May 17, 2024 - In this issue: | |
Kingston Police Department Awarded $1.15M for Technology | |
Gun Buyback on Saturday at Midtown Center | |
Two Prestigous Awards for Kingston's New Zoning Code | |
Public UCAP Transit Survey | |
City of Kingston to Auction 168 Fairview Ave | |
Mayor Noble's Listening Tour -- Ward 2 on Monday | |
Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show | |
Paving & Weekly Roadwork Update | |
City of Kingston Job Opportunities | |
|
Mayor's Message:
Dear Friends -
Thanks to everyone who came out for the Kingston Earth Fair last weekend. It was a great success. If missed it, you can listen to a recap here.
As part of the Earth Fair, we received a total of 67 refrigerant-containing appliances including 46 air conditioners, 9 dehumidifiers and 9 refrigerators. Based on a conservative estimate of how much refrigerant will ultimately be recovered from the appliances received at the Earth Fair, emissions of more than 200,000 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent on a 20-year basis will be avoided, which is similar to the emissions that would be created by consuming more than 10,700 gallons of gasoline or enough to fuel 22 average US cars for a full year.
If you missed the Earth Fair but have a refrigerant appliance to recycle, visit the New Paltz ReUse Center tomorrow, Saturday, May 18 from noon to 4pm. More info on the Sustainable Hudson Valley website.
This weekend will have several exciting special events, including the Center for Creative Education's annual recital tomorrow night at UPAC and the My Kingston Kids Kite Fest on Saturday from 11am to 4pm at Kingston Point Beach. TRANSART's 2024 Pinkster festivities will be happening all weekend. Check the full schedule here, and join the walk at 11:30am on Sunday!
-Steve
| |
KPD Awarded $1.15M Grant for New Tech | |
|
The Kingston City Police Department has been awarded $1,149,000 from the Division of Criminal Justice Services’ (DCJS) Law Enforcement Technology (LETECH) grant program.
On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $127 million in funding is being awarded to all 378 law enforcement agencies across New York State. The funding can be used for a variety of equipment and technology, including license plate readers, mobile and fixed surveillance cameras, computer-aided dispatch systems, software, unmanned aerial vehicles, gunshot detection devices, and smart equipment for patrol vehicles and police officers.
“This unprecedented investment in the Kingston Police Departments to purchase new technology and equipment will allow us to continue to modernize our operations and procedures,” said Mayor Noble. “With this funding, we will be able to increase public safety with the addition of new and upgraded technology, which will also allow our officers to spend more of their time connecting directly with our community. I thank Governor Hochul for including this grant funding in the 2025 budget and for investing in local law enforcement agencies across the state.”
“Over the years, the Kingston Police Department has come to rely on technology to help our officers and detectives do their job more efficiently. Computers and workstations are on every desk and in every patrol car, providing our officers with information at their fingertips,” said Chief Egidio Tinti. “This grant will allow us to upgrade and expand our information technology systems withing the police department and throughout the City. Many thanks to the Governor’s office and the staff of DCJS for their support of local police.”
| |
Gun Buyback Tomorrow at the Midtown Center | |
Tomorrow, the NYS Attorney General's Office, with support from the Ulster Coutny Sheriff's Office and the Kingston Police Department, will host a Gun Buyback event from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center. Payments will be made with gift cards. | |
Kingston's Zoning Code Wins Two Awards in One Day | |
|
The City of Kingston has been awarded a 2024 Local Government Achievement Award from the New York State Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) and a 2024 Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) Charter Award in separate award ceremonies, both held on Thursday, May 16, 2024.
The NYCOM Local Government Achievement Awards recognized Kingston for instituting Kingston Forward, the City’s form-based zoning code initiative. The award was presented on May 16 at NYCOM’s annual meeting in Bolton Landing, New York. NYCOM represents 575 cities and villages in New York.
Following the new code’s adoption in August 2023, Kingston is now one of only a few communities nationally that have entirely replaced their existing zoning ordinance with a form-based code. This code eliminates minimum parking requirements throughout the City and supports incremental infill development. The code also legalizes accessory dwelling units (ADUs), corner stores and other types of mixed-use development, and provides a streamlined approval process for minor site plan development. Form-based building and street design standards were developed to ensure future development will continue to contribute to Kingston’s walkability and historic appeal.
Kingston was awarded a Local Government Achievement Award from NYCOM in 2023 for the City’s Mobile Mental Health Ambulance Pilot Project.
In another ceremony on Thursday, May 16 in Cincinnati, the 2024 Charter Awards also honored the City of Kingston’s new zoning code. Dover, Kohl & Partners, the consultant firm that managed the community engagement and creation of the form-based zoning code for the City of Kingston, is being recognized for the project. The Charter Award recognizes “outstanding achievements in architectural, landscape, and urban design and planning worldwide.” Additionally, winning projects represent “major contributions to building more equitable, sustainable, connected, healthy, and prosperous communities.”
The 2024 Charter Award ceremony included a video created by the Kingston Forward team, which can be seen here https://youtu.be/zmCrTGC_jQU.
More about the zoning code can be found at https://engagekingston.com/kingston-forward.
| |
UCAT Public Transit Survey | |
|
Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) and the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC) are partnering on the UCAT Route Optimization Plan to examine how the existing bus system — including its routes, schedules, and services — can be improved to better serve the public.
