AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS -- CITY OF WARWICK

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 2 co-sponsors

Warwick may sell 34 Warwick Lake Avenue (Plat 328, Lot 261) by following §45-2-5 procedures and existing record restrictions, despite general disposal limits.

06/26/2026 Effective without Governor's signature

Summary of Bill: SB 3335 (2026) – City of Warwick

Purpose and intent

The bill amends Rhode Island law to authorize the City of Warwick to sell a specific parcel of real estate that would otherwise be restricted by general rules about lands given for specific uses or held in trust.

Goal: enable Warwick to clear title and dispose of the property located at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue.

Key provisions and changes

Amends Section 45-2-6 of the General Laws (Lands given for specific use not subject to disposal).

Current law (subsection a) generally prohibits sale, lease, or conveyance of lands or improvements acquired by gift or devise for the public use, and treats property held as part of a charitable trust as not subject to disposal under § 45-2-5.

Subsection (b) creates a narrow exception for Warwick:

Warwick may sell, convey, or grant the parcel at 34 Warwick Lake Avenue (Plat 328, Lot 261) in fee simple absolute or otherwise.
The sale would be “pursuant to the procedures set forth in § 45-2-5” and subject to all restrictions of record that have already expired under § 34-4-24.

Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who/what is affected

Directly affects the City of Warwick, granting it statutory authority to dispose of a specific real estate parcel.

The parcel affected: 34 Warwick Lake Avenue, Plat 328, Lot 261.

Other parties: potential buyers or transferees of this parcel; title holders and any lienholders/restrictions reflected in the property’s records.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced May 29, 2026.

Referred to the Senate Housing & Municipal Government committee.

As a general matter, the transfer would follow existing procedures in § 45-2-5 and any applicable record restrictions under § 34-4-24.

Take effect upon passage (no retroactivity or delayed effective date).

Practical impact and considerations

Enables Warwick to resolve title issues or clear encumbrances on the specified parcel by allowing a sale or grant in fee simple or other form.

The bill narrows the usual protections that restrict disposal of lands acquired for public or charitable use, applying an exception solely to the named property and maintaining compliance with existing procedural requirements and recorded restrictions.

Potential implications for the city’s land portfolio, capitalization, and any obligations tied to the parcel’s use or restrictions that may have previously limited disposal.

If you’d like, I can provide a quick comparison to the current § 45-2-6 framework or map the procedural steps Warwick would follow under § 45-2-5 for this sale.