted high quality development. Unfortunately, many residents of Newport and visitors do not know where the North End is located and do not use the term. This issue has been addressed in the Master Plan in Chapter 6.

KEY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES The analysis of key planning opportunities focuses on those described below and shown on Figure 4‐2. Maximizing Economic Development Opportunities in Pell Bridge Interchange Area. The Master Plan identifies highest and best land uses for the development parcels. If developed as recommended, the local economy would be diversified and enhanced. Substantial tax revenues and new jobs would be generated. Maximizing Intermodal Transportation Opportunities. The Master Plan maximizes links among rail and bus transit, satellite parking facilities, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Creating Waterfront Access. The Master Plan creates major waterfront access improvements at the site of the former Naval Hospital. Improving Gateway Image of J.T. Connell Highway. The Master Plan includes design guidelines for J.T. Connell Highway to achieve an attractive entrance/exit for Newport. Improving access to and activities in Miantonomi Park and Sunset Hill Park. The Master Plan includes a conceptual Master Plan for both parks linking them as a single, integrated open space. Miantonomi Park Management Plan. The Master Plan includes a management plan for Miantonomi Park.

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4.0 Land Use and Market Analyses

FIGURE 4-2: KEY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES

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2006 North End Master Plan

Sullivan School Site. The Master Plan identifies an opportunity to create a larger site for a larger school that is planned there, if a school bond referendum passes, which is scheduled for 2007. Florence Gray Center. The Master Plan supports the use of the Center as the East Bay Met School, an alternative high school that began initial operations there in August 2006. Newport Heights Parcel 1, Site. The City has already negotiated with BankNewport to build a consolidated administration office building on this site. The Master Plan supports this land use. RIDOT Parcel on J.T. Connell Highway. This parcel presents an opportunity to site relocated and expanding businesses and the right of way for the extension of Halsey Street north from Admiral Kalbfus Road. Create Water Feature and Improve Drainage in Pell Bridge Interchange Area. The reconfiguration of Elizabeth Brook presents an opportunity to create an attractive water feature as well as to improve drainage. Brand Name for North End. The Master Plan recommendations provide an opportunity to market a new image of the North End by building on the Newport Brand name as well as the district’s strategic location.

MARKET AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS The analysis of economic and real estate market conditions synthesizes information from previous studies and updated data to identify overall trends and the highest and best economic uses for specific parcels of land within the study area. Information in the analysis is used as a baseline from which to recommend conceptual development programs for certain parcels. These programs meet both market constraints and opportunities, albeit short‐range in nature, as well as longer‐range City objectives for this Master Plan. See Appendix B, Economic and Market Analyses.

Retail The 2004 market analysis for the Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan showed a net inflow of retail spending on the Island. Comparison of residents’ and tourist spending patterns indicate that Island retailers collectively capture an amount equivalent to 181 percent of residents’ retail spending. 1 This substantial net inflow is primarily attributable to stores in Newport, which achieve an even higher market capture rate of 199 percent of residents’ spending. These data clearly demonstrate that total regional retail demand is nearly double that of local demand. Retail categories with the highest capture rates on the Island were those related to the tourist economy, such as eating and drinking establishments and stores. Future growth of this sector would depend on continued growth Bonz & Company, Economic and Real Estate Market Analysis, Newport North End Master Plan, April 2006.

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of the tourist economy; however, it is unlikely that this growth would occur outside downtown Newport. Based on analysis of recent consumer spending and retail sales in the larger trade area that encompasses southern Rhode Island and portions of neighboring states (Figure 4‐3), the biggest underserved opportunity is General Merchandise, which includes Department Stores and Warehouse/Discount Stores. There also appears to be unmet demand for Consumer Electronics, although it is unclear whether the demand is sufficiently concentrated to support a national chain store. The analysis also indicated some limited potential for additional Grocery stores and Specialty Foods stores. Other retail categories in which there may be some additional potential market include: Clothing and accessory stores – It may be possible to attract additional national stores to Newport. Nationally branded restaurants – While Newport has a few national chains; there may be an opportunity to attract additional quality national chains. Movie theaters – Newport does not have a major cinema complex with stadium seating, the norm now for new complexes. (A replacement cinema complex is being built in Middletown.) Commercial/recreation center – There may be demand for a family‐oriented, year‐round, multi‐purpose recreation center with ice rink, soccer, basketball swimming pool, or other facilities.

FIGURE 4-3: NEWPORT TRADE AREA

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Downtown Newport, particularly the tourist areas near the waterfront, is the strongest retail site on Aquidneck Island. Prime locations, such as Bowens Wharf and Bannister Wharf, command gross rents as high as $100 per square foot for small spaces, with most rates in the range of $60 per square foot. Outside the high traffic tourist areas, however, more typical downtown retail spaces support lease rates ranging from $15 to $30. Occupancies are generally high, with turnover occurring during the off‐season. Tenants include primarily independent restaurants and tourist‐oriented stores. Retail in the North End is largely highway‐oriented and serves a larger market, similar to Middletown.

Lodging The analysis took account of the upscale, full service hotel market and mid‐priced national hotel chains. Upscale, full‐service hotels, which tend to be located on prime property near the water and in downtown Newport, have collectively experienced an average occupancy rate of 63.5 percent over the past five years. This falls below the 70 percent range typically considered to indicate a healthy market and has been trending downward for the last several years. Mid‐priced hotels, which are typically located farther from downtown Newport and the harbor, have experienced increased demand over the past five years, unlike the upscale segment. Occupancy has averaged about 60 percent over the last five years for the largest concentration of mid‐priced hotels in Newport and Middletown.

Indoor Water Parks Resort hotels featuring indoor water parks with slides and wave surfing pools, which began in the Midwest in the 1980s, may have a potential market in Newport. Indoor water parks have a wide appeal for family vacationers especially in the winter months and have begun to spread across the country. While there are outdoor water parks in New England, there are no indoor water parks yet. An analysis of the local market area indicates that a destination water park resort may be feasible in the North End, building on Newport’s appeal and adding a major family‐ oriented, year‐round attraction. Assuming a maximum radius of 100 miles, it was estimated that an indoor water park resort could achieve occupancy rates of 80 percent, drawing about 39,000 visits by families annually. In August 2006, West Warwick approved an indoor water park and hotel, approximately 1 mile from a proposed casino site. However, on November 7, 2006 voters Statewide rejected the casino referendum. An indoor water park and hotel in Newport is still a viable option to consider.

Office and Industrial Analysis for the 2004 Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan found that there is about 1.3 million square feet of office space in the three Island communities (excluding Raytheon).

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Much of this space is a mix of light manufacturing, storage, and research and development space in addition to offices. There is a fairly diverse set of office users on the Island, most of which occupy small spaces of 5,000 square feet or less. Island office space currently has an estimated vacancy rate of 10–15 percent or about 150,000 square feet available in “Class A/B” space. Typical rents in business parks tend to average $12–$14 per square foot, not including utilities. While existing office space is adequate to meet demand, there is interest in Newport for small scale professional offices in converted residences and other mixed use properties.

Residential Housing prices in Newport have increased steadily in recent years. Since 2000, the median sales price for single‐family homes has increased at an average annual rate of almost 19 percent to $413,000 in 2005. Over the same period, the median condominium sales price rose less consistently, but nonetheless grew at an average rate of 15 percent to over $238,000. Sales of houses increased dramatically since 2002, and over the last few years have totaled over 200 per year, slightly more than condominiums. The strongest demand for new housing on Aquidneck Island as a whole is for second homes and luxury residences. The demand is particularly strong in waterfront areas, with high premiums being paid for water access and other vacation amenities. In late 2006, high quality waterfront condominiums are selling for $1.5‐2.5 million. Local real estate professionals estimate that 15 percent to 20 percent of all homes in Newport can be classified as “second homes” and that demand for luxury units for vacationers has contributed to a strong increase in median prices. The greatest pressure for development on the Island is likely to take the form of high end luxury and second homes with competitive positioning for sites with water views, waterfront access, and other amenities.

LAND USE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS During the North End Master Planning process, attention was focused on developing alternative land use concepts for specific development parcels in the North End. Alternative concepts were then evaluated to identify those that achieve the Master Planning goal and objectives. These concepts were developed in subsequent phases of the planning process. These development parcels, shown in the next figure, include: Pell Bridge Interchange area near J.T. Connell Highway and Admiral Kalbfus Road. Alternative redevelopment programs assume the conceptual design by RIDOT that would eliminate the bridge crossing Admiral Kalbfus Road. Its removal would create development parcels of 12.65 acres north of Admiral Kalbfus Road and 19.22 acres south of Admiral Kalbfus Road including parcels along the east side of J.T. Connell Highway

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between the Interchange and the existing Rotary. These J.T. Connell Highway parcels could possibly be taken by RIDOT for the widening of the road. (See 1 and 2 in the figure.) Former U.S. Navy Hospital site between Third Street and the waterfront, adjacent and north of the Pell Bridge (7 acres of land plus 3 acres underwater). See 3 in the Figure. RIDOT Parcel referred to as the “Bowling Alley” Parcel because of its awkward shape located on J.T. Connell Highway (5 acres). (See 4 in the figure.) Florence Gray Center on Girard Avenue adjacent to the Newport Heights housing development (15,000 square feet of floor area). (See 5 in the figure.) Sullivan School site on Dexter Street was also analyzed for reuse. (Not shown on the figure.) The following is a description of the alternative land use development programs considered and their positive and negative aspects. However, competing proposals elsewhere for some similar uses surfaced during the planning process and, if developed before the Newport parcels become available, may limit or eliminate the demand for some of these land uses. Further, some of these proposals may be too expensive and difficult to finance. Nevertheless, they are worth considering because of their many positive aspects.

Sites 1 and 2. Reconfigured Pell Bridge Interchange Parcels Location: North and South of Admiral Kalbfus Road, east of J.T. Connell Highway, Approximate size: 31.87 acres. Mixed-use Light Industrial/Business Park Concept. Site south of Admiral Kalbfus Road would be developed for expansion of and relocation of existing businesses in the city. It could be a site for the future relocated ice making plant (from Thames Street), construction companies that need more space, a redeveloped and reorganized City Yard, offices for the City’s Public Works and Parks Departments, and for school bus parking. The site could also accommodate a satellite visitor parking lot or garage as well as new business that may be attracted to Newport. There is interest in establishing suitable sites for a biotechnology research facility by the State’s Science and Technology program.

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Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

The almost 32 acres of land would satisfy existing and perhaps future space needs of businesses and City facilities. The uses are not dependent on the tourist market. A biotechnology research facility would add diversity to the local economy and high salary jobs. The site provides space for surface and garage parking for visitors.

A biotechnology research facility is highly speculative and success may be difficult to achieve without a breakthrough discovery. Biotechnology is very risky; failure rate in New England is the highest in the nation, according to the Boston Globe, April 9, 2006. However, there are more biotechnology startup businesses in New England than anywhere else in the country, according to the Dean of the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) College of Life Sciences. If URI would own the Biotech parcel, it would be tax exempt resulting in no property tax revenues to the City. Using the site for relocating existing businesses does not meet economic development or highest and best use objectives of the Master Plan. Relocations of existing businesses and expansion of existing facilities will not, in total, be a catalyst to improve the North End image as a gateway to Newport. Redevelopment for these relocated uses may not interest State (i.e., the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) or the Newport County Chamber of Commerce (NCCOC) to support major State expenditures for improved drainage, site cleanup (a former landfill underlies a portion of the site south of Admiral Kalbfus Road) and site preparation work to yield a modest return on investment. Structured parking could not be justified for a single use such as visitor satellite parking.

The site north of Admiral Kalbfus Road could be used for a number of competing uses such as existing hotel/motel expansion, existing retail expansion, market rate, middle income and affordable housing, a mid‐level emergency medical facility and related parking. Recreation/Entertainment Complex Concept. The parcel south of Admiral Kalbfus Road could accommodate a mixed use retail center, a multi screen cinema complex, a performing arts center, and associated parking for patrons and visitors. An indoor water park and attached hotel and/or an indoor recreation facility (playing fields, climbing walls, sports league facilities, etc.) could be located north of Admiral Kalbfus Road. RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX. Positive Aspects The mixed use retail center would serve southern coastal Rhode Island and adjacent area residents and visitors for which there is market support according to the Market Analysis prepared for the Master Plan. Moreover, there are no competing retail centers at the size envisioned here in the southern coastal Rhode Island market area resulting in retail expenditures outside the region, according to the Market analysis. The site is highly visible and accessible to this market. The site is strategically located to attract

Negative Aspects The retail center will require large areas of surface parking, preferred by customers, rather than a garage. These uses will not provide many high‐ level jobs in the area. This mix of uses will be a major traffic generator, especially during scheduled events at the performing arts center. Financing performing arts centers and

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RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX. Positive Aspects feasible market share to the economic benefit of Newport. A small mixed use retail center called South County Commons opened in 2005 on Route 1 in South Kingstown. The mixed‐use retail center concept (referred to as “lifestyle centers” by the shopping center real estate industry) would bring new customers to Newport, strengthening the City as a destination retail and restaurant center. It would not compete with downtown specialty shops and restaurants since it would attract national and regional retail and restaurant chains that require larger floor plates than available in the historic downtown buildings. For example, L.L. Bean’s current expansion strategy is to open 20,000‐ to 30,000‐square‐foot stores in select lifestyle shopping centers, such as their first store in Massachusetts at Wayside Commons in Burlington, which opened in August 2006. This concept takes full advantage of the highly accessible location to attract users from a wide area. The mixed uses create a large enough complex to serve as a catalyst for further future development in the area and warrant State financing for drainage, clean up, site preparation and new roadways if public investments are needed. The mixed uses would justify a shared‐use parking structure for both shopping center patrons and Newport visitors year‐round. The indoor water park and indoor recreation center, along with the mixed use retail center would provide new year‐ round attractions for Newport residents, on and off‐Island residents, and visitors. A water park hotel’s “guests use only” policy will spin‐off business for other less expensive hotels for longer family stays in Newport. Experience has shown in other markets that families may extend their stay in lower priced hotels in the same area. The performing arts center would provide an additional venue for events that already occur in Newport. The cinema complex will provide another year‐round destination for individuals that come to Newport for shopping or tourism as well as for local residents.

Negative Aspects indoor recreation centers is difficult. Programming the performance arts center would be difficult year‐round due to competition from Providence, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Tweeter Center and Boston. The indoor water park may not create recreational opportunities for residents, unless this is made a condition for City approval. The indoor water park may be an inappropriate use since some may consider such a commercial attraction inconsistent with the Newport image or brand. The cinema industry is in flux with many ownership consolidations. Few new additional theatres are being built at present due to competition from DVDs and other forms of in‐home entertainment. The new cinema complex under construction in Middletown will replace the existing Holiday Cinemas on the same site. The new cinema complex in the North End may compete with the existing Jane Pickens and Opera House Cinemas downtown, more with the latter because of expected similar mainline offerings. It will not compete with the Opera House if it is converted into a 900‐seat performing arts center, assuming that sufficient funds are raised and if the small theatre proves feasible to attract touring shows. The new uses would displace the City Yard and existing businesses located there.

The mixed uses would provide property and sales tax revenues.

Destination Resort and Spa, Mid-size Conference Center, Mixed-Use Retail Center Concept. This complex would be located south of Admiral Kalbfus Road and could be expanded to adjacent parcels in the future. The destination resort would include a luxury hotel with a full package of amenities and services to attract visitors. The Conference center 4-13

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accommodating up to 1,500 attendees would most likely be attached to the same or other convention type hotel. The retail center would augment these uses and attract customers of the resort, spa and conferences. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

This mix of uses would provide a major new attraction and year‐round use for Newport.

Residents may consider such a complex for tourists and not a benefit for residents.

Tax and sales revenues are likely to be high.

The retail center will require large areas of surface parking, more popular with customers than a garage.

The combination of uses would justify structured parking. The mix of uses would constitute a highest and best use for this strategic site and build on the Newport “Brand” name.

The service level jobs generated would likely be predominantly low end.

The uses and potential architectural styles would definitely create a new image for the North End.

The Conference Center would have to be active most of the time to break even and would have to bring in larger meetings than can be accommodated now. This is difficult to accomplish.

Investor interest exists for such uses, according to NCCOC; the uses would appeal to high‐end investors such as major luxury hotels and developers. State financing may not be needed as developers would likely pay for the site development and infrastructure costs for such a potential revenue generator. Such a large complex would probably require use of some of the Newport Grand parcel. The larger conference center would attract larger meetings to Newport, not able to be accommodated in existing facilities. It is assumed that the conference center would be privately financed, and more than likely be part of a large hotel. A stand‐alone facility is unlikely to be feasible.

The uses would be a major traffic generator.

The conference center would compete with Hyatt, Marriott and Viking conference facilities for similar size meetings. It would not compete for meetings above 600 persons as there are no facilities in Newport that can accommodate such a number. The new uses would displace the City Yard and existing businesses located there.

Mixed-use, New Community Concept. This would include a mix of uses such as a retail center, medical offices, housing, public open space and links, and surface parking for visitors. North of Admiral Kalbfus Road could accommodate existing hotel expansion plans. Positive Aspects The retail center would serve the southern coastal Rhode Island market area for which there is market support and no competing facilities resulting in retail expenditures outside the region. The site is highly visible and accessible to this market. The site is strategically located to attract feasible market share to the economic benefit of Newport.

Negative Aspects The mix may not be massive or “exciting” enough in scale to attract investors or public financing for site development or new infrastructure. The retail center will require large areas of surface parking. The service level jobs generated would likely be predominantly low end. The uses would be a major traffic generator. The City Yard and other businesses would be displaced.

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Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

The mixed use retail center concept would bring new customers to Newport, strengthening the City as a retail and restaurant center. It would not compete with downtown specialty shops and restaurants since the retail center would likely attract additional national and regional retail and restaurant chains that require larger floor plates than available in the historic downtown buildings. There are national chains in Newport. The uses take full advantage of the highly accessible location to attract users from a wide area. The mixed uses create a large enough complex to serve as a catalyst for further future development in the area and warrant State financing for drainage, clean up, site preparation and new roadways if public investments are needed. This mix of uses may be acceptable to most Newport residents as they would perceive this as something for them (housing, public open space). This would be a marketable mix of uses. It would satisfy the local medical office/lab market and middle income and affordable housing needs. Modest tax and sales revenues would be generated.

Displacements and Relocations. Several existing land uses would be displaced by development of the Mixed‐Use Village south of Admiral Kalbfus Road and east of J.T. Connell Highway. Relocation of these uses would be necessary to create a usable and functional redevelopment site with access to both roadways. The only public use in this area that would be displaced is the City Yard, which is occupied mainly by the Department of Public Works (DPW) for offices, parking and storage. In addition, the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department uses part of the site for storage of refuse from park cleanup work. The School Department pays the City for space in the City Yard to park approximately 15 school buses owned by Laidlaw. Other specific uses on site include the following: salt storage, underground storage tank (UST) for fuel, igloo for oil collection; mulch storage; Park Department Administration Trailer; paving materials storage; and staging area for street and road construction projects. Relocation for the DPW functions and possibly some of the Parks Department maintenance functions would require a flat six‐acre site with easy access to the roadway system. Potential relocation sites are listed below.

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Site

Positive Features

Negative Features

Comment

RIDOT Parcel on Connell Highway near Newport Heights

5 acres, easy access.

Site no flat; site is not large enough for school bus parking as well.

City is acquiring site (01/07).

RIDOT ROW at Farewell Street

Central location, good access.

Proposed off-ramp splits site; incompatible use with "gateway" aspect.

Site may not be large enough.

Viking Bus Garage on Connell Highway Near Pell Bridge Interchange

Appropriate for public use since on-ramp reduces commercial value.

Requires new access to site via upgraded Dyer Street from Third Street.

RIDOT will provide Viking relocation assistance; garage near end of useful life.

Maple Avenue near Newport Heights

Adjacent to Mello Gravel Yard in Middletown; maybe joint use with Town.

Access through residential area.

Site may not be large enough for all functions.

Naval Station Newport Warehouses off Connell Highway

Appear underused or vacant. Navy may not need. Ample size for indoor and outdoor use. Good access.

In Middletown; not in City of Newport.

Navy may not want to excess this property. Maybe joint use with Town of Middletown.

Verizon and One Stop Hardware on Connell Highway

Good access. Near other public use (sewage treatment plant).

Highly visible; would require aesthetic design and screening.

Acquisition of private properties for public use. New municipal complex possible.

Naval Station Newport frontage on Connell Highway near Gate 4.

Excellent access and visibility. Needs good design. Adequate space.

Adjacent to housing and across from CCRI.

Navy may not want to excess property.

Private businesses along J.T. Connell Highway may be displaced by RIDOT because of the widening of the highway. If so, these businesses would be offered relocation assistance by RIDOT, when and as appropriate. Optional relocation sites for these businesses may be some of those listed in the table above. The small businesses located on the south edge of the Mixed‐use Village parcel, now located in metal shed‐like structures, could be relocated to any of the above sites. The Waste Management Facility, specifically, would need to be relocated out of this area because it would be an incompatible use with future land uses. Clearly, it is currently incompatible with adjacent residential uses in the Swamp neighborhood. An optimum solution would be to begin discussions with Waste Management for a regional facility serving all of Aquidneck Island. This prospect should be coordinated with regional organizations such as the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission and the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, and also possibly with the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. Additional businesses would be displaced on the west side of Connell Highway south of the rotary for the Transit Center and an additional parking garage. These include the Newport Dinner Theatre and other small businesses. A new dinner theater could be designed as part of the Mixed‐use Village east of Connell Highway or as part of or adjacent to a future multi‐ 4-16

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screen complex cinema that may be suitable use west of Connell Highway. Alternatively, the Dinner Theatre could be relocated downtown to stimulate night time activity in certain locations; such a new use might be compatible with any redevelopment of the Long Wharf Mall or the Gateway Center in the future. The other small businesses could be relocated in any of the sites listed above depending on negotiations with owners of the new sites.

Site 3, Naval Station Newport Former Hospital Site This is a unique opportunity for Newport to gain waterfront property and provide public access to it. The Navy may excess the former Navy Hospital between Third Street and Narragansett Bay near the Pell Bridge. The site is 7 acres in size and includes a large concrete pier and 3 acres underwater. The proposed uses that are marketable include luxury housing, boutique hotel, and marina. Public amenities would include a landing for the separately planned Newport Harbor shuttle boat at the concrete pier, and a public walkway/bikeway from Third Street along the water’s edge and under the Pell Bridge to Washington Street south of the bridge. The land use a mix could be both the hotel and housing uses or independent. This concept would require demolition of the vacant hospital and other buildings on the site. Approximately 200 housing units and an 80–100‐room hotel and restaurant with surface or first level parking under the building could be accommodated. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

These are the highest and best uses to take maximum advantage of water views and waterside location and access. This site provides the only opportunity in the North End to access and view the water.

Housing may not attract local resident buyers as primary housing due to potential pricing because of its rare waterfront location.

The mix would attract high‐end investors, residents, visitors and their spending power.

Affordable housing units may not be feasible here due to site development costs (i.e., remediation and demolition of contaminated buildings.)

The waterside public access path would be well received by residents, except possibly those facing Washington Street adjacent to the bridge.

Current Third Street physical appearance is not conducive to high‐end development.

The new marina including a public landing area would help fill a major seasonable demand. The uses would generate riders for the City’s future water shuttle program. Relocations would not be required since the site is vacant. High property and restaurant sales tax revenues and marina fees (if public) would be generated for the City.

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There may be minimal site use by second home condominium residents and hotel guests during off season.

Bridge traffic noise level may be considered a nuisance to some potential buyers. Loss of historic buildings, although access to them and the waterfront were never available to the civilian population. Coordination between the developer and SHPO regarding demolition will require historic mitigation costs, such as recordation, and may be considered a financial and development constraint by the developer. The development will generate additional traffic, most likely seasonal, on Third Street and possibly in the adjacent Point neighborhood unless mitigated.

4.0 Land Use and Market Analyses

Incubator Industries, Biotechnological Center, Office Use Concept. This use may possibly fit in the existing hospital building configuration. Demolition and new construction to suit is more likely, however, due to the cost to retrofit the contaminated (lead, asbestos) building. Positive Aspects This use would be compatible with the adjacent Navy Medical Center. The use would provide economic development diversity. The development would provide property tax revenues (if private) and high income jobs.

Negative Aspects There is no market demand for speculative office space. Office uses are less compatible with marina use than hotel and housing. Office uses are less compatible with residential uses across the street. Offices and research labs are not the highest and best uses of the last significant waterfront site available in the North End.

The use would bring new highly skilled labor to the city.

The office uses are likely to generate more traffic throughout the entire year than the housing/hotel alternative.

SHPO would favor preservation of buildings.

Biotech and incubator industries are highly risky and may fail.

The uses would generate riders for the water shuttle system.

Coordination with SHPO still required and may be costly.

Private Yacht Club with Sleeping Rooms and Marina Concept. This use may possibly fit in the existing hospital building configuration. Demolition and new construction to suit is more likely due to the cost to retrofit the contaminated (lead, asbestos) building. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

The Yacht Club and marina (with boat slips and moorings) would help fill a major seasonable demand.

Yacht Club would not be the highest and best use of the parcel from a property and sales tax revenues point of view.

The use would provide economic and recreational development diversity.

Public access along the waters edge may be considered a constraint by the developer of a private yacht club and marina.

The Yacht Club and marina are compatible water dependent uses. The development would provide property tax revenues (if private) and seasonal jobs.

High remediation and reconstruction costs may preclude adaptive reuse of existing buildings.

The use would bring higher income visitors with their spending power to the city.

The yacht club and marina use would generally be active only during the warm months, say April to October, and inactive the remainder of the year.

Adaptive reuse would preserve the historic buildings.

Coordination with SHPO still required and may be costly.

SHPO would favor preservation of buildings

The use may be perceived as exclusively for wealthy and transient visitors rather than for residents of the North End and adjacent Point.

The uses would generate riders for the City’s planned shuttle boat system.

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Site 4, RIDOT Parcel on J.T. Connell Highway This odd shaped 5‐acre parcel is sandwiched in between a mini warehouse complex and a small convenience store. Ideally if joined to adjacent lots the parcel configuration would provide better development opportunities but that prospect is nil. A right of way through the property or along its edge needs to be preserved if Halsey Street is extended northward to J. T. Connell Highway behind the Newport Towne Center retail plaza, a consideration in this Master Plan. Relocations and New Facilities. The site could be used to relocate businesses that need a new site. Or it could be used for City Yard functions. National Grid expressed interest in building a substation on a portion of the site. Parking school buses here is not recommended. Relocation for Waste Management from Halsey Street to this site would meet their access and size needs, and their relocation from their present site on Halsey Street would add significant value to redevelopment opportunities at the Interchange parcels. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

Provides space for existing businesses looking to expand or relocate such as the ice making plant in the downtown waterfront.

