by Billy Kepner | Dec 3, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) announced today that she will be issuing several pieces of legislation around nightlife entertainment and establishments.
“Two months ago, I asked members of my policy team to convene with representatives from the Board of Licenses, the Solicitor’s office, the Department of Planning, the Police Department, and leaders from the nightlife community to help produce a comprehensive set of strategies to preserve public safety and the enjoyment of our City’s nighttime businesses,” stated City Council President Sabina Matos. “Every summer, we read the headlines about nightclub-related acts of violence claiming young people’s lives and disrupting the peace of the neighborhoods they do business in. After a thorough assessment of what is and isn’t being done by the city in our regulation of nightlife establishments, I am proposing a comprehensive set of ordinances and resolutions that will set new and clear expectations for nightlife establishments, curb violence, and promote tranquility in the neighborhoods our children sleep in.”
The first proposed ordinance is one that prohibits the issuance of any new 2:00 AM liquor licenses in C-1, C-2, and C-3 zones. These specific zones are commercial corridors that run adjacent to residential neighborhoods (Atwells Avenue, Broad Street, Chalkstone Avenue, etc.) This will accomplish several things:
- It will stop new 2 AM nightlife establishments from setting up shop next door to predominantly residential neighborhoods.
- It will spur the concentration of 2 AM nightlife establishments in downtown and other primarily non-residential locations, creating a local destination which is also easier to police and keep safe.
- Any new 1 AM nightlife establishments in C zones would allow patrons the opportunity to visit nearby 2 AM food establishments; supporting these food businesses and allowing patrons an opportunity to sober up. Currently, businesses like food trucks close at the same time patrons are let out.
- Any new 1 AM nightlife establishments in C zones will let out sooner than their 2 AM counterparts, effectively staggering when patrons exit night clubs and bars. This dissuades the mass exodus and massive crowds which often lead to confrontations.
The second proposed ordinance will require B-Class businesses to have video surveillance both indoors and outdoors at entrances and exits. People behave differently when they are being monitored. Often times, cameras preempt most incidents of violence before they begin. This measure will also help public safety officials in their investigations of crimes. Witnesses can be uncooperative when they’ve consumed too much alcohol. Video surveillance is an important missing piece in our nightlife public safety approach.
The third ordinance will create a codified schedule of penalties for violators, and will further define what a “nightclub” is, based upon the definition in the Zoning Ordinance. Currently, there is no clear codified definition of what a nightclub is, and several establishments create a nightclub environment without abiding by the rules that the N-license imposes. This will ensure that businesses and managers are provided clarity and predictability in how they operate, and when violations occur what they will expect to see regarding fines.
The five violations that are punitively codified in the third ordinance are as follows:
- Entertainment without a license
- Prohibited bottle service
- Enforcement of operating hours and bar service
- Underage drinking and sales
- Smoking in public places
These codified fines will also provide the State’s Department of Business Regulations (DBR) a progressive guideline to refer to if and when a Providence business seeks to appeal.
In addition to these ordinances, President Matos is introducing a series of resolutions regarding administrative changes at the Board of Licenses.
City Amendment Resolutions
- The first resolution would require that any Class-B license application be cleared by zoning before their application is finalized. This is important because in the current process, an applicant can finish their application and later find out they are prohibited by zoning to operate in that corridor.
- The second and final resolution will be to give licensing officers and zoning enforcement cross-training on a universal platform that collects a given establishment’s licenses, its permitted zoning uses, past violations, and is available to officers and enforcement on an app that is easily downloaded to mobile devices.
President Matos continued, “I want to thank the Board of Licenses Chairman, Dylan Conley, Heather Kilkenny the Administrator of the Board of Licenses, the Board members, Mario Martone, Esq. from the Solicitor’s office, Robert Azar from the Planning Department, Sergeant David Tejada of the Providence Police Department and all the nightlife business owners – especially Anthony Santurri – that offered their support, guidance, and insight on how we can support responsible ownership of nightlife establishments while also promoting public safety. I believe that these measures establish a new tone moving forward and will also change the negative narrative given to the nightlife culture in our city.”
