East Providence City Council 6/2/26

Call the meeting to order of June 16, 2026 of the East Providence City Council. Madame Clerk, would you please call the role of the council?

Councilman Fogerty, here.

Councilman Lawson, here.

Council Vice President Rio, here. Councilwoman Soua here. Council President W here. The records show there are five members present. There's a quorum. Thank you. Uh please rise for the pledge.

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for its oney for all.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. If you want to start the reading of the agenda.

Consent calendar for discussion and possible vote. Council journals, regular meeting minutes, May 19th and 2026 and June 2nd, 2026.

Letters, new addresses, 42 East Point Drive, East Providence.

Letters, new addresses as listed.

Make a mo Oh.

Make a motion to accept the consent calendar.

Motion by Councilman Lawson to accept the consent calendar as read, seconded by Councilman Fogerty. All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have. Thank you. Next item.

Cancellation and abatement $7,11760.

Motion to approve.

Motion Councilwoman Souza to approve.

There a second.

Second.

Second by was that Councilman Lawson.

All in favor?

I. Any opposed? The eyes have Madam Cler. Is there no executive session?

Okay. Thank you. Go continue.

Licenses for discussion and possible vote. A non-public hearing special evented one-day entertainment license DJ Ronnie Pereira.

Summer party 187 Waterman Avenue July 11th 2026 5:00 p p.m. to 11 p.m. Special event one day license John Fusk Rhode Island Folk Festival Crescent Park East Proidence August 30th 2026 8 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

New license solicitor for solar, Matthew McGan, Trinity Solar LLC, 25 Bullets Point Avenue, apartment 7A. Paper license, new mobile food truck, Pedro Gutierrez, Anttos and Delicious Camilas.

The applicant's address 21 Lexington Avenue, Cranston, Rhode Island. One day entertainment license block party Mike Mkare hot potato food truck 55 Waterman Avenue East Providence for block party July 5th 8794 of 2026 400 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

New Hawker and Sunday holiday license.

Alex Mutabar.

Thank you. Business name previously sound effects. New name Keystone Novelties Distributors Inc. for 40 Highland Avenue, East Proidence, Rhode Island.

One day entertainment license block party potty readin only. Mike Mkhitam hot potato food truck 555 Waterman Avenue East Providence June 12th 2026 400 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

So this is these are non-public hearings. Items 1 to 7. Is there a motion?

Motion to bundle the licenses as read.

Motion to bundle the seven items as read. Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Councilman Lawson. All in favor? I I. Any opposed?

Is there a motion to approve? Approve.

Motion. Councilwoman Souza to approve.

Second. Councilman Lawson. All in favor?

I.

I. Any opposed?

Can I just make one quick comment?

Yes, sir.

Um, we just approved the folk festival.

I've had a few people that are uh involved with the festivals. There's a lot of concern over parking.

um with the construction started late instead of in the early spring, we got the LOF, we got the folk festival, we got and there's a lot of concern about where people going to park and there's a fear that it may keep people away. So, um we utilize Old Ham with shuttle. Maybe we could reach out to the people that own the Shores Plaza to see if in the back could be utilized

or stuff, but I'm just bringing it up because these were concerns that these folks are having that they would hate to see less attendance because we started construction late. So, I just wanted to bring that to the attention. So, okay.

Next item.

Public hearing. Type of license application for liquor license restaurant. Ryan Rzendes 95 Holdings LLC DBA 1010 95 New Warren Avenue East Providence.

This is a public hearing. Are there comments from the council first?

Yes. Uh Mr. President, under in compliance with Rhode Island General Laws 36-14-6, I hereby requ recused from participation in this discussion on this matter in the official capacity due to my uh ownership of a liquor wholesale company. Thank you.

Okay. So, noted for the record. We'll hang on for a second until you leave.

[clears throat] Have a completely different then.

Is the applicant present for this?

Ryan Rosendes, the applicant present.

Do you have any further? Well, from the clerk. Where's our clerk?

Okay.

Yeah. Public hearing. We'll wait.

There's no other council comment. We'll open it up to the for public comment.

Anyone here wishes to speak for or against or otherwise for this application?

Once again, anyone here present wants to speak for or against or make any comments or hearing? And seeing no interest, I'll close the public hearing.

Make a motion to approve.

Back to the council. Motion to approve by Councilman Lawson, seconded by Councilwoman Souza. All in favor?

