KINGSTON – The City of Kingston now has a new citywide zoning code as Mayor Steven Noble signed the measure into law on Wednesday.
The common council, Tuesday evening unanimously adopted the new code.
The code, developed over the course of three years with community input and the assistance of consultants, encourages affordable housing, promotes walkable and accessible neighborhoods, safeguards historic building patterns, and preserves Kingston’s open spaces.
The new code also allows the development of mixed-use spaces and diverse housing types, provides incentives and mandates for creating affordable housing, regulates short-term rentals, and sets standards for creating a safer, more walkable city.
“This new code is truly the vision of our community–it will encourage incremental growth and smart development across the city, while preserving our open spaces,” said Mayor Steven Noble. “Crucially, this code reform will reduce barriers to the creation of new housing at every level and will help us combat the housing crisis. Ultimately, these changes to the code will make a more equitable city for all.”
The new code, which goes into effect immediately:
– Ends minimum parking requirements citywide
– Legalizes accessory dwelling units, an affordable and flexible housing type, citywide
– Legalizes multifamily and infill development citywide, including “missing middle” housing such as duplexes, townhouses, and live/work housing types, to encourage economic diversity and incremental development types
– Streamlines the development approvals process through a new Minor Site plan review process
– Creates flexible form-based standards to ensure that new development contributes to the City’s walkability and historic assets
– Legalizes many types of mixed-used development, including corner stores/neighborhood businesses
