Comp Plan Zoning 2019

In December of 2017, the consultant Shuster/Turner Planning & Zoning Consultants, hired to lead Kingston in its Comprehensive Planning (CP) process, completed its work by submitting its CP Zoning recommendations.

The recommendations, shaped in part by a CP Zoning Sub-Committee of appointed citizens that met sporadically over the years, were uploaded to the City of Kingston’s website in January of 2018.  VIEW

There had been many concerns voiced both publicly and in private, with whispers throughout historic, planning and zoning circles about this document. Those concerns were heard, and seemingly addressed by the Mayor of Kingston, in his state of the city address this year:

“In 2018….my administration will be focusing on overhauling our Zoning Code…I want to thank the past members of the Comprehensive Plan Zoning Sub-Committee for their work over the past few years reviewing our zoning and recommending changes to ensure we are consistent with State law. In 2018, I will be launching the second stage of the zoning update and will be recruiting local volunteers to delve into such complex subjects as affordable housing, urban agriculture, parking and parking waivers, form-based codes and much more. This work is necessary in order to ensure that our zoning is consistent with our Comprehensive Plan, spurs responsible economic development and preserves our community high quality of life.”

READ Cherry Picking Comp Plan Zoning Recommendations: The Streamlining of the HLPC and HAC in Kingston.

The CP zoning recommendations were ultimately rejected.

Approaching CP Zoning Recommendations Comprehensively.

In 2020, the City of Kingston’s Finance and Audit Committee endorsed a resolution to spend $524,394 from the city’s surplus fund balance to hire a consultant to update the zoning code and partner with the Newburgh-based planning organization Pattern for Progress to update its zoning code, moving Kingston to a form-based system that puts the emphasis on buildings rather than on land use.

$499,394 will be paid to the consulting firm of Dover, Kohl, and Partners of Coral Gables, Florida and the remaining amount of $25,000 will go to Pattern for Progress.

READ: Our blog posts about Comprehensive Plan Zoning