I I Any oppose? The eyes have it. Four to zero. One recusal. Thank you.

Uh sheriff, if you could return the councilman now.

Yes. Just did you want to I just while we're waiting for the clerk, there's no communications, I don't believe, if you want to go on to public comment. And the first person is Renee Ignatio.

Okay. Sure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. You can proceed.

Evening. Um, so I have brought this to the school committee already. So I wanted to bring it to you guys. Um, since the school bus stop bombs are your contracts. Um, so I got the data from the police department for one month's worth of tickets and according to them, 28 vehicles passed our school buses in a month. But we only gave out 68 tickets out of 208 for reasons that um different reasons like it I wasn't

driving. It wasn't the uh one reason was that the stop bombs were out and no one was in the bus, which is not I find that very hard to believe. Um so I gave you all the information that I had gotten.

Um why the five tickets were dismissed, two didn't appear, so they were um they have to pay them and five pleaded guilty. My big concern with this is on the second page is some of the math.

We have to get a hundred paid tickets a month in order to not have to pay anything at the end of this fiveyear contract.

So, and whatever we're short, so if we're 300 tickets short, that's $75 per ticket we have to pay to the company.

So, I wanted to bring this to you so that you guys could see where we are like in the first month. I also have what bus numbers got how many tickets um according to the police department the best that they could. Um and then in the back I also gave you um the list of tickets with the with the buses which ones were Rhode Island and which ones were um uh the Massachusetts one and one

Florida plate. But I just want you guys to be aware that if we don't meet that 5,000 cod in the five years, it's going to cost us, right? No, thank you for that. As you know, as I've said before, you know, we're not involved in the daytoday operation of this. We were asked to uh vote on a final contract.

So, we'll keep an eye on that. I did check with the police chief on a couple of these concerns and uh I don't know I think you're aware of this but some people were asking about because the program started late were we going to have to pay the penalty which we are not. It's prrated so it starts from the day that the system was in operation.

Okay.

So that that's a good thing.

That's a good thing. So that that will help. And he did say there were a couple of instances. I'm sure it's kind of a new thing.

Bus or two buses had stopped. There were no no children on the bus that ran into a I think a Cumberland Farms to get a coffee. They've left the arm out. They forgot.

So, you know, it shouldn't happen.

I find that hard to believe because you have to shut your bus down to open and have the doors to open and get off.

But the drivers reported no one was on the bus, you know, so they I I don't know. I wasn't there.

I mean, I'm just saying that's like one of the biggest like no nos at Ocean State or any bus company is to leave your keys on a bus.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Without anybody on.

They're saying that when you shut the bus off, the arms close automatically.

Well, when you shut your bus off, nothing goes on. So, when you open the door, your the stop arm doesn't go out.

And the same thing like if um you go to a railroad crossing, you have to shut your master switch off, which will stop that stop arm from going out. So people because people do pass you when you go to a um a railroad crossing and stuff like that.

Well, it was a rocky start. Hopefully come September it'll be I wanted to bring this up because a lot of people 208 people that's a lot.

Well, you know, and that's the point of this whole thing when you look look beyond the little um rustiness of starting the program. A lot of people are going through buses. I know that's that's the problem we need to fix and focus. Right.

Seeing cars go through my van lights.

Yeah.

Matter of a five minute stop.

Right. So I as as far as I'm concerned, the problem isn't that we didn't need this. The problem is let's let's get it operating correctly.

But I I figured I'd bring it to you now.

It's hopefully everybody hears it and Yep.

smooth sailing and Appreciate it.

Thank you guys.

Thanks for the information.

Appreciate it.

Next person, Frank McMahon.

Yes, sir. Go ahead.

Is that button on? There you go.

Came before you before two years ago dealing with these same problems with the two neighbors 105 and 204 Hopson Avenue.

Yep.

vaguely I don't remember the specifics but you got a lot of problems with your building inspector Jean Savory Edel Alpena chief of police Dennis Medeiros a lieutenant that's helping them at the police department I mean this is ridiculous I've got knocking down I knocked down on my own property from a 62 foot spike fence that they allowed them to put up and it stayed up for five months got knocked

down on November 4th I got a pinched nerve in my back. One week after it was put up, it destroyed my whole fence line. The police department's telling me if I cut the rope, I get who allows something like that? Cuz this guy coaches the mayor's son soccer team.

