After a two-year planning and public engagement process, the City of Kingston unanimously adopted Kingston Forward, the community’s new zoning code that eliminates minimum parking requirements across the city and supports incremental infill development, including the creation of a variety of “missing middle” housing types such as duplexes, townhouses, and live/work units. The code legalizes accessory dwelling units (ADUs), corner stores, and other types of mixed-use development, and provides a streamlined approvals process for small-scale development. Form-based building and street design standards will ensure future development will continue to add value and protect Kingston’s historic neighborhoods. Floodplains, steep slopes, and other sensitive habitats are protected in accordance with the Kingston Open Space plan.

Kingston Forward was led by Dover, Kohl & Partners, in collaboration with Laberge Group, Land Use Law Center, Hall Planning & Engineering, and Gridics.

Jolie Milstein, President, and CEO of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing, said “With its new zoning code, Kingston is leading the state in pro-housing land use reform.”

Rachel Fee, Executive Director of the New York Housing Conference, said “Kingston Forward is a model for equitable planning that we hope will be replicated throughout the state.”

Visit Kingston Forward to learn more.

Awards

Charter Award, Kingston Forward Form-Based Code, Kingston, New York, Congress for the New Urbanism, 2024

Local Government Achievement Award. Kingston Forward Form-Based Code, Kingston, New York, New York State Conference of Mayors (NYCOM), 2024