The parcel configuration and quality of neighboring uses prevent consideration of higher and better uses to be considered here.

Mixed industrial type uses would be compatible with mixed uses along J.T. Connell Highway. A portion of the site could be used for storage of City maintenance equipment and other materials.

Full development of the site would preclude the possible Halsey Street Extension to J.T. Connell Highway and possible connections to Girard Avenue.

The site has good access to the regional roadway network.

If the site is used by the public, there would be no tax revenue.

The site could provide the northern terminus for an extended North Halsey Street from Admiral Kalbfus Road behind the Newport Towne Center Shopping Center.

New use must be sensitive to abutting residences. The City DPW and the Parks Department do not consider the site optimal as it is not flat.

Site 5, Florence Gray Center, Girard Avenue The 15,000‐square‐foot building and its 5‐acre parcel in Newport Heights are presently used for Newport Housing Authority offices, social services and a gym. It is surrounded by Newport Heights housing and private housing across Girard Avenue. The site is inappropriate for private commercial uses due to its hidden location in the center of a residential area, although a small neighborhood store could be feasible. The building could be remodeled for reuse. The parcel could be reconfigured for outdoor storage if visually separated from adjacent residential uses. Otherwise such a use is not recommended.

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Reuse as Offices for Parks and Public Works Departments. Maintain and Improve Gym for Residents Concept. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

The building would provide better quality office space than at present for DPW. There is no apparent need for all DPW office space to be next to outdoor storage space.

Neither the DPW nor the Parks Department is interested in the location because it separates its offices from its storage space. The DPW is interested in a combined facility.

The site would provide ancillary or alternative headquarter space for Parks Department which will be close to Miantonomi and Sunset Hill Parks.

A public use would provide no new economic development and no new source of tax revenues.

The building would provide space for other municipal functions oriented to servicing the North End, such as medical and social services.

The site may be considered by DPW and Parks Department to be too far away from City Hall and the rest of the City to service efficiently. Yet the City Yard is only 1/2 mile away from the site.

New Market Rate Housing Concept. Demolishing the building would make an ideal site for more housing, particularly middle income housing, which would add price and ownership diversity to Newport Heights. A mid‐rise structure would maximize water views due to the site’s high elevation. The parcel would be sold to a private developer. Positive Aspects The middle income housing would help fill a major housing supply gap in Newport. If sold and placed into private ownership, the property would generate property tax revenues. The mid‐rise structure would add architectural diversity to Newport Heights. Higher apartments could afford good views and higher prices. The City would enjoy revenues from the sale or lease of property.

Negative Aspects The community would lose the gym. The city would lose the opportunity for public office space and preclude other uses such as the MET School.

New Branch of Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center Concept. This Providence‐based alternative high school (commonly referred to as the Met School) established a branch at this site. A start up operation for 30 students in 3,000 square feet began in August 2006. This is an ideal site for such a school. Positive Aspects The School would add an educational service not available in Newport. The population in the site’s immediate surroundings would provide an ideal market segment for the school. The building could be easily retrofitted for the new school. The school could use the gym, which could be shared with neighbors. If all space is not used, the remaining space could be subleased to others. The City would realize revenues from sale or lease of the property.

Negative Aspects The school would use space that could otherwise be used for other municipal purposes. The MET School is State‐ supported so it does not pay property taxes.

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Sullivan School Site, Dexter Street (not shown on figure) The Sullivan School building on Dexter Street, east of Hillside Avenue, may be demolished and a new larger school constructed on the same site if a bond issue that would finance a major citywide school improvement program is passed in 2007. Alternatively, the school may be demolished and a new school built elsewhere. In either case there are site redevelopment opportunities that should be considered. New School at Sullivan School Site Concept. If a new school is constructed on the same site it may be possible to create a larger single parcel by vacating a segment of Dexter Street, which now divides the existing school from its play area. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

Vacating Dexter Street would provide a contiguous parcel with no through traffic creating a safer situation for the students and faculty. Now Webster Street traffic traverses the split school/playground sites. A larger site would be more suitable for a larger new school. Adding cul de sacs at either end of Dexter Street would prevent through traffic and make it a more pleasant residential street.

Emergency vehicles could not use Dexter Street as a cut through street. However, the school’s access driveways and parking lots could be designed to allow emergency vehicles and access to parking areas. The east segment of the street is in Middletown, requiring agreement.

New Market Rate Housing Concept. If the existing Sullivan School building is demolished and another site is found for a replacement and larger school, then the site would be ideal to redevelop as new market rate housing targeting the middle income sector. Positive Aspects

Negative Aspects

New middle income housing will help families stay in Newport.

A new site for the replacement school is difficult to find.

Market rate housing would add diversity to the North End housing mix.

Public land would be turned into a property tax generating resource.

Developers may find it difficult to finance a middle income housing development from conservative lending sources for a site near public housing (i.e., Park Holm).

SUMMARY OF LAND USE ALTERNATIVES Table 4‐1 compares the land use alternatives for the Pell Bridge Interchange (“Kalbfus Rotary” on table), Naval Station Newport Hospital (“Old Naval Hospital” on table), RIDOT Parcel on J. T. Connell Highway, and the Florence Gray Center (“Newport Housing Authority” on table) parcels. Each land use alternative is evaluated in three categories: (1)

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the Development Likelihood, (2) Progress Toward Goals, and (3) Impacts. The rating system is color coded to provide a visual representation of the ratings. In this rating system, dark green indicates strong characteristics, such as strong financial feasibility, and red indicates detrimental characteristics, such as significant traffic impacts.

TABLE 4-1: Site Kalbfus Rotary Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

COMPARISON OF LAND USE ALTERNATIVES Development Likelihood Market Financial Support Feasibility Risk

Development Likelihood Old Naval Hospital Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

RIDOT Parcel Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

Market Support

Financial Feasibility

Risk

Development Likelihood Market Financial Support Feasibility Risk

Development Likelihood Newport Hous. Auth. Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

KEY

Market Support

Financial Feasibility

Risk

Development Likelihood Private Strong Financing Low Public Moderately Possible Incentives Low Public / Neutral Private Neutral Limited/ Major Moderately W eak Public High Public Unlikely Financed High

Progress toward Goals Image / Tax Catalyst Revenue Jobs

Traffic Generation

Tax Revenue

City Services

Impacts

Progress toward Goals Image / Catalyst

Impacts Parking Required

Jobs

Traffic Generation

Parking Required

City Services

Progress toward Goals Image / Tax Catalyst Revenue Jobs

Traffic Generation

Impacts Parking Required

City Services

Impacts

Progress toward Goals Image / Catalyst

Tax Revenue

Jobs

Traffic Generation

Parking Required

City Services

Progress toward Goals Strong Job Strong High / Pay Gain Slightly Moderately Job / Pay Positive High Gain

Low Low Low Moderately Moderately Moderately Low Low Low

Neutral Slightly Negative

Neutral Moderately Low

Neutral Neutral Neutral Moderately Moderately Moderately High High High

Detrimental

Low

Neutral Job / Pay Loss Major Job / Pay Loss

Impacts

High

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2006 North End Master Plan

APPENDIX A SCOPE OF WORK PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF QUADE AND DOUGLAS, INC. Department of Planning, Zoning, Development and Inspections October 11, 2005

2006 North End Master Plan

TASK ONE: CONDUCT AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS Synthesize and analyze available economic data to generate development strategies for the entire North End with a particular emphasis upon redevelopment in light of the recent Enterprise Zone designation [job creation, expanded tax base, shopping requirements, and mixed use development], as well as property created from the Pell Bridge ramp realignment. Develop up to three conceptual land use alternatives for the commercial parcels, such as entertainment, good paying employment and mixed uses. Develop a list of alternative development schemes that incorporate creative methods of financing or funding infrastructure improvements and amenities provision. The economic analysis will develop highest and best use scenarios for key commercial and potential mixed use areas including the Kalbfus Rotary, the Old Navy Hospital site, and the land area near the Pell Bridge (Route 138) ramp. Economic and reuse analyses are not required for “Parcel 1” on Connell Road and the Sullivan School site. The economic analysis will consider the following land development opportunities: Evaluate up to three possible sites suggested by the Planning Department staff for the relocation of the public works facility, or City Yard, from Halsey Street with the subsequent creation of land at the current site for development and explore development alternatives in confluence with remediation plan. The Planning Department staff will develop space planning and site selection criteria with the Department of Public Works and identify potential sites for analysis by the consultant. Evaluate reuse of the Florence Gray Center to be excessed by the Newport Housing Authority and potential uses thereof. Cost estimates are not required. Incorporate the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Pell Bridge Reconfiguration and Connell Road‐Farewell Street reconnection into the Circulation and Parking Plan for the North End Master Plan Project. Explore economic development opportunities for vacant land created through the reconfiguration of bridge road and ramp system. Explore alternative development strategies and requisite cost and benefit calculations for each alternative. Produce Highest and Best Use and Market Studies for the Old Navy Hospital property that the City of Newport seeks to acquire from the United States Navy. Create development up to three scenarios for the RIDOT property north and east of the Newport Towne Centre Mall, Evaluate the potential for a satellite parking facility based upon transit oriented development, or some similar development method, relying on mixed uses. A proforma financial analysis is not required.

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Appendix A – Scope of Work

Deliverables Report on Economic Analysis of market demand and general financial feasibility of the above areas. Financial proformas are not required. For the key areas identified above, including the Kalbfus Rotary, the Old Navy Hospital site, and the land area near the Pell Bridge (Route 138) ramp, the report will: 1. Identify and evaluate reuse alternatives by component/sub area 2. Evaluate the impact on the Enterprise Zone upon redevelopment. 3. Identify the likely highest and best users. 4. Estimate possible end‐use employment. 5. Estimate potential tax revenue.

TASK TWO: DRAFT THE NORTH END MASTER PLAN Draft the North End Master Plan included in this task is a comprehensive constraints and opportunities analysis. This analysis is key to quantifying exactly how various opportunities identified by the market analysis and known needs/desires of the community may or may not be limited by various factors. The constraints and opportunities analysis and the resulting draft Master Plan will address the following elements and provide solutions to the challenges each of these elements present: CIRCULATION and PARKING: Currently, the North End of Newport is the source of scrutiny vis‐à‐vis circulation and the amelioration of parking congestion in other areas of Newport. The RIDOT is currently in the process of a design study of the Pell Bridge ramp system as well as corridor planning for the Connell Highway. The Scope of work includes: review of the DOT access management plan for Connell Highway and its effects on local and regional transportation, develop the circulation plan for the North End in light of incorporation of intermodal transportation wherever feasible, and review the reciprocal effects of creation of a satellite parking system with development nodes on the greater transportation system. This circulation plan should address existing transportation challenges as well as future projected demands based on the identified areas for growth. This circulation plan should provide a guide for future transportation investments for the entire transportation system including, roads, water travel, and other modes of travel (auto, bus, rail, ferry, plane, etc.), parking, pedestrian access and safety, and should incorporate RI Statewide Planning and RIDOT’s transportation corridor planning concepts. The concept plan must emphasize efficient and effective circulation and parking systems, including intermodal transportation (e.g. bike lanes, light rail, CNG trolley, and water taxi service) as well as satellite parking that relies upon Transit Oriented Development created from nodes of mixed use developments.

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The potential creation of a satellite parking garage must be integral to any circulation plan. A successful parking garage must rely on mixed use development. NATURAL RESOURCES: The North End is home to Miantonomi Park and several smaller park and recreation facilities. It is the stated goal of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan to protect and enhance open space. The scope of work for the North End Master Plan should identify and address existing open space as well as establish policies and strategies that preserve wetlands, woodlands, coastline, and other natural resources. The Master Plan should use the existing open space in the North End to create a coherent park system by identifying those properties that would need to be acquired in order to link the pockets of open space. The scope of work should include the review of the inventory of protected open spaces created by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust and identify properties that are currently used for open space and recreation that are not protected. The Master Plan should preserve and enhance open space opportunities in the neighborhood, especially through the creation of a Miantonomi Park Master Plan draft document or preliminary park management plan (including a park maintenance program). The Master Plan should protect and preserve Natural Resources with particular attention to creative solutions to any physical constraints in the area, i.e. wetlands, coastal features, woodlands, and brownfields. The North End has many ecologically sensitive areas that require protective measures in the face of development pressures. The Master Plan should identify these areas and outline appropriate strategies. LAND USE: The City of Newport has a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to guide land use policies. In addition, a number of challenging land use issues must be addressed within the North End Master Plan including, provision of affordable housing, public access to and along the waterfront, constraints to redevelopment including wetlands protection and brownfields cleanup. The North End Master Plan should provide solutions to these challenges by identifying the linkages to each element outlined above, strategically planning for growth and recommending innovative ways to implement solutions to these land use challenges. The North End is divided between residential and commercial/industrial zones. While commercial/industrial zoning dominates roughly two‐ thirds of the current zoning, the Master Plan should explore creative land use scenarios that employ sustainable development alternatives and creative regulatory approaches. The Master Plan should include zoning change guidelines (not in zoning code amendment language) that incorporate methods of employing mixed use development and flexible or performance zoning. A “form‐based” zoning code is not required. DESIGN: The City of Newport is creating a set of commercial design guidelines. Yet, the North End has particular challenges to aesthetics. Therefore, the Master Plan should develop a specific set of guidelines and draft signage plans, landscape plans and building design concepts that can be incorporated into local zoning and land use

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Appendix A – Scope of Work

regulations. Development plan design guidelines with specific recommendations on access management, loop roads, etc. HOUSING: The City of Newport has a standing commitment to affordable housing initiatives, especially the creation of the City’s share of 60 affordable replacement units for Newport Heights subsidized housing. The North End Master Plan should site as many of the 60 affordable housing units as possible and identify the process for the development of those units.

Deliverables Preliminary Outline of Draft Master Plan document for review and approval of the Planning Department and use by the consultant team to prepare the document. Transportation Plan Chapter and Graphics Natural Resources and Miantonomi Park Plan Chapter and Graphics Land Use Plan Chapter and Graphics Design Guidelines Memorandum and Graphics Affordable Housing Strategy Memorandum

TASK THREE: CREATE A NARRATIVE PLAN Create potential development and redevelopment scenarios. Detail each element of the Master Plan, e.g. current conditions, issues, constraints, opportunities, recommendations, and implementation strategies. The narrative should be produced according to geographic area or nodes of development. The narrative should be supplemented by detailed drawings and site plans highlighting existing conditions and likely development alternatives.

Deliverable Draft Narrative Master Plan including Graphics and an Executive Summary that can be printed separately.

TASK FOUR: PRESENT THE MASTER PLAN AND CONDUCT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS Present draft Master Plan to local, state and federal interest groups. Conduct a broad community outreach program to gather input on the draft Master Plan. Refine the Master Plan based upon input process. Conduct three public participatory meetings. Consider the continuing West Side Master Plan process, regional issues, and potential conflicts, e.g.

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Aquidneck Island communities, State Guide plans, etc. Meet with Working Group Committee three times (on same date as Public meetings). Present Master Plan to the Planning Board and the City Council; at end of process. City staff will be responsible for note taking and documentation.

Deliverables: Prepare for and conduct Public Meeting 1 and Working Committee Meeting 1 Prepare for and conduct Public Meeting 2 and Working Committee Meeting 2 Prepare for and conduct Public Meeting 3 and Working Committee Meeting 3

TASK FIVE: COMPLETE THE FINAL REVIEW AND DRAFT OF THE MASTER PLAN Conduct a final review of refined Master Plan and make any necessary changes or amendments. Present final Master Plan to municipal officials for approval. Planning Department will send final Master Plan to state officials for approval.

Deliverables Revise Draft into a Final Master Plan Report and Graphics responding to comments received via the Planning Department. Provide a compact disc of the above document so that the City can have it printed. The Executive Summary will be formatted so that it can be printed separately by the City for wider distribution. The document will be formatted so that it can be placed on the City website. Present Plan to Planning Board Present Plan to City Council

TASK SIX: DRAFT AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY The Master Plan shall include a comprehensive and integrated implementation plan with associated dates that clearly define the projects, programs, funding and management entities that must be secured in order for the North End Master Plan to be successful. The City of Newport will prioritize implementation steps and the management entities responsible for each step.

Deliverable Implementation strategy and schedule in Master Plan Document

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Appendix A – Scope of Work

TASK SEVEN: RECOMMEND NEXT STEPS FOR NORTH END REDEVELOPMENT Draft a scope of work for the next phase of the project. Propose development strategies according to highlighted alternatives for development.

Deliverable Next Steps Recommendations in Master Plan Document

OPTIONAL TASK EIGHT: COMPLETE A GIS ASSESSMENT (Not required under this scope of work and related budget) Conduct a Geographical Information System (GIS) assessment that will conform to RIGIS standards and allow the City of Newport to utilize this technology and improve the efficiency of maintaining a future digitized parcel based system. The CITY OF NEWPORT realizes that GIS will be a tool utilized in this project and wants to ensure that the future integration into a city GIS database so as to take advantage of the amount of data, maps, etc. that will be produced for this project and capitalize on that opportunity to address the need for an city‐wide GIS system. The objectives of this assessment are to: Creation of GIS data files and layers, based upon georeference materials from title and deed documents, All polygons must be from vector files, All GIS data must conform to RIGIS 1:5,000 orthophoto and be compatible with e‐911 road set data, Identify what GIS data exists on the island and at what level of detail the data is at (i.e. base maps, data sources, scale, coordinates systems, etc.), Update the Data Layers table in the West Side Planning Inventory to reflect data that is available since 1999 (CD: WS Planning Inventory), Identify opportunities for partnerships within municipal departments to institutionalize GIS, Integrate data created by Westside Master Plan.

Deliverable The scope and budget for this optional task is not a deliverable under this contract budget.

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APPENDIX B ECONOMICS AND MARKET ANALYSES – WORKING PAPER

2006 North End Master Plan

To:

Allan Hodges Parsons Brinckerhoff

From: Dick Bonz, Mark Hunsberger Bonz and Company, Inc. Re:

Economic and Real Estate Market Analysis Newport North End Master Plan

Date: April 11, 2006 This working paper summarizes analyses of economic and real estate market conditions for Newport’s North End Master Plan. Its aim is to summarize and synthesize overall conditions based on previous studies and updated data, and to identify the highest and best uses from an economic standpoint for specific parcels of land within the study area. These recommended programs do not attempt to balance all of the public and private goals for specific land areas, which is the task of the larger Master Plan process. This paper merely identifies uses for the sites that would be economically feasible based on expected market conditions, and that would contribute to the overall rejuvenation of the North End. The memo comprises three sections: Summary of market/economic findings and analysis of key land parcels Discussion of highest and best economic uses for the key land parcels Pell Bridge ramp/Kalbfus Rotary area Old Navy Hospital Connell Highway RIDOT property Newport Housing Authority’s Florence Gray Center Background findings on real estate markets and economic trends on which the recommendations were based, organized by real estate sector: Retail Lodging Office and Industrial Residential

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

SECTION I: SUMMARY Market & Economic Findings Key findings for the area economy and real estate markets include: The Aquidneck Island economy is concentrated in tourism, defense, and marine services. Tourism is highly seasonal; Newport’s infrastructure and lodging is saturated in the peak summer months, but utilization off‐season is low and growth is flat. Opportunities include extending the length of the season, and expanding from the current visitor profile of nightlife‐oriented young singles and older couples to attract more families. Defense opportunities lie in encouraging spin‐off of new businesses from the Navy’s research activities and in potential relocation of navy functions from other bases. Opportunities for growth in marine services and boat building are mostly outside the North End. Modest growth in population and employment are projected. Population growth in the trade area (Aquidneck Island plus seven mainland communities across the bridges) is projected at 0.6% per year to 2010, an increase of 5,500. Job growth is projected at about 1% per year. Retail development is viable in the North End. Highway access offers an opportunity to attract customers from off‐Island by offering a sufficiently large, and attractive mix of retailers. The trade area is underserved in such retail categories as general merchandise, electronics, specialty foods, and clothing. Hotel development may be viable. Overall occupancy and revenue growth for the local lodging industry would not by itself encourage new development, but a new property could succeed against existing competition, especially if associated with an attraction such as a resort facility. For example, a hotel with an indoor water park could draw visitors year‐round, and enhance the city’s appeal for families. Residential demand remains strong, particularly for high‐end waterfront homes and condos for primary and second residences. Demand for office space on the Island is relatively weak, with rents generally below levels necessary to stimulate development. Job growth for office industries is projected to be relatively modest, but there appears to be demand for small scale professional office space to serve local customers. While there may be specific instances of an existing business constructing a new building or a new business relocating to the area, there does not appear to be a strong economic driver behind large‐scale development of new office space.

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Site Analysis Potential development programs for specific sites include: Relocated Pell Bridge ramp area near Kalbfus rotary. Lifestyle retail center and destination hotel Retail in big box or shopping plaza formats Movie theater, recreation center, or other entertainment venue Old Navy Hospital Redevelopment of the site for residential condominiums Hotel Connell Road RIDOT Property Relocation site for businesses and/or municipal uses displaced by redevelopment in the Kalbfus rotary area Other retail, office, or light industrial uses Florence Gray Center Continuation of existing educational, office, and social service uses if the existing buildings are retained Redevelopment for housing if existing structures are removed Redevelopment for library, police station or other public use

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2006 North End Master Plan

SECTION II: PROGRAMS FOR KEY SITES Relocated Pell Bridge Ramp Area Near Kalbfus Rotary Recommended Use: Lifestyle Retail Center and Destination Hotel This site has good highway access and visibility for off‐Island visitors as well as a large area of land that make it feasible for retail and hotel development if the penalty costs for developing the poorly drained land and former landfill are not excessive. We recommend a lifestyle retail center of approximately 200,000 – 300,000 square feet on the south side of Kalbfus Road (Areas 1, 2, 1A on the map below). While lifestyle centers range in size over 500,000 square feet, the minimum size to be competitive is about 200,000 SF. A 200‐room waterpark hotel (or some other ‘destination’ hotel) appears to be feasible for the north side of Kalbfus Road (Area 4). Sites for the largest destination waterpark resorts in more rural areas range above 40 acres, but in more suburban locations, they can be accommodated on sites of about 15 acres. To achieve maximum potential of the area, the City‐ and RIDOT‐owned parcels on the south side of Kalbfus Road (Area 1) should be combined with the privately owned parcels along Connell Road (Area 2) to create a site large enough for a development that will draw customers from the larger trade area. Relocation of the industrial uses south of the City DPW (Area 1A) is required to upgrade the quality of development in this area, and including these parcels would increase flexibility for siting the development, and add the capacity for more retail space as well as 50‐100 residential units. Site Assets Size. The land to be freed up by removing the Route 138 ramps will be some of the largest parcels available in the area1: 16.63 acres south of Kalbfus Highway (Area 1); about 9.68 acres are currently used for the Newport DPW yard and 6.95 by RIDOT roadway 12.65 acres north of Kalbfus Highway now covered by roadway (Area 4) These parcels are of sufficient size to stimulate redevelopment in the surrounding areas and to attract major development firms, residential landlords, and/or commercial tenants. The 7‐ acre area of state‐owned land under the highway south of Kalbfus Road on its own is insufficient to house significant development, but in combination with the Newport DPW site, represents a substantial development opportunity that could stimulate redevelopment of the surrounding area.

Source: Pell Bridge Approach Concept‐4A2 map and City of Newport Assessor records

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

Newport Towne Center

Newport Grand

EXHIBIT 1:

PELL BRIDGE INTERCHANGE AREA

Land adjacent to these core parcels could potentially be redeveloped in a complementary fashion to create even more opportunities that are attractive: 2.59 acres to the west along the east side of Connell Highway currently under various commercial uses under private ownership (Area 2) 3.61 acres to the south currently being used as a commercial waste transfer station, and about 2 acres occupied by a social club and various industrial uses (Area 1A) 5.81 acres along the west side of Connell Highway (Area 3) 30+ acre Newport Towne Center shopping plaza to the north Newport Grand property to the east that the owner is considering redeveloping, including over 10 acres of surface parking facing the core parcels across Halsey Street Access. The property has good access and street frontage to RI Route 138 that could support commercial development including retail, lodging, restaurants, or entertainment. There is direct access across the Pell Bridge from communities to the west, and via 138 and

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2006 North End Master Plan

114 from towns north and east. RIDOT’s average daily traffic volume for Kalbfus Road is 16,800 vehicles per day and for Connell Highway 14,100. Neighboring uses. The area is established as a retail location due to the 300,000 square foot Newport Towne Center, an open‐air shopping plaza anchored by a Wal‐Mart and Stop & Shop. The Newport Grand and the Motel 6 and Best Western motels in the area also make this an established lodging and entertainment area for visitors. Site Challenges Drainage. Most of the land south of Kalbfus Highway is low lying, being former wetland that was filled years ago. This area is poorly drained and lies mostly in Flood Zone AE (1% annual chance floodplain requiring mandatory flood insurance). A stream cuts through the western edge of the property, which complicates site planning yet offers potential for creating a site amenity. We have assumed that the entire acreage of the property is developable without significant penalty cost, with the exception of a 600‐foot long, 100‐foot wide corridor around the stream. Soils. The DPW land and parts of adjacent parcels lie over a former landfill, which could significantly increase construction costs. Levels of methane gas are reportedly being monitored on the Newport Grand property as well as at the West Marine building on the Towne Center site. For this analysis, we assumed that the entire acreage of the core parcels can be developed without significant penalty costs. In the absence of engineering analysis of the property, it is not possible to estimate how much the soil conditions would increase the cost of construction. Neighboring uses. Traffic volumes on Kalbfus Road and Connell Highway limit the appeal of the street frontage of the sites for residential use, although they do not prohibit it. Relocation of the City DPW facility is a minimum requirement to achieve sufficient land area for significant redevelopment south of Kalbfus road. In addition, redevelopment of this property would be adversely impacted if the existing Waste Management transfer station were to remain in operation, due to its physical appearance and generation of heavy vehicle traffic on Halsey Street. Highest and Best Use The key attribute of the Kalbfus Rotary area is its access to highways: proximity to the Pell bridge, downtown Newport, and Routes 114 and 138 makes this a relatively easy site to get to from both on‐ and off‐Island. While all uses of real estate benefit from good road access, it is most valuable to commercial property types, especially retail, hospitality (hotel, restaurant), and office which prize locations that are highly visible and easily reached by customers and employees. While residential developments also benefit from good access, their value is diminished if they are too near to large volumes of traffic on unattractive roadways.