He gets away with murder. It's crazy.

They lays in my house every day of the week. I have photos right here. Show what I got. Damage to the fence. Nobody seems to want to deal with it. My son's putting everything on a laptop. I got 15,000 videos. to do. City officials, live, everybody inside here. I put my phone on record.

Building inspector literally took me up to the wrong person to file a complaint about him and the complaint was never filed. He allowed a job to happen at 105 Hopsson for two months by eating construction inside the house. Old dumpster in front of the house. He's in front. He's on the phone with somebody.

I have it all on video. Never even got out of the car to shut the job down. No permit was ever pulled. Right after that, they put up a 62 foot spike fence 15 feet above my six foot fence. When the police department came to take a report, they lied about it. Said it was an old fence. I have it on video. The fence was just put up brand new with the

people in 105 burning trash in the fire.

I sent everything to this guy and I went to the governor's office on the 28th. I have an email right here that's supposed to be he's supposed to be investigating.

He don't return phone calls. Neither do they. and they don't return phone calls.

I'm suing Eden Construction. I'm suing the homeowner and I'm going to go after the city next. They slanded my name.

They put some liar by me trying to say I'm a pedophile because I put up cameras.

City council did that. Not to city council zoning. Same people. Ed Pimento, Jean Savory doubles as chief zoning officer.

I mean, this is crazy. Why am I dealing with this four years later?

Well, from from tells me nothing from acts like there's no problem. I don't get it.

Once again, this isn't something that comes to us directly. So, I you mentioned there's some legal stuff going on. I guess that's two years ago, sir.

Right.

Hasn't stopped. It just escalated.

Again, a free pass for May and Bob.

I mean, if you have your attorney contact me. I'll talk to the attorney and I'll get the specifics, but I don't I don't know what to tell you tonight. I mean, I don't I don't know what your specific complaint is.

All of it. I mean, all of what?

Everything that's going on to me. I mean, I got 15,000 want to see your people right now. I'll play it for No, that's all right. There's a What?

What's the name of your Who's your lawyer? Who's your lawyer? Look, Chris, Chris has already contacted you numerous times. Contacted this guy numerous times, mayor's office, governor's office. They apologized up and down at the governor's office with their seat.

What's the What's the address again? The two addresses your your address 117 Hopson Hopson to the left of me is 105 coaches the mayor's son.

Kid across the street is Josh Cruz. He's the the registered sex offender and he's the one who does the construction jobs over there with no permits. He turned his front porch into living space on a window permit. There's not even enough footage. He got like eight feet to the curb to the porch.

Can't do that. The building is spect.

And then he allowed him to do the job next door. I got everything. Like I said, tomorrow my son's putting everything right now on a computer. I set up a tent in front of my house with a big screen like that. I'm gonna let it play for eight hours a day. every day that's going to show everything that goes on. So, somebody does something about this. This is ridiculous.

You said they put up like this a 15t fence.

They put up a spike fence. I'll show you right now.

No, you don't have to show me, but that would have had the get a zoning clearance.

It's against zoning. This is the only paperwork, right? Did they go to the zoning board and get a variance?

The mayor himself sent me to Alpena, gave me gave my number to the Cody, the body guy. My ex-girlfriend lives across from the mayor. I know this guy. You know what I'm saying? Right on Rice A.

He knows who I am. I don't know why he's being the way he is, but he's got problems coming. This whole place does. I'll be honest with you.

So, there was a violation notice issued about the fence of the city.

Yeah. It was put up June. and did anything of this year?

June 6th of last year and nothing's been done since.

I can't say that. I I don't know. So, 3 days after I was injured, we'd have to check what the stat 5 months later to date.

So, it's down now.

Yeah, because I got hurt. That's the only reason they took it down.

But it's down.

Okay.

They gave him a variance to put up a 10-ft fence.

The same people. I had epidural shots on my back two days before for my injury. I got a pinch nerve on my right side from the fall.

Well, I I trust the Mr. Marcelo will look into I think I got Mr. Faz's number. I couldn't make the the the meeting. Yeah.

So, I contested it online by the 22nd. I sent everything to the law department upstairs. Lisa, what's her name?

That's all emails.

That's building official. That's building official. That's That's building official. That's not the law department. Lisa is the zoning.

