Dear Friends & Neighbors,
I hope that this note finds you all safe and well - and staying warm after the many snow storms we've had recently!
I want to acknowledge that these last several weeks have been tumultuous at the federal level, and many things are still uncertain. Many folks in our community have reached out, looking for new ways to connect in the community and also to take action in support of each other. I have included resources and ideas at the end of this email, and will also be discussing this a bit at our upcoming Ward 3 community meeting on February 24th.
As always, there are so many things going on in our great City, so I'll jump right in!
Upcoming Meetings & Events:
Ward 3 Community Meeting: Monday February 24th at 7pm on Zoom:
Our February Ward meeting will take place on Zoom at this link. We will have a chance to discuss several topics, including the Mt. Hope Community Center's proposed small housing development on Camp Street, permanent traffic calming measures on Camp, updates on the North Main Street Task Force, and ways to get engaged in the community. I hope you can join us!
International Women's Day at City Hall: March 7th at 5:30pm - Council Chambers
Councilwoman Harris and I will be emceeing an event to celebrate International Women's Day on March 7th at 5:30pm in the Council Chambers. We'll hear from a panel of inspiring women who represent the intersectionality of women's issues in our City -- including two of Ward 3's finest - Darlene Allen and Karina Wood! We'll also hear a musical performance from a stunning local singer & celebrate our She-Ro Award Winner. Refreshments provided - I hope you can join us!
February 20th, 6pm - Full Council meeting in Council Chambers
The full Council meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 6pm. You can always find our agendas on the Open Meetings Portal. This month's agenda will include a Resolution I am sponsoring to ceremonially rename parts of Camp Street after former Councilman Lopes, who passed in 2019. I will look forward to a celebration honoring Councilman Lopes with his family and neighbors on Camp Street once the weather warms up!
Thursday, February 27th, 5:30pm, City Hall - Special Committee on Environment
The Special Committee will discuss two proposals related to electric vehicles and increased fines for litter - and will also hear a presentation from the Providence Neighborhood Planting Program on the PVD Tree Plan.
Wednesday, March 12th, 5:30pm, City Hall - Special Committee on the Environment
We will hear two presentations. The first includes updates on the implementation of both the Building Energy Reporting and Carbon Neutral Municipal Buildings ordinances. The Council passed these ordinances that I sponsored in 2023 & 2024 - and the Sustainability Department has been making significant progress in implementation.
Second - a year ago, I led the City's Commitment to Vision Zero - policy to eliminate traffic fatalities and major injuries. The inter-agency work group to implement Vision Zero is scheduled to share our draft implementation plan for discussion to the committee. (*This second presentation may be rescheduled to April - stay tuned)
Wednesday, March 19th, 5:30pm, City Hall - North Main Street Task Force regular monthly meeting - agenda not yet set
Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing - February 26th, 5:30pm - Council Chambers
After the successful passage of the Comprehensive Plan at the end of 2024, the Planning Department has been hard at work updating sections of the zoning code to comply with the new vision set forth. The ordinance committee will hear a first round of proposed zoning changes for public comment on February 26th. You can see summary materials for the zone change on the open meetings portal here.
Three things to share:
I am incredibly excited about these updated zoning changes, which will help us relieve some of the strain of the housing crisis by increasing density across the City. There are so many areas of our City and our neighborhoods where triple deckers or small commercial buildings would fit right into the character of the neighborhood - but are currently not allowed. This will help us allow for more building, greater density, additional housing, and hopefully help start to stabilize costs. Zoning isn't the only tool in our box - but it is a necessary one.
Your advocacy worked. After the 54 unit building was proposed at 103 Evergreen, neighbors spoke out loudly and convincingly about the pitfalls current R4 zoning rules. Current R4 zoning had caps on the size of buildings, but not how many units one could fit inside -- which led to the proposal of what were essentially tiny dorms on a single-family lot. Based in part on your thorough advocacy, R4 zoning in the new code will include limits to numbers of units based on lot size and size of the structure - so that we are prioritizing building good, reasonably-sized, respectful homes for our residents in residential zones.
I want to be fully transparent that the proposed code will include support for the proposal to allow for an 12-unit building on Camp Street at Woodbine - which is a project being built by the Mount Hope Community Center. Helen Dukes, their Executive Director, will join our next Community meeting to further discuss this project - which is still in early stages of design. The zoning code will be specific that the exception is for an up to 12 unit building with a substantial amount of workforce and affordable housing. This zoning does NOT open the door for projects like the one we saw proposed at 103 Evergreen - it is specific to the type of project that is being proposed. I stood beside you and very publicly and immediately helped the neighborhood oppose a project that we felt was inappropriate. This new project takes what is now a vacant lot and transforms it into a reasonable number of family-supportive units that we need across our neighborhoods and our city. The project is still in very early stages of design, and the Community Center has always been an excellent partner with the community and soliciting community feedback. I am confident that this project will be positive for our community. You do have the opportunity to discuss this at our community meeting on the 24th and also share public testimony at the Ordinance Hearing on the 26th (or by emailing me any time!).
