FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2022
City of Kingston Releases Revised Zoning Code Draft
Public Presentation to be Held on September 15, 2022
KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston has, as a part of the Kingston Forward rezoning initiative, released a second draft of the proposed zoning code. The second draft will be presented at a public meeting on September 15, 2022, at 6:00pm at City Hall.
The second draft reflects community feedback to the first draft. The first draft was presented on June 8, 2022, at a hybrid public meeting, and the public was given a six-week comment period. In addition to the public meeting, City staff and consultants conducted a walking tour of the waterfront, four Open House events at locations throughout the City, and a Public Hearing. All project materials, including meeting recordings and digital code with interactive maps, have been available on Engage Kingston. The second draft includes responses to each comment received through this engagement.
Significant changes in the second draft include:
- Revisions to the affordable housing standards including an increase in the number of affordable units required for larger projects, additional incentives for affordable housing for Conservation Village Plans (CVPs), and new enforcement provisions.
- A new program to incentivize public open space along the waterfront
- Citywide restrictions on non-owner-occupied short-term rentals
- Adjustments to Regulating Maps, and clarifications to standards throughout in response to community questions and feedback
“We are thrilled to present the second draft of the form-based zoning code, with revisions that come directly from community feedback. Every single idea from the public has been addressed here,” said Mayor Noble. “We are looking forward to hearing input on this draft, and I remind everyone that it’s not too late to get involved in this process. Once adopted, our new code will impact all development in Kingston going forward.”
The City of Kingston will host a public meeting to solicit feedback on the second draft. At the hybrid meeting on Thursday, September 15, at 6:00pm, representatives from Dover Kohl and the City of Kingston will provide an overview of the changes from the first draft of the zoning code.
Zoning Code Draft II Public Presentation
September 15, 2022
6:00pm
City Hall Council Chambers & via Zoom
Registration is required
“I want to thank the many Kingston residents who took the time to attend meetings up to this point, review the first draft, and contribute to the process by submitting comments,” said Bartek Starodaj. Director of Housing Initiatives. “I’m proud of the changes made in the second draft and believe they reflect many of the suggested improvements made by the community.”
The draft code sets new standards that address community goals, such as increased walkability and historic preservation, improving housing choice and affordability, supporting resiliency, mobility choice and healthy lifestyles through public open space, waterfront, and street design standards, and by removing barriers for small, incremental development.
The public comment period for the second draft will be open until September 30, 2022. Comments can be submitted via email to Bartek Starodaj, [email protected] or at engagekingston.com/kingston-forward.
The revised draft can be found here: https://kingston-ny.gov/filestorage/8399/8469/48370/Kingston_Form_Based_Code_Draft_2.0_082922.pdf
Mayor Noble began citywide rezoning efforts in late 2018, with a call for members of a Zoning Task Force to begin the process of updating the City of Kingston’s outdated zoning code. The task force worked to create an RFP for the hiring of a consultant to create a form-based code. In 2021, the Common Council authorized the City of Kingston to hire Dover Kohl. The Dover Kohl team has been engaging with the community and data collecting since September 2021. The current zoning code, which has not been updated since the 1960s, has been associated with confusion, frustration, litigation, red-lining, and arbitrary regulation. The proposed code update aims to be easier to understand and use, balancing goals for preservation, equity, sustainable growth and change.