No, I sent it to them because that's the people that handle the zoning, right? Well, the the attorney has it now. He'll talk to your attorney and they'll get this see what's up.

Well, I'm going to drop a lawsuit against the city.

Well, that's okay.

I'm sorry. And everything they put me through, you know, and I'm going to go on a newsletter. Like I said, by tomorrow, you just can see everything in front of the house. You already had bunch of cops over there, city officials. They know what's going on. This whole building knows what's going on. To be honest with you, I'm like the laughing stock of this place for four years. It's not right.

Then they took me to court like 75 times because I complained about the building inspector.

Okay, we get I get they found back railings on my house.

You can't even see them from the street.

I replaced the railings. They said my portable garage was one foot too close to the fence. I moved it. Everybody's property that bucks me got their sheds and everything right on the fence line.

They made nobody move nothing.

It's crazy what they're doing. This is abuse of power with this place.

How long have you employed the FA law firm? I've hired them since November 4th when I fell.

And we have no communication from that.

They've been calling. Nobody gets a hold of them.

They didn't call the legal department.

They didn't call the legal department.

They called everybody. Yo, whatever legal department number right there.

Let me finish. They told me Lisa, what's your name? And it's a cell phone. It's not even a phone for this place cuz when the cops came yesterday, they told me to stop calling her phone. I didn't. That's the number they gave me.

You said your lawyer's here now?

No, he's not here.

Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, I missed some. I thought you said they were here.

Yeah, he'd be speaking, sir.

Yeah, I was going to ask a question. All right. Well, the solicitor has it because they the governor's office sent it to this guy in the 28th. I have an email right here. I sent her a copy of it. She can show you. Says that they're supposed to be working with him and I've been calling the mayor's office every day and nobody does nothing.

Okay.

Don't call me back. They don't even respond. Tell me he's not even in the building.

I never even met this guy before.

You know, this is crazy. You got a state cop that lives four houses down. He sees what goes on.

All right, I want to move move along. We get the point.

He He doesn't live there. For the record, the state trooper does not live there.

He comes home every day at 4:30.

He does not He does not live there anymore. Thank you for the record.

Okay.

I'll get back to the last four years he was living there, sir.

Okay.

Thanks, uh, Mr. McMahon.

What's going on?

Thank you.

And I'm a witness for 15 Blandon A.

That's another problem you got coming.

Okay, thank you. Next person.

There wasn't no one.

Okay, next item.

Council members, thank you for coming.

Number two, we're going to go past number one and we're going to number two. Crosswalk Safety and Merit Road in Pucket Avenue. Council President Rogers, Councilman Fogerty. Councilman Fogerty and and myself uh based based on um meetings with uh that particular neighborhood which is a dead end culdeac and at the where Merit Road meets um Tucket Avenue. It's very close to the the curve that the Department of

Transportation has redesigned. So cars whip around from the Parkway. They're coming by from uh Bay View heading uh north and they make that corner and right about as they make that corner is a crosswalk where a lot of young families are walking and try to cross the street. So we would just ask um Andre if you could talk with um with the DPW with Dan Borgess and bring this to their attention. And I

know that we're talking about a state road in Pucket Avenue, but it corners a city road. There is a crosswalk there.

We'd like to see it uh repainted because it's faded.

And there's a sign that I believe says crosswalk, which is also kind of faded.

And what I'm suggesting is I I've seen in some areas a a um fluorescent taping that can go around the pole and sometimes even a blinking light that just flashes to let people know it's a crosswalk. Not a heck of a lot more we can do. We certainly can't put a a a light nor do we want one right at the corner. But do you want to add to that?

I would just like to Andrea if you don't mind and we didn't talk to Dan yet or anything. This is just new to us.

And there's others on that main road actually down there near the pro plus.

Someone actually got killed on that street. Ducket Avenue got hit and uh a little closer to the cleaners as we're talking. But I I'm an advocate to look into the what they do have is solar solar powered and they actually blink and I looked it up and I have information and it's you know I don't know the cost factor but they actually it's a blinking letting you know it's crosswalk letting you know there's a

person that's crossing no buttons pushed it's solar operated but at least you can it'll be awareness that's what we're looking for because we have a neighbor and neighbors that just about got hit is why we're here addressing this, right, Councilman? So, correct.

So, that, you know, it's it's it's a concern. I I definitely want to address it because we said we would and if we can look into it for a cheap cost or a cost that, you know, makes sense, I would appreciate it.