The ordinances and resolutions will be referred to committee where they will be vetted and allow for public comment and discourse.
by Billy Kepner | Nov 25, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
With the help of the City’s Internal Auditor, Councilman Salvatore discovered that a change to the Code of Ordinances in 2011 was never implemented by the Department of Public Works
Councilman David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) announced that the results of an audit he requested have revealed almost $31,000 in erroneous overcharges to city residents.
In October, Salvatore introduced an amendment to the Code of Ordinances that would help homeowners and tenants be better informed about their responsibilities when it comes to waste and recycle barrel offenses. Concurrently, he requested that the City’s Internal Auditor perform an audit on all fines issued during the period of July 28, 2011 through September 17, 2019.
“I was very surprised to discover such a significant number of erroneous fines imposed on city residents,” stated Councilman David A. Salvatore. “I want to thank the City’s Internal Auditor for her help and hard work on this project. These fines do add up for a homeowner struggling to make ends meet. An unexpected $50 fine is a big expense for some households, and it is not acceptable for the City to charge folks fines that are inaccurate.”
The report compiled by the Internal Auditor can be read on the City Council Website. During the time frame of the audit, 940 violations are eligible for a refund totaling $30,625.00. The report outlines the background and recommendations to the Department of Public Works (DPW), as well as DPW’s responses.
In summary, the Internal Auditor has made the following recommendations to DPW:
- Comply with the City Ordinances.
- Create a separate violation code for late removal of trash receptacles on violation tickets issued to residents.
- Create a database of tickets from issuance to final outcome.
- Create policies and procedures for issuance to final outcome.
- Create routes to physically monitor each neighborhood the day before and after garbage pickup.
- Review each violation to confirm that coding and dates are correct.
- Upon completion, reimburse all late violations, $25, $50, or $75 based on the penalties incurred due to lateness.
- Confirm violations from September 17, 2019 to present have charged correctly.
- Review vendor reports on a monthly basis for accuracy of coding.
- Educate the public on the City’s environmental ordinance.
The amendment to the Code of Ordinances proposed by Councilman Salvatore would change the fine structure as it relates to trash and recycle barrels being left out past the designated curfew. The first offense will be a warning, and all subsequent offenses will be tiered beginning with $25 for the second offense (first after warning), $50 for the third, and $100 for all subsequent fines – not to exceed $1,500.00 per calendar year. If a homeowner or tenant is fined four times or more, they will be considered a chronic violator and will be subject to appear before the Providence Municipal Court.
This Ordinance has been referred to the Committee on Ordinances; Councilman Salvatore hopes that the Committee will review this at their earliest convenience, particularly since this is causing such a burden on many of our residents.
Councilman Salvatore continued, “For too long, residents have not had a clear understanding of their responsibilities when it comes to the storage of their trash and recycle barrels. The fines to date have clearly not been consistent with the ordinance, and the amendment to the code will address that issue. This amendment will also educate residents who might not know the statute. In light of the Internal Auditor’s findings it is imperative that the City and the Committee on Ordinance react swiftly to right this egregious wrong. Further, it is important that each and every resident have clear and predictable knowledge of the workings of our City. Implementing a warning phase will help residents better understand their responsibilities for the storage of their trash and recycle bins.”
Councilman Salvatore and the Internal Auditor will work with the City’s Administration and possibly the General Treasurers Unclaimed Property Division to refund homeowners in the coming weeks.
by Billy Kepner | Nov 7, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-6
At tonight’s City Council meeting council leaders introduced a series of amendments to Chapters 14 and 21 of the Code of Ordinances. Together, these changes will create baseline standards for quality, safety, and workforce development in the construction industry.
Amendments to Chapter 14, introduced by Council President Matos, Councilor Pro Temp Correia, and Councilors Miller and Salvatore create a citywide construction contractor registration process that includes measures to prevent the misclassification of workers as temporary employees.
“Regulating contractors with a registration process protects the physical and economic health of our city residents,” stated Councilor Rachel M. Miller. “By and large, I believe contractors follow the law, but, in an industry that is notoriously hard to regulate, any company that is cutting corners affects the industry and affects the health and well-being of our community. As a community organizer in Providence, I saw three big problems in the industry: workers who had to fight for for their claim to unpaid wages, also known as wage theft; workers who were injured on the job only to find that their employer was illegally classifying their employment as 1099 (or contract work) leaving them with no recourse for workers’ compensation; and workers who worked for a contractor who disregarded health and safety training, not even requiring workers complete the most basic ten hour safety class, OSHA 10.”