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

The Kalbfus Rotary areaʹs good highway access and visibility and high traffic levels favor commercial use over residential as a focus for development, although there is potential for mixing in residential use if a large enough site could be assembled. Among commercial uses, market conditions make office the least economically feasible as a focus for the site. The area’s employment is projected to increase at only about 1% per year, and growth in demand for office space can be satisfied by incremental, small scale development. Current office rents on the order of $12‐$15 per square foot are too low to justify significant new development, and there have been no major new office buildings built in the area in recent years. While offices could succeed in this location, and there is always the potential that a company could choose to relocate to this area, market demand does not support making speculative office development the primary focus for the area. The best focus for this area is retail development. Local retail occupancy is relatively strong, with continuing interest by chain retailers in finding available space. However, there are few available properties large enough to support modern store formats. From the consumer side, analysis of unmet retail demand indicates that Aquidneck Island on its own could only support a modest amount of retail development. However, if a larger trade area including mainland communities across the bridges is considered, there is unserved demand sufficient to support several hundred thousand square feet or more of retail space if a critical mass of appropriate retailers can be assembled, and/or it is combined with entertainment attractions. The interchange site has the highway access, visibility, and size that could support retail development of 200,000+ square feet necessary to draw shoppers from the larger trade area. This is also roughly the minimum size of retail development that would attract large development firms for a multi‐tenant project. Hotel use is also feasible for the site due to its good highway access, as evidenced by the existing lodging on Kalbfus Road and Connell Highway. While the general case for developing new hotel space in the Newport/Middletown market is marginal in light of the historic trends in hotel occupancy and tourism (see Lodging section), a new property could succeed in this area if it has a strong theme or onsite attraction to draw visitors. Recommended Program: Lifestyle Retail Center and Waterpark Hotel. Unmet demand exists in the trade area around Newport for a total of roughly 200,000 ‐ 300,000 square feet of additional retail space in categories including general merchandise, apparel, specialty foods, and electronics. To compete successfully with existing retail centers, a development of this size would need to draw residents from outside Aquidneck Island to supplement demand by Island residents and seasonal visitors. This will require an attractive physical environment with a mix of stores and attractions not available elsewhere in the vicinity. Our recommended option to differentiate this area from the Island’s existing retail areas is to develop a “lifestyle” retail center. This is an increasingly popular development style

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designed to appeal to the lifestyle of a particular target audience with a mix of shopping, entertainment, and dining. While the “lifestyle” label is now often applied to conventional strip shopping centers, a more precise definition is a retail center that combines restaurants, small retailers, entertainment, and perhaps lodging in an open‐air format similar to a traditional downtown. Lifestyle centers sometimes include residences and office space mixed in with retail, but in this location and market environment, we believe that retail should be the dominant use. While many lifestyle centers are targeted at high‐income customers, Newport’s demographics would suggest a mix of retailers and restaurants serving a broader range of incomes. Retailers might range from mid‐range stores such as Claire’s, Chico’s, and American Eagle Outfitters to more expensive shops such as Ann Taylor, Williams Sonoma, or Pottery Barn. Restaurants could include regional or national chains such as The Cheesecake Factory as well as local operations. While a lifestyle center would not be aimed at competing directly with the more tourist‐oriented shops in downtown Newport, there is some potential for overlap with existing chain stores. An example of a lifestyle retail development is shown below.

EXHIBIT 2 – SHOPPES AT DERBY STREET, HINGHAM, MA

Photo courtesy of S.R. Weiner

Lifestyle centers sometimes include or are near larger format stores that draw from a large area. The Garden City Center in Cranston is an example of this form with its older Village lifestyle stores and adjacent Commons “Big Box” area. Given the analysis of unmet demand

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

for this trade area, food stores such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, or electronics stores BestBuy or Circuit City might provide a strong draw for the center. A second component for the area would be a destination hotel of approximately 200 rooms and 40,000 square feet of indoor waterpark. Waterpark resorts (see Lodging section) primarily draw family vacationers living within driving distance, a group that appears under‐represented in Newport’s visitor population with its large contingents of young single people and older couples. It would expand Newport’s attractiveness to families with children, and provide a year‐round stream of visitors while not drawing directly from existing hotel businesses. In combination with the nearby Newport Grand, which has plans to add live entertainment and expand its gaming activity, a hotel would create an entertainment destination with activities for both adults and children. Locating the hotel within walking distance of attractive shopping and dining alternatives will enhance the visit for hotel guests and strengthen business for the retailers year‐round. Configuration The retail center would ideally be located on the south of Kalbfus Road (Area 1) which is the larger parcel and has better visibility from the reconfigured bridge ramps. The roughly 16 acres of land here have the potential to support about 200,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of restaurants, all with surface parking. This is about the minimum amount of retail space necessary to attract developer interest and create sufficient mass to draw consumers from outside Aquidneck Island. Our calculations assume that all of the land except the stream area is buildable without major penalty cost, and that all parking is at ground level. While structured parking is feasible where land values are high, surface parking is used in most suburban locations where the cost of constructing a garage exceeds the value of additional retail space. Retail developers in most cases prefer surface parking because shoppers want short walks from car to store, and some avoid enclosed garages entirely because of security concerns. Including the additional 2.59‐acre area of privately owned parcels on the east side of Connell Highway (Area 2) might accommodate as much as 60,000 additional square feet of retail space, which would have excellent visibility from the highway. Including these parcels in the redevelopment area would have the additional benefit of unifying the appearance of the project and enabling restoration of the stream as a site amenity. However, siting appropriate uses (with parking and loading requirements) on this relatively narrow strip of land between the stream and highway may be challenging. If the stream cannot be covered, or the sites expanded by moving the stream or roadway, this narrow area may best be suited for standalone restaurants, small retail, or perhaps hotel/motel use. If the site were expanded to also include the industrial parcels south of the City DPW yard (Area 1A), the total size would approach 25 acres and could accommodate 270,000 square feet of retail. This size parcel could also potentially support 75‐100 units of housing, and be

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large enough to site residential units so as to be screened from highway traffic. Another possible use on a larger site could be a modern cinema complex of roughly ten screens. While the digitization of recorded entertainment makes the future of movie distribution somewhat uncertain, there are currently no attractive, modern multi‐screen theaters on the Island. This use would enhance the area’s image as an entertainment destination, but would impact traffic and parking. An alternative theater location could be the privately owned parcels on the west side of Connell Highway south of the rotary (Area 3). This area will have very high visibility on Route 138, but is constrained on two sides by the roadway and railway rights‐of‐way. Possible uses for this site might include offices, movie theaters, and/or a satellite parking facility for tourists visiting the island, although it may be difficult to accommodate uses with high traffic volumes close to the rotary. The waterpark hotel would be sited on the north side of Kalbfus Highway (Area 4). This parcel has an existing hotel on one side, and its location outside the floodplain may be more appropriate if the facility requires significant excavation for swimming pools. This parcel is less visible to traffic coming from the bridge and heading toward downtown Newport on the reconfigured ramps, but waterpark hotels are less dependent than retail on visibility because visitors are traveling to them specifically as a destination. We estimate that the site’s 12+ acres is sufficiently large to host such a facility, although new resorts such as those being developed by Great Wolf are larger in scale than we propose. Alternatives Alternative configuration. The uses on either side of Kalbfus Road could be swapped, with the waterpark hotel going on the south side and retail on the north. This would have the benefit of providing a larger land area for the resort, and may prove complementary for the gaming and waterpark resort attractions to be next to each other, supported by entertainment‐themed retail and restaurants. Because the north parcel is smaller, it would support less square footage than the south parcel, on the order of 170,000 square feet of retail and 10,000 square feet of restaurant space. However, this configuration raises the potential to build on the strength of the neighboring Newport Towne Center. For example, it may be feasible to eventually reorient the south end of the existing shopping center to extend eastward along Kalbfus Road and connect to new development in Area 4. In combination, the two properties could support a shopping area on the order of 500,000 square feet, large enough to draw from well beyond the local market. It may also be possible to substitute some housing for retail space on this parcel, if appropriate access could be provided to the rear where it abuts a multi‐family development. Large format retail. An alternative to the lifestyle center’s mix of restaurants, entertainment, and small‐mid size stores are developments focusing more exclusively on larger stores of 40,000 – 125,000 square feet. These developments take the form of very large

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stores such as Target or Wal‐Mart, standing alone or grouped with smaller stores in plazas such as Newport Towne Center. A more recent alternative is the power center of “category killer” chains focused on specific product categories, such as Staples or Best Buy. While the distinctions between retail development styles tend to blur and tenants overlap, developments with a mix of larger‐format styles tend to be oriented toward creating an efficient shopping environment for local residents, rather than to create a more varied shopping/dining/and entertainment experience. They are characterized by large stores and large, uninterrupted fields of parking. If a sufficiently large parcel could not be assembled to accommodate a lifestyle center, market forces would tend to result in a big box or strip plaza retail format for this site. Commercial Recreation Center. Another potentially feasible type of entertainment venue that is a recreation center combining various individual and team sports in a multi‐purpose facility. Historically, the commercial viability of this type of facility has been questionable, and true multi‐purpose facilities are typically funded completely or in part by local government, or by not‐for‐profit organizations. However, there are examples of privately owned recreation centers owned and operated by private companies, including a newly approved facility in Marshfield, MA (see Retail section). While potentially enhancing an entertainment theme for redeveloping the area, this type of use would draw primarily from local residents. There may be some potential for use of a general‐purpose field house facility for events such as small trade shows or product expos, as well as athletic events.

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Old Navy Hospital Recommended Use: Residential or Hotel Reuse of the main hospital building is probably economically infeasible due to its obsolete layout. Assuming demolition is not prohibited for historic preservation reasons, the best use of this site is for approximately 200 residential condominiums that take advantage of the site’s water access and view. It may be feasible to strengthen the market appeal of the development with a marina incorporating the existing pier. An alternative use would be a hotel, or a combination hotel/residential condominium development. Site Assets The site is substantial in area, comprising 7 acres of level land and 3 acres under water. It has a waterfront location on the Bay and includes a fairly well maintained pier and potential for access for boating. There is an attractive view of the Pell Bridge, and mature trees in a pleasant setting along the Bay. The main hospital building has been identified as having historic significance, perhaps with potential for official designation. Site Challenges Adaptive reuse of the main building is probably economically infeasible. Its “H” shaped floor plan is inefficient for contemporary use due to 30‐40 feet‐wide wings too narrow to fit a double‐sided corridor for either residential or office use. Each floor would have to be a single residential unit or office suite, making for large spaces with poor internal circulation. An alternative would be to fill some of the exterior space between the wings with new construction, but this would create windowless interior space that would underutilize the views at the site. The other existing buildings on the site are relatively small and not oriented toward the water view. The site’s proximity to the Pell bridge results in noticeable traffic noise, which might deter some potential tenants or buyers. This is less of a concern for hotel use, and in either case, the waterfront location outweighs the noise detriment. The site is distant from downtown Newport in an area with few existing amenities for hotel guests or residents. Access to, and visibility from, major roadways is inferior for commercial use, and the adjacent hospital and residential uses add little to the value of the property. Historic designation of the site may limit its redevelopment. Highest and Best Use The key attribute of this site is its waterfront location, which is an increasingly scarce asset on the Island that would add value to residential, hotel, or office use. If demolition of the

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existing structures is not prohibited for historic preservation reasons, the best use of the site is to redevelop it for residential condominiums. Demand for residences with waterfront views remains strong, and such sites command significant premiums over inland locations. While office tenants might also appreciate the water views, it is unlikely that this use would command such substantial premiums given the limited demand for office space in the area and the site’s location off a major street. The site could accommodate perhaps 200 residences (about 7 per acre) with parking at grade below the units. The units will be most valuable if laid out to maximize water views, and could incorporate design elements reflecting the historic character of the site. The site is large enough to accommodate amenities such as tennis courts on the inland side, and the residential values would be further enhanced with a small marina. Addition of higher income residents to this area would strengthen demand for retail stores and restaurants developed near the Kalbfus rotary. An alternative use for the site would be redevelopment as a hotel. This would also take advantage of the waterfront location, but its economic feasibility is less certain. While the site has water views, it lacks access to the shopping and restaurants offered by downtown hotels and would require significant onsite amenities to attract guests to a location that is distant from Newport’s attractions. A development that combined a small hotel with residential condominiums that have access to hotel services could potentially prove more viable by reducing reliance on visitors.

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Connell Highway RIDOT property Relocated Industrial/Retail/Office Uses This is a potential retail or office site that is limited by unattractive neighboring uses: a self‐ storage facility and the municipal wastewater treatment plant. Because vacant developable land is scarce in Newport, the best use of this site is for relocating businesses to enable the redevelopment of the much larger and more valuable Pell bridge ramp area: the industrial businesses and Knights of Columbus Hall on Halsey Street, City offices now at the DPW yard, and/or businesses located on Connell Highway south of the rotary. Alternative use of the RIDOT parcel would be other retail, office, or industrial use. Site Assets The site comprises about 5 acres of land with 195 feet of frontage on Connell Highway with an average daily traffic volume of over 14,000 vehicles. There are an additional 1.25 acres at the corner of Maple Street in commercial use, and 5 acres in a mini‐storage facility adjacent to the west. The site could physically accommodate standalone retail, office, or light industrial use. The site is a remnant of the RIDOT “bowling alley” right‐of‐way parcel, the rest of which is now part of the Newport Towne Center property. It could potentially be linked to the rear of the shopping center property to provide additional retail area or alternative access to the loading docks. Site Challenges Zoning in this area is commercial/industrial, and the neighboring uses limit the potential development of the site for higher value commercial or residential use. The City’s wastewater treatment plant lies within a few hundred feet to the west. Although it appears well landscaped and maintained, there are reportedly occasional odor problems, and such facilities have a perceptual stigma for potential residential and office tenants. The neighboring self‐storage business also appears well‐maintained, but is unattractive and extends along the entire length of the RIDOT parcel. It is reportedly a successful business, and the owners have refused recent purchase offers. The solid profit potential for this type of business suggests it will be a long‐term fixture in the area, or will require significant expense to remove. Highest and Best Use Because the potential of this site is somewhat limited, its highest use is to enable the redevelopment of the much larger and more valuable ramp redevelopment site by acting as a relocation site for displaced businesses. As discussed above, redevelopment of the South Kalbfus site will be hindered by the neighboring uses that include various light industrial uses, a waste transfer station, and the City yard. In addition, assembly of a large parcel fronting Connell Highway will require relocation of several existing businesses including U‐

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Haul storage and automotive businesses. The RIDOT site could accommodate several of these operations in a more attractive layout, with retail businesses along the street frontage and others behind. Relocation to this site would retain the property tax revenue and jobs for the city and the businesses may also benefit from better access. Alternatives Given the unattractive nature of the neighboring uses, and their likelihood of remaining for the foreseeable future, market forces would probably lead to standalone retail or light industrial use such as the self‐storage, convenience retail, or auto repair services now located nearby. It is possible that some company could choose to relocate to this location, as is the case with the banking operations being discussed on Parcel 1, but the RIDOT site is a more marginal location for such an activity due to the neighboring uses and less prominent location. Another alternative would be to develop a connector road through the site toward Kalbfus Road. This would provide alternative access to the Kalbfus parcels from the north bypassing the rotary and connecting to Halsey Street. However, design of the road may be problematic due to slope and drainage.

EXHIBIT 3 – RIDOT PARCEL AND FLORENCE GRAY CENTER

Gray Ctr. RIDOT

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Newport Housing Authority/Florence Gray Center Site Redevelopment for Residences, or Education/Social Service use of Existing Building Based on economic criteria, the highest use for the site is redevelopment for townhouses or low‐rise apartments. The site is not well located for retailing or office use because it is not on a major road, and is surrounded by mixed‐ and low‐income housing that limits its appeal for commercial tenants. The site could accommodate 8‐10 units per acre of townhouses or 18‐25 units per acre of low‐rise construction. Alternatively, the site could be redeveloped for community services such as a police station, school, or library that serves the local residents. If the existing buildings are retained, their best use is for the same types of uses as today: education and training (e.g. the Met School), recreation (Boys & Girls Club), and/or offices for social service agencies or not‐for‐profit organizations. It is unlikely that renovation of the older sections of the building would earn high rents at this location, so if the buildings are retained, the most likely tenants would be organizations that value being close to the Housing Authority’s tenants. Assets The site is approximately 5 acres of relatively level land, whose slope and elevation provide some views to the north toward Coddington Cove and to the west toward the Pell bridge. The site also contains an appealing row of mature trees along the road that enhance the street frontage, and there is some stated interest in reserving some portion of the site for a play area. The adjacent Newport Heights development is being redeveloped into an attractive mixed income property designed according to traditional “New Urbanist” principals. The new campus of CCRI, the Head Start day care center, and Miantonomi Park are all within walking distance. The Center comprises three sections, constructed over a period of 10 to perhaps 25 years, and totaling about 15,000 square feet. The Gallagher Building is the newest area, dating to 1993, and its 3,000 square feet of office space used by the Housing Authority is closest to commercial quality. The gymnasium comprises about 6,000 square feet, including a small office area of about 500 square feet. Connecting the two, the Florence Gray Center contains about 6,000 square feet on two levels, containing offices, classrooms, and a small kitchen. Challenges The Newport Heights development is a Housing Authority property whose residents are primarily low income. Approximately 80% of the units are subsidized, and 325 of the 425 units will be rentals. The purchasing power of the residents of the immediate area is

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therefore limited. And, there is potential for the area to retain a stigma that would deter outside visitors despite the physical redevelopment. The site is not a strong commercial location. While Girard Street connects to Connell/ Coddington Highway nearby, it is relatively narrow and has insufficient traffic volume to support standalone retail uses. While office use is less dependent on street traffic than retail, office tenants also prefer sites with better visibility on main streets. The lack of other retail, restaurant, or office uses in the immediate vicinity also makes it less attractive for other businesses to locate there. The existing building has little potential for commercial use. It is sited relatively far from the street with limited visibility for retail businesses, and its cement block construction lends an unattractive institutional appearance not conducive to commercial tenants. With the exception of the newer Gallagher Building, the space is a hodgepodge of construction in need of interior renovation. For example, the upper level of the Gray Center is awkwardly configured, with a large underused lobby area, and a warren of interior offices lacking natural light. The double height gymnasium could be used in its current configuration for little besides sporting activities, storage, or perhaps light industrial use. However, it could potentially be renovated into two floors of office or classroom space. Highest and Best Use This site is not a strong commercial location because it lacks the visibility and traffic flow sought by retail and office uses. Residential use is feasible for the site because it is an established residential area. In the absence of detailed financial analysis, the choice of use for this site is mission‐driven, and depends on whether the public benefit of the services provided on the site is perceived to exceed the potential value of redeveloping it for residential or some other public use. If the current structures were retained, their best use would be for continuation of educational, recreational, and social services for residents of the area. Renovation would be required to reconfigure and update the older space for commercial office tenants. Even so, the site could not be expected to command premium rents for retail or professional office space because it is not a prime commercial location. If the entire building were upgraded to be comparable to the Housing Authority offices, it would achieve rents of perhaps $10‐12 per square foot in today’s market. In the absence of detailed financial analysis it is difficult to say that renovation costs would provide an acceptable return. The proposal to use part of the building as a school would be an appropriate use of the existing space, and there is potential room for expansion into space already configured for classrooms and offices. While commercial tenants would likely avoid co‐locating with a school, social service organizations would be more compatible, separated on a different floor and using a different entrance. Other potential tenants might be start‐up office‐based businesses, but these users would be less able to afford market‐rate rents.

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Complete redevelopment of the site for retail or general office use is unlikely due to its location off a high traffic retail corridor. It is possible that a destination use could be identified – i.e., a medical clinic, a public facility such as a police station, or even an owner‐ occupied office building, but commercial uses that draw business from a larger community will prefer a site with higher traffic volume and better visibility. If the structures were demolished, the highest economic use of the site would be a market‐ rate or mixed‐income residential development. While the presence of so much subsidized housing in the neighborhood would limit pricing, a design that takes advantage of the views could potentially enable a higher proportion of market rate units than the 20‐30% found in Newport Heights. It is possible that some limited convenience retail could be accommodated in a redeveloped property, but would be difficult to make compatible with a more market‐rate property due to added traffic, noise, and security concerns. Development density could be on the order of 8‐10 units per acre for a townhouse type development, or 18‐25 units per acre for a low‐rise apartment style building.

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SECTION III —REAL ESTATE MARKET AND ECONOMIC TRENDS Retail Downtown Newport, particularly the tourist areas near the waterfront, is the strongest retail site on Aquidneck Island. Prime locations such as Bowens Wharf and Bannister Wharf command gross rents as high as $100 per square foot for small spaces, with most rates in the range of $60 per square foot. Outside the high traffic tourist areas, however, more typical downtown retail spaces support lease rates ranging from $15 to $30. Occupancies are generally high, with turnover occurring during the off‐season. Tenants include primarily independent restaurants and tourist‐oriented stores. Outside of downtown Newport, the largest concentration of retail development on Aquidneck Island is the Route 114/138 corridor 1‐2 miles northeast of the North End, which serves the daily shopping needs of Island residents. This corridor contains a series of auto dealerships, motels, and small‐mid size retail centers. Many of the older properties are quite small, on the order of 20,000 square feet or less and feature relatively low‐end tenants such as second‐hand stores, personal service providers (e.g., nail and hair care), and auto repair services. Due to the wide variety of space available, lease rates range broadly from $8 per square foot to as high as $15 per square foot on a triple net basis. Larger shopping plazas along Route 114 and the East Main Street include two centers anchored by large, modern supermarkets, and containing a range of other stores including chains such as Christmas Tree Shops, Olympia Sports and CVS. A 100,000 square foot “power center” that opened in September of 2003 features Barnes & Noble Books, Eastern Mountain Sports, PetCo, Michael’s, and Linens’n’Things. Another plaza anchored by Home Depot and Staples is nearby. Other national franchise retailers in the corridor include casual dining restaurants such as Ruby Tuesday, fast food restaurants, and drugstores. A high demand exists for these spaces due to the lack of larger, high‐quality shopping centers in the area. Real estate brokers indicate that lease rates for the area’s retail plazas currently range from $16 to $18 per square foot (not including utilities, taxes, and insurance). In the North End itself, the Newport Towne Center contains approximately 300,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by Wal‐Mart, Stop & Shop, and TJ Maxx. Redevelopment of his former enclosed mall into an outdoor plaza format was completed around 2000. While Newport and Middletown provide significant retail services both for tourists and for residents, shoppers must travel 20‐30 miles to reach a broader range of stores and services available in off‐Island regional shopping malls, “big box” retailers such as BestBuy or Circuit City, or “lifestyle” centers. This latter category is currently among the hottest in retail development and is based on collections of stores targeting a specific relatively

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upscale demographic with a collection of stores, restaurants, and entertainment, often in a physical style reminiscent of a traditional downtown.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Shopping Center Warwick Mall Rhode Island Mall Garden City Center Providence Place Swansea Mall Dartmouth Mall New Harbor Mall

Location Warwick Warwick Cranston Providence Swansea, MA N. Dartmouth, MA Fall River, MA

Type Enclosed Regional Mall Enclosed Regional Mall Lifestyle/Power Ctr Enclosed Regional Mall Enclosed Regional Mall Enclosed Regional Mall Enclosed Mall

Size (SF) 815,000 450,000 473,000 1,250,000 700,000 670,000 335,000

Stores 90 45 65 170 86 70 29

Anchor Stores Filene's, JC Penney, Macy's, Old Navy Sears, Wal-Mart, Kohl's Linens 'N' Things, Borders Books, Circuit City Nordstrom, Filene's, Lord & Taylor Macy's, Sears, Wal-Mart JC Penney, Sears, Filene's Wal-Mart, Kmart

EXHIBIT 4 - SHOPPING CENTERS IN NEWPORT VICINITY The nearest regional shopping malls and concentrations of other large chain and discount stores are located in the Warwick‐Cranston area, and around North Dartmouth and Swansea, MA. Smaller centers anchored by discounters and food stores are also located in Fall River and North Kingstown. The nearest lifestyle center is the Village portion of the Garden City Center in Cranston, although some stores typically found in such centers as EMS and Barnes & Noble are found nearby in Middletown in a more standard strip mall setting. Unserved Demand Analysis performed in 2004 for the Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan showed a net inflow of retail spending on the Island. This indicates that the retail businesses on the Island

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recorded more in total sales than could be accounted for by the spending of the Island’s residents. In other words, visitors to the Island bought more here than the residents were buying at stores off‐Island. Exhibit 3 compares non‐automotive retail sales versus households’ retail spending on Aquidneck Island, in Newport alone, and in the combined communities of Middletown and Portsmouth. As shown, Aquidneck Island’s retailers collectively capture an amount equivalent to 181 percent of residents’ retail spending, which indicates that the Island serves as a major retail destination. This substantial net inflow is primarily attributable to stores in Newport ‐‐ which achieve an even higher market capture rate of 199 percent of its residents’ spending— but the Middletown/Portsmouth portion of the market also achieves a high capture rate of 165 percent.

EXHIBIT 5:

RETAIL SPENDING VS. SALES (2004) Aquidneck

Newport

Middletown/ Portsmouth

Local Resident Retail Spending

$379.3

$181.7

$197.7

Local Retail Sales

$687.6

$361.0

$326.6

Market Capture

181.3%

198.7%

165.2%

Source: Geovue, Inc.; Claritas, Inc.; Bonz and Company, Inc.

The analysis found that the retail categories with the highest capture rates on the Island were those related to the tourist economy: eating and drinking establishments, plus miscellaneous stores selling items such as gifts, flowers, jewelry, books, sporting goods, etc. Additional demand for new retail activity in these categories would depend on additional growth in the local tourism industry. Absent such growth, additional tourist‐oriented retail development does not offer strong prospects, particularly in the areas outside of downtown Newport, where tourism activity is most heavily concentrated. The food/grocery and general merchandise categories (department stores, warehouse clubs) appeared to be underserved on Aquidneck Island itself in the 2004 analysis, with local store sales being less than resident expenditures. However, it was found that the amount of underserved demand from the three Island communities ($28 million) was sufficient for only about 70,000 square feet of new space, about the size of one small contemporary grocery or general merchandise store, and not a significant retail center. For the North End Master Plan, we revisited the retail analysis. Because the North End is close to the Pell Bridge and the west side of Narragansett Bay, and has relatively direct access to Route 114 connecting to the Mt. Hope and Sakonnet Bridges, we believe it would be possible to draw consumers across the bridges to the area with an appropriate mix of stores or some other attractive entertainment or shopping experience. We have therefore

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examined demand in a broader retail trade area that includes the towns of Jamestown, Narragansett, and North and South Kingstown to the west, Tiverton and Little Compton to the east, and Bristol to the north. These towns represent an area that is 20‐30 minutes distant in travel time, which is the approximate range shoppers are willing to travel. The results of this analysis are summarized below.

