fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

City official says Kingstonian doesn’t need affordable housing to move forward

by Jesse J. Smith
October 4, 2019
in General News
7
Kingstonian rezoning request to get public hearing

An image provided by developers to the city as part of a visual impact study of how the proposed Kingstonian would look as seen from Schwenk Drive.

The city’s zoning enforcement officer handed developers of the proposed Kingstonian project a victory last week when he rejected arguments by an activist group that the controversial market-rate housing, parking and boutique hotel complex eyed for the Stockade District had to include affordable housing to comply with the requirements of the zoning code’s Mixed Use Overlay District (MUOD) where it would be located.

The ruling by Zoning Enforcement Officer Eric Kitchen was issued on Sept. 27. The city requested a formal determination on the issue after members of Kingstoncitizens.org — an activist group that’s criticized the review process for the project — brought up language in the MUOD code which they said would require developers to set aside 20 percent of the proposed 129 apartments in the building for affordable housing. Earlier this month, an attorney hired by Kingstoncitizens.org to address the zoning issue went further, arguing that the code did not allow for any new residential construction at all in the MUOD. Developers of the Kingstonian have said that a requirement set forth by the city that they build, operate and maintain 200 public parking spots as part of the project makes the inclusion of affordable housing financially unfeasible.

The MUOD was formed in the early 2000s as the city sought to redevelop vacant department stores and industrial facilities in the Uptown neighborhood into mixed-use residential and commercial spaces. In his decision, Kitchen pointed to language in the zoning code that set forth two goals for the new district; to promote the adaptive reuse of existing commercial and industrial buildings to provide rental multi-family housing — including affordable housing for city residents — and to encourage the development of “mixed-use, mixed-income pedestrian based neighborhoods.” Kitchen noted that the Kingstonian does not include any adaptive reuse; the proposal calls for the construction of one building on a site that is now a municipal parking lot and the demolition of a warehouse to make way for another newly built structure.

“Affordable housing is not a requirement because what is being proposed is new construction,” Kitchen wrote.

Kitchen added that it would be up to the applicant, over the course of the review process, to demonstrate that the project met the code’s requirement that it promote a mixed-use, mixed-income pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. Kitchen also wrote that he was “not persuaded” that the term “mixed-income” included in the code “necessarily includes all hypothetical income levels, particularly those eligible for affordable housing.”

Kitchen also addressed the argument by attorney Emily Svenson on behalf of Kingstoncitizens.org that the MUOD prohibits the new construction. Kitchen said that Svenson had ignored language in the code addressing “site improvements” or new construction as distinct from “building improvements” or adaptive reuse of an existing structure.

“The terms are not used interchangeably. The code clearly differentiates between adaptive re-use and other types of development,” Kitchen wrote. “It is my opinion and interpretation that the code allows for the new construction of residential units in the Mixed Use Overlay District.”

The zoning issue has led to breech between Mayor Steve Noble and Kinsgtoncitizens.org which had previously supported many of his progressive-minded initiatives. After Svenson weighed in on the zoning issue on behalf of the group, city Corporation Counsel Kevin Bryant declared that her involvement constituted “notice of appearance of counsel” and that all further communications between the city and officers of Kingstoncitizens.org regarding the Kingstonian take place through attorneys.

Bryant’s memo signaled that the city anticipates litigation by the grassroots activist group around the zoning issue. In response, a coalition of activist groups published a “group editorial” on Kingstoncitizens.org’s website last week accusing Noble’s administration of using “bullying” and “intimidation” to freeze them out of the Kingstonian’s review process.

Tags: kingstonian
Thank you for reading Hudson Valley One. We rely on your support to continue providing local, substantive news. Please check out our subscription options to keep local journalism alive in the Hudson Valley.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

Indie rocker and local Laura Stevenson heads up  ‘Make Music Saugerties’

Next Post

Whitman’s 200th to be celebrated at Slabsides Saturday

Jesse J. Smith

Related Posts

Citizens want armed officers in every Kingston city school
General News

New Paltz to lease new hybrid vehicle

June 24, 2022
Saugerties highway department saving with oil and chip road surfacing
General News

Saugerties highway department saving with oil and chip road surfacing

June 22, 2022
Small freedom convoy makes its way through the streets of Saugerties 
General News

Small freedom convoy makes its way through the streets of Saugerties 

June 22, 2022
SUV drives into Sunflower Market in Woodstock
General News

SUV drives into Sunflower Market in Woodstock

June 20, 2022
Saugerties board approves $1.3 million for ice arena renovations
General News

Saugerties Town Board members vote against allowing a gun show promoter to rescind his decision to cancel a June 17-19 event

June 18, 2022
Out-of-state vehicles creates parking nightmare in Saugerties
General News

Parking rules concern neighbors of proposed hotel in New Paltz

June 16, 2022
Next Post
Whitman’s 200th to be celebrated at Slabsides Saturday

Whitman's 200th to be celebrated at Slabsides Saturday

Please login to join discussion

Trending News

  • SUV drives into Sunflower Market in Woodstock 13.3k views
  • Homeless in Woodstock doc draws crowd as officials seek answers 1.2k views
  • AutoCamp Catskills brings fleet of Airstreams to former Saugerties KOA 1.1k views
  • Small freedom convoy makes its way through the streets of Saugerties  1k views
  • Saugerties highway department saving with oil and chip road surfacing 715 views







Latest HV1 Podcast

Weather

Kingston
◉
63°
Clear
5:22am8:35pm EDT
Feels like: 63°F
Wind: 0mph NNE
Humidity: 91%
Pressure: 30.1"Hg
UV index: 0
MonTueWed
79/55°F
77/54°F
84/59°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Ulster County COVID-19 Active Cases

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In

© 2022 Ulster Publishing