by Council Staff | Dec 4, 2025 | Add Council Logo
At tonight’s City Council meeting, councilors unanimously voted to approve the City’s lease of the WaterFire Arts Center back to WaterFire Providence, and advanced an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project.
“This vote is about protecting the heartbeat of Providence, a cultural event that has become synonymous with the city itself,” Chairwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) shared in a release after the November 5th Finance Committee meeting. “WaterFire is more than a world-renowned art installation, it’s an engine of economic activity, drawing in about $162 million of economic stimulus to Rhode Island annually. This agreement is a smart, forward-looking decision that will pay dividends for Providence residents, businesses, and visitors for years to come.”
Chairwoman Ryan also authored an op-ed published in The Providence Journal detailing the community and financial benefits of investing in WaterFire. Their programming not only brings roughly a million visitors to the city annually, it also supports local artists by offering workforce support and vending opportunities.
Councilors granted first passage to an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project, which authorizes financing for major infrastructure upgrades to Benefit Street, known as one of Providence’s most historic corridors. Benefit Street and its accompanying attractions see 300,000 tourists each year. Nearly 40% of the stretch of sidewalk has been determined to be difficult to traverse, while over 300 feet is considered impassable. The project, if passed for a second time, will repair cracked sidewalks, replace missing bricks, restore tree wells, and ensure ADA accessibility.
Following the final vote tally in the general election for the Ward 2 Council seat, the Council has tentatively scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for Jill Davidson on Wednesday, December 17th, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall.
Due to the New Year’s holiday, the next regularly scheduled council meeting will take place on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
by Council Staff | Dec 4, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Today, December 4th, at 6 p.m., Providence City Council will convene for a full meeting in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall. Press and the public are invited to attend.
After being voted out of the Committee on Finance with a recommendation to pass, councilors will hear the City’s lease of the WaterFire Arts Center back to WaterFire Providence and an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project, which authorizes financing for infrastructure improvements along and adjacent to the historic Benefit Street.
by Council Staff | Nov 20, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Providence, RI – At tonight’s regular City Council meeting, the body unveiled a series of technologies to improve accessibility in the chamber. Six monitors have been installed throughout the room: two on the walls flanking the Council President’s dais, two on rolling carts just inside the banisters, and two mounted in the gallery. The monitors display livestreamed video of the councilor speaking, along with live-captioned transcription. An electronic voting system now records votes, which are then displayed on the monitors in real time.
This modernization is part of a larger effort to respond to community concerns about sound and acoustics in the chamber. There have been considerable improvements in the past year, in addition to the new visuals. Two large rugs have been added for sound dampening, longer microphones now better capture councilors’ remarks when they stand, improved audio connections are available for TV reporters, and a contracted sound evaluation led to new speakers being installed and existing speakers being repositioned.
“Fixing problems that have existed since 1878 is no small task, but this Council doesn’t shy away from hard work,” said Chief of Staff June Rose. “For generations, residents have struggled to fully hear or follow what happens in this chamber. Thanks to this Council’s deep commitment to transparency and accessibility, we’re changing that. Better sound, clearer visuals, and real-time captions make the chamber more welcoming, allowing people to participate more fully in the work of their government.”
In response to concerns regarding the enforcement of the noise ordinance, councilors approved a resolution, introduced by Council President Rachel Miller, establishing a working group to review how ordinances related to nightlife are enforced. The working group’s members will be Council President Miller, Councilor Justin Roias, representatives from city departments, and appointees from the council and the mayor’s administration. Together, the working group will review the city’s current enforcement practices of nightlife regulations and share their findings and recommendations in a written report by April 1, 2026.
“I’m looking forward to bringing together a working group with a broad range of perspectives to review nightlife enforcement practices,” said Council President Rachel Miller. “As the Creative Capital, Providence is home to a vibrant nightlife landscape, with vast cultural and economic contributions to our city. City government can support that vibrancy, while finding the appropriate balance that considers daily quality of life for city residents. Our nightlife environment can be fostered to support economic and quality of life well-being that is greater than the sum of its parts, creating new opportunities for artists and occasions for residents and visitors to connect meaningfully.”