EXHIBIT 6:

NORTH END TRADE AREA

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EXHIBIT 7:

SELECTED CATEGORIES UNDERSERVED IN TRADE AREA

Store Type

Demand (Consumer Expenditures)

Supply (Retail Sales)

Net Spending Outside Trade Area

General Merchandise Stores-452 Department Stores Excl Leased Depts-4521 Warehouse Clubs and Super Stores-45291

$392,208,045 $266,773,380 $79,350,735

$154,529,060 $112,656,278 $11,164,184

$237,678,985 $154,117,102 $68,186,551

39% 42% 14%

385,000 170,000

Electronics and Appliance Stores-443 Grocery Stores-4451 Specialty Food Stores-4452 Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores-448

$78,291,472 $302,371,536 $42,323,841 $152,903,658

$24,347,839 $261,121,768 $16,388,572 $119,883,296

$53,943,633 $41,249,768 $25,935,269 $33,020,362

31% 86% 39% 78%

108,000 103,000 65,000 83,000

Source: Claritas

Market Approximate Capture Square Feet of Rate Store Space

Based on analysis of recent consumer spending and retail sales in the larger trade area, the biggest underserved opportunity is General Merchandise, which includes Department Stores and Warehouse/Discount Stores. Locally, Wal‐Mart has a store in the North End that appears to be successful, and there is a relatively small BJ’s warehouse nearby in Middletown. The nearest outlets of other large chains such as Target and Kohl’s are off the island in Warwick, North Dartmouth, and Seekonk. While the unserved demand for this category appears quite large, the stores themselves are also extremely large, and it would be an overstatement to project that the combined demand on the Island and off is concentrated enough to support more of these types of stores specifically in the North End. The data does, however, indicate potential demand at some scale for general merchandise retail. The second largest category of unmet demand is in Consumer Electronics with 108,000 square feet representing perhaps two stores of the size of an average BestBuy or Circuit City (based on sales of $500 per square foot). The nearest outlets of these chains are 20+ miles away. Again, it is unclear whether demand is sufficiently concentrated to support standard outlets for these specific chains, but there appears to be unmet demand in this category. Grocery stores and Specialty Foods. Grocery stores typically serve a local market, but more unique Specialty Foods stores such as Trader Joes or Whole Foods draw from a larger area and have the marketing cachet that enhances a “lifestyle” type shopping development. Both of these chains operate stores within 50 miles of Newport, but have reportedly investigated the local market and found it insufficiently large today. However, other companies such as Wal‐Mart and Staples have developed smaller format stores to serve smaller markets, so specialty grocers merit serious attention as potential retail anchors. Clothing and Accessories stores. The aggregate demand for this store type of 80,000 square feet is spread over a number of smaller categories, including men’s clothing, women’s clothing, and jewelry. None of these represents a particularly large store on its own, but in total correspond to the size of the apparel portion of a small lifestyle center. Visual

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inspection of Newport and Middletown reveals a rather sparse presence for such retailers as Ann Taylor or JJill which populate these types of centers, the nearest of which is the Garden City Center in Cranston. Other Retail Opportunities Based on tours of the area and input from local realtors and the community, there may also be potential for some other retail services in the North End: Nationally or regionally branded restaurants. While a few chains have locations in the area (e.g., Ruby Tuesday, Chili’s, Applebee’s, there may be an opportunity to attract others in a variety of price ranges (e.g., Macaroni Grill, Outback Steakhouse, Legal Seafood, etc.). Movie theaters. Aquidneck Island lacks a modern, first‐run cinema complex. There is a multi‐screen movie theater in Middletown, but it lacks the amenities and attractiveness of newer complexes. Commercial Recreation Center. Another potentially feasible type of entertainment venue is a recreation center combining various individual and team sports in a multi‐ purpose facility. Historically, the commercial viability of this type of facility has been questionable, and in New England true multi‐purpose facilities are typically funded completely or in part by local government, or by not‐for‐profit organizations such as the YMCA. Commercial facilities have tended to focus on one popular sport or specific type of facility. Examples include tennis centers, racquetball clubs, fitness centers, and ice rinks as well as more multi‐purpose indoor fields used in inclement weather for soccer and lacrosse. Many of these operations have gone through boom and bust cycles as the popularity of individual activities has waxed and waned. Because demand is highly seasonal, the facilities tend to be booked to capacity in the winter, and struggle for business in the summer. Their success depends on establishing a strong base of league play for a reliable revenue stream, supplemented by tournaments, special events, and alternative activities during the outdoor season. Because capital costs to construct bare‐bones facilities are often low, the success of one operator often encourages overbuilding and reduces profitability for all. Facilities are often located in industrial settings because they need large amounts of space and can not afford high rents. There are occasional examples of commercial development of more multi‐purpose facilities. For instance, the Town of Marshfield, MA has recently approved construction of the Marshfield Athletic Center in that community of about 25,000 south of Boston. This facility is being constructed entirely with private funds by Brait Builders Corporation of Marshfield with a total budget of approximately $20 million. The facility will have approximately 150,000 square feet of usable space on a 12‐acre site in an industrial park and will include:

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Two ice rinks Field house for soccer, track, field sports Basketball/volleyball courts Two tennis courts Racquetball Fitness/strength/aerobics center

Rock climbing wall Sports therapy facility Day spa Juice bar and pro shop Restaurant Lap pool and family pool

The facility will be operated as a commercial property with each facility being leased to an operator specializing in that type of recreation. The developer has consulted with similar facilities in other parts of the country and believes this center will enjoy year round demand because of the wide range of sports involved. They plan to give preference to Town residents for memberships and to provide facilities for the local schools as well as the general public.

EXHIBIT 8 – PLANNED MARSHFIELD, MA ATHLETIC CENTER

Rendering courtesy of Brait Builders Corporation

Lodging We analyzed two lodging submarkets. The first comprises large upscale hotels in chains or operated independently, which are located primarily in the tourist areas of downtown Newport. The second consists of mid‐priced national chain hotels/motels that are more evenly split between Newport and Middletown. Upscale Hotels The upscale hotel market includes higher priced, full‐service facilities most of which are located on prime properties near the Newport waterfront. The downtown Newport hotels also benefit from a meeting/group component, which reportedly supplies roughly 40‐50% of occupancies at high‐end properties such as the Hilton, Marriott, and Viking. This component provides a boost to performance, particularly during the fall and spring when

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tourism slows. On the Island as a whole, though, roughly 70% of hotel visitors are traveling for leisure. According to the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Newport County has approximately 90,000 square feet of conference/meeting space in total. About 75% of that amount is found in just five hotels within a few miles of the North End. There is another hotel in Warwick with about half that much space.

EXHIBIT 9:

HOTELS WITH MEETING/CONFERENCE SPACE

Hotel Marriott Hyatt Newport Harbor Viking Courtyard Local Subtotal

Community Newport Newport Newport Newport Middletown

Crowne Plaza

Warwick

Total Space (Sq. Ft.) 16,000 34,500 4,500 13,400 1,449 69,849

Meeting Rooms 16 16 5 7 2

Largest Room (Sq. Ft.) 7,800 8,000 3,172 5,880 828

Banquet Capacity 500 750 180

34,000

7,200

800

As shown in the data below for the five largest upscale hotels in the area, over the last five full calendar years these properties collectively achieved an average occupancy rate of 63.5 percent. This falls below the 70 percent range that typically indicates a healthy market, and has been trending downward for the last several years. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) paid for rooms that were occupied has grown by only 1%, less than the rate of inflation over the period. Demand from visitors (number of room‐nights) has declined by an average of 2.5% per year while the number of room‐nights available has remained essentially constant. Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR, the average revenue spread across both rented and unrented rooms) declined slightly.

EXHIBIT 10: INDICATORS FOR UPSCALE HOTELS IN NEWPORT AND MIDDLETOWN Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average Ave. Ann. Change

Occupancy 68.3% 60.1% 63.0% 59.3% 61.8% 63.5%

ADR $168 $167 $169 $170 $175 $166

RevPar $115 $100 $106 $101 $108 $105

Room Supply 395,720 400,040 397,100 395,660 395,660 395,180

-2.47%

1.03%

-1.46%

0.00%

Room Demand 270,233 240,273 250,231 234,579 244,450 250,797

Revenue $43,318,754 $40,027,646 $42,167,747 $39,814,434 $42,716,368 $41,617,862

-2.48%

-0.35%

Source: Smith Travel Research. Base on data from 5 large hotels in Newport and Middletown.

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Mid-Priced Hotel/Motels The mid‐priced segment of the local lodging industry has underperformed the upscale segment from an occupancy perspective. As shown below in data for the seven largest mid‐ priced properties in Newport and Middletown, occupancy has averaged about 60% over the last five years and the 2004 Average Daily Rate for rooms of $95 was $80 below that of the upscale hotels. The mid‐priced hotels are generally located farther from downtown Newport and the harbor, which limits their appeal for upscale tourists. And, although they benefit from business and Navy travel, they mostly lack the meeting space to support business conferences and group meetings. Unlike the upscale hotels, the mid‐priced properties have experienced increased demand over the last five years. This has allowed them to increase their average daily rate and grow their RevPAR, despite an increase in their supply of rooms. Combining the seven mid‐ priced and five upscale hotels, the supply of rooms has increased by an average of 2.7% per year, and the number of rooms rented by only 1.3% per year.

EXHIBIT 11: INDICATORS FOR MID-PRICED CHAIN HOTELS IN NEWPORT AND MIDDLETOWN Year Occupancy 2000 59.6% 2001 55.3% 2002 59.8% 2003 61.0% 2004 61.6% Average 59.5% Ave. Ann. Change 0.81%

ADR $85 $90 $92 $89 $95 $89

RevPar $51 $50 $55 $54 $59 $53

Room Supply 235,410 262,635 271,545 280,285 306,220 264,392

Room Demand 140,389 145,306 162,501 170,958 188,632 157,391

Revenue $11,961,375 $13,102,420 $14,869,356 $15,242,096 $17,989,533 $13,949,510

2.86%

3.69%

6.80%

7.66%

10.74%

Source: Smith Travel Research. Base on data from 7 large hotels in Newport and Middletown.

Seasonality Both portions of the market achieve strong performance during the summer peak season. Smith Travel Research data indicates that average occupancy rates during July and August consistently exceed 80%. In all seasons, occupancies are highest on weekends; in 2005, Saturday occupancies exceeded 90% for both segments from July through September. Weekend occupancies remained strong from April through November, particularly for the upscale properties.

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EXHIBIT 12 -- SEASONAL AND WEEKEND OCCUPANCY PATTERNS

January February March April May June July August September October November December

1999-2005 Ave. Occupancy Mid-Range Upscale 30% 30% 40% 43% 45% 48% 55% 63% 61% 71% 75% 80% 81% 83% 87% 88% 74% 76% 70% 76% 49% 56% 33% 40%

Source: Smith Travel Research

Weekends Nov. 2004 - Oct. 2005 Friday Saturday Mid-Range Upscale Mid-Range Upscale 39% 36% 45% 48% 56% 46% 70% 74% 54% 57% 60% 73% 67% 70% 77% 84% 74% 77% 83% 86% 82% 83% 89% 94% 78% 90% 90% 95% 90% 95% 95% 98% 79% 85% 92% 96% 79% 85% 84% 91% 76% 80% 82% 87% 49% 53% 51% 65%

Tourism numbers have shown little growth in recent years. During the peak summer months, Newport is already near its capacity in terms of hotel rooms and traffic. Lengthening the season will require coordinating a mix of events and perhaps new permanent attractions. Another opportunity is in broadening the types of people who visit, which today consists primarily of older couples touring the mansions and cultural sites, and young people attracted by the City’s nightlife. Family vacationers are less numerous, and there are relatively few attractions oriented toward families with children. Despite the strong demand in the peak season, the depth of the decline in occupancy in the other months means that developing new lodging in the area is not without risk. This is particularly true for locations that are not near tourist amenities downtown, on a waterfront site elsewhere, or that do not include an attraction such as a conference facility that will draw business and group travelers. This is not to say that new hotels could not or will not be developed in the area. A fresh new property with the appropriate pricing and amenities could well be successful. However, because the market is growing modestly and there is much competition already on the Island, the new entrant’s success would come at the expense of existing properties. This problem can be lessened if new hotels focus on the family segment that is currently underrepresented among visitors. Indoor Water Parks Outdoor water parks are fixtures at resort locations throughout the country – as year‐round attractions in warm regions such as Florida, and as summertime entertainment in northern climates. Development of increasingly sophisticated attractions such as wave surfing pools and larger/higher slides has expanded the market and kept visitors returning. However, despite their success, outdoor water parks in New England are limited to a summer season

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of about 100 days during the same time period when Newport is already buzzing with visitors. Beginning at the Edmonton Mall in the mid‐1980s, water parks began to move indoors. Hotels in the Wisconsin Dell area began to add indoor water slides and activities to their properties in the 1990s to attract family vacationers in the winter months, and this trend is now expanding across the country. These facilities range from fairly modest “water features” of 5 –10,000 square feet at existing hotels, up to massive indoor/outdoor water park destination resorts of upwards of 100,000 square feet of entertainment area. According to studies by industry consultants Hotel & Leisure Advisors (HLA), the Wisconsin Dells area now has 16 hotels with indoor water parks of over 10,000 square feet, including six it classifies as destination resorts with over 30,000 square feet of indoor water park. The number of visitors to the area increased by over 50% during the time the facilities were built, particularly Thursday through Sunday from September to April. HLA studies show that large resorts with water parks achieve 5‐30 % higher average occupancy and $50‐ 150 more in average daily rate than their competitors, and the hotels with smaller parks $10‐ $50 more than traditional hotels. Although the water parks incur higher operating costs, HLA estimates that resorts’ achieve higher net income due to additional revenue higher from other onsite attractions such as spas, game arcades, and other family‐oriented entertainment.

EXHIBIT 13 – TYPES OF INDOOR WATER PARK LODGING

Size of Aquatic Area (Sq. Ft.) Possible Amenities Capacity Arcade Area (Sq. Feet)

Hotel with Indoor Water Park 10,000 to 30,000 Multiple slides, tree house with slides, spray guns, tipping buckets, Jacuzzi, multiple pools, lazy river 250 to 750 1,000 to 3,000

Indoor Waterpark Destination Resort 30,000 + Plus…. wave pool, water coaster, surfing, outdoor water park area 750 to 5,000 3,000 to 10,000

Source: Hotel & Leisure Advisors

The concept is currently expanding outside of the Midwest, particularly under the Great Wolf brand, which has new parks in the East in Williamsburg, VA and Scotrun, PA in the Poconos. HLA estimates that there are 71 hotels with water parks and larger destination resorts in the US and Canada, and another 80 in proposal or development. There are currently no major indoor water park resorts in the vicinity of Rhode Island, although there are seasonal outdoor parks of various sizes in Douglas, Wareham, and Springfield MA. A quick survey of admission prices for outdoor parks found ranges from $5 for small community parks in the Midwest to $30‐$40 for larger facilities with more

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attractions. Community parks draw customers primarily from a radius of about 10 miles while larger parks such as Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags New England market as far as 200 miles away. Hotels with water parks target primarily families with children from 2 to 14, although many of them also have conference/meeting facilities. Room prices vary with location as well as the size and sophistication of the waterpark and hotel. Smaller waterpark hotels in the Dells, for example offer room rates as low as $59 per night and the largest resorts as much as $600. Room rates at the nearest Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania range from $279 for a 4‐ person suite to $519 for the largest suite sleeping 8, and include passes to the waterpark. Great Wolf resorts reserve use of their facilities for guests staying at the hotel. Other resorts such as Kalahari, and many smaller hotel properties such as the wave pool at the Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis, sell day passes during off‐peak times. The new Great Wolf Lodge in eastern Pennsylvania is large, with 90,000 square feet of indoor entertainment area including the waterpark, 7,000 square feet of meeting space, an Aveda Concept Spa, a 6,000 square foot game arcade, an outdoor pool, and several restaurants. Great Wolf’s resorts generally have a “north woods” lodge theme, although their Sheboygan, MI property has a more nautical theme. The company’s five older destination waterpark resorts average 52,000 SF of entertainment area and 265 rooms. The trend in the industry is toward larger facilities with more entertainment options.

EXHIBIT 14: BLUE HARBOR RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTER, SHEBOYGAN, MI

Photo Courtesy of Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.

Rough analysis of the local market area indicates that a destination waterpark resort may be feasible in the North End. Using a maximum radius of 100 miles, we estimate that an indoor waterpark resort could achieve occupancy on the order of 80%, drawing about 39,000 visits by families annually. This calculation accounts only for visits by families living in the

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market area, who are assumed to visit once per year. Penetration rates are estimated from analysis of similar resort properties.

EXHIBIT 15: MARKET SIZE HH with Penetration HH Distance Children Rate Visits <25 Miles 253,000 6.0% 15,000 25-50 Miles 267,000 3.0% 8,000 50-100 1,052,000 1.5% 16,000 39,000 Rooms 200 Avail. Nights 72,800 Occupancy 81%

Average Nights 1.5 1.5 1.5

Total Nights 23,000 12,000 24,000 59,000

Source: Geovue, Bonz

A moderate‐sized waterpark resort of 40,000 square feet of indoor entertainment space and a 200 room hotel would require an area of approximately 10 acres, including room for future expansion. Calculations and assumptions are summarized below.

EXHIBIT 16: LAND REQUIREMENT FOR INDOOR WATERPARK RESORT Hotel Rooms Meeting/Conf Restaurant/Cafes Lobby Arcade Fitness Spa Gift Shop Kitchen Admin Useable Area Non-Useable Gross Square Feet Floors Building Footprint

Square Feet 90,000 3,500 2,200 3,300 3,000 300 1,600 1,800 3,700 2,100 111,500 39,000 150,500 3 50,000

Water Park Indoor Outdoor Useable Area Non-Useable Gross Square Feet

Square Feet 40,000 20,000 60,000 3,000 63,000

Parking @300 SF/space

120,000

Total

120,000 233,000 Square Feet 5.35 Acres

Office and Industrial Analysis for the 2004 Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan found that there is about 1.3 million square feet of office space in the three Island towns (excluding the Raytheon

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facility). Much of this space is actually a mix of light manufacturing, storage, and research and development space in addition to offices. There is a fairly diverse set of office users on the island, most of which tend to occupy small spaces of 5,000 feet or less. Island office space currently has an estimated vacancy rate of 10‐15% or approximately 150,000 sq ft of available “class A/B space”. Typical rents in business parks tend to average around $12.00‐$14.00 per sq ft., not including utilities. Low leasing rates make new development difficult, and there has been no significant speculative office development since the early 1990s. Development demand will likely be driven by three key factors: Navy Base Realignment Initiatives (BRAC) Overall economic conditions “Lifestyle” ‐ based development BRAC Newport is home to some of the nation’s most important strategic and doctrine development commands as well as the primary repository of the nation’s undersea warfare capability. What is not clear at this time is what role undersea warfare will play in the nation’s future security strategy. A determination to realign priorities from undersea warfare could have negative consequences for the largest single employer on Aquidneck Island. Naval Station Newport survived the latest BRAC round in 2005 relatively unscathed. While some small functions were relocated to other facilities, others were moved here, which resulted in a small net gain of 533 jobs. Most of these were military jobs, with the addition of 84 civilian jobs being offset by a reduction of 76 contractor positions. Overall Economic Conditions Clearly, overall economic conditions will be a major driver of office and industrial demand on Aquidneck Island. Traditional economic data suggests a fairly diversified economy. However, when this economic data is aligned by sectors and industries, the island’s economic base is heavily dependent on tourism and the defense industry, a well understood fact. From an industrial and office space demand perspective, tourism places little demand on the existing office and industrial sector, and the defense industry is the largest single industry user of commercial/industrial space. The latest annual employment data from the State of Rhode Island shows private sector employment on the Island growing at 1.3% from 2003 to 2004. The number of jobs in sectors that are the biggest users of office space grew at about 6% in both Newport and the Island as a whole. However, the most recent data for the second quarter of 2005 show employment in office industries in Newport declining by 3.5% over 2Q04.

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EXHIBIT 17: JOB GROWTH (2003-2004)

Construction Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transport & Warehousing Information Finance & Insurance Real Estate Professional/Technical Services Management of Companies Admin. Support & Wast Mgmt Educational Services Health Care Arts, Entertainment, Rec. Accommodation & Food Services Other Services Other Total Private Sector Office Occupations Government All Jobs

Newport 2003 2004 2003-2004 520 528 288 262 163 171 1,607 1,622 254 247 275 257 -6.5% 187 150 -19.8% 321 408 27.1% 814 878 7.9% 32 35 9.4% 524 482 557 544 1,951 1,961 1,005 1,000 3,551 3,452 497 638 56 54 12,602 12,689 0.7% 1,629 1,728 6.1% 5,035

5,006

-0.6%

17,637 17,695

0.3%

Source: Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training; ES-202

Aquidneck Island 2003 2004 2003-2004 1,543 1,329 2,968 3,007 626 531 3,537 3,632 376 358 619 625 1.0% 697 676 -3.0% 516 663 28.5% 2,539 2,689 5.9% 209 215 2.9% 895 937 1,129 1,120 3,793 3,903 1,301 1,273 5,407 5,446 1,296 1,399 237 233 27,688 28,036 1.3% 4,580 4,868 6.3% 6,247

6,333

1.4%

33,935 34,370

1.3%

Rhode Island’s employment is projected to grow at a rate of about 1.1% per year through 2012, according to the state’s official projections. This is approximately the rate at which the state’s employment has grown since the early 1990s. Projections from economists at economy.com for Newport County are less rosy, projecting that the 2.38% annual growth in non‐farm employment of the 1999‐2004 period will become a decline of 0.07% per year through 2009, primarily due to lost military jobs. Growth in the office‐intensive sectors is projected to be 0.38% per year, which equates to about 20 new jobs per year.

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EXHIBIT 18: PROJECTED EMPLOYMENT IN NEWPORT COUNTY (2005-2009) Newport County (RI) Thousands of Jobs

Growth Rates

NAICS

2000

2001

2002

2003

40.95 36.45 5.11% 0.08 1.72 3.51 0.57 4.35 0.55 0.70 1.28 0.83 0.45 3.84 2.71 0.09 1.04 5.61 7.17 5.26 4.50 4.05 0.32 0.09 0.04

41.74 37.29 2.31% 0.07 1.95 3.37 0.65 4.40 0.52 0.68 1.32 0.84 0.48 3.87 2.71 0.09 1.07 5.75 7.62 5.21 4.45 3.97 0.34 0.09 0.04

41.35 37.01 -0.74% 0.06 1.83 3.18 0.69 4.46 0.54 0.68 1.38 0.89 0.50 3.89 2.73 0.07 1.09 5.78 7.46 5.29 4.34 3.84 0.37 0.08 0.04

41.72 37.66 1.75% 0.07 2.01 3.15 0.78 4.36 0.51 0.64 1.45 0.88 0.57 4.18 2.93 0.16 1.09 5.78 7.46 5.39 4.06 3.60 0.35 0.07 0.04

Total Payroll Employment Total Nonfarm Natural Resources & Mining Construction Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation, Warehousing, & Utilities Information Financial Activities Finance and Insurance Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Professional & Business Services Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Management of Companies and Enterprises Administrative, Support, Waste Management, & Reme Education & Health Services Leisure & Hospitality Government Non-BLS Sectors Military Personnel Farms

Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Private Household Workers

-RM 23 MF 42 RT TU 51 FI 52 53 PS 54 55 56 EH LH GV ------

2004

2005

2009

44.63 44.47 39.00 39.09 3.57% 0.23% 0.06 0.05 1.58 1.61 2.70 2.54 0.67 0.66 3.73 3.60 0.40 0.39 0.55 0.54 1.39 1.42 0.76 0.76 0.63 0.66 3.71 3.78 2.60 2.65 0.20 0.21 0.92 0.92 4.93 5.06 6.45 6.69 11.20 11.10 5.62 5.38 5.17 4.96 0.33 0.30 0.07 0.07 0.05 0.05

43.64 38.88 0.28% 0.05 1.25 2.36 0.65 3.50 0.38 0.53 1.40 0.77 0.64 3.82 2.69 0.20 0.93 5.33 7.06 10.84 4.77 4.37 0.29 0.07 0.05

2014 99-04 04-09 43.47 39.38 0.16% 0.05 1.32 2.24 0.65 3.45 0.37 0.52 1.39 0.77 0.63 4.04 2.85 0.19 0.99 5.61 7.47 10.57 4.09 3.70 0.28 0.06 0.05

2.65 2.38

-0.45 -0.07

-4.23 -1.14 -2.11 6.67 -0.83 -4.56 -5.30 0.50 -4.11 8.53 0.86 -0.19 20.49 1.36 -1.60 -1.49 16.04 4.66 5.13 0.31 -2.14 1.73

-2.21 -4.52 -2.65 -0.60 -1.24 -0.75 -0.60 0.26 0.28 0.24 0.56 0.71 0.10 0.23 1.60 1.83 -0.65 -3.25 -3.35 -2.49 -2.08 0.00

Source: economy.com

Employment growth is an important source for projecting future space demand. It is important to note that these economic forecasts are “organic” employment growth. Organic employment growth means jobs created by existing industries and companies based on normal economic conditions and “normal” business activity. This would exclude relocations or closures of facilities. There is always potential for individual companies to relocate to the Island from the mainland or from another Island location to Newport in response to the opportunity presented by a specific development site or due to changes in the company’s needs and plans. Using, the more optimistic State employment projections, two estimates of potential space demand were made as part of the analysis for the Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan. The first model is based on space‐to‐employment ratios. The space‐to‐employment ratio model shows that 1% employment growth on the island should generate annual demand for approximately 12,400 sq ft of space. The second model is a sector‐by‐sector demand analysis at the midpoint range. Both models show a mid range absorption rate of approximately 20,000 sq ft per year. The absorption range swings between 16,000 to as high as 35,000 sq ft. Economic and space assumptions are responsible for the size of the range.

