City of Kingston, NY Article 7 Large Site Standards

§ 405-25 Purpose; applicability; design standards.

A. Purpose. This article sets forth standards for

sites

larger than two acres (large

sites

) in size to create new,

walkable

neighborhoods through a Conservation Village Plan (CVP) or Walkable Neighborhood Plan (WNP).

(1) CVPs and WNPs are a form of development approval, documented by a package of required drawings and information [See § 405-25C(3).] intended to create and reinforce

walkable

settlements with a mix of housing, civic, retail and service

uses

within a compact, transit-supportive environment. A key distinction between a CVP and a WNP is that a CVP is intended to protect

open spaces

and natural resources by clustering development and requiring 50% of the land area to be dedicated to the T1 Natural Transect Zone.

(2) CVPs shall achieve the following goals:

(a) Promote development patterns that retain the region's natural infrastructure derived from topography, woodlands, farmlands, green corridors and waterways;

(b) Conserve natural features by providing a variety of housing types and a mixture of land uses in a

walkable

, clustered community form;

(c) Reduce vehicular dependency by offering safe and effective multimodal streets, trails, as well as potential transit options;

(d) Improve the physical character, fiscal stability and quality of the neighborhood and adjacent neighborhoods;

(e) Protect and enhance real property values; and

(f) Reinforce the unique identity of Kingston, building upon the local context, climate, and history.

(3) WNPs shall achieve the following goals:

(a) Improve the built environment and human habitat;

(b) Promote development patterns that support safe, effective, and multimodal transportation options;

(c) Reduce vehicle traffic by providing for a mixture of land uses, walkability, and compact community form;

(d) Generate neighborhoods with a variety of housing types to serve the needs of a diverse population;

(e) Promote the greater health benefits of

walkable

urban environments;

(f) Improve the physical character, fiscal stability and quality of the neighborhood and adjacent neighborhoods;

(g) Protect and enhance real property values;

(h) Reinforce the unique identity of Kingston, building upon the local context, climate, and history; and

(i) Provide opportunities for auto-oriented suburban contexts to transform into car-optional,

walkable

urban development.

B. Applicability.

(1) Transect Zones:

(a) The provisions of this article apply to new development on

sites

greater than two acres in size in the T2, T3, T4, and T5 Transect Zones when any of the following occur:

[1] New or modified vehicular access to

site

;

[2] New building; and/or

[3] Renovation or addition over 50% of existing building area.

(b)

Sites

greater than two acres in size are exempt if only one building is being proposed or renovated at the frontage of the lot along a public street; no private drives are being proposed to access additional buildings or lots; and the lot is not being further subdivided.

(c) The large site standards do not apply to the T1 Zone.

(2) Special districts. The provisions of this article may be utilized, but are not required, for new development on

sites

greater than two acres in size in the SD-C, SD-MF, SD-F and SD-I Zones. The large site standards do not apply to SD-W/SD-WMU Zones.

C. Conservation Village and Walkable Neighborhood design standards. Development

site

s greater than two acres in size shall be designed in compliance with the following process and requirements for a Conservation Village Plan (CVP) or Walkable Neighborhood Plan (WNP).

(1) Land allocation by Transect Zones.

(a) When composing a CVP or WNP, the zones in Article 3 shall be used as subdistricts within the ranges noted in Table 405.25.C.1. The allocation of land by Transect Zone shall be made a part of all applications and approvals for CVPs and WNPs. All development shall conform to the standards.

(b) Transect organization. Transect Zones shall be organized in a manner that responds appropriately to the

site's

context. More intense Transect Zones shall be organized around a neighborhood main street, transit stop, or

civic building

and civic space in visible and accessible locations suitable for greater intensities. Lower intensity Transect Zones shall be utilized to transition to existing adjacent development. Additional guidance is provided in § 405-25C(2)(b).

Table 405.25.C.1 Transect Zone Allocation
Base Zone	Permitted Neighborhood Design Plan	Transect Zone	Transect Zone Proportion1, 4
T2C	CVP	T1	50% minimum (includes area preserved due to steep slopes)
		T2/T3L	0% to 20%
		T3N/T3N-O	10% to 30%
		T4-MS/T4N/T4N-O2	10% to 40%
T3L	CVP	See T2C.	See T2C
T3 (T3N and T3N-O)	CVP	See T2C.	See T2C
	WNP	T1	No minimum/no maximum
		T3N/T3N-O	30% to 80%3
		T4-MS/T4N/T4N-O	0% to 50%
		T5N	0% to 10%
T4 (T4-MS, T4N, T4N-O)	WNP	T1	No minimum/no maximum
		T3N/T3N-O	0% to 50%
		T4-MS/T4N/T4N-O	20% to 80%3
		T5N	0% to 30%
T5 (T5-MS, T4N, T5-F)	WNP	T1	No minimum/no maximum
		T3N/T3N-O	0% to 30%
		T4-MS/T4N/T4N-O	0% to 50%
		T5-MS/T5-F/T5N	20% to 80%3
SD	CVP or WNP	Based on standards for Transect Zone of immediately adjacent parcels.

NOTES:
1	Transect Zone proportion listed as percentage of gross area
2	If 80% of the proposed housing units are affordable housing units , a CVP may include 10% to 40% T5N with approval of a major waiver . Within a CVP, buildings in a T5N District shall be limited to three stories plus one bonus story.
3	Development sites less than five acres may be up to 100%, if at least two allowed building types are used.
4	Any portion of a site immediately adjacent to the Hudson River or Rondout Creek (within 100 feet of the waterfront) shall be limited to T1 or SD-WMU. The 50% minimum T1 requirement in a CVP shall apply to the gross site area; the remainder of the site shall use the Transect Zone proportions in Table 405.25.C.1.