Things In Progress:
Fiscal Year 2026 Budget & Tax Levy: The Mayor will present his proposed budget to the Council in mid-April. Because of the increased funds required for the Public Schools and the reduction in federal funding, there will likely be a proposal to raise taxes. The RI General Assembly caps the percentage that the City can increase taxes, and you may have seen in the news that the Mayor's State legislative priorities include asking to go above that cap. A resolution has been introduced by a few of my colleagues at Council to endorse that plan, and it has been referred to the Finance Committee, where it will be vetted and discussed - including looking at options to ensure that any potential increases are felt equitably and fairly among residents. As a member of the Finance Committee, I take vetting these proposals incredibly seriously and have been in discussions with residents and tax policy professionals on options.
Leaf Blower Ordinance Updates: As I mentioned in a past newsletter, I introduced an ordinance to phase out the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. I was joined by six of my colleagues - including President Miller - as co-sponsors, and I am grateful for their support. I held a public hearing in the Special Committee on the Environment and Resiliency last week - where we heard testimony from residents and affected businesses about the proposed legislation - I was also glad to see the Administration share both written and verbal testimony in support of this legislation. You can see all the testimony received on the public portal. I am now reviewing all of the feedback and also meeting with members of the public who have asked for further conversation, as well as colleagues who have feedback. I expect to have an amended version ready for the committee to review and hopefully vote on this spring. I especially want to thank Jennifer of Quiet Clean RI for all of the really helpful resources and connections they have shared with me over the last several weeks!
Nathan Bishop Courts: I know many folks are anxiously awaiting the repavement of the courts at Nathan Bishop, and this project is still moving forward. I will share the final designs once they are ready - but feel like they represent a really good compromise between community uses of the space and the needs of the school for gym class and recreation by students. The project should go out to bid in the next few weeks through the Board of Contract and Supply, and we are planning for summertime construction when school is not in session and the courts are not needed for gym class. (There is no ideal time to do construction, I know!). I will definitely keep the community in the loop as we have final designs and specific construction dates to avoid any major disruptions for the community or school!
North Main Street: In case you missed it, the Council wrote a blog post about the progress we are making on the North Main Street Task Force. Check it out here!
Community-Building Resources:
So many in our community are looking for ways to be engaged, in response to all that is going on at the federal level. I am personally horrified to witness not only the destruction of important federal agencies and policies, but to see the rights of my fellow residents become under attack. I started a short list of ways we can engage nationally and locally -- and welcome any additional input and ideas from you all. I can share more resources at our community meeting and in an on-going way in these newsletters.
Join groups taking action locally and nationally. Some organizations with local presence include: Indivisible Rhode Island, Climate Action Rhode Island, the Working Families Party, the Womxn Project, and others.
Call our federal delegation regularly to encourage them to stand up for what Rhode Islanders believe in. The app 5-Calls is really helpful for giving scripts, topics to discuss, and telephone numbers.
Share "Know Your Rights" information with your neighbors, community, and schools. You can find out more and get really handy cards here: https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas
There will be attempts to divide and isolate us: work on building community and supporting your neighbors in all the ways you find most enjoyable right now. This really does matter! Attend/plan your neighborhood block party (resources in next newsletter!), join a kids' play group at the park, attend your local faith organization's meetings. Stay connected.
Want to join a local civically minded group, but not sure where to start? The Ward 3 Democratic Committee is looking for members! I can connect you to their president Sara Dorsch if you're interested. The Summit Neighborhood Association is also looking for new board members! They sponsor all sorts of neighborhood events and gatherings that can't take place without volunteers. Click here to learn more.
This might sound tangential - but double down on supporting locally-owned businesses if you can. Did you know that many of the Hope Street businesses are owned and operated by folks who live within walking distance of their shops - supporting these businesses directly supports our neighbors.
Lock your credit with Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. There are serious concerns about data breaches with financial information. It is important to protect yourself and your finances.
There are a lot of people working very hard to fight back right now. Folks are working around the clock fighting legal battles, figuring out budgets, providing essential services, and more. Send them a thank you note! Example: Did the Attorney General file a suit to protect federal funds you depend on? Thank him! Even if he doesn't see the note - his staff will, and it can go a long way to boost morale during these times.
A lot of organizations providing essential services are losing funds right now. If you have means, you might consider donations to places like the Refugee Dream Center. Many places aren't only looking for monetary donations, but also skills and time.
Gratitude:
As always, I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent you at the City Council. Our City continues to face some real challenges and wrestle with big issues, and I am working on your behalf every day. I like to joke that I almost never wear sleeves - and that's because I don't want to waste any time having to roll them up before getting to work. Please reach out any time with issues big or small - they are all important, and I do my best to reply as quickly as possible and coordinate amongst city services and departments.
You can also find updates from me between newsletters at: https://www.facebook.com/SueAnderBois and @sueanderbois.bsky.social
Let's continue to take care of each other.
With Gratitude,
Councilor Sue AnderBois
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