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EXHIBIT 19: AQUIDNECK ISLAND OFFICE MARKET DEMAND – SPACE TO EMPLOYMENT RATIO MODEL Current Vacant Space Vacancy rate Total A/B space Space in Use Total Private Employment Space per worker RI Economic Forecast 04

2005 110,000.00 9% 1,294,118 1,184,118

2006 89,870.00 7% 1,294,118 1,204,248

2007 73,010.53 6% 1,294,118 1,221,107

2008 55,915.03 4% 1,294,118 1,238,203

27,688.00

28,158.70

28,552.92

28,952.66

42.77

1.7%

New Workers Absorption

1.4%

470.70

394.22

399.74

20,130.00

16,859.47

17,095.50

1.0% 289.53 12,382.03

EXHIBIT 20: SECTOR BY SECTOR DEMAND ANALYSIS – ORGANIC ECONOMIC GROWTH y Demand by Sector Construction Manufacturing Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Transportation & Warehousing Information Finance & Insurance Real Estate & Rental & Leasing Professional & Technical Services Administrative & Waste Services Educational Services Health Care & Social Assistance Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation Accommodation & Food Services Other Services, except Public Administration Total Demand

Base Employment 05-'08 Avg Economic Growth New Employment % Office Sq Ft/Per Person Space Needs 1,543 1.4% 21.60 15% 150 486.05 2,968 1.4% 41.55 20% 150 1,246.56 1.4% 626 8.76 20% 150 262.92 1.4% 49.52 5% 150 371.39 3,537 376 1.4% 5.26 20% 150 157.92 619 1.4% 8.67 85% 150 1,104.92 1.4% 9.76 85% 150 1,244.15 697 516 1.4% 7.22 85% 150 921.06 2,539 1.4% 35.55 85% 150 4,532.12 1.4% 895 12.53 35% 150 657.83 1.4% 15.81 35% 150 829.82 1,129 3,793 1.4% 53.10 35% 150 2,787.86 1.4% 1,301 18.21 35% 150 956.24 1.4% 75.70 35% 150 3,974.15 5,407 1,296 1.4% 18.14 35% 150 952.56 20,485.50

The shipbuilding sector is another major component of the Aquidneck Island economy, although its employment is smaller than the defense industry’s. Nationally, sailboat manufacturing is substantially off from its year 2000 peak of 22,614 boats, to 16,302 in 2003. Because a sailboat is an expensive discretionary purchase, the potential impact of a rising

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interest rates environment on overall production demand is cause for concern going forward. There are indications that the marine trades and shipbuilding industry is prospering locally, with firms indicating need for additional space to increase their servicing and production capacity. A real strength of Rhode Island’s marine trades sector is the critical mass of ancillary services such as yacht design, outfitting, and brokerage businesses that support the existing sailing and yachting community. Much of this activity is co‐located with either marinas or shipbuilding facilities (the Melville district is a notable example). A strong local marina sector, continued strength in shipbuilding and Aquidneck Island’s continued brand presence as one of the premiere yachting regions of the world are important elements to maintaining the health of these ancillary industries. “Lifestyle – Based” Development Lifestyle‐based development refers to a definable segment of the market where lifestyle and occupational needs are met in a mixed use development. An example is the “marina‐ village” concept seen in places such as San Diego, Orange County California, various parts of Florida and Texas and in Europe. Typically employment concentrations of financial services operations such as asset management enterprises, holding companies, and selected professional services are indicators of potential for this type of development. Based on employment statistics it does not appear that Aquidneck Island has a large population demanding lifestyle – based development, however, entities such as Carnegie Abbey certainly pose the opportunity that such development may arise. A “marina‐village” concept has to examine three aspects of viability. The first is housing demand, which is addressed in a different section of this report. The second is commercial office demand, which is described above. The final section is marina development. There is no accurate up‐to‐date count on marina slips and moorings in Rhode Island. CRMC performed a study that was last updated in 1999 that showed a total slip and mooring count of 15,417 in Rhode Island with the study area representing more than 20% of this total. Overall Rhode Island’s boat registrations suggest Rhode Island has a robust market for slip and mooring demand. From 1996 to 2002, Rhode Island’s boat registrations have grown 23% faster than New England or the nation.

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EXHIBIT 21: BOATING REGISTRATIONS Region New England (000s) Rhode Island (000s) Nation (millions)

2002 557 42.4 12.9

Boating Registrations 2001 2000 1999 1998 546 533 542 533 41.2 40.2 36.5 35.4 12.9 12.8 12.7 12.6

1997 531 34 12.3

1996 Growth Rate 511 1.09 32 1.33 12 1.08

source: NMMA Boating Statistics, 2003

The last analysis of slip and mooring demand conducted in 2002 by Rhode Island Marine Trades Association found a 3,000‐slip waiting list in Rhode Island. Fifteen proposed or planned marinas will add approximately 3,200 slips to the market including a 1,500‐slip marina in Portsmouth. This marina will be the largest in New England and one of the largest on the east coast. Seasonal slip rentals range from $250 a foot in Newport to $120‐$150 in marinas located in the southern part of Narragansett Bay. Continued strong demand will cause slip rental costs to continue to escalate. Even if all the proposed marinas come to fruition, the increased capacity simply reduces the waiting list creating very limited excess capacity in the slip and mooring market. If Rhode Island continues to add boating registrations at the pace of the last several years this excess capacity will likely be absorbed within a single season.

Residential Single Family Houses and Condominiums Housing prices in Newport have increased steadily over recent years. Since 2000, the median sale price for single family homes has increased at an average annual rate of almost 19% to $413,000 in 2005 according to Warren Group data. Over the same period, the median condominium sale price rose less consistently, but nonetheless grew at an average rate of 15% to over $283,000. Sales of houses increased dramatically since 2002, and over the last few years have totaled slightly more than condos at over 200 per year. The strongest demand for new housing on Aquidneck Island as a whole is for second homes and luxury residences. This type of development has occurred primarily in waterfront areas, with high premiums being paid for water access and other vacation amenities. Local real estate professionals estimate that between 15 percent and 20 percent of all homes in Newport can be classified as “second homes” or “vacation homes”, and the demand for luxury units for vacationers has contributed to a strong increase in median prices.

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EXHIBIT 22: NUMBER AND MEDIAN PRICE OF RESIDENTIAL SALES Single Fam. Price

Condo Price

# Single Fam.

# Condo

450,000

250

400,000 200

350,000 300,000

150 250,000 200,000 100 150,000 100,000

50,000 0

0 1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Source: The Warren Group

Reflecting the luxury focus of recent development, the largest recent residential development on the Island has been the Carnegie Abbey development in Portsmouth. This 450‐acre development will be limited to 400 private memberships, and includes a 79‐slip marina and private golf course. The development has approval for 43 single family home lots and 80 condominium units mostly located in the 21‐story Carnegie Tower. House lots have ranged in price from $600,000 to $1,400,000 and averaged approximately $1,000,000 per lot, (or roughly $800,000 per acre). The tower condominium units range in price from $695,000 to $7 million and are due for completion in 2007. Buyers are reported to be almost exclusively second home and vacation home purchasers. The successful absorption of these units, few of which are used as primary residences, illustrates the strength of the resort and second home market. In addition to Carnegie Abbey, within the last 10 years, other residential projects on the Island have included: Overlook Point. Located on Rolling Hill Road in Portsmouth, Overlook Point is a 70‐ unit townhome development constructed by Pulte Home Corporation from 2001 to 2003. These units range in size from 2,000 to 2,500 square feet and sold between December

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2001 to August 2003. The sales prices ranged from $330,000 to $450,000 and averaged $375,000, or between $150 to $170 per square foot of building. King’s Grant. Located along King Charles Drive in Portsmouth, King’s Grant consists of 75 single family homes built by several developers (FIC Homes, Kings Grant Estates) from 1990 to present, in a “lot by lot” pattern. The homes (mostly custom) range in size from 2,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet, on 1 to 2‐acre lots. The most recent sale in 2005 was for a 2,824 square foot house for $855,000. These projects do not offer the amenities (e.g. water views, golf course membership, private marina) comparable to Carnegie Abbey; consequently they have not captured the similar high‐end second home market and are home to many year‐round residents. Other waterfront locations along Narragansett Bay have also served the second home market. Typical unit pricing has been in the $250,000 to $450,000 range for both well‐located existing product and newly developed and proposed product. The upper end product type has been in the $800,000 range. Units have tended to be in the range of 2,000 to 3,000 square feet. By comparing the prices paid for water view units with the prices paid for comparable homes without water views, an estimated 25 percent to 35 percent premium can be attributed for water views. Direct waterfront homes would command a premium of 75 percent to more than 100 percent. On a per square foot basis, prices have ranged from $125 per square foot to more than $250 per square foot. Projects in other Narrangasset Bay communities built in the last 15 years, such as Baggy Wrinkle Cove (Warren), Quindnessett Condominiums (North Kingston), and Harbor Heights (East Greenwich) have exhibited similar success patterns of success. Another indication of the success of this market is the strong continuing demand for these units. An examination of paired sales of units in the above complexes revealed a steady sales price appreciation over the past 5 years. Interviews with local residential real estate brokers and developers indicate that these developments have been driven by demand from second‐home buyers seeking properties with water views and/or waterfront access. Such buyers are generated mostly by the Providence, Boston and New York metropolitan areas, and most fit “empty nester” profiles. The growth in luxury second home housing has bypassed the North End where the Navy controls virtually all the waterfront property, and the housing stock is geared toward middle‐ and low‐income residents. There is one condominium development on Girard Avenue, the 100 unit Bridgeview Condominiums. Recent sales of one bedroom units there have averaged about $145,000 or $158 per square foot. Two bedroom unit sales have ranged from $193,500 to $250,000 or about $172 per square foot. A new condominium townhouse development, Coddington Point Condominiums, is currently underway on Maple Avenue east of Newport Heights. It will consist of 41 units in

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8 buildings and will sell for prices beginning in the low $300,000. The 2 and 3‐bedroom units include 28 with two master suites, which are aimed at young singles sharing costs to own their first home. Apartments Prior to the redevelopment of Newport Heights by the Newport Housing Authority, no large apartment complexes had been constructed in the area for the last 15 years. Newport Heights will replace 498 units of subsidized rental housing with 325 apartments and 100 ownership units. About 70‐80% of the units will be subsidized and the rest will be offered at market rates. Newport has the highest percentage of subsidized housing in Rhode Island at 17.3% of the housing stock, and much of it is located in the North End. In addition to Newport Heights, the 111 units at privately‐owned Bayside Village on Third Street are also subsidized, with rents set at 30% of household income. The 204‐unit Festival Field development on Girard Avenue is 100% Section 8 subsidized housing, is fully occupied, and has a waiting list of 100. The 201‐unit Rolling Green Apartments west of the Kalbfus rotary are mostly market rate, but include some subsidized units as well. Contract rents there run from $643 per month including heat and hot water for one bedroom to $879 per month for four bedrooms. This complex is about 90% occupied and maintains a waiting list. Overall, the success of recent developments indicates that over the near‐term, waterfront or water‐view second‐home development will enjoy strong market support. A five‐year demographic projection indicates that this affluent empty nester market segment is expected to continue its growth, supporting additional development in this niche. Exhibit 1 shows projections for this market segment in Newport County. During a time when overall household growth is projected at just 0.8 percent per year, the 55‐to‐64 and 65‐ to‐74 cohorts are expected to grow at annualized rates of 2.6 and 1.4 percent, respectively. Within these age groups, the highest‐income (above $100,000 annual income) groups are expected to increase at rates ranging from approximately 6 to 7 percent. Finally, as of 2008 the 45‐to‐54 year‐old householder group will be the largest in the County, thus supporting the prospects for longer‐term strength in the empty nester market as this group continues to age.

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2006 North End Master Plan

EXHIBIT 23: NEWPORT COUNTY HOUSEHOLDER AGES BY INCOME GROUP (2000-2008) Change: 2003-08 Avg. # Ann. %

Age Group

2000

2004

2009

15 - 24 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

1497 1160 111 178 48

1493 1,110 123 196 64

1506 1,035 174 204 93

13 -75 51 8 29

0.2% -1.4% 7.2% 0.8% 7.8%

25 - 34 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

5066 1773 962 1930 401

4676 1,372 914 1,831 559

4605 1,055 905 1,799 846

-71 -317 -9 -32 287

-0.3% -5.1% -0.2% -0.4% 8.6%

35 - 44 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

7920 1832 1160 3542 1386

7764 1,605 957 3,485 1,717

7631 1,256 985 3,128 2,262

-133 -349 28 -357 545

-0.3% -4.8% 0.6% -2.1% 5.7%

45 - 54 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

7415 1606 925 3017 1867

8149 1,594 966 3,123 2,466

8629 1,374 974 3,020 3,261

480 -220 8 -103 795

1.2% -2.9% 0.2% -0.7% 5.7%

55 - 64 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

5054 1313 873 1750 1118

6122 1,479 895 2,150 1,598

6944 1,463 847 2,378 2,256

822 -16 -48 228 658

2.6% -0.2% -1.1% 2.0% 7.1%

65 - 74 < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

4148 1839 799 969 541

3999 1,665 641 1,114 579

4292 1,601 585 1,338 768

293 -64 -56 224 189

1.4% -0.8% -1.8% 3.7% 5.8%

75+ < $35,000 $35,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000+

4112 2513 565 765 269

4262 2,510 582 827 343

4421 2,388 665 906 462

159 -122 83 79 119

0.7% -1.0% 2.7% 1.8% 6.1%

35,212

36,465

38,028

1,563

0.8%

TOTAL Source: Claritas, Inc.

In addition, local real estate professionals report a strong demand for luxury second homes for affluent residents of the metropolitan centers of Boston and New York City. Exhibit 2 shows projections for these market segments. The trends identified are similar to those exhibited in Newport County. In these metropolitan areas, the 55‐to‐64 and 65‐to‐74 cohorts with incomes over $100,000 are expected to grow at annual rates ranging from 5.0 to 7.4 percent. The 45‐to‐54 year‐old householder groups earning over $100,000 are projected to increase at 5.3 percent and 4.2

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

percent for Boston and New York, respectively, implying increased demand for luxury housing in places like Aquidneck Island over the next ten years.

EXHIBIT 24: BOSTON, NEW YORK MSA - AGES BY INCOME GROUP (2000-2009) 2000 Boston 45 - 54 $100,000+

2004

2009

Avg. Change Ann. %

135,327

178,573

230,861

52,288

5.3%

55 - 64 $100,000+

70,565

99,859

141,692

41,833

7.2%

65 - 74 $100,000+

24,493

30,462

43,518

13,056

7.4%

145,869

176,050

216,616

40,566

4.2%

55 - 64 $100,000+

96,430

123,377

162,531

39,154

5.7%

65 - 74 $100,000+

43,966

50,611

64,643

14,032

5.0%

New York 45 - 54 $100,000+

There is little evidence that large scale market rate apartment development will take place in the area in the near future. In general, the rental market is driven by growth in employment and households, which are projected to remain modest. While the market continues to perform at reasonable levels in terms of occupancy, demand has been insufficient to stimulate new construction within the past 15 years. This is unlikely to change, absent new economic drivers on the island. The greatest pressure for development on the island is likely to take the form of high end luxury and second homes. Given the limited availability of land with high‐quality amenities, location on the island will be key to competitive positioning. Most of such housing development pressure is most likely to occur in the northern and eastern portions of Aquidneck Island, where there are more opportunities than in Newport to assemble extensive development parcels with water views. However, developers will continue to seek opportunities for renovation, redevelopment, and infill development in Newport itself, especially where water views are available.

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2006 North End Master Plan

Alternatives Analyses The following table summarizes development likelihood, progress toward goals and impacts of the various land uses that are marketable at the potential development parcels, referred to below as: Kalbfus Rotary (meaning the Pell Bridge Interchange area); Old Naval Hospital; RIDOT Parcel (on J.T. Connell Highway); and Newport Housing Authority (Florence Gray Center). This analysis was used as an input in forming the recommended development programs for these sites.

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Appendix B – Economics and Market Analyses – Working Paper

Site Kalbfus Rotary Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

Development Likelihood Market Financial Support Feasibility Risk

Development Likelihood Old Naval Hospital Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

RIDOT Parcel Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

Market Support

Financial Feasibility

Risk

Development Likelihood Market Financial Support Feasibility Risk

Development Likelihood Newport Hous. Auth. Retail Hotel Entertainment Recreation Office Residential Industrial

KEY

Market Support

Financial Feasibility

Risk

Development Likelihood Private Strong Financing Low Public Moderately Possible Incentives Low Public / Neutral Private Neutral Limited/ Major Moderately Weak Public High Public Unlikely Financed High

Progress toward Goals Image / Tax Catalyst Revenue Jobs

Traffic Generation

Progress toward Goals Image / Catalyst

Tax Revenue

Impacts Parking Required

City Services

Impacts

Jobs

Traffic Generation

Parking Required

City Services

Progress toward Goals Image / Tax Catalyst Revenue Jobs

Traffic Generation

Impacts Parking Required

City Services

Progress toward Goals Image / Catalyst

Tax Revenue

Jobs

Impacts Traffic Generation

Parking Required

City Services

Progress toward Goals Strong Job Strong High / Pay Gain Slightly Moderately Job / Pay Positive High Gain

Low Low Low Moderately Moderately Moderately Low Low Low

Neutral Slightly Negative

Neutral Moderately Low

Neutral Neutral Neutral Moderately Moderately Moderately High High High

Detrimental

Low

Neutral Job / Pay Loss Major Job / Pay Loss

Impacts

High

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2006 North End Master Plan

APPENDIX C DRAINAGE ANALYSIS

Memorandum 75 Arlington Street Boston, MA 02116 (617) 426-7330 (617) 482 8487 fax

TO: Allan Hodges, FAICP, Senior Supervising Planner FROM: Steve McKelvie, P. Eng., Senior Supervising Engineer, PB Water SUBJECT: Pell Bridge Interchange Area Drainage Channels and Related Elizabeth Brook DATE: August 23, 2006 This purpose of this memo is to document a field visit to watercourses in and near the Pell Bridge Interchange in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 8, 2006. Accompanying me was Paige Bronk, AICP, Director of Planning, City of Newport, and Allan Hodges, Project Manager for the North End Master Plan (NEMP). The purpose of the visit was to determine the potentials for improving drainage in the area and creating a positive water feature for the future development area contemplated in the NEMP. This narrow watercourse, referred to as the Elizabeth River in the 1999 Natural Resources Management Plan for Naval Station Newport, is indicated as a blue line on the United States Geological Service (USGS) map indicating that it is a river but in two separate locations. The first reach is between Malbone Road and a point approximately 1,000 feet westerly, then northerly in the Newport Grand parking lot. The second is located between the Barry Volvo parking lot on Connell Highway and Coasters Harbor. In between the brook flows underground, mostly under paved areas and in culverts. This River drains about 680 acres in the northern portion of the City of Newport. The approximate drainage area of the Elizabeth River is presented on Exhibit 1. The upstream reaches of the brook are fully developed and the brook and its tributaries have disappeared underground as part of the City of Newport piped storm drainage system.

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EXHIBIT 1 – APPROXIMATE DRAINAGE AREA OF THE ELIZABETH BROOK

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Page 4 of 10

Exhibit 2 shows a portion of the brook near Malbone Road. This portion has a brick lining. This is likely in place to protect the channel from erosion as the upstream portions of the brook have grades that are quite steep. The bottom width of this channel is approximately 4 feet, the lined depth is approximately 3 feet, and the side slope ratio is approximately 2 units horizontally and 1 unit vertically (2H:1V).

EXHIBIT 2 – ELIZABETH BROOK LOOKING WEST FROM MALBONE ROAD The downstream reaches of the brook are distinctly different from the upstream. In these downstream reaches, the flow in the brook is sluggish and the banks are generally overgrown with phragmites. Exhibit 3 shows a wetland in the infield of the Pell Bridge Ramp to Admiral Kalbfus Road next to the Mainstay Inn and opposite the Newport Grand that has been completely overtaken by phragmites.

EXHIBIT 3 – LOW LYING WETLAND OVERGROWN WITH PHRAGMITES

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Page 5 of 10

The phragmites (phragmites australis) is an invasive plant that can grow to a height of 20 feet. The presence of these plants greatly reduces the hydraulic capacity of the watercourse. As a result flooding during severe rainfall events could occur. These plants are very aggressive and can choke out other competing plants and thus provide a one dimensional environment. I understand that river maintenance is done occasionally by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT). Removal of these species by harvesting or burning will not destroy their extensive root system and thus must be done on a regular basis to keep the plants in check. The chemical Rodeo, active ingredient glyphosate, is reportedly effective in killing phragmites. Substantial flooding can and has occurred along the downstream portions of the brook. Exhibit 4 shows the 100‐year and 500‐year flood limits surveyed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Note there is extensive flooding potential along the Harbor’s edge, as indicated on the FEMA map. This suggests that much of the flooding is due to flooding and high tides along the Harbor. This type of flooding is very difficult to prevent by putting controls on the river. Exhibit 5 is a view looking downstream along the river toward Connell Highway and Barry Volvo from a point in front of West Marine. Note how the phragmites is growing on the banks and into the brook itself.

EXHIBIT 5 – LOOKING DOWNSTREAM NEAR CONNELL HIGHWAY FROM WEST MARINE STORE

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Page 6 of 10

EXHIBIT 4 – FEMA 100-YEAR AND 500-YEAR FLOOD ZONES

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Page 7 of 10

Exhibit 6 is a photo taken from the same spot but looking upstream toward Kalbfus Road near the Rotary. Note the extensive growth of phragmites on the other side of the Kalbfus Road.

EXHIBIT 6 – LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM WEST MARINE STORE Exhibit 7 shows the portion of the brook that flows through the Barry Volvo car dealership downstream of Connell Highway.

FIGURE 7 – ELIZABETH BROOK NEAR THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP Note that in this location the brook is very well defined within the steep banks. No phragmites seems to be growing along the banks. Some current in the brook was visible. Close examination of the banks indicated that the channel was lined at some time in the past. Over a Century of Engineering Excellence

NEMP - Appendix C - Drainage Analysis 11-21-06

Page 8 of 10

The portion of the brook behind the Volvo dealership provides an insight into a suggested open channel design that could be examined in more detail but would be suitable for planning purposes. The banks should be well defined and at a relatively steep angle. This will reduce the growing area for phragmites. A steep channel bank also has the advantage of using the least amount of land for the open channel which then provides the maximum amount of land for other purposes. Exhibit 8 is a sketch of a preliminary concept for the re‐configuration of the brook if it were to be left as an open channel through the proposed Pell Bridge Interchange future development site. The final dimensions would be established by an engineering analysis.

EXHIBIT 8 – POTENTIAL CROSS-SECTION OF GABION-SUPPORTED ELIZABETH BROOK IN FUTURE PELL BRIDGE INTERCHANGE DEVELOPMENT AREA In order to construct the proposed steep side slopes a method to consider is the use of gabion baskets. These are wire metal baskets which are filled with stones to create a semi‐rigid composite structure. The wire baskets can be coated to create a long‐lived structure. The interior stones are angular stones with dimensions from 3 to 6 inches. An example of a nearly vertical walled gabion channel is presented in Exhibit 9. The flexible nature of the gabion baskets allow for the channel to follow almost any configuration. The stones are free draining so groundwater will readily pass through the stones. A geotextile is typically placed behind the baskets to prevent the migration of fine soil particles from the soil behind the gabion baskets into the voids in the stone matrix.

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Page 9 of 10

EXHIBIT 9 – A GABION LINED CHANNEL WITH NEAR VERTICAL BASKETS

EXHIBIT 10 – A GABION-LINED CHANNEL WITH SLIGHTLY SET BACK BASKETS The combination of the semi‐rigid nature of the gabion baskets and the free draining characteristics of the stone matrix means that the lining is not susceptible to freeze‐thaw damage.

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Page 10 of 10

Additional Observations Wiers could be established at the bottom of the brook to create pools and small riffles. This will improve aesthetics and add oxygen to the flow. The brook can be relocated nearby to facilitate parcel configuration for future real estate development in the Pell Bridge Interchange. Any alteration of the watercourses will be subject to permits from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). A Request for Preliminary Determination from RIDEM is the first step to complete for alteration of these watercourses and wetlands.

Over a Century of Engineering Excellence

NEMP - Appendix C - Drainage Analysis 11-21-06

2006 North End Master Plan

APPENDIX D AQUIDNECK ISLAND WEST SIDE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY

2006 North End Master Plan

1. INTRODUCTION Established in 1985 as the joint planning commission for the towns of Middletown, Portsmouth and the city of Newport, the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) formed a Task Force in 1999 to begin a comprehensive planning study that culminated in the 2005 Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan (WSMP). The WSMP was released in November of 2005 and was prepared by The Cecil Group, Inc. of Boston under the direction of AIPC’s West Side Task Force with grant funds provided through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The WSMP represents a decade‐long collaborative regional effort among the communities and residents of Aquidneck Island to plan for the 5,000 acres along the west coast of Aquidneck Island, reaching from the Gateway Visitor’s Center in Newport north to the Mount Hope Bridge in Portsmouth. The WSMP presents overarching strategies and concepts for the Island as a whole, and offers detailed recommendations for specific areas within each of the three municipalities on Aquidneck Island, focusing on land use, transportation, economic development, and utilities. This document summarizes the recommendations from the West Side Master Plan that are specific to the City of Newport. For each section presented below, a narrative summary from the 350‐page WSMP is provided, followed by the Strategies and Tools outlined in the Implementation Matrix developed for the City of Newport to facilitate a phased approach for implementation of the WSMP recommendations. The complete West Side Master Plan can be found online at http://www.aquidneckplanning.org/westsidemast.html

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

2. PLANNING STRATEGIES The planning recommendations outlined in the West Side Master Plan are presented as strategies to advance coordinated initiatives throughout the West Side project area. In this section, the land use, economic development, transportation, and utilities strategies from the West Side Master Plan that have direct impact on the City of Newport are summarized with an overview of tools that can be applied to each strategy as outlined in the West Side Master Plan Implementation Matrix.

2.1

LAND USE

Pell Bridge/North End Area: A Growth Center in Newport Growth centers, or “priority investment areas”, are local Smart Growth initiatives in Rhode Island. According to the State Guide Plan, growth centers should “encourage compact, mixed‐use development; preserve open space; conserve natural resources; fit the type of development to the capability of the land to support development; and promote a sense of community.” Growth centers are “dynamic and efficient centers for development that have a core of commercial and community services, residential development, and natural and built landmarks and boundaries that provide a sense of place.” They advance a range of transportation modes and housing types, advocate historic preservation, and increase access to employment. The municipal identification of growth centers creates pinpointed areas for the investment of State support. Municipalities volunteer to identify a growth center, for possible State approval. Both the municipality and the State benefit from this identification, which discourages sprawl and adverse impacts on natural resources, while spurring economic development. Growth centers can be identified as existing, developed centers and also those slated for development. There is a degree of flexibility in these schemes—growth centers differ in size, regional importance, and services provided. However, they do share common characteristics. They must comply with the elements of the State Guide Plan and advance the following general criteria: Strengthen and encourage growth in existing centers. Scale new infrastructure to support compact growth. Include mixed land uses. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices. Protect and enhance critical environmental resources. Provide a variety of transportation choices with access to mass transit Promote community design that contributes to a sense of place. Encourage growth in appropriately scaled centers.