Figure 405.25.C.1.a

Example Conservation Village Plan (CVP)

Figure 405.25.C.1.b

Example Walkable Neighborhood Plan (WNP) on a T3 Site

Figure 405.25.C.1.c

Example Walkable Neighborhood Plan (WNP) on a T4 Site

Figure 405.25.C.1.d

Example Walkable Neighborhood Plan (WNP) on a T5 Site

(2) Organization.

(a) The project area shall consist of a CVP or WNP that:

[1] Organizes a

block

and street (including

alleys

) network in compliance with the

block face

and perimeter standards in § 405-25C(2)(d), using the allowed street types in Article 5;

[2] Allocates

usable open space

in compliance with the standards in Article 6;

[3] Provides a mix of building types allowed by the Transect Zone(s) by using at least two allowed building types for

sites

less than five acres and at least three building types for

sites

five acres or greater;

[4] Provides appropriate physical transitions to the scale and character of the surrounding area;

[5] Suits specific environmental, site layout, and design constraints unique to the

site

or its location; and

[6] Identifies the proposed

blocks

and streets, Transect Zones,

usable open space

types, building types, trees and landscaping on a project neighborhood plan per § 405-25C(3).

(b) Transect Zone assignment concepts.

[1] Each CVP or WNP must clearly identify the proposed assignment of Transect Zones within the entire

site

. The allocation of multiple Transect Zones will produce desirable variation within each

site

, including a mix of land uses and building types.

[2] Assignment of Transect Zones shall exhibit consideration of recommendations in other applicable City plans, including the City's Comprehensive Plan and Open Space Plan.

[3] The following guidelines shall be followed when proposing Transect Zones:

[a] Compatible intensities should face across streets. Changes in Transect Zones should generally occur along rear alleys or lanes or along natural area edges.

[b] T5 Transect Zones should be located in occasional nodes, typically along or near arterial or collector streets.

[c] T4 Transect Zones may be located along or near arterial or collector streets.

[d] T4, T3, and T2 Transect Zones should adjoin neighborhoods of similar intensity or natural areas.

[e] T2 and T1 Transect Zones should be applied to natural features that are worthy of preservation, including areas of steep slopes, exposed rock formations, sensitive habitats, wetlands and floodplains, and mature trees. The City of Kingston Open Space Plan shall be referenced for guidance on the location of preservation areas.

[f] Minimum required T1 areas in a CVP should consist primarily of contiguous land areas and not fragmented remnants, to promote preservation of habitat and natural features.

[g] Where new development will abut an existing neighborhood, the new development should establish similar or compatible transect conditions at its edges.

(c) Natural infrastructure conservation.

[1] Within CVPs, a minimum of 50% of the

site

shall be permanently allocated to a T1 Natural Zone.

[2] Development shall meet the steep slope standards in § 405-14K(3).

(d) External connectivity.

[1] The arrangement of streets shall provide for the alignment and continuation of existing or proposed streets into adjoining lands where the adjoining lands are undeveloped and intended for future development, or where the adjoining lands are developed and include opportunities for such connections.

[2] Street

rights-of-way

shall be extended to or along adjoining property boundaries to provide a roadway connection or thoroughfare stub for development in compliance with the standards in § 405-25C(2)(d).

[3] The project neighborhood plan shall identify all stubs for streets and include a notation that all stubs shall connect with future streets on adjoining undeveloped property.

[4] 

Figure 405.25.D.3

Example of a Close

Dead-end streets are not permitted, unless approved as a

minor waiver

(§ 405-26F). Any dead end must be detailed as a close (a small green area surrounded by a common driveway serving adjoining

lots

) and should provide pedestrian connectivity to the maximum extent practicable.

(e)

Block

size.

[1] Individual

block faces

and the total

block

perimeter shall meet the standards established herein.

[a] In T2C and T3L,

block

sizes are flexible, but the perimeter shall not exceed 2,640 linear feet (1/2 mile). An average

block

perimeter less than 2,000 feet is preferred.

[b] In T3N and T3N-O,

block

sizes are flexible, but the perimeter shall not exceed 1,700 linear feet. An average

block

perimeter less than 1,500 feet is preferred.

[c] In T4 and T5,

blocks

shall be no more than 450 feet on any side. An average

block

length of 250 to 300 feet is preferred. The

block

perimeter shall not exceed 1,320 linear feet (1/4 mile).

[d] A

minor waiver

may be approved for natural elements, such as wetlands, trees, topography, to be incorporated into the site design (§ 405-26F).

[2] If a

block

contains multiple Transect Zones, the most intense Transect Zone shall be used to establish the requirements for

block

size.

(3) CVP and WNP submission.

(a) General.

[1] Only Transect Zones established in Article 3 shall be used.

[2] The project regulating map shall show the following information:

[a] Project area boundaries;

[b] Existing and proposed

blocks

;

[c] Existing and proposed streets, including

alleys

;

[d] Existing and proposed

usable open space

type(s), trails and

civic building(s)

;

[e] Existing and proposed

lot lines

in conformance with the

lot

and building type standards in Article 3 and § 405-12 respectively;

[f] Existing and proposed Transect Zone(s) conforming to the proposed

blocks

and

lots

;

[g] Existing and proposed mix of building types within each Transect Zone.

[3] The CVP and WNP submission is subject to the review and approval of the Planning Board; a public hearing shall be required as part of the approval process. If a CVP or WNP is approved, the information on the project regulating map shall be transferred to the Kingston Regulating Map (Article 2).