So, I just want to if I please, you can come up, Andrew, that's fine.

Um, so the solar powered blinking ones, um, they do exist and Dan should have information on that because probably six years ago when there was a lot of issues on First Street area where the black duck is coming off the uh, bike path, that was an ask to put a blinking light that was motion sensored and solar because people aren't unfortunately stopping to cross. they're just kind of

going right through Warren Avenue um and going to First Street, continuing on to the bike path. So, at the very least as they were approaching, they would be some type of blinking light that would alert people coming down that very busy widened area.

So, I know that they're possible and that Dian should have some information on them because that was an ask for some areas throughout the city that unfortunately we haven't the city hasn't put into play, which I'm a little confused about that too. I don't know if that's going to be part of that bigger plan that we've been consistently talking about with crosswalks and cross lights um and traffic lights throughout

the city that we're trying to fix um in general with our new uh project for uh cycling and and pedestrian walkways.

There is that new study, right, that is some people have um criticized the fact that we're we're having um engineering studies and spending money. Well, they were grants.

We're not spending money and and you need engineers to do this stuff. You can't just have uh anybody willy-nilly going out and painting signs and curbs or you know there's a engineering recommendation and a lot of it's common sense and you know right I think council president the the issue that a lot of for myself I'm going to speak for myself but I think it comes from the public also is we're looking

into these things we know that there's a need we have these studies or consultants that come out but where's the imple implementation we're not we're not hitting the implementation piece That is really the crucial part. We know what needs to be done. We we need to be better as a city of implementing the things that we know need to be done when it comes to safety.

Well, some of it has been done like the maybe not everyone agreed with it, but the bike path stuff that was done in Riverside, the latest plan that I'm talking about, the six corners thing hasn't even started yet. So, we we'll get those recommendations in soon. But you're right. When we get recommendations, we don't want them to collect dust on the counter. You know, they we need

to get them done. But before you start, Andre, uh, council vice want to I think the traveling around the state, the blinking lights do those solo work good. But in the meantime, we have done some in my ward as far as like writer signs and where the cross works are and it's definitely helped the situation in those crosswalks, right? You know, right away big signs. So, right, I'm more, you know, perfection's only a

word in the dictionary. Everybody thinks it's everybody's perfect all the time, but it's a work in pro progress. So if we we continue to get better, we get better. But you know, it's good that, you know, uh everybody coming up with ideas and I thank you two gentlemen for that and everything. But uh I've seen where we've gone in the last four years and we've definitely have, you know,

moved things for public safety in the right direction and hopefully we can continue to do that. Thank you.

Yes. And did can you add Did you want to add to this?

Oh, yeah. I just wanted to um thank you Councilman Fogerty and Council President for bringing this to our attention.

Pucket A is a state road. Um I'm going to talk to the DPW director about submitting a request uh to review that crosswalk to the state traffic commission and uh also look into other ways where we can enhance safety in the area. and uh for C council Souza, if you send me the exact crosswalks that you're referring to, we can take a look at those as well.

Thank you.

Very good. Thank you all. Next item.

Public hearing ordinance for second and or final passes for discussion and possible vote. One, ordinance of the council of the city of East Providence appropriating 484 $482,545 city hall exterior window replacement project introduced by council president Rogers.

This is a request from administration to uh continue with infrastructure repairs in public places. and their original windows in in this building have have been um reported to to be very inefficient especially uh uh winter time and actually summer also because um if air conditioning isn't being efficiently used. So, there's capital um funding available and that's uh I I've been uh

visiting with some some family that has been ill this week. I haven't had a chance to read through it directly, but I do um remember the funding was there.

I don't know if you want to add this was un unallocated capital. It was advertised. That's why it's first and final. So, it's unallocated capital from the the capital budget.

Right. I forgot to say I had been advertised and it's unallocated. Um and again something that needs needs to be done when people talk about are we taking care of infrastructure you know little by little we're we're getting at it.

So this um is down as a public hearing council comments or any comments from anyone that is here tonight physically or or against or otherwise?

Council president. Yes.

This is here as a resolution correct to enter into that.

No no sir.

So there's an ordinance to appropriate the capital money. That's how we have to appropriate money. There was a resolution uh to award the contract.