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2006 North End Master Plan

The process for the identification and designation of Growth Centers begins with the local municipal government. This identification process is voluntary, but offers the potential incentive of priority status for state resources. The identification process is completed within, or as an amendment to, a comprehensive planning effort. The growth center proposal is reviewed by the Statewide Planning Program and the Director of the Department of Administration. Approved growth centers are designated for targeted investment of state resources. On the West Side, Growth Centers could be considered for Pell Bridge/North End Area in Newport, the Anchorage Area in Middletown, and the Weaver Cove/Melville Area in Portsmouth. Housing and development densities in these locations should match state planning and transportation policy goals, which could also lead to priority funding of future transportation and infrastructure investment by the state. Newport is positioned to advance a mixed‐use conversion of underutilized land assets that will be unlocked with the reconstruction of the Pell Bridge ramps. When the ramps are relocated, former RIDOT land east of J.T. Connell Highway can be re‐graded and made available for redevelopment. This land has adjacent parcels that are susceptible to change because of the economic advantages associated with redevelopment: the former Newport Jai Alai site, Newport DPW facilities, and a row of properties that line J.T. Connell Highway. This area will have excellent access and visibility and comprises a substantial amount of land within the context of densely developed Newport. Recommendations Develop a Pell Bridge/North End Area Growth Center that fulfills important Smart Growth principles endorsed by this Master Plan. An illustration of the potential composition of streets, spaces, buildings, and uses is contained in Figure 5‐8 (p. 5‐42). Advance a mixed‐use vision that assembles a range of uses that is oriented toward Island residents and provides new options as a location to live, work, shop or be entertained Set aside land to create a commuter and visitor parking facility, serving as a remote lot linked by shuttles and buses and the adjacent train line to local and off‐island destinations. Collaborate on the economic redevelopment vision as well as the transportation solutions for this area. A key to this vision is the future ability of the City and future private sector redevelopment interests to obtain the RIDOT land that will no longer be required when the ramps are realigned. Summary of Growth Center Strategies and Tools Support the Pell Bridge ramp relocations to unlock the potential for comprehensively planned mixed‐use redevelopment. Tools – zoning, performance standards Ensure that the reuse of excess Navy land is consistent with the economic, civic, and environmental goals of the Master Plan. Tools – Special Area Reuse Plan D-3

Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

Military-related Uses Naval Station Newport occupies close to 1500 acres of land entirely located on the West Side, or approximately 30 percent of the study area. The Navy is the single major landowner on the West Side, and Navy properties are shown on the diagram below. The properties consist of a series of large parcels stretching along the coast, and interconnected by Burma Road (Defense Highway) with the largest concentration of activities straddling the boundary between Newport and Middletown. A prime land use goal of the West Side Master Plan is to preserve the overall territorial and functional integrity of the Naval Station in ways that support internal security and capacity for future growth. Recommendations Economic activities generated and supported by the Naval Station do not rely solely on Navy land and personnel, but also employ services from local businesses and related subcontractors. Protecting the land use capacity for access and expansion of the existing military and military‐related uses is a prime economic goal of the Master Plan as well. It is thus closely interrelated with other economic development goals. This includes preserving the land use capacity to support current and future military‐related contractors and businesses that would depend on close proximity to the Naval Station for success. These may include commercial, industrial, research & development, and light manufacturing uses. Vacant and underutilized land is scarce on Aquidneck Island and the West Side. However, it is possible that some excess land may be divested by the Navy in the future as a result of an ongoing military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process or other forms of land disposition. When this happens, planning procedures and zoning should be in place to ensure that an appropriate portion of the disposed land is preserved for military‐related businesses that will support the defense industry in the future, while enhancing the local economy. The West Side communities could work to designate potential redevelopment areas in the vicinity of the Naval Station for office uses, research & development, light manufacturing, and high‐tech companies that may work directly with the Navy and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC). This could include commercial and industrial districts along J. T. Connell Highway, Coddington Highway, and West Main Road. In light of future expansion, the communities are recommended to protect the main rights‐ of‐way that access the Naval Station. This Master Plan fosters the continued presence of military and military‐related uses on the West Side. Planning tools and standards such as interim planning overlay districts, sustainable zoning requirements and site planning standards, and density bonuses are tools that can help mediate military uses, non‐military uses and transitional stages. These tools qualify the types of businesses and industries to be developed on transferred Navy land, advance “green” building standards, and plan for increased demands on public utilities and infrastructure. These are discussed at length in Implementation.

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2006 North End Master Plan

Principal Areas for Military-Related Civilian Use It is important to note that the development of new office and research space associated with BRAC programs and overall economic growth may be subject to competitive positioning within Aquidneck Island in general. Planning decisions aimed at attracting these types of development to the West Side need to be made in advance. The best practical strategy is to provide multiple opportunities within suitable locations, so that good and attractive choices for potential private sector investment are preserved. Potential locations for the development of military‐related uses would include redevelopment sites within a short driving time/distance from the Navy Base. Assuming a ten‐minute time limit and an average speed of thirty miles per hour, this would include any potential sites within a five‐mile radius of the Base. The following locations on the West Side study area fall within this category: All Navy land that could be potentially disposed of as part of BRAC or other land disposition processes, including former tank farm areas. Navy properties that may be leased or privatized, such as the Naval Hospital site. Publicly owned land that may become available as a result of the reconfiguration of the Pell Bridge access ramps. Undeveloped portions of the Raytheon industrial site. Other smaller commercial and mixed‐use properties that may be subject to redevelopment. The results of the economic market trends analysis indicate that needs for military‐ related defense contractors may amount to approximately 175,000 square feet over the mid‐ to long‐term. The existing land use capacity for redevelopment in the above‐ mentioned areas more than exceeds this estimate and, therefore, uses other than military‐related businesses may also be located on many of those properties. Specific zoning provisions for future military‐related uses should be primarily focused on potential redevelopment areas actually closer to the Naval Station, such as former Tank Farm # 4, the Vanicek properties, the Naval Hospital site, and properties in transition along J.T. Connell Highway. Summary of Military-related Strategies and Tools Manage privatization of Navy housing to create mutual benefits among all participants. Tools – Intergovernmental agreements, zoning, performance standards Reuse the former Navy Hospital for high value uses that contribute to the local economy and afford access to and use of the waterfront by the public. Tools – Local Redevelopment Agency, PPV or land disposition, performance standards, zoning

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

Protect the supply of adequate land areas for future military‐related research and development and other military‐compatible uses in locations that are proximate to existing facilities. Tools –performance standards, zoning, land acquisition policy, transfer of development rights (TDR) Support the continued military use of those land areas that are needed for Naval Station Newport and the evolving national priorities. Tools – advocacy Mixed Use within Commercial Corridors The objective of the WSMP is to combine uses in ways that create commercial areas with better character, reduce highway traffic, reduce infrastructure costs, and preserve remaining undeveloped land. These multiple goals can be accomplished with mixed‐use development that combines commercial with other land uses such as residential and recreation. Local performance standards are necessary to properly mix these uses without creating internal conflicts and promote high quality design. This is often accomplished through additions to site planning and design review standards that are already in existence within community regulations. Recommendations Strip Commercial Corridors It is within this environment that the search for visual continuity, image identity, and good design character becomes more critical. Design guidelines can significantly improve the overall quality of the built environment. At the same time, recognition and appreciation of the natural landscape, and its cultural and environmental value should also be incorporated into design and site planning principles for these strips. West Main Road and J. T. Connell Highway are the main corridors along the West Side and, as such, they present their own challenges in terms of design and visual quality. Recommendations for streetscape improvements and design guidelines should be aimed at the businesses located there, such as improving the quality of the front property edges, and the design of buildings and signs visible from the road. West Main Road is zoned for commercial uses along most of its length from Newport to Oliphant Lane in Middletown. This particular area is adjacent to the existing Town Center Overlay Zoning District. The highway segment could be subject to area‐specific streetscape improvements and design guidelines that are tailored to commercial uses that will enhance pedestrian‐level connectivity, amenities, and visual quality. J. T. Connell Highway also offers an opportunity for the implementation of area‐specific streetscape improvements and design guidelines. Guidelines and improvements for the area could promote the generation of an identifiable, pedestrian‐friendly commercial district that connects to the ongoing redesign of the Pell Bridge ramps. Land will become available for redevelopment as a result of the ramps reconstruction. D-6

2006 North End Master Plan

Adjacent commercial sections of J. T. Connell Highway could be landscaped as a boulevard, including a landscaped median, sidewalks, and landscaped areas along front property lines. Examples of communities that are initiating or applying mixed use planning principles to enrich former “strip” commercial districts can be found throughout the country. Among the notable initiatives, include corridor planning in La Brea, California and portions of Highway 1 in Florida. Regional relevant examples that may be considered include North Kingstown’s recent studies for its Route 1 corridor and relevant sections of Massachusetts’ Smart Growth Toolkit. Specialized studies of mixed‐use corridors are being undertaken by institutions such as the Urban Land Institute in order to provide technical information to assist local planners. Ideas for Commercial Growth Commercial growth on Aquidneck Island is projected to progress slowly. This projection is based on economic forecasts of “organic” employment growth, by a cumulative total of approximately 5 percent over the next several years. By definition, this predicts jobs created by existing companies based on “normal” economic conditions and business activities, and excludes relocation or closures of facilities. This would translate into a mid‐range absorption rate of approximately 20,000 square feet per year of new professional office space for the entire island region, subject to competitive positioning. From this point of view, land use plans for the future of the West Side do not necessarily need to include large areas for new commercial (office) development in addition to the ones already existing. However, potential redevelopment areas may be set aside for the development of military‐related businesses, as recommended in the earlier section. Retail Uses A detailed analysis of spending vs. sales for retail categories indicates that there may be an opportunity to capture an additional $28 million in spending, mainly in the food/groceries and general merchandise categories. Projections for the future, however, indicate that this potential is rather low, estimated at a need for up to a total of 70,000 square feet of new development in the near to mid‐term future. Given this analysis, the Master Plan recommends limiting new retail development, and instead proposes to steer the potential demand for new retail uses towards the redevelopment of existing commercial properties rather than the creation of new areas for future retail development. In these regards, the extension and limits of zoning districts for retail use should remain unchanged. The AIPC and the three Island municipalities should work together to develop design and development review guidelines that support adaptive reuse and concentrated development. These are concepts based on general site planning and design principles that encourage redevelopment where buildings are clustered together within walking distance, while the perimeter of the site is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of open space, to the extent possible. D-7

Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

Large Developments Large development projects are distinct in their impacts and execution. They afford a broader range of opportunities and higher quality results that can support more public benefits. However, they are more difficult to accomplish because of their greater complexity. The communities of Aquidneck Island should encourage managed processes that result in well‐planned large developments that provide the greatest public benefit without jeopardizing the project economic feasibility. For example, larger parcels provide many more options for clustering of development in order to preserve important features. This allows protection of the landscape heritage, provision for public access, improved accessibility, and protection of views. The projects can also be pragmatically held to a higher accountability for quality architectural and site design. Density bonuses can be used in these cases to obtain more public benefits, because the opportunities for incorporation of additional development clusters are greater. Higher quality developments will garner higher tax benefit over time. Hospitality, Tourism and Resort Land Use Address demand for increased business‐type hotels, which could also be partially supported by tourism. Accompanying this type of hotel may be additional meeting or small conference spaces. This demand is not centered on Newport Harbor, but rather seems to be oriented towards Middletown and the northern edges of Newport, away from the tourist centers. “Heritage” tourism and amenities that emphasize and celebrate the Island’s traditions should be further encouraged and developed, especially on the West Side. Efforts in this direction should build upon the preservation and promotion of existing historical and archaeological resources. The Island communities should work together towards implementing the proposed Newport‐Bristol Heritage Trail, further described in the Natural and Cultural Resources section of this Master Plan. Resort‐type land use developments are flourishing along the West Side of Aquidneck Island, taking advantage of the spectacular views, open and developable land, ability to offer recreational amenities and the reputation of the Island as a second home and resort location. The resort development provides for linked amenities in a planned community setting, catering populations that tend to use the resorts as a second home. In this vein, “resort use” and “residential use” overlap along the West Side, and should be considered from both vantage points. Summary - Commercial/Retail Strategies and Tools Expand the range of uses permitted in commercial corridors to promote reinvestment and the advantages of concentrated, higher quality development. Tools – zoning, performance standards, façade and site improvements, growth centers

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Promote the location of commercial and appropriate industrial uses within the West Side. Tools – zoning, performance standards Limit expansion of land devoted to retail use by requiring that significant future retail redevelopment be contained within areas or on parcels already devoted to this type of use. Tools – zoning, performance standards Open Space and Recreation Open space preservation continues to be an issue in Aquidneck Island. The West Side has faced rapid development, loss of working farms and recreational space, and a growing threat to the Narragansett Bay watershed over the last few decades. The West Side Master Plan promotes a large, varied open space system. Open space parcels need to be secured, preserved or enhanced, and linked into a network of wildlife corridors, the waterfront, and residential and business districts. Recommendations Greenways The Newport Neck Greenway extends south and west of Narragansett Avenue in Newport. Protected parcels in this greenway can preserve sweeping coastal views near 10‐mile Ocean Drive, buffer Narragansett Bay and its coastal ponds, protect Almy and Lily ponds and Gooseneck Cove from pollution, and safeguard the last working family farms in Newport. The Aquidneck Land Trust has conserved 42.75 acres in this greenway. Scenic Roads and Vistas Important scenic vistas could also be identified in this process, similar to Newport’s designation of the Ocean Drive district. New construction and expansion of buildings could impact and cumulatively reduce these vistas over time. Selected views across agricultural land should be maintained to uphold the unique rural, waterfront quality of the West Side. Local‐level design guidelines and performance standards provide mechanisms for protecting the visual and spatial integrity of the scenic roadways and vistas. Newport to Bristol Heritage Passage The West Side project area is a local link in the Newport to Bristol Heritage Passage. Current destinations along the corridor include the Old Colony and Newport Railway, Great Friends Meeting House, Battery Park, Hunter House, Coddington Burial Ground, Wanton Lyman Hazard House, Naval War College Museum, and Miantonomi Park in Newport, and Green Animals and Cory Farm in Portsmouth. Additional sites could include Simmons Farm, and the existing interpretive panel commemorating the Revolutionary War Battle of Rhode Island, and the New England Gardens/Benedictine

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Monks/Carnegie Abbey site. The corridor could be further developed to include a series of vehicle pullovers with interpretive panels on West Main Road. A panel posted near Gate 4 on Coddington Highway could provide information on the importance of the Navy to local history, the economy, naval education, and its past role as host to the fleet. This parking area pull‐off could be connected with a rail shuttle/busway stop serving the Navy and CCRI. A panel at the historic home at Simmons Farm, which is protected from development, could discuss early Island architecture and settlement patterns. The West Main Road near Stringham Road could have information on Melville and its role during the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, and its roles in Patrol Torpedo (PT) boat training and the Defense Fuel Supply Point for New England. Summary - Open Space and Natural Resource Management Strategies and Tools Provide a series of new public spaces and facilities to enjoy Narragansett Bay, including a scenic overlook and fishing pier at the Midway Pier area near Greene Lane, with access to the shoreline and walking trails to McAllister Point. Tools – land acquisition policy, zoning, public benefit conveyance Promote coordinated planned development of large land parcels that result in site‐ tailored patterns of use that protect natural resources and views. Tools – zoning, performance standards Expand the inventory of systematically preserved open space and natural resources that are beneficial to cultural, civic and environmental values. (Preserve Lawton Valley Brook Corridor and other brooks – Gomes, Normans and Barker). Tools – refine existing land acquisition policy, transfer of development rights (TDR), performance standards, public benefit conveyance

2.2

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The following priorities have been articulated because they promote a long‐term balance of uses that will provide both high‐income jobs and diverse opportunities. They have been selected because they reinforce the existing competitive advantages associated with the cluster of businesses, activities, investments and quality of life found on the Island. In short, focusing on these priorities will bring a particularly high return for the time and resources invested. The priorities direct the stewards of the West Side to: Actively support the existing cluster of military activities and associated research and development businesses Preserve land assets that are potentially prime development opportunities for job‐ generating development rather than maximizing short‐term benefits associated with current market conditions and the high demand for housing Promote high value, high quality tourism, resort and second home development

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Promote mixed‐use development that appeals to the citizens of Aquidneck Island and the quality of life they seek, rather than new large scale or isolated commercial and retail concentration. Consistently support all actions that improve the quality of life for residents of Aquidneck Island, including the expansion and maintenance of quality affordable housing. Defense-Related Research and Development Recommendations Create a technology transfer center to leverage the clustered human and technical resources already associated with military‐research and development. The RIEDC should bring its “Innovation Factory” concept to Newport to assist existing businesses with new ventures, facilitate local industry partnerships, encourage entrepreneurship, and generally assist in an overall effort to diversify the focus, applications, and client base of defense‐related research. This initiative should also seek crossover opportunities by assembling shared opportunities with other local industries such as health care, boat building, and other marine‐related technologies. Target the reuse of the former Naval Hospital as a technology transfer center using the emerging “Innovation Factory” concept being advanced by RIEDC. A feasibility study should be undertaken with the intention of acquiring the property, providing necessary improvements, attracting tenants, and putting the center into operation. The City of Newport should use its land use regulations and performance standards contained in this Master Plan to encourage this economically promising opportunity. Support efforts by Raytheon to expand its facilities and to create facilities for related enterprises on its campus, utilizing the PUD zoning framework. Summary – Defense-Related Strategies and Tools Promote effective privatization of military facilities that will benefit the military presence at Naval Station Newport (including both housing and infrastructure) through efforts that achieve compatibility with the goals of this Master Plan. Tools – Public Private Venture (PPV) programs, housing privatization programs, intergovernmental agreements, zoning Advance the reuse of military land in the event of disposition by focusing on economically beneficial uses. Tools – Local Redevelopment Agencies (LRAs), Special Area Reuse Plan, Intergovernmental agreements Support the potential infrastructure Public Private Partnership (PPV) dedicated to combining privatization of the Navy’s utilities with expanded service to desirable future development. Tools – Infrastructure PPV program, Intergovernmental agreements

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Create a technology transfer center to leverage the clustered human and technical resources already associated with military research and development. Tools – performance standards, Innovation Factory concept, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Target the reuse of the former Naval Hospital as a technology transfer center using the emerging “Innovation Factory” concept being advanced by RIEDC. Tools ‐ Innovation Factory concept, performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Discourage land uses adjacent to active military functions that will tend to be incompatible. Tools ‐ zoning Marine-related Business and Recreational Boating Recommendation Promote marine‐related training and information exchange through the Community College of Rhode Island, Newport County Campus (CCRI). Ongoing communications with the marine trades industry to identify labor issues, skills training issues, and training programs, and other needs might be coordinated through this new local campus resource. Summary – Marine-related Strategies and Tools Target the reuse of the former Naval Hospital as a technology transfer center using the emerging “Innovation Factory” concept being advanced by RIEDC. Tools ‐ Innovation Factory concept, performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Tourism and Recreation Recommendations Facilitate marina and marina‐related upland resort developments. Marina development and boater‐focused resorts are likely to enjoy strong market support, and will enhance an already‐strong market for second‐home, affluent householders. Develop portions of a heritage/recreational trail along the West Side. Aquidneck Island’s current tourism amenities cluster around Newport Harbor and the Newport Mansions. Despite its rich array of historic features and scenic qualities, Aquidneck Island’s towns currently offer limited exposure to such amenities, as well as limited opportunities for active outdoor activities. Specific components of this trail concept should include: Development of a high quality graphic system for identification and interpretation of area heritage and recreational resources. The system should be graphically linked to a West Side way‐finding system, which will direct seasonal travelers along the north/south corridors to better distribute traffic and direct motorists to transit alternatives.

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Commitment to a multi‐year promotional and informational program to market the trail system. Investigate the potential for a multi‐purpose/arts/entertainment facility and advance its development in a location that is well served by parking and transit. Summary – Tourism and Recreation Strategies and Tools Develop portions of a heritage/recreational trail along the West Side as an economic strategy, in addition to its contributions to the cultural life of the island (Expand the Newport to Bristol Heritage Passage with additional destinations). Tools – Heritage Trail/tourism programs Affordable Housing as an Economic Strategy Recommendations Promote the development of affordable housing by leveraging the transfer and redevelopment of publicly owned land. The prospective transfers of large land areas and former military housing under the auspices of BRAC, PPV or other initiatives, open a doorway for providing affordable housing. There are many ways in which internal subsidies and external resources can be combined to provide below‐market unit costs. Utilize regionally‐available subsidies linked to Newport’s Hope VI project commitments. Summary – Affordable Housing Strategies and Tools Promote the development of affordable housing by leveraging the transfer and redevelopment of publicly owned land and promoting regional coordination. Tools – performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs, zoning Mixed-use “Lifestyle Center” Development Recommendations As discussed in the Growth Center concept for Newport, the anticipated realignments to the Pell bridge access ramps will create substantial new development parcels. Such niches offering potential include health care or fitness‐related facilities, entertainment venues, office uses, as well as housing, supportive retail uses, and other complementary uses, such as recreation. Summary – Mixed-use Development Strategies and Tools Promote coordinated reuse of land, transportation, and infrastructure improvements near the Pell Bridge to provide an excellent location for mixed‐use lifestyle center development. Tools – growth center, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), zoning, performance standards, design guidelines

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Entertainment Recommendations Certain types of entertainment venues may comprise a “niche” market opportunity that could be supported in appropriate locations along the West Side. Given its array of historic, scenic, and waterfront amenities, areas targeted for resort‐related, or mixed‐use development along the waterfront could present excellent opportunities for such facilities. Summary – Entertainment Strategies and Tools Investigate the potential for a multipurpose/arts/entertainment facility and advance its development in a location that is well served by parking and transit. Tools – Special AIPC studies Commercial Offices and Health Care Recommendations Encourage growth of health care‐related development and identify locations for medical office development, and possibly for outpatient service centers. Such locations are likely to include locations in the northern segments of the West Side corridor, as well as locations in or near new mixed‐use developments. Analyze base co‐location scenarios based on the closures at other naval bases, along with the potential for continued defense funding involving missions that may be related or similar to the local Navy missions. Identify new land areas in the Study Area that will offer suitable areas for high‐end office and/or business park development. Such land areas are likely to include the former Naval Hospital, tank farm areas, and other land located between West Main Road and Burma Road (future Shoreline Drive). Other helpful actions could include: Assemble business parkland. Promulgate zoning overlays to accommodate office/lab uses, along with supporting uses such as lodging. Such overlays should impose upscale design standards addressing issues such as signage, lighting, curb materials, and the like. Fund new infrastructure needs through industrial bond issues, issued by authorities such as the RIEDC, Rhode Island Industrial Finance Commission, and others. Summary – Commercial Offices and Health Care Strategies and Tools Promote locations and regulations to attract commercial offices and health care facilities along the West Side. Tools – zoning, home‐based business zoning, performance standards, Innovation Factory concept

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Business Retention/Assistance Recommendations Promulgate home‐based business zoning – this measure enhances local entrepreneurs’ opportunities for remote commuting (by computer) as well as in new business formation. Initiate community discussions regarding airport improvements – As a business location, Aquidneck Island suffers from relatively difficult access. The local airport provides an access mode that can serve as an important amenity in attracting and retaining executive as well as staff labor and corporations. While airport improvements need not involve intensified flight activity, it will require investments in the airport’s facilities and amenities. Maintain job training programs – This recommendation must accompany ongoing communications with the business community (various industries) in order to identify changing skill requirements and monitor effectiveness. Summary – Business Retention Strategies and Tools Actively engage business retention and assistance programs in response to the understanding that the island’s economy is highly dependent upon a few concentrated economic sectors. Tools – home‐based business zoning, Innovation Factory concept

2.3

TRANSPORTATION

There are a number of ongoing transportation improvement projects being advanced by RIDOT that can help accomplish the vision of the West Side Master Plan as they are designed and constructed. Part of the pragmatic transportation planning strategy is to influence several ongoing study and design projects to assure that recommendations of the West Side Master Plan are integrated into them. Active Projects RIDOT has several ongoing projects in the West Side. The following general positions are advocated as AIPC comment to RIDOT: Pell Bridge Ramp Realignment RIDOT is currently considering the right‐of‐way and real estate issues associated with two alternatives. Realigning the Pell Bridge Ramp, Concept‐4A2 (VHB 3/11/03), represents the preferred alternative to simplify access to Island destinations including downtown Newport and the Navy property, improve safety, and open up land for private development. Constructing this alignment would facilitate mode‐transfer integration from private vehicles to bus, rail or bikeway. A remote parking lot would provide seasonal parking during the peak tourism season and facilitate access to Newport events such as the Jazz and Folk Festivals, Tall Ships, and July Fourth

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fireworks. This seasonal lot could be surfaced with porous pavers to minimize stormwater runoff. Safe pedestrian access must be provided to a busway or rail shuttle station located west of and immediately adjacent to the eastbound off‐ramp to Newport and the Newport Secondary. A one‐way southbound roadway, located within the right‐ of‐way of the Newport Secondary, is proposed to provide direct traffic access to downtown Newport. The West Side Master Plan advocates that a priority be placed on reserving the Newport Secondary right‐of‐way between the Pell Bridge and the Gateway Center for rail and transit service. The one‐way southbound road could be used by buses in the southbound direction (northbound busway service would use local roads including America’s Cup Avenue and Farewell Street). Construction of the roadway should not affect operation of the Old Colony and Newport Railway and Newport Dinner Train in this section. If sufficient right‐of‐way is available, a bike path could also be considered. This would be a lower priority as cyclists may choose an alternative route via local streets in the Point neighborhood. RIDOT is reviewing several proposals including RIDOT’s preferred four‐lane undivided roadway with left turn lanes at signalized intersections. The Pell Bridge Alignment must be finalized prior to proceeding with the concept for this project. This Master Plan includes recommendations for this area that reinforce the opportunity to create an attractive “boulevard” appearance and a pedestrian‐friendly edge along both sides of the roadway. A boulevard would be created with robust landscaping along the side of the street and not with a landscaped median. The cross sections in Figure 5‐12 (p. 5‐62) portray these ideas. Assuming that bike path recommendations of the Aquidneck Island Passenger Rail Study are implemented with construction of a bike lane along the Newport Secondary south of Gate 4, curb offsets should be reduced to three feet south of Gate 4 and increased to five feet north of Gate 4 to accommodate “signed shared roadway” bike access. Crosswalks with neckdowns should be provided at signalized intersections at CCRI/Gate 4 and at the RK Town Center to improve pedestrian safety, increase mobility, and decrease pavement width. There is a current plan to close off the northern end of Girard Avenue (between Maple Avenue and Coddington Highway). Closing Girard Avenue will create an additional amount of traffic at the newly constructed John F. Chafee Boulevard intersection with Coddington Highway. Although this intersection does not currently meet signal warrants, RIDOT will install signal conduits as part of a roadway upgrade. A roundabout could be considered at this intersection to avoid the need for a signal. A uniform five feet of grass or landscaping should separate the curb from a five‐foot sidewalk. Any utility poles relocated as part of this project should be located between the sidewalk and the adjacent property if sufficient right‐of‐way is available. In areas with constrained right‐of‐way, poles should be located within the landscaped area between the curb and the sidewalk. Curb cuts should be reduced to one, or at most two,

