FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2021
City of Kingston
to Host Series of Public Meetings for
Kingston Forward City-wide
Rezoning Initiative
KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is
pleased to announce that the City of Kingston will host several upcoming public
events for the Kingston Forward city-wide rezoning initiative. The
purpose of the meetings is to formulate a community vision for future land
development and preservation. Input from public meetings will guide updates to
the City’s existing zoning code.
The City of
Kingston has contracted with the planning firm Dover, Kohl & Partners to shepherd the Kingston Forward process, and to
engage the community in deciding the desired form and character for future
buildings and streets throughout the City. Updated zoning code regulations can
support community goals such as historic preservation, economic development,
increased housing options, resilient neighborhoods, the design of streets and
public spaces, and much more.
Multiple
opportunities for community participation will be held November 4-10, 2021,
during a series of events called a “charrette.” During the charrette, City
staff and consultants will work with the community to identify points of
consensus and develop a long-range vision.
“The City of
Kingston has a very outdated, confusing and often inequitable zoning code. We
are embarking on a rezoning initiative which will preserve our historic assets,
help us plan for the future, and make sure we are creating a zoning code that
lifts all of our residents,” said Mayor Noble. “In order for the code updates
to reflect a shared community vision, public participation is vital. I highly
encourage community members to attend the week’s presentations and hands-on
input sessions, and visit the open design studio where each day’s progress will
be displayed. Community feedback will be incorporated at every step of the
planning process.”
The
week-long schedule of events includes a kick-off meeting and a hands-on input
session. Participants may attend one or both of the
hands-on input sessions to share their ideas.
Kingston
Forward: City-wide Rezoning Initiative Kick-off Meeting
Thursday,
November 4 at 6:00pm
Virtual
via Zoom. Register here.
Kingston
Forward: City-wide Rezoning Initiative In-person Input Session
Friday,
November 5 at 6:00pm
In-person at City
Hall, Council Chambers, 420 Broadway
Kingston
Forward: City-wide Rezoning Initiative Charrette Week
November
6 – 9, 2021
There
will be several opportunities to see the work underway and provide input,
including walking tours, stakeholder meetings, and open studio hours. Events
and locations will be listed at EngageKingston.com
Kingston
Forward: City-wide Rezoning Initiative Work-in-Progress Presentation
November
10, 6:00pm
In-person at
Kingston High School auditorium
A
summary of the charrette week and ideas so far will be presented for feedback.
Following
the charrette events, the Dover-Kohl team will synthesize the input received and
create a draft Form-Based Code. A Form-Based
Code is a type of zoning intended to encourage, preserve and restore
high-quality public spaces, with a primary emphasis on the physical form of the
built environment. The code prescribes key physical details that define
a community’s character, such as a building’s massing and orientation to the
street. It is anticipated a draft code will be ready
for review by spring 2022.
In addition to the meetings and events, there is a public
survey available at www.engagekingston.com/kingston-forward.