At this point Council no longer had quorum and adjourned the meeting.
by Council Staff | Nov 19, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Tomorrow, November 20 at 6 p.m., Providence City Council will convene for a full meeting in the Council Chamber on the third floor of City Hall. Press and the public are invited to attend.
After being voted out of the Committee on Finance with a recommendation to pass earlier this month, councilors will vote on the City’s lease of the WaterFire Arts Center back to WaterFire Providence and an ordinance supporting the Mile of History project, which authorizes financing to restore sidewalks along and adjacent to Benefit Street.
Councilors will also vote on a resolution, introduced by Council President Rachel Miller, establishing a working group to review how ordinances related to nightlife are enforced and offer recommendations.
At Thursday’s meeting, City Council members will also debut a host of upgrades to the Council Chamber to make meetings more transparent and accessible.
by Council Staff | Nov 6, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Tonight, the Providence City Council unanimously passed proposed changes to the immigration sections of the Community-Police Relations Act and passed a citywide ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers by the year 2033 with a vote of 9-3-1-1.
Councilors passed into law a series of amendments to the immigration section of the Community Police Relations Act (CPRA) that were introduced by Councilor Miguel Sanchez (Ward 6). After extensive research and support from local and national experts, the amendments focus on five key areas: further limiting PPD officers from voluntarily helping federal immigration enforcement; clarifying prohibited collaboration without a signed judicial warrant; establishing protected spaces; limiting collection and disclosure of sensitive personal data; and giving the community the tools they need to hold the city accountable.
“Providence thrives when every resident can live without fear,” said Council President Rachel Miller. “With Donald Trump’s cruel targeting of immigrant communities, that sense of safety feels out of reach for too many of our undocumented neighbors. What we can control, as a city, is how our police interact with federal agents operating outside of the bounds of due process—and with these amendments, we make clear: they will not. Providence Police will not be used as tools in Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda. And if violations occur, the community will have accountability and recourse. These reforms are about safety, dignity, and trust—and I’m grateful to every advocate, councilor, and community member who made them possible.”
With these protections now in place, councilors sent a clear message that the safety of our neighbors is the highest priority. Read more about the changes here, or view the amendments in full here.
In response to environmental and noise concerns, councilors passed into law an ordinance introduced by Councilor Sue AnderBois (Ward 3) that bans the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Providence completely by 2033. Crafted with extensive vetting and stakeholder feedback, this policy reflects a commitment to addressing the polluting emissions from gas-powered leaf blowers improving the safety of residents and landscapers from dangerously loud sound levels, and the needs of small businesses.
“Our neighborhoods deserve a future without toxic gases and excessive noise. This policy is a win for the health and well-being of our environment and our neighbors, while mitigating impacts on small business” said Councilor Sue AnderBois, the ordinance’s lead sponsor and chair of the Special Committee on the Environment and Resiliency. “I am grateful for the thoughtful conversations with landscapers and concerned residents and the Administration who all helped shape this final legislation.”
A seasonal ban will limit use of this equipment by city departments and members of the public between October 1 and December 15, from 2030 through 2032. As of January 1, 2033, all use within the city limits would be permanently prohibited.
After hearing public comment in the Committee on Ordinances, the entertainment ordinance is being referred back to committee for further study.
Other notable items on tonight’s agenda include:
- An ordinance introduced by President Pro Tempore Juan M. Pichardo (Ward 9) mandating that property owners be alerted when deeds are altered in light of scams seen nationally. The item was referred to the HOPE Committee.
- An ordinance amendment, introduced by Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), that updates design standards for new developments guided by the Comprehensive Plan and input from an ad hoc design review committee s referred to the Committee on Ordinances.
- Unanimous passage of a resolution introduced by Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) honoring community leader Eugenio Fernandez for his service to healthcare in Providence.
- A resolution introduced by Councilman Oscar Vargas (Ward 15) requesting improved access to overnight parking passes was referred to the Committee on Public Works.
- A resolution, introduced by Councilwoman Shelley Peterson (Ward 14), requesting a review of curb cuts for city-created accessible street parking was referred to the Committee on Public Works.