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access point from the roadway to each property. The Implementation discussion on Standards: General Principles of Design provides further access management recommendations for redeveloped property. Armstrong Bridge Replacement/Gate 4 Access It is recommended that improvements to this Coddington Highway intersection include adequate pedestrian crosswalks, a connection from a “signed shared roadway” bikeway on Highway to the Newport Secondary, and that land be reserved for future construction of a transit stop and passenger drop off area. Summary – Active Projects Strategies and Tools Realign the Pell Bridge ramps using the ideas contained in “Concept 4A2”. Tools – Roadway design standards, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Improve and expand the capacity of Coddington Highway/J. T. Connell Highway. Tools – Roadway design standards Managing Traffic for Safety, Convenience and Reduced Congestion Traffic should be better managed to improve safety and convenience while reducing congestion through advanced technologies and management systems that are coordinated to achieve regional benefits. New strategies that create sustainable and managed transportation can improve existing traffic flows and help meet future demands using the West Side’s streets and roads. Recommendations Generating and Using Information to Direct Traffic Flows Create greatly enhanced information that can be used to marshal the flow of vehicles in a more effective manner. The cluster of tools that use traffic information to improve roadway management are Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Reduce congestion by increasing the proportion of vehicles with multiple passengers and distributing trips over greater time periods, so that the traffic peaks are reduced to more manageable levels. This will improve traffic flow on West Main Road. Pro‐active steps to promote high occupant vehicles (HOVs) and reduce peak period demand can be accomplished by applying a number of techniques. Attracting and Serving Transit Users Encourage increased bus ridership. Various methods can be used to increase bus ridership so that additional bus service and additional convenient stops are employed over time. Along the West Side, the focus of these efforts should be enhanced service for area employers. Controlling Traffic Speeds and Increasing Safety

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Traffic calming should be employed as a consistent strategy in the planning and design of all street and roadway improvements along the West Side. Traffic calming focuses on providing design and operational enhancements that reduce excessive speeds, direct vehicles into safer patterns, and provide a more pedestrian and bicycle‐friendly environment. This strategy will be a benefit for motorists by providing for safe and appropriate travel speeds in an environment that reduces potential conflicts with pedestrians and other vehicles. Traffic calming will benefit pedestrians and bicyclists by reducing dangerous conditions. Finally, an applied traffic calming strategy will benefit land uses along streets and roads by reducing noise and providing more reasonable access on and off adjacent land. Roundabouts should be introduced where they are practical because they are a safe and convenient alternative. Access Management and Access Improvements Better manage access to and from abutting uses to enhance traffic flows and safety. Reducing the number of curb cuts or access points limits the number of conflict points, separates conflict areas, removes turning vehicles from through traffic lanes, reduces the number of turning movements, and improves traffic operations on the roadway. Arranging joint access from adjoining properties can allow consolidation of multiple driveways into a single shared location along the property line (with recorded joint use easements that run with the land) and reduce the number of conflict points. Develop alternate routes along a “frontage road” connecting properties to provide access for multiple uses. If these can be located at the rear of adjacent properties, this strategy can reduce broad expanses of unattractive pavement along the major roads and allow the design of more safe connections at periodic locations. The access management strategy should discourage additional at‐grade intersections with the Newport Secondary rail line as it passes through the Weaver Cove, Melville and Pell Bridge areas to the extent practical. Summary – Managing Traffic for Safety, Convenience and Reduced Congestion Strategies and Tools Adopt special principles of design to enhance safety. Tools –Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Institute a comprehensive Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and related technologies to manage traffic flows. Tools – Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), 511 Traveler Information System, closed loop intersection signal systems, traffic signal prioritization, camera surveillance, arterial traffic signal systems, fleet management systems, Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS), parking facility management

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Implement Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) for Naval Station Newport and possibly for other major employers and/or employment locations. Tools ‐ Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) Adopt special principles of design to enhance safety and create a systematic, access management approach to traffic calming along the entire West Side. Tools – traffic calming tools and techniques Water Transportation Opportunities Recommendations The West Side of Aquidneck Island, with locations along the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, offers opportunities for future public water transportation service. This service would likely be tourist‐oriented and limited to the summer season. Possible service points in addition to Perrotti Park in Newport could include the stone pier off the Naval Hospital, the former Navy Midway pier at Greene Lane in Middletown (new pier would be required since Midway Pier has been removed), and docks at Melville and Mt. Hope Marine Terminal in Portsmouth. Service to Coasters Harbor Island at Naval Station Newport has been precluded by Force Protection and limited access to waters off the base. Bus and rail shuttle connections to potential ferry service could eventually be available at Melville and Mt. Hope Marine Terminal. Any future development in these areas should incorporate parking for approximately 20 cars. With marina expansion in Melville and Willow Lane/Mt. Hope Marine Terminal, and limited mooring and docking spaces in Newport for transient use, it may be anticipated that a convenient water shuttle between these two points would be attractive in the future. Summary – Water Transportation Strategies and Tools Support expansion of ferry and water shuttle service along the West Side. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Recommended Bicycle Trails and Networks The implementation of a network of bicycle facilities both on‐ and off‐roads will provide residents, local employees, and visitors recreational and transportation opportunities. Bike racks and bike storage are needed in locations where transit is provided, to facilitate intermodal travel. Bike racks should be provided at any rail shuttle or busway transit stops. Bike lockers should also be considered at the Gateway Center in Newport. Recommendations Support construction of a bike path along the Newport Secondary, especially in the area north of Melville. This will require design and mitigation measures in steep areas or where natural resources are located within the railroad right‐of‐way. Where roadway design allows, the bicycle network should extend along connector routes to the major north/south bicycle corridor along the Newport Secondary. This extended network is subject to specific processes and standards. In some cases, exclusive D-19

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off‐road bikeways may be defined. In many cases, either shared on‐road or shared path solutions are advocated. On‐road solutions provide additional pavement width for bicycle travel, which can take the form of dedicated, marked bike lanes where dictated by adjacent traffic conditions. Shared paths allow bicyclists and pedestrians to use the same way, if circumstances allow. Segments that should be evaluated for designation as “Share the Road” bikeways within the West Side planning areas include: Long Wharf, Washington Street, Sycamore Street, Third Street and Admiral Kalbfus Road (to Gate 1) in Newport as a short‐term alternative prior to completion of a potential “Shared Use” path along the Newport Secondary. It is recognized that the Newport Secondary right‐of‐way narrows through the Point neighborhood and that it may not be possible to accommodate the rail line, southbound roadway proposed under the Pell Bridge ramp project, and a “shared use path.” In Middletown, “Share the Road” bikeways are proposed on local roads adjacent to the Navy base and Greene Lane. In Portsmouth, “Share the Road” bikeways are proposed on Redwood Road, and Willow Lane. A segment of Coddington Highway/J.T. Connell Highway in Newport and Middletown is proposed for signed bikeways taking the form of dedicated, marked bike lanes. Shoreline Drive/Newport Secondary Bike Path In the short‐term, bikeways along local roads including Long Wharf, Washington Street, Sycamore Street, and Third Street will continue to provide access between Coasters Harbor Island and downtown Newport. Construction of the Newport Secondary bike path north of Melville, as included in the FY06‐07 TIP and recommended in the Aquidneck Island Passenger Rail Study, represents a significant north‐south cycling connection in the planning area. This bike path, together with a southward continuation along Shoreline Drive or the Newport Secondary would be successful in diverting bike traffic from local roads and neighborhoods to a dedicated off‐road path. This bikeway would provide an asset to existing and proposed residential development in the Bristol Ferry and Willow Lane area by providing connections to the East Bay Bike Path in Bristol (via the Mt. Hope Bridge) and the City of Newport. Summary – Bicycle Trails and Networks Strategies and Tools Extend new bike lanes as part of roadway improvements where adequate width is available, such as along Coddington Highway. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Evaluate and designate qualifying segments of street and roads for “share the road” bikeways. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) D-20

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Trails, Paths and Sidewalks Recommendations Facilities for pedestrians need to be extended throughout the West Side Planning Area to provide safe and convenient pedestrian access. Along streets and roadways, sidewalks should normally be required as part of any roadway construction or reconstruction. However, sidewalks should neither be required nor provided along portions of scenic roads that are both poorly situated for pedestrian traffic and where rural landscapes and vistas would be disrupted. Any office park construction should consider construction of trail and / or sidewalks for employee benefit, like the trail network that has been constructed at Raytheon. A shoreline trail could extend from the proposed scenic overlook at McAllister’s Point north to Carr Point (a Navy recreation area not open to the public). Access to the trail would be via a proposed Greene Lane Park scenic overlook. This beach trail would require wading across Gomes and Normans Brooks. A shoreline trail is also proposed between Melville and Cory’s Lane. This trail would connect with trails (existing and proposed by the Melville Committee) in the Town of Portsmouth conservation area around the Chain of Ponds. Signage for shoreline trails would be posted at parking areas. No pathways, benches, or trash cans would be proposed along the shoreline to retain the natural beauty and protect the natural resources of these areas. Further assessment must be made to determine if development of a trail network along Lawton Brook is appropriate. If a trail is designated, connections to a parking area east of West Main Road (near the Lawton Valley Reservoir) could be made via the existing culvert / bridge under the roadway. A trail could connect Lawton Valley Reservoir with the Narragansett shoreline, providing a missing link in the Aquidneck Land Trust’s Center Island Greenway. Phasing of trail, paths and sidewalk improvements can be conducted with roadway construction or reconstruction, with adjacent property development or redevelopment, or as funding becomes available for trail construction and signage. Summary – Trails, Paths and Sidewalks Strategies and Tools Require construction of sidewalks for any roadway construction or reconstruction (except portions of scenic roads that are poorly situated for pedestrian traffic). Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) A Blue Trail for Small Craft Recommendations The edge of Narragansett Bay is perfectly suited to establishing a “Blue Trail” that would allow small craft to make journeys up and down the picturesque coastline. Kayaks and other small boats currently use many landings along the West Side, which can serve as initial portions of this network.

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Newport points along the Blue Trail include Long Wharf Landing at Perrotti Park, Point neighborhood public piers and the Elm Street landing, and the stone pier near the Navy Hospital. McAllister’s Point (with proposed paths to a scenic overlook but no roadway access) and the proposed park at Greene Lane (carry put‐in) in Middletown are nodes in the Blue Trail. In Portsmouth, Blue Trail access points include the Weaver Cove boat ramp, proposed Weaver Cove marina, Cory’s Lane (carry put‐in), and Willow Lane (boat ramp at proposed marina). Summary – Blue Trail Strategies and Tools Create and market a Blue Trail of kayak and small boat put‐in locations, shoreline destinations, and facilities along the West Side. Tools – CRMC Public Access designation Long Term Opportunities and Transportation Options Option: Expanded Rail Transit There is currently a single operational rail line along portions of a West Side corridor known as the “Newport Secondary.” Over the long term, options could be pursued to expand the ability of this rail alignment to serve as an effective rail transit corridor. RIDOT’s Aquidneck Island Passenger Rail Study outlined issues relating to the resumption of passenger rail service along the Newport Secondary. According to the September 2002 executive summary, “Operation of passenger service would lead to a small but positive effect on roadway congestion and open the future possibility of much larger reductions in traffic.” On and off‐island passenger rail shuttle services were addressed (all would include continuation of excursion services on the Old Colony and Dinner Train). According to RIDOT’s study, on‐island shuttles would provide rail passenger service between Park and Ride lots on the north end of the Island and the Depot, immediately north of Newport’s Gateway Center. Each one‐way trip on self‐propelled cars would take 17 to 20 minutes. Summer service would operate nearly every half‐hour over a 14‐ hour service day. Capital cost for this service was estimated at $28.6 million with equipment costs requiring an additional $7.5 million. Annual operations and maintenance would cost approximately $2.1 million. This level of expenditure would result in a forecast ridership of 121 to 481 boardings daily. Another option addressed in the RIDOT study was that Fall River commuter shuttles that could eventually provide 31‐minute rail passenger service between Newport and Fall River for connection to future MBTA commuter rail service to Boston. This would require construction of a new rail bridge across the Sakonnet River. Capital costs were estimated at $73.6 million, and equipment at $7.5 to $10.0 million. Annual operations and maintenance would cost approximately $3.5 to $3.7 million. This level of expenditure would result in a forecast ridership of 229‐889 boardings daily. Remote parking at stations and stops would be an important component of any rail or bus transit concept. The Aquidneck Island Passenger Rail Study considered stations at

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the following West Side locations: downtown Newport with parking at the Gateway Center garage and surface lot, Navy Gate 4/CCRI (parking for 20 vehicles) on J.T. Connell Highway in Newport, Melville (parking for 30 vehicles), and Mt. Hope Marine Terminal (parking for 100 vehicles) in Portsmouth. With the provision of a remote/seasonal parking lot with proposed reconfiguration of the Pell Bridge ramps, an additional station stop should be provided from that location. The Newport Dinner Train submitted an FY06‐07 TIP application to improve 7.25 miles of track from Melville Marine boat basin (Portsmouth) to Downtown Newport in order to create a shuttle service between the Weaver Cove Marina project and downtown Newport. The listed benefits would “improve the rail infrastructure and allow for the implementation of an island shuttle train, which will reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.” The schedule would be seasonal, from May through October and would include six round trip runs per day. The Islander Shuttle project was subsequently selected for the FY06‐07 TIP. This project includes purchase of a lightweight diesel car, which would operate from a new station north of the Gateway Center in Newport to Melville. The historic depot would be relocated to Melville. Over the long term, the effectiveness of a fixed route rail service schedule to improve traffic congestion will be significantly limited because a one track facility cannot carry substantial passenger volumes on a shuttle basis. Option: Busway Transit Busway transit should only be considered if projected ridership would substantially decrease traffic volumes on island roads. Busway transit may become a long‐term option to support substantial ridership volumes with attendant congestion relief along West Main Road, especially during peak commuter hours and during the peak summer season when volumes on local arterials are 49 percent higher than during winter months. This option would more fully utilize the existing state‐owned Newport Secondary right‐of‐way with a one‐way reversible dedicated “busway”. A dedicated busway is essentially a paved express roadway reserved exclusively for bus use. Because of right‐of‐way restrictions along the Newport Secondary, only a single lane may be feasible, unless additional width is obtained. This single lane roadway with shoulders would be constructed adjacent to and inland of the existing rail line. Access to this roadway would be restricted to buses, although it could also be considered for other high occupancy vehicles. Operation of the existing rail line would continue for tourist excursion trains and rail shuttles. A busway could extend from the Newport Gateway Center north 13 miles to a Park and Ride lot proposed at the Sakonnet River Bridge. The busway would be an exclusive dedicated roadway with minimal at‐grade intersections (three road crossings would require traffic control). Peak hour flow would be on the busway with the off‐peak return trip via existing roads including America’s Cup Avenue, Farwell Street, J.T. Connell Highway, Coddington Highway, and West Main Road. In the section between the Pell

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

Bridge ramps and the Gateway Center, the buses would share the southbound one‐way roadway proposed by RIDOT along the rail right‐of‐way. The busway would be used to divert buses and other high‐occupancy rubber‐tired vehicles off island roads. This system would provide the flexibility to serve buses from Park and Ride lots in the greater Fall River area with convenient and uncongested access to busway stops at Melville, Raytheon (if access is provided between Raytheon and Shoreline Drive), the Navy base, and the Gateway Center in Newport. Once buses reach the Gateway Center, travel could continue on city streets to reach destinations. The busway could also be used by emergency response vehicles including fire, police, and emergency medical services. Design, permitting and construction of a busway along the Newport Secondary would require completion of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Federal Transit Administration and RIDOT. Alternatives analysis, impact on other public and private carriers, and stormwater management would be some of the key issues to be addressed. It is recognized that the process from application to the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) could easily exceed a decade or more. Local support from adjacent towns and the US Navy would be critical to advance this long‐term option through the design process. Summary – Rail/Busway Transit Strategies and Tools Support on‐island rail service enhancements by protecting the long‐term capacity and entire alignments of the existing rail corridor from Newport’s Gateway center to the Sakonnet River Bridge. Tools – zoning Plan, design and create remote parking at stations and stops in conjunction with the West Side transit strategy. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) Future Improvements – Creating Shoreline Drive Beyond the initiatives discussed above, no single additional transportation improvement would better serve the traffic on Aquidneck Island than to open a road between Coddington Highway in Middletown and Stringham Road in Portsmouth via Burma Road. This change in accessibility to Burma Road would be a significant enhancement to the traffic flow on the island and to the quality of life of its residents. The ability to avoid fourteen traffic signals on West Main Road via a scenic Shoreline Drive would have many benefits: West Main Road traffic volumes would be reduced with resultant improvements in safety. This would reduce traffic congestion and enable the road to function at a higher level of service, especially during peak traffic periods. Shoreline Drive would provide a convenient and direct access from Route 24 and other up‐island locations to downtown Newport destinations. D-24

2006 North End Master Plan

Shoreline Drive would provide convenient scenic access from Newport Harbor, Pell Bridge, and the Navy to Melville and Raytheon (via a rear entrance) from Newport Harbor. The Navy would benefit with improved access for employees, contractors and truck deliveries (via Greene Lane), especially with construction of the new North Gate, located near Burma Road and Coddington Cove. Retail and other commercial uses on West Main Road would benefit from increased patronage as traffic becomes more manageable. Tourism would benefit from an additional scenic attraction. The Shoreline Drive would be an important addition to Ocean Drive as a road with unparalleled views of the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, Pell Bridge, Jamestown, and Prudence Island. Melville marine businesses would benefit from increased access to Newport destinations. This would make the marine condo development proposed at Weaver Cove more attractive. Burma Road, would be more fully utilized to bear its burden of north‐south traffic on the island. A continual utility corridor along Shoreline Drive and / or the Newport Secondary could provide public right of way for future subsurface utility installations. Stringham Road and Defense Highway rights‐of‐way and roadways are currently owned by the Navy. The right‐of‐way must be transferred to state or local control or an agreement must be reached between the Navy and state/local transportation agencies prior to advancing Shoreline Drive as a viable north‐south transportation alternative on the West Side. Such a route would require the Navy to relinquish the land voluntarily for construction since it is not subject to the State of Rhode Island’s power of eminent domain for highway construction. By extending Simonpietri Drive north to the Gate 17 Access Road and relocating the secure Navy fence line to the west, a key connection would be made to create a viable and attractive alternative to West Main Road. This Navy connection would provide the missing link necessary to avoid West Main Road congestion, especially on the southern section of this road. Further coordination is required with the Navy to secure the commitment of the federal government to relocate the secure perimeter.

2.4

UTILITIES

The West Side planning process was able to conclude that utilities need not be a determining constraint on desirable patterns of use along the West Side. Either adequate resources and systems exist or good technical and operational solutions are available for the full range of land uses contemplated within the West Side. However, there are numerous issues associated with the utility network that should be resolved in order to provide cost effective and environmentally responsible services. The decisions regarding future investment and operations in the infrastructure are within the control of the federal, state

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

and local entities that will be the stewards of the West Side’s future. The following recommendations suggest productive ways to move ahead. Water Supply and Service Recommendations Most drinking water on Aquidneck Island is treated by the City of Newport and is either distributed via the municipal system to Newport and Middletown or is sold wholesale to the Navy and the Portsmouth Water and Fire District (PWFD) and distributed through their respective water systems. It is recognized that adequate water is available to meet projected needs but that several issues must be resolved to assure delivery to all Island residents, businesses and institutions. Opportunities for Coordination and Collaboration The West Side Master Plan supports a forum for discussion such as that begun by the AIPC among representatives from the City of Newport, Towns of Middletown and Portsmouth, the Navy, PWFD, and the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) regarding water treatment and distribution issues. Future coordination and collaboration could reopen discussions of the following specific opportunities: Consideration of these alternatives or service options: 1) Regionalization of treatment and distribution for the City of Newport system, Navy, and PWFD; 2) Regional treatment but not distribution; and 3) Formation of an advisory committee with continued treatment by the City of Newport and distribution by the City of Newport, Navy, and PWFD. Rhode Island Economic Development Commission (RIEDC) has prepared a Cost Benefit Analysis of these options. Resolution of issues related to the Safe Drinking Water Act, especially the Disinfectants Byproducts Rule. PWFD and Navy customers at the ends of the distribution system have experienced water quality, which does not meet these requirements. Treatment facility upgrades are required for compliance. Resolution of issues relating to the City of Newport’s delivery of water to Melville private businesses, which is “wheeled through” the Navy distribution system. Although the City of Newport issues water bills to these customers, the City cannot assure the water quality since it is delivered through the Navy distribution system. The Navy system was sized for the Base population when the fleet was in port in the 1970’s. With reduced demand on the system, stagnation results in over‐sized pipes. Negotiation of a contract between the City of Newport and the PWFD, which assures that adequate quantity and quality of supply will be available at an equitable fee for future, needs in Portsmouth. The PWFD is currently operating without a contract specifying the quantity of water to be provided. Funding implications, restricted to government obligation bonds and the State Revolving Fund.

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Most critical to the West Side Master Plan is the resolution of water distribution issues for future private development in the Melville area of Portsmouth. This section is currently served by two redundant Navy lines (10‐inch low pressure and 12‐inch high pressure service). The PWFD 36‐inch line on West Main Road is currently not accessible for use in Melville because it is outside the service area, pumps are not sized for distribution to this area, and the PWFD does not have a contract with the City of Newport to assure that it will have the quantity of water to meet future expanded needs. Recommendations Negotiation with the Navy for transfer or purchase of the 10‐inch low pressure line – The Navy Public Private Venture (PPV) Office has indicated that for the short‐term it intends to continue to provide water and sewer service to both the Melville housing area and the Anchorage housing area (including Quarters A), two Navy housing areas that are in the process of being privatized by GMH. The Navy Public Works Officer (PWO) has indicated that water service to GMH housing areas is separable, i.e. able to be separated from the Navy distribution system. (Naval Station Newport PWO, March 15, 2005). GMH may negotiate with local municipalities for water service if the Navy does not intend to continue water service to these housing areas. GMH is currently responsible for all water quality monitoring and issuance of any violation notices. Disposition of either the 10‐inch or 12‐inch water line to Melville could be considered in the future. Engineering solutions appear to be feasible. Process and policy issues regarding liability, points of demarcation, easements and access points (including security of the Navy water supply) must be resolved. A detailed engineering evaluation would provide the basis of negotiation. Options for ownership of the line could include the PWFD (with extension of the service area), the City of Newport (Newport currently provides water service to Raytheon, Bayview and the Redwood Road subdivision), a community water supply board, or RIEDC (similar to the system at Quonset). Extension of PWFD Service to Melville – As indicated above, this would require a contract with the City of Newport to assure adequate quantity to meet projected needs, extension of the service area to Melville, and reconfiguration of pumps to service this area. This option would require that water lines be extended to serve new development. Extension of City of Newport Municipal Service to Melville – Two options could be considered: extension of service through Raytheon or extension of service from Freedom Bay north along Burma Road to Melville. Further analysis would be required to determine if adequate supply and distribution networks would be available for either of these options. Continuation of “Wheeling Through” the Navy System – This option is not favored by either the Navy or the City of Newport.

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

Desalinization – Past developers have considered this option but found costs to be prohibitive. A community water supply board would be required for operation and distribution. Private or Community Wells – Past developers have considered this option but found that yield was only sufficient south of the tank farms. This information would have to be confirmed and further investigated to determine the cost of implementation. A community water supply board would be required for operation and distribution. Summary - Water Supply and Services Strategies and Tools Support the establishment of a regular forum, ongoing discussions, and collaboration among the City of Newport, Towns of Middletown and Portsmouth, the Navy, PWFD, and RIEDC regarding water treatment and distribution issues. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum Resolve issues related to the Safe Drinking Water Act, especially the Disinfectants By‐ products Rule. Tools ‐ Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Provide for the transfer, purchase or privatization of Navy utilities and regionally important utility corridors to the extent that it is mutually beneficial. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible Resolve the best approach to provide all necessary water distribution for future development in the Melville area of Portsmouth that is consistent with the Master Plan. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Negotiate and execute a contract between the City of Newport and PWFD that assures adequate quantity and quality of water supply will be available at an equitable fee for future needs in Portsmouth. Tools – Intergovernmental agreements Sewer Systems Wastewater treatment for the City of Newport, Town of Middletown, and Naval Station Newport is provided by the privately operated Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant. With the exception of Naval Station Newport property, no municipal sewage treatment is offered in Portsmouth. Individual Sewage Disposal Systems (ISDS), package treatment plants (Carnegie Abbey development) or hauling of septage to the Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant (Raytheon) are used in Portsmouth. Provision of wastewater treatment is especially critical in Melville where increased development is proposed.