The amendments to Chapter 14 require that a contractor who does over $100,000 in construction business per year register with the City’s Board of Licenses every two years. In order to successfully register, an applicant must not have recent wage and hour or health and safety violations. It also must be up to date on its taxes. The $100 fee collected every two years will support enforcement and monitoring of this new statute.
Amendments to Chapter 21, introduced by Council President Matos and Council Pro Tempore Correia strengthen provisions for workforce development through apprenticeship and set a wage standard for work completed with the support of Tax Stabilization Agreements.
“When we put public dollars to work in the form of tax stabilization agreements, we make a commitment to both the private developer and to the residents of the city,” said Council President Sabina Matos. “This is an opportunity to continue to strengthen our TSA policy to ensure that we are getting a return on that investment – in the form of new development and revitalized buildings and also an investment in our workforce. For many years, development tax treaties have required 100% apprenticeship utilization. Apprenticeship is the pathway that turns a one time job into a lifetime career. But, although the ordinance required it, there were still loopholes that allowed that provision to be disregarded. Tonight we’re introducing changes that strengthen apprenticeship requirements. Additionally, we’re setting a standard for competitive wages that will lift up the working women and men in the industry. The City Council believes that there’s always a possibility for a positive ripple effect in our neighborhoods when we pass a TSA, but with these changes, that possibility becomes a promise.”
by Billy Kepner | Nov 7, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-8
There has been much discussion about the fate of the statue of Christopher Columbus that resides in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence. Tonight I will be introducing a resolution requesting that no decision be made regarding the statue without a robust and full engagement with the residents of the Elmwood neighborhood.
The statue is significant to the history of the community, not because of who the statue honors, but for the reason where it stands. It was created by master sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty and was made specifically for Providence’s Gorham Manufacturing Company. It was originally cast in silver as a way to highlight the company’s expertise and was presented for display at the 1892 Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
The bronze-cast replica was created in 1893 and dedicated in November of the same year. It was a gift to the City of Providence from the Elmwood Association, a civic group comprised of residents of the neighborhood near the Gorham Plant. The statue is located in Columbus Square which is located in the heart of Elmwood and is a steadfast reminder of Elmwood’s past and prosperity. Columbus Square has also been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for nearly two decades.
The resolution that I will be introducing is only to ensure that any discussion that may or may not occur around – the location or proposed relocation – of this statue includes the Elmwood Community and its residents.
James E. Taylor
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 8
by Billy Kepner | Nov 7, 2019 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-6
Tonight Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) will be introducing an amendment to the Code of Ordinances that would set-up a fund specifically for the support of Providence non-profit youth sports programs. The amendment is being co-sponsored by Council President Pro-Tempore Michael Correia.
The fund is being set-up as a way to deter panhandling or soliciting by these organizations. The fund will require that any youth sports group which receives funding from the program will be prohibited from panhandling or soliciting on or around any roadway or where traffic is present.
“As I travel around the City I often see young athletes ‘canning’ at some of our City’s busiest intersections,” stated Council President Sabina Matos. “As a mother that gives me great concern that these young people are risking their personal safety to get the funds they need to support their programs, and I asked my team to look at how we can mitigate ‘canning’ and help provide the support that these groups might need.”
The Youth Sports Fund & Grant Program will be held in a separate permanent fund of the city and will be held in trust by the City Treasurer. The fund will be administered by the City’s Recreational Advisory Board who will grant funding to Providence-based local non-profit youth sports organizations. The fund will be seeded with $40K annually through an appropriation from the City’s budget. The fund will support funding for equipment, costs associated with travel to compete, and to participate in sports-related activities.
City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia added, “I am thrilled that we have found a way to support our local non-profit youth sports programs that do so much for our community and our young people. This fund will provide access to those groups that need it, and is set-up to ensure that we are supporting as many of our youth sports organizations as we possibly can.
Once the amendment is passed and the fund is created the City Treasurer will work with the Recreational Advisory Board to help implement a grant submission application.