This was the low bidder or the recommended bidder. Unfortunately, there was a mishap. So, the resolution, it's not on um for approval tonight. We're going to have to um either have a special meeting or figure out how we're going to get that done, but it's it's on there twice and it should not have been on there twice. It's on there um the resolution was it was even though you have the resolution, your packet,

it wasn't it wasn't posted on the Secretary of State's website.

So, we can't do that. So that's where we are.

Okay. So we're only doing we're only allocating through the ordinance the funds.

Allocating the funds. Correct. But not awarding the contract.

Not awarding the contract. Correct.

Right. And we'll we'll have that will be the next phase. And we've gone this far if we have to wait for another meeting.

We'll award the contract. And yes, council.

Make a motion to approve pending the public hearing.

Second.

Motion to approve by Councilman Lawson.

Pending. Uh any other comments in the public portion of the hearing? seconded by Councilman Fogerty. So, one final time, anyone here that wishes to speak on this?

If not, we'll close the public hearing.

What is your pleasure? All in favor?

I I. Any opposed? The eyes have it. Thank you. Next item.

New business. Mayor Communications, Director of Policy and Constituent Services, Andre Herrera.

Yes, Sarah. You have the welcome.

Good evening, counselors.

Mayor communications.

Starting off with appointments and reappointments requiring council confirmation. We have none.

Second, appointments and reappointments not requiring council confirmation. We have none. And item three, items for announcement and discussion. We have a proclamation honoring executive legal assistant Robert Robin Lefrey on her retirement after 41 years of dedicated service to the city of East Providence.

Thank you. I I want to add that um the retirement of Mr. Lefabe is definitely going to be a hole to fill. I'll even go as far as saying, Mike, what are you going to do?

But seriously, she was a very key asset in the legal department for decades. Um, you wouldn't know it because she is a young person, but um, she has always given us the straight legal positions and opinions that we need and I've never heard her make a commentary of any kind other than just getting the business done. So, um I wish her I know you all do wish her the very best and

welldeserved retirement. Did you want to add anything? Sure. Um well, your comments are well received. Um Robin uh was has been a great asset to the legal department long before I got there. Her institutional knowledge is second to none. I could always ask her if there's an issue the council member asked me or an issue that came up within the city.

Hey, did we ever do that before or do we have a file on that? And sure enough, she would go down to the basement and find the file and bring it up. So, um she will be missed. She's certainly deserved uh to enjoy, excuse me, her retirement. It's been a week. Um I promised myself that I wouldn't call her if I needed her and um we have not called her yet. On her way out, she did

spend some time training Maria and um and they've been working together for at least the last eight or 10 years. So, I'm confident we're going to be able to move forward, but um I will miss her and um hopefully she'll come back and visit us. But uh it's not a great loss. It's it's also a great loss to myself, but also to the city. And uh good luck. Uh very dedicated worker.

Good luck trying to call her. I saw her the other day in the phone store. She was changing her number. So next item.

That's all for mayor communications.

Thank you.

Thank you, Andre.

Introduction of ordinances for discussion and possible vote. An ordinance in amendment of chapter 16 taxation revised ordinances of the city of East Providence, Rhode Island 1988 as amended entitled article 5 tax stabilization for qualified businesses is hereby amended by adding the following. October I mean article five tax stabilization for qualified businesses and accessory dwelling units ADU.

Thank you. I think this is the council vice president's.

Yes, this is mine. I don't know why my name's not on here, but uh anyways, it is mine, Mr. President. Um when spent a lot of time in California obviously with my business and heard about small houses, ADUs again things seem to be more they they seem to turn more or get get started a lot of times on the West Coast, good or bad. But and then during my campaign, I even

talked about tiny houses and small houses. And people looked at me and thought I was talking about Bobby's Playhouse. Thought I was talking about real houses because I knew there was a housing situation. Housing problem coming led by co and major corporations and major corporations buying a lot of houses, properties and becoming an issue a social issue for this country as well as this state.

I am uh so I've done a lot of research on this and I like many of you also understand that I like to keep as much green as I'd like to keep all green as possible but in that vein as well we can't live in 1980 anymore and there's ways of maintaining the character of neighborhoods and when We passed the ADU plan almost a year ago. I think it was September of

2025 where we took down the minimum requirement for property down to 20 uh 5,000 square feet.