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Recommendations Municipal Wastewater Treatment (WWTF) Facility – Former Tank Farm #3 may be suitable for construction of a municipal WWTF. Approximately 10 acres should be reserved for current and projected use. Although this location is not convenient to areas of Town where failed ISDSs must be addressed per RIDEM, the Town of Portsmouth may realize several cost savings with a plant in the vicinity of Melville. By routing a sewer interceptor along the Newport Secondary, the need for pump stations could be reduced and traffic on local roads would not be disrupted for construction. Federal grants through the Economic Development Administration would offset costs. Septage Hauling to the Newport WWTF – Future development along the Burma Road could be served by possible wastewater storage and primary treatment in former Navy tank farms with septage hauled to the Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant. This would be subject to a rigorous facilities planning review at the State and local levels. Raytheon currently collects its wastewater in the holding tanks of its former treatment plant and then hauls the septage to the Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant daily. As indicated above, Raytheon is interested in seeking alternatives to this arrangement. Off‐peak Discharge to the Newport WWTF – Melville Marine Industries has an agreement with the US Navy to store up to 60,000 gallons of wastewater per day to be pumped back through the Navy system during off‐peak hours. This service was negotiated to accommodate future marina/condo development in the Weaver Cove area. The Navy has indicated that it is not interested in negotiating similar arrangements in the future. Newport WWTF – Portsmouth is not currently party to the agreement between the City of Newport and the Town of Middletown and the US Navy, which has allocated percentage of wastewater capacity based on the contributions each made for plant upgrades and future needs for wastewater treatment. This allocation was determined on wastewater flows at a time when the Navy’s demand was significantly higher and does not represent the current distribution of flows between the three parties. A portion of the Navy’s allocation is currently unused. As one option, the Town of Portsmouth could pursue discussions with the City of Newport to renegotiate the allocations and initiate new contracts with the Town of Middletown, US Navy and the Town of Portsmouth. The strategic allocation of wastewater treatment capacity at Naval Station Newport is a consideration under federal land disposition processes. The commanding officer must preserve the base’s sewer capacity to be flexible for potential expansion under the BRAC process. Any negotiation for private WWTF service would reduce this strategic capacity. The Navy may be precluded from providing sewer service for private use based on security and legal issues. Newport Secondary Utility Corridor – The Newport Secondary right‐of‐way and the Burma Road (Defense Highway) corridor should be retained for use as utility corridors. By designating the rail corridor for utilities, local roads would not be disrupted by construction or repair. The Newport Secondary could be utilized as an interceptor

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

alignment from the Island Park and Common Fence Point neighborhoods to a potential municipal wastewater treatment facility at Tank Farm #3 in Portsmouth. In Newport, the rail right‐of‐way is used for a major sewer line and for the major electrical connection to Newport from the Pell Bridge. Any rail upgrade, bike path construction, or busway connection should consider relocation, repair or upgrade of these utilities during construction. Construction south of the Pell Bridge should address possible stormwater intrusion in the sewer line. Summary - Sewer Systems Strategies and Tools Support the provision of wastewater treatment systems and solutions that are needed to fulfill the economic development goals and land use vision contained in this Master Plan. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible Provide for the transfer, purchase or privatization of Navy utilities and regionally important utility corridors to the extent that it is mutually beneficial. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible The following two graphics from the West Side Master Plan show an illustrative land use concept for the Pell Bridge Interchange after it is reconfigured by removing the Kalbfus Road ramp, and an overall land use and transportation concept for the entire west end of Aquidneck Island. The Newport segment of the drawing is at its extreme left end.

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Summary

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STRATEGIES AND TOOLS

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1. INTRODUCTION Established in 1985 as the joint planning commission for the towns of Middletown, Portsmouth and the city of Newport, the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) formed a Task Force in 1999 to begin a comprehensive planning study that culminated in the 2005 Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan (WSMP). The WSMP was released in November of 2005 and was prepared by The Cecil Group, Inc. of Boston under the direction of AIPC’s West Side Task Force with grant funds provided through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The WSMP represents a decade‐long collaborative regional effort among the communities and residents of Aquidneck Island to plan for the 5,000 acres along the west coast of Aquidneck Island, reaching from the Gateway Visitor’s Center in Newport north to the Mount Hope Bridge in Portsmouth. The WSMP presents overarching strategies and concepts for the Island as a whole, and offers detailed recommendations for specific areas within each of the three municipalities on Aquidneck Island, focusing on land use, transportation, economic development, and utilities. This document summarizes the recommendations from the West Side Master Plan that are specific to the City of Newport. For each section presented below, the Strategies and Tools are outlined as presented in the Implementation Matrix developed for the City of Newport to facilitate a phased approach for implementation of the WSMP recommendations. The complete West Side Master Plan can be found online at http://www.aquidneckplanning.org/westsidemast.html

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Strategies and Tools

2.1

LAND USE

Growth Center Strategies and Tools: Support the Pell Bridge ramp relocations to unlock the potential for comprehensively planned mixed‐use redevelopment. Tools – zoning, performance standards Ensure that the reuse of excess Navy land is consistent with the economic, civic and environmental goals of the Master Plan. Tools – Special Area Reuse Plan Military-related Strategies and Tools: Manage privatization of Navy housing to create mutual benefits among all participants. Tools – Intergovernmental agreements, zoning, performance standards Reuse the former Navy Hospital for high value uses that contribute to the local economy and afford access to and use of the waterfront by the public. Tools – Local Redevelopment Agency, PPV or land disposition, performance standards, zoning Protect the supply of adequate land areas for future military‐related research and development and other military‐compatible uses in locations that are proximate to existing facilities. Tools –performance standards, zoning, land acquisition policy, transfer of development rights (TDR) Support the continued military use of those land areas that are needed for Naval Station Newport and the evolving national priorities. Tools – advocacy Commercial/Retail Strategies and Tools Expand the range of uses permitted in commercial corridors to promote reinvestment and the advantages of concentrated, higher quality development. Tools – zoning, performance standards, façade and site improvements, growth centers

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2.2

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Defense-Related Strategies and Tools Promote effective privatization of military facilities that will benefit the military presence at Naval Station Newport (including both housing and infrastructure) through efforts that achieve compatibility with the goals of this Master Plan. Tools – Public Private Venture (PPV) programs, housing privatization programs, intergovernmental agreements, zoning Advance the reuse of military land in the event of disposition by focusing on economically beneficial uses. Tools – Local Redevelopment Agencies (LRAs), Special Area Reuse Plan, Intergovernmental agreements Support the potential infrastructure Public Private Partnership (PPV) dedicated to combining privatization of the Navy’s utilities with expanded service to desirable future development. Tools – Infrastructure PPV program, Intergovernmental agreements Create a technology transfer center to leverage the clustered human and technical resources already associated with military research and development.

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Strategies and Tools

Tools – performance standards, Innovation Factory concept, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs

Target the reuse of the former Naval Hospital as a technology transfer center using the emerging “Innovation Factory” concept being advanced by RIEDC. Tools ‐ Innovation Factory concept, performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Discourage land uses adjacent to active military functions that will tend to be incompatible. Tools ‐ zoning Marine-related Strategies and Tools Target the reuse of the former Naval Hospital as a technology transfer center using the emerging “Innovation Factory” concept being advanced by RIEDC. Tools ‐ Innovation Factory concept, performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Tourism and Recreation Strategies and Tools Develop portions of a heritage/recreational trail along the West Side as an economic strategy, in addition to its contributions to the cultural life of the island (Expand the Newport to Bristol Heritage Passage with additional destinations). Tools – Heritage Trail/tourism programs Affordable Housing Strategies and Tools Promote the development of affordable housing by leveraging the transfer and redevelopment of publicly owned land and promoting regional coordination. Tools – performance standards, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs, zoning Mixed-use Development Strategies and Tools Promote coordinated reuse of land, transportation, and infrastructure improvements near the Pell Bridge to provide an excellent location for mixed‐use lifestyle center development. Tools – growth center, Tax Increment Financing (TIF), zoning, performance standards, design guidelines Entertainment Strategies and Tools Investigate the potential for a multipurpose/arts/entertainment facility and advance its development in a location that is well served by parking and transit. Tools – Special AIPC studies

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2006 North End Master Plan

Commercial Offices and Health Care Strategies and Tools Promote locations and regulations to attract commercial offices and health care facilities along the West Side. Tools – zoning, home‐based business zoning, performance standards, Innovation Factory concept Business Retention Strategies and Tools Actively engage business retention and assistance programs in response to the understanding that the island’s economy is highly dependent upon a few concentrated economic sectors. Tools – home‐based business zoning, Innovation Factory concept

2.3

TRANSPORTATION

Active Projects Strategies and Tools Realign the Pell Bridge ramps using the ideas contained in “Concept 4A2”. Tools – Roadway design standards, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Improve and expand the capacity of Coddington Highway/J. T. Connell Highway. Tools – Roadway design standards Managing Traffic for Safety, Convenience and Reduced Congestion Strategies and Tools Adopt special principles of design to enhance safety. Tools –Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Institute a comprehensive Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and related technologies to manage traffic flows. Tools – Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), 511 Traveler Information System, closed loop intersection signal systems, traffic signal prioritization, camera surveillance, arterial traffic signal systems, fleet management systems, Passenger Information Display Systems (PIDS), parking facility management Implement Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) for Naval Station Newport and possibly for other major employers and/or employment locations. Tools ‐ Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) Adopt special principles of design to enhance safety and create a systematic, access management approach to traffic calming along the entire West Side. Tools – traffic calming tools and techniques Water Transportation Strategies and Tools Support expansion of ferry and water shuttle service along the West Side. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

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Appendix D: Aquidneck Island West Side Master Plan Strategies and Tools

Bicycle Trails and Networks Strategies and Tools Extend new bike lanes as part of roadway improvements where adequate width is available, such as along Coddington Highway. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Evaluate and designate qualifying segments of street and roads for “share the road” bikeways. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Trails, Paths and Sidewalks Strategies and Tools Require construction of sidewalks for any roadway construction or reconstruction (except portions of scenic roads that are poorly situated for pedestrian traffic). Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Blue Trail Strategies and Tools Create and market a Blue Trail of kayak and small boat put‐in locations, shoreline destinations, and facilities along the West Side. Tools – CRMC Public Access designation Rail/Busway Transit Strategies and Tools Support on‐island rail service enhancements by protecting the long‐term capacity and entire alignments of the existing rail corridor from Newport’s Gateway center to the Sakonnet River Bridge. Tools – zoning Plan, design and create remote parking at stations and stops in conjunction with the West Side transit strategy. Tools – Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Transportation Management Associations (TMAs)

2.4

UTILITIES

Water Supply and Services Strategies and Tools Support the establishment of a regular forum, ongoing discussions, and collaboration among the City of Newport, Towns of Middletown and Portsmouth, the Navy, PWFD, and RIEDC regarding water treatment and distribution issues. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum Resolve issues related to the Safe Drinking Water Act, especially the Disinfectants By‐ products Rule. Tools ‐ Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Provide for the transfer, purchase or privatization of Navy utilities and regionally important utility corridors to the extent that it is mutually beneficial.

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Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible Resolve the best approach to provide all necessary water distribution for future development in the Melville area of Portsmouth that is consistent with the Master Plan. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, Public Private Venture (PPV) programs Negotiate and execute a contract between the City of Newport and PWFD that assures adequate quantity and quality of water supply will be available at an equitable fee for future needs in Portsmouth. Tools – Intergovernmental agreements Sewer Systems Strategies and Tools Support the provision of wastewater treatment systems and solutions that are needed to fulfill the economic development goals and land use vision contained in this Master Plan. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible Provide for the transfer, purchase or privatization of Navy utilities and regionally important utility corridors to the extent that it is mutually beneficial. Tools – Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) Utility Forum, Intergovernmental agreements, evaluate and implement PPV if feasible

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APPENDIX E TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL DATA

2006 North End Master Plan

Appendix E: Transportation Technical Data

PELL BRIDGE INTERCHANGE PROJECT Existing Conditions Capacity Analyses This section contains the Synchro and RODEL computer‐based capacity analyses for the study area intersections. These existing condition analyses are from the Pell Bridge Interchange Project and were prepared by VHB, with the exception of the Farewell Street and Van Zandt Avenue intersection analysis which was completed by PB. The analysis output displays the traffic volume and lane geometry inputs and the LOS, delay and projected queuing outputs for each intersection approach.

13: Van Zandt Ave & Farewell Street Newport North End Master Plan

Lane Group EBL EBT Lane Configurations Ideal Flow (vphpl) 1900 1900 Total Lost Time (s) 4.0 4.0 Leading Detector (ft) 50 50 Trailing Detector (ft) 0 0 Turning Speed (mph) 15 Satd. Flow (prot) 0 1796 Flt Permitted 0.881 Satd. Flow (perm) 0 1602 Right Turn on Red Satd. Flow (RTOR) 16 Link Speed (mph) 30 Link Distance (ft) 688 Travel Time (s) 15.6 Volume (vph) 22 50 Peak Hour Factor 0.92 0.92 Lane Group Flow (vph) 0 95 Turn Type Perm Protected Phases 4 Permitted Phases 4 Detector Phases 4 4 Minimum Initial (s) 4.0 4.0 Minimum Split (s) 11.0 11.0 Total Split (s) 15.0 15.0 Total Split (%) 25.0% 25.0% Yellow Time (s) 4.0 4.0 All-Red Time (s) 1.0 1.0 Lead/Lag Lag Lag Lead-Lag Optimize? Yes Yes Recall Mode None None Act Effct Green (s) 9.9 Actuated g/C Ratio 0.18 v/c Ratio 0.31 Control Delay 16.6 Queue Delay 0.0 Total Delay 16.6 LOS B Approach Delay 16.6 Approach LOS B Queue Length 50th (ft) 19 Queue Length 95th (ft) 49 Internal Link Dist (ft) 608 Turn Bay Length (ft) Base Capacity (vph) 354 Starvation Cap Reductn 0 Spillback Cap Reductn 0 Storage Cap Reductn 0 Reduced v/c Ratio 0.27

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

EBR

WBL

WBT

WBR

NBL

NBT

NBR

1900 4.0

1900 4.0 50 0 15 0

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

1900 4.0 50 0 15 0

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

9 0 0 Yes

108 30 713 16.2 53 0.92 194

9 0 0 Yes

99 0.92 0

1846 0.966 0 1787

24 0.92 0 Perm

5 30 738 16.8 626 0.92 742

26 0.92 0 pm+pt 3 8 8 3 8 4.0 4.0 9.0 20.0 0.0 10.0 25.0 0.0% 16.7% 41.7% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 Lead Yes None None 9.9 0.18 0.49 12.7 0.0 12.7 B 12.7 B 21 63 633

2 2 2 2 4.0 4.0 20.0 20.0 0.0 26.0 26.0 0.0% 43.3% 43.3% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 Lag Lag Yes Yes Min Min 29.0 0.56 0.74 20.7 0.0 20.7 C 20.7 C 174 #434 658

619 0 0 0 0.31

999 0 0 0 0.74

Existing Conditions - Seasonal PM Peak MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

16 0.92 0

1711 0.966 0 1664

SBL

SBT

SBR

1900 4.0 50 0 9 15 0 1770 0.169 0 315 Yes

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

1848 1848 7 30 1317 29.9 583 0.92 670

33 0.92 0

141 0.92 153 pm+pt 1 6 6 1 6 4.0 4.0 9.0 20.0 0.0 9.0 35.0 0.0% 15.0% 58.3% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 Lead Yes None Min 35.9 36.6 0.67 0.71 0.44 0.51 8.0 7.0 0.0 0.0 8.0 7.0 A A 7.2 A 13 79 38 202 1237 349 0 0 0 0.44

9 0 0 Yes

33 0.92 0

0.0 0.0%

1304 0 0 0 0.51

Page 1

13: Van Zandt Ave & Farewell Street Newport North End Master Plan

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

Intersection Summary Area Type: Other Cycle Length: 60 Actuated Cycle Length: 51.9 Natural Cycle: 60 Control Type: Actuated-Uncoordinated Maximum v/c Ratio: 0.74 Intersection Signal Delay: 13.6 Intersection LOS: B Intersection Capacity Utilization 90.9% ICU Level of Service E Analysis Period (min) 15 # 95th percentile volume exceeds capacity, queue may be longer. Queue shown is maximum after two cycles. Splits and Phases:

13: Van Zandt Ave & Farewell Street

Existing Conditions - Seasonal PM Peak MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

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Appendix E: Transportation Technical Data

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Trip Generation Data This section contains the detailed trip generation calculation using the Proposed Development Program for the North End Master Plan. Additional data sheets from the ITE Trip Generation Manual and Handbooks provides information regarding the trip generation rates used and the pass‐by trip percentage selected for the trip generation analysis.

North End Master Plan Newport, RI

Proposed Development Program Trip Generation Summary Daily Traffic

Quantity

Land Use

Evening Peak Hour

Enter

Exit

Total

Internal Capture (4.5%)

Pass‐By Trip Reduction New Daily (30%) Trips

Enter

Exit

Total

Internal Capture (10%)

Pass‐By Trip New PM Reduction Peak Hour (30%) Trips

Enter

Exit

Interchange Parcel Shopping Center

250,000

6,160

12,320

555

3,530

8,235

555

595

1,150

115

315

720

350

370

Residential Condos

150

Units

440

880

840

50,000

125

250

235

6,725

13,450

610

3,530

9,310

629

686

1,315

135

315

865

417

448

Office Subtotal US Navy Hospital Parcel Hotel (Boutique)

100

Rooms

365

362

727

n/a

727

n/a

Condominiums (High‐end)

100

Units

209

418

n/a

418

n/a

574

571

1,145

n/a

1,145

100

n/a

100

1,430

2,860

n/a

2,860

103

102

205

n/a

205

103

102

8,729

8,726

17,455

13,315

797

823

1,620

1,170

585

Subtotal Admiral Kalbfus Parcel Recreational Community Cente 125000 Total

2006 North End Master Plan

Appendix E: Transportation Technical Data

2016 BUILD CONDITIONS Capacity Analyses This section contains the Synchro and RODEL computer‐based capacity analyses for each study area intersections. The traffic volumes used in the analysis are based on the existing traffic counts that have been projected using a 1% background growth factor to reflect 2016 conditions. The trips associated with the Proposed Development Program were then distributed throughout the study area according to the assumptions detailed in the master plan document. The analysis of this condition determines the impact that the Proposed Development Program will have on the surrounding roadway network. The analysis output displays the traffic volume and lane geometry inputs and the LOS, delay and projected queuing outputs for each intersection approach.

13: Van Zandt Avenue & Farewell Street Newport North End Master Plan

Lane Group EBL EBT Lane Configurations Ideal Flow (vphpl) 1900 1900 Total Lost Time (s) 4.0 4.0 Leading Detector (ft) 50 50 Trailing Detector (ft) 0 0 Turning Speed (mph) 15 Satd. Flow (prot) 0 1794 Flt Permitted 0.827 Satd. Flow (perm) 0 1502 Right Turn on Red Satd. Flow (RTOR) 15 Link Speed (mph) 30 Link Distance (ft) 688 Travel Time (s) 15.6 Volume (vph) 31 71 Peak Hour Factor 0.92 0.92 Lane Group Flow (vph) 0 136 Turn Type Perm Protected Phases 4 Permitted Phases 4 Detector Phases 4 4 Minimum Initial (s) 4.0 4.0 Minimum Split (s) 11.0 11.0 Total Split (s) 11.0 11.0 Total Split (%) 18.3% 18.3% Yellow Time (s) 4.0 4.0 All-Red Time (s) 1.0 1.0 Lead/Lag Lag Lag Lead-Lag Optimize? Yes Yes Recall Mode None None Act Effct Green (s) 12.2 Actuated g/C Ratio 0.21 v/c Ratio 0.42 Control Delay 20.6 Queue Delay 0.0 Total Delay 20.6 LOS C Approach Delay 20.6 Approach LOS C Queue Length 50th (ft) 35 Queue Length 95th (ft) 76 Internal Link Dist (ft) 608 Turn Bay Length (ft) Base Capacity (vph) 327 Starvation Cap Reductn 0 Spillback Cap Reductn 0 Storage Cap Reductn 0 Reduced v/c Ratio 0.42

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

EBR

WBL

WBT

WBR

NBL

NBT

NBR

1900 4.0

1900 4.0 50 0 15 0

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

1900 4.0 50 0 15 0

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

9 0 0 Yes

23 0.92 0

1711 0.935 0 1611 103 30 713 16.2 75 0.92 276

37 0.92 0 pm+pt 3 8 8 3 8 4.0 4.0 9.0 20.0 0.0 9.0 20.0 0.0% 15.0% 33.3% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 Lead Yes None None 12.2 0.21 0.66 20.3 0.0 20.3 C 20.3 C 51 116 633 495 0 0 0 0.56

2016 Seasonal PM Peak - With Rec. Development Program MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

9 0 0 Yes

142 0.92 0

1848 0.982 0 1818

34 0.92 0 Perm

7 30 738 16.8 950 0.92 1122

2 2 2 2 4.0 4.0 20.0 20.0 0.0 40.0 40.0 0.0% 66.7% 66.7% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0

Min

Min 37.8 0.65 0.95 29.5 0.0 29.5 C 29.5 C 296 #667 658 1187 0 0 0 0.95

SBL

SBT

SBR

1900 4.0 50 0 9 15 0 1770 0.229 0 427 Yes

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0

48 0.92 0

201 0.92 218 Perm

1818 1818 28 30 1711 38.9 253 0.92 327

6 6 6 6 4.0 4.0 20.0 20.0 0.0 40.0 40.0 0.0% 66.7% 66.7% 4.0 4.0 1.0 1.0

Min 37.8 0.65 0.78 34.6 0.0 34.6 C

45 #184

278 0 0 0 0.78

9 0 0 Yes

48 0.92 0

0.0 0.0%

Min 37.8 0.65 0.27 5.3 0.0 5.3 A 17.0 B 36 80 1631 1195 0 0 0 0.27

Page 1

13: Van Zandt Avenue & Farewell Street Newport North End Master Plan

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

Intersection Summary Area Type: Other Cycle Length: 60 Actuated Cycle Length: 58 Natural Cycle: 80 Control Type: Actuated-Uncoordinated Maximum v/c Ratio: 0.95 Intersection Signal Delay: 24.4 Intersection LOS: C Intersection Capacity Utilization 98.1% ICU Level of Service F Analysis Period (min) 15 # 95th percentile volume exceeds capacity, queue may be longer. Queue shown is maximum after two cycles. Splits and Phases:

13: Van Zandt Avenue & Farewell Street

2016 Seasonal PM Peak - With Rec. Development Program MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

Page 2

16: Admiral Kalbfus Road & Halsey Street Extension Newport North End Master Plan

Lane Group EBL EBT EBR Lane Configurations Ideal Flow (vphpl) 1900 1900 1900 Total Lost Time (s) 4.0 4.0 4.0 Leading Detector (ft) 50 50 50 Trailing Detector (ft) 0 0 0 Turning Speed (mph) 15 9 Satd. Flow (prot) 1770 3539 1583 Flt Permitted 0.185 Satd. Flow (perm) 345 3539 1583 Right Turn on Red Yes Satd. Flow (RTOR) 229 Link Speed (mph) 30 Link Distance (ft) 756 Travel Time (s) 17.2 Volume (vph) 79 894 211 Peak Hour Factor 0.92 0.92 0.92 Lane Group Flow (vph) 86 972 229 Turn Type pm+pt pm+ov Protected Phases 5 2 8 Permitted Phases 2 2 Detector Phases 5 2 8 Minimum Initial (s) 4.0 4.0 4.0 Minimum Split (s) 8.0 20.0 20.0 Total Split (s) 9.0 28.0 20.0 Total Split (%) 11.3% 35.0% 25.0% Yellow Time (s) 3.0 3.0 3.0 All-Red Time (s) 1.0 1.0 1.0 Lead/Lag Lead Lag Lead-Lag Optimize? Yes Yes Recall Mode None Min None Act Effct Green (s) 27.9 22.8 36.0 Actuated g/C Ratio 0.38 0.31 0.49 v/c Ratio 0.37 0.88 0.26 Control Delay 17.6 36.5 1.6 Queue Delay 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total Delay 17.6 36.5 1.6 LOS B D A Approach Delay 29.0 Approach LOS C Queue Length 50th (ft) 23 237 0 Queue Length 95th (ft) 49 #363 17 Internal Link Dist (ft) 676 Turn Bay Length (ft) Base Capacity (vph) 230 1148 920 Starvation Cap Reductn 0 0 0 Spillback Cap Reductn 0 0 0 Storage Cap Reductn 0 0 0 Reduced v/c Ratio 0.37 0.85 0.25

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

WBL

WBT

WBR

1900 4.0 50 0 15 1770 0.148 276

1900 4.0 50 0

1900 4.0 50 0 9 1583

3539 3539

30 257 5.8 785 0.92 853

245 0.92 266 pm+pt 1 6 6 1 6 4.0 4.0 8.0 20.0 12.0 31.0 15.0% 38.8% 3.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 Lead Lag Yes Yes None Min 34.0 25.9 0.46 0.35 0.91 0.68 53.1 24.6 0.0 0.0 53.1 24.6 D C 27.2 C 80 186 #233 259 177 293 0 0 0 0.91

1291 0 0 0 0.66

2016 Seasonal PM Peak - With Rec. Development Program MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

NBL

NBT

NBR

SBL

SBT

SBR

1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 1900 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 50 50 50 50 50 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 9 15 9 1681 1725 1583 1681 1722 1583 0.950 0.975 0.950 0.973 1583 1681 1725 1583 1681 1722 1583 Yes Yes Yes 183 59 78 30 30 534 599 12.1 13.6 168 285 96 261 297 87 248 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 183 202 212 284 204 214 270 pm+ov Split pm+ov Split pm+ov 4 8 8 1 4 4 5 6 8 4 4 8 8 1 4 4 5 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 8.0 20.0 20.0 8.0 20.0 20.0 20.0 12.0 20.0 20.0 9.0 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 15.0% 25.0% 25.0% 11.3% 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Lead Lead Yes Yes None None None None None None None 43.0 13.1 13.1 25.4 13.0 13.0 18.1 0.59 0.18 0.18 0.35 0.18 0.18 0.25 0.18 0.67 0.69 0.49 0.68 0.70 0.60 1.7 40.8 41.3 18.8 41.6 42.3 16.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 40.8 41.3 18.8 41.6 42.3 16.2 A D D B D D B 32.0 31.9 C C 0 95 101 83 97 103 44 24 169 176 155 171 178 103 454 519 1026 0 0 0 0.18

356 0 0 0 0.57

365 0 0 0 0.58

585 0 0 0 0.49

355 0 0 0 0.57

364 0 0 0 0.59

450 0 0 0 0.60

Page 3

16: Admiral Kalbfus Road & Halsey Street Extension Newport North End Master Plan

Lanes, Volumes, Timings 11/19/2006

Intersection Summary Area Type: Other Cycle Length: 80 Actuated Cycle Length: 73.4 Natural Cycle: 80 Control Type: Actuated-Uncoordinated Maximum v/c Ratio: 0.91 Intersection Signal Delay: 29.4 Intersection LOS: C Intersection Capacity Utilization 65.5% ICU Level of Service C Analysis Period (min) 15 # 95th percentile volume exceeds capacity, queue may be longer. Queue shown is maximum after two cycles. Splits and Phases:

16: Admiral Kalbfus Road & Halsey Street Extension

2016 Seasonal PM Peak - With Rec. Development Program MPR Parsons Brinckerhoff

Page 4