The Newport City Council voted to adopt Hampton Way as a city street—renaming it in the process—in a move council leaders said is intended to make a nearby Cosby Highway parcel more marketable and enable a planned lot-redraw by developers.

Staff explained that the existing parcel configuration leaves a narrow access arm for the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn to reach Cosby Highway. Adopting Hampton Way as a city street would allow those hotels to front a city street for the required frontage, simplifying a lot-redraw that developers say is necessary for new development on the vacant Cosby Highway parcel.

Council member presenters said Hampton Way is already built to city standards and that the adoption resolves a long-standing omission in records. After a presentation, council moved and adopted Resolution 2025-O9 to bring Hampton Way into the city street system; the motion carried.

The planning commission will handle detailed lot-redraws and any necessary subdivision approvals once the street adoption is complete.