What else can happen? and reading what goes on in counties and cities throughout the country. There's all sorts of, you know, don't have to go to zoning and different things like that. And we already know there's, you know, issues that the state has done and we've and we've all talked about it in uh, you know, in little conversations and even as a whole in this body.

What population do we need to help? We need to help the over, you know, and again being in sales marketing and I look at what's our target audience.

It's the over 55 and it's also some firsttime homeowners.

We want to maintain townies living in East Providence. We want to as the phrase I didn't I didn't term it on this council but townies take care of townies and this is a way of us townies taking care of townies. So it's a gradual stabilization. It's only for if you uh if you have the homestead act if you sell the house it it goes away.

But if we had to maintain the livelihood and the structure of the city and and the heritage, we need to take care of our over 55 population. We've all talked about that before. And this is also an uh an area where if you have a house, a young couple buys it for 300,000 and maybe they could afford a $400,000 house. This is a way also if they buy the house and they can put a ADU on

there that might be valued at $100,000 and this would help them in the in the long run to get going. If you look at the price of small houses, tiny houses, prefabbed and everything, this is a minimal investment in the long-term population pro housing problem I should say in this city. And this is also hopefully a way of us not having to cut down as many trees. So that is what I

have uh on there. I also have one amendment that was not on there that needed to be added and it's and I can pass it out to everybody, but it's if the property subject to stabilization schedule under 16-73 is sold, the stabilization shall not transfer the subsequent owner and the ADU will be assessed at the full value of the date of the sale. And that's the amendment to it. And again the

stabilization aspect of this uh ordinance is only for the part of you know of the ADU. It's it has no stabilization on the present property.

So I'd like to move.

Okay.

So what what you're suggesting is person has a a house that's say uh for argument's sake is um valued at $300,000 they want to and they legally can put an ADU on their property. So rather than raising their taxes right away to a new value, this isn't giving anybody a cut. It's not it's not taking revenue away from the city.

It's it's allowing a person to get the ADU built and it's it's a stabilization of what would be a new tax rate. You know, maybe the house would now be worth 390 or 400. Um which would make it almost defeat the purpose of trying to so so you're not paying taxes on that portion on the ADU portion portion of it. and and then it's a gradual till you're up to 100%.

But you will eventually you will get to 100%.

So can I just Yes.

Let me just clarify this a little bit.

So yes, I think everything you said is correct. If you have a house and you build an ADU, let's use numbers. Let's say the house is valued at $300,000 and you convert a garage to an ADU. because of the conversion of the garage to an ADU.

Let's say that the uh value of the house, the total property increases by $50,000. Excuse [clears throat] me, I'm making up that number.

Yep.

Um you have to take out a permit, do all that good stuff. Within 90 days of that application, excuse me, with with 90 days of getting the permit or occupying it, you can apply to the assessor's office to uh stabilize your tax rates.

In other words, you would not pay taxes on the first year on that $50,000.

The the extra the extra value of that house would be 100% taxfree. The second year you would pay 80% of the value of the house under 50 which would be $4,000 I guess. Third year 60% four years 40% five year 20% in the f of five years you would pay the full tax. So that it would it's a way to gradually allow the ADUs but not have the tax the homeowner pay

the extra assessment on that for that fiveyear period. So that using that example the 300 if it happened to be revalued the next year at 340 you do pay the extra tax on that on on the house on the house right not the ADU so you might pay more taxes on the house portion not the ADU for a while we do evaluations every three years right so if the property value on the main

house goes up it goes up we're paying the taxes but this is only ex it doesn't exempt it just defers the assessment on the ADU for a period of five years. So again, the first year of the ADU, again, if it went up $50,000, there would your assessment would be at $300,000. On the second year, if if the ADU was valued at um $50,000, your house would you'd pay taxes on 80% of the $50,000 plus

whatever you're paying on the house. And it's gradual. And it and if the amendment um Say that again.

It's the other way around. The first year you don't pay any. The second year you pay 20%. Then I'm sorry, 20%. I'm sorry.

You're saying it backwards, but the percent exempt from tax would be 80%. Correct. You're paying on the 20%.

I'm sorry. Yes, you're right. I'm saying it backwards. So, correct. And until you get five years, you're paying um you're paying 80% of the value after after five years. And then after five years, it's you're paying the full the full B.

with your thing at 50,000 an additional $50,000 at year two you'll be you'd be paying taxes on $10,000 correct maybe 20% of um the correct so until you get to zero which is after five years if during that time uh it has to be first of all residential property unoccupied and if during that time you sell the property um you don't you don't you lose the exemption you lose the benefit of the stabiliz ization.