Public input is vital to the success of this effort, and residents are encouraged to fill out a brief Transit Survey, whether or not they utilize UCAT services. The Survey is available online in both English and Spanish, here. Addition info can be found at https://participate.ulstercountyny.gov/ucat-route-plan.
Along with the findings from the Transit Survey, the Optimization Plan will analyze a wide variety of data to identify strengths and weaknesses in the existing UCAT network and opportunities for service improvement. Demographic information, travel patterns, market analysis data, and service route performance data will be examined, in addition to data collected through public and stakeholder outreach.
The goal of an Optimization Plan is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public transportation, identifying the best way to arrange bus routes so that people can get where they need to go faster and with fewer delays. The Plan will also support the County’s continued electrification of its bus system, with the goal of fully electrifying the fleet by 2035.
| |
City of Kingston to Auction Property at 168 Fairview | |
|
The city-owned parcel at 168 Fairview Avenue, a single-family home on approximately .53 acres, will be sold to qualified bidders at a public auction at City Hall in Council Chambers on June 6, 2024, at 10:00am.
“Based on the property’s condition, the City and Common Council have decided that auction is the best route to get this property rehabilitated and back on the tax rolls,” said Mayor Noble. “The City originally acquired this property for tax arrears, and our hope is to have it be a thriving part of the neighborhood.”
The following terms and conditions will apply to the sale:
- At least 10% payable at the submission of said bid by certified check or cash made payable to the City of Kingston;
- Purchaser shall be responsible for all filing and recording fees;
- The property will be sold as is, with no guarantees;
- The highest bidder will be forwarded to the city of Kington Common Council for approval. Upon approval of the Common Council, the Housing Initiatives Office will advise the individual of the necessary information needed to complete the property transfer. The successful purchaser will be responsible for all filing fees and will have sixty days from notification to complete the transaction. Upon receipt of all monies, and signing of the closing document by the purchaser and the Mayor, the Corporation Counsel Office will prepare and file a quitclaim deed with the County Clerk’s Office;
- Interested purchasers may drive by to view the property from the street. Absolutely no entry onto the property or into the structure allowed;
- The City of Kingston reserves the right to reject all bids received.
For more info, contact the City's Office of Housing Initiatives at 845-334-3928.
|  | |
Mayor Noble's Listening Tour - Ward 2 on Monday! | |
|
Mayor Noble will continue his listening tour in Ward 2 on Monday, May 20. We have a new location for the meeting, which will now be held at Old Dutch Church. If you live or work in Ward 2, we hope to see you there!
The next Ward meetings will be announced in the coming week.
| |
Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show | |
Mayor Noble's weekly radio show, "It's the Mayor" airs on Tuesdays at 5pm on Radio Kingston. This week, Mayor Noble spoke with Jack Schoonmaker, Dietz Stadium Project Manager, with an update about the construction at the stadium. Click below to hear their conversation! | |
Paving & Weekly Roadwork/Infrastructure Update | |
|
Paving: this week, Roosevelt Ave between Albany Ave and Manor Place was paved.
Next week, Delaware Avenue from Broadway to Hasbrouck Avenue, Jansen Avenue from Foxhall to East Chester Street, and Staples Street from Broadway to the dead-end will be milled and paved. Milling is expected to begin on Monday, May 20, with paving expected to be completed by Friday, May 24, weather depending.
Post Office Park – excavation work continues forming pathways, bench areas, and bicycle pads.
Prospect Street Sewer Project - the contractor will mobilize in June.
ADA Ramps Citywide – crews will continue restoration along Pearl Street and Elizabeth Street and will begin demobilization from the staging area at South Sterling.
Wurts Street Bridge: work continues with various steel repairs, caulking and painting, electrical work, and south slope prep. Painting work will continue over the weekend.
Central Hudson: Construction will continue the week of May 20 on Furnace Street between Franklin Street and the dead end, and Center St between Furnace and Clinton. Expect road closures and/or lane closures in areas of active construction.
Service replacements will continue the week of May 20 on Saint James Street Prospect Street to Pine St. Lane closures and/or detours are expected.
Thomas Street will be closed from Broadway to Saccoman Ln. for most of the day on Tuesday, May 21 for a private sewer lateral replacement.
Weekly roadwork updates will be posted on the City website here.
|  | |
Post Office Park progress | |
City of Kingston Job & Board Opportunities | |
|
The Kingston 311 app, website, and phone system allow residents to quickly and easily report issues and submit service requests.
The Kingston 311 app, available for Android & iPhones, is a fast and simple way to connect to City officials in non-emergency situations. Photos can be attached to illustrate service orders.
This system is a valuable resource to submit municipal service requests. Examples include:
- Streetlight replacement
- City signage, including overgrowth blocking traffic signs
- Snow removal, reporting parking violations, and other snow-related issues
- Parks & playground repairs
- Report graffiti or vandalism
- Trail issues
Dial 311 from any phone within City limits to reach us, use the app or visit www.kingston-ny.gov/311/
| |
|
Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
mayor@kingston-ny.gov
The purpose of this newsletter is to share important information, project updates, pictures and news from the City of Kingston. For more detailed information, visit:
www.kingston-ny.gov
| | | | |