So, it should be an incentive for people to put in ADUs.

That's and provide more housing.

My theory and my goal.

And there's a and there's an application process. It's not automatic. You have to apply. The assessor has to be notified.

They have to submit the plan. So, there's a process that we're not changing any ADU rules. No.

Any kind. Okay.

We're we're encouraging people to be able to stay in their home.

And we've all talked about this and and then at the appropriate time you're going to offer this amendment. Correct.

I I read it. So I guess I didn't read it.

You need you need to just offer the amendment.

Okay. All right.

I was going to ask do we have is that affect the advertising? No, he can just No, because we're first passage. So we this will be part of the uh advertisement.

So you need me to read that again?

No, you could just add So amendment to add Yeah, I can offer it and add it to this uh to this ordinance.

Yes. And I move passage of this of the amendment.

The amendment.

Second.

Okay. So, the motion on the amendment by Vice President Regal, seconded by Councilwoman Soua. Um, and this is just on the amendment, right? And the amendment just clearly says if you're if you qualify the if you qualify for the tax stabilization in the ADU during that 5-year period and you sell the property, you lose the you you lose the uh exemption, you lose the benefit of the tax stabilization.

Discussion on the amendment.

All in favor?

I. Any opposed?

One nay. So it passes four to the amendment on the amendment.

And I need to pass the uh as amended.

Make motion to move the ordinance as amended.

As amended.

Motion by council.

The amendment took care of the amendment but as amended.

Yeah. Motion now is to pass the ordinance. Um as amended.

First passage.

First for first passage.

Second. second by Councilwoman Souza.

Discussion on this.

So, I just want to say um I think it's for anybody who has any thoughts um in the public about why would we be doing something like this. I think two things come from this. One, the city has historically given tax stabilizations to developers or uh entities that come into the city and to help them grow our uh economic base and um mostly most of the time the city does the council does uh

give that. I know there have been some occasions where we have not um granted a tax stabilization um in the past, but for the majority uh of the the applicants who come before the council, we do. um in an effort to help um with financing of their projects because we understand that they are costly. Um in this aspect, I think it helps the resident, right? So, if you're a resident in the city, whether you're

repairing a basement and creating an ADU as an in-law or you have enough space on your property to put a structure up or you're converting a standing structure, um it's it's a way to help somebody who's a resident in the city. And I think, you know, the the city, the residents in the city want ways that we can help them more in any way possible, right? And I think this is a a way of

being able to do that. Um, in the end is it cost money, right? Your property value is going to go higher. You're going to pay more taxes, but you are also potentially going to have revenue unless it's something obviously that you're doing for a loved one. um in in which case then you're just paying more, but you're getting that extra benefit of having housing for a loved one or being

able to provide that to someone. So, I I think it's a win for a lot of residents in the city um to be able to have some type of relief because construction is very expensive. Um and building this uh building an ADU or remodeling a structure that you currently have is not going to be something that's cheap to begin with. So, you do have to get through the build process. Um, so you do

have to have an occupancy um certificate issued before you're even able to apply for this tax stabilization. Um, so it's not something that somebody's just going to get right away. So, um, I think it does have some great benefits to those who can afford to do it um or are thinking about potentially doing it.

Thank you for Thank you for agreeing with my ideas.

Well, it's it's a practical smart idea and and just so I there is the current ordinances does allow an tax stabilization for certain home improvements already. It's not not just for businesses there. I think if I think there's de I looked at the ordinance where we put this in there. So there is a tax stabilization where you make home improvements that certain home improvements are would be exempt from

the increase in assessment but this makes it specific to the ADU.

Yeah, I I think councilwoman makes a good point. This is a specific uh assist for homeowners and and local people. All right. Hearing no other discussion. Uh we had the motion in second. All in favor?

I. Any opposed?

Nay.

And it passes uh 4 to one. Thank you all for discussion. Next item.

Number two is a duplicate. So the next item would be adjournment. Motion to adjurnn.

Motion to adjurnn by Councilwoman Soua.

Seconded by Councilman Fogerty. All in favor? I. Any opposed? The eyes have it.

Thank you all.