In 2023, city leaders in Kingston, New York unanimously voted to replace their 1960s-era zoning with a new, citywide, form-based-code. Dover, Kohl & Partners led the Kingston Forward initiative, devising the new code in an interactive public process. This month Kingston’s bold undertaking was recognized with two major planning awards.
Charter Award
The Congress for the New Urbanism honored the Kingston code at the CNU 32 Charter Awards ceremony in Cincinnati. The Charter Awards are considered the highest honor in urban design. Project director Amy Groves, a Dover, Kohl & Partners principal who has been with the firm since 2002, said, "Kingston is using code reform to help meet City goals for increasing housing options, building sustainably, and preserving its historic core. It is a great example for cities across the country."
Kingston is an extraordinary, historic place, deserving of the best design and thoughtful development.
CNU wrote: “For the 24th year, CNU's Charter Awards recognized outstanding achievements in architectural, landscape, and urban design and planning worldwide. Regarded as the preeminent award for excellence in urban design, the CNU Charter Awards honor a select number of winners. Winning projects represent major contributions to building more equitable, sustainable, connected, healthy, and prosperous communities.”
Dover, Kohl & Partners was joined in the Kingston Forward effort by Laberge Group, who spearheaded the GEIS; the Pace University Land Use Law Center, who helped integrate the code into Kingston’s legal system; Hall Planning & Engineering, who supervised the multimodal street design standards; and Gridics, who implemented an innovative online code platform.
Kingston’s new code was the result of an extensive, interactive public process.
Form-based codes have been recognized as one of the “25 Great Ideas of the New Urbanism.” Victor Dover and Joseph Kohl were among the founders of the Form-Based Codes Institute (FBCI). Victor, Joe, Amy and others from DK&P have served as FBCI faculty. Robert Steuteville commented, “Kingston Forward takes the art and communication of a form-based code to a new level.”
The new code is tied to a street-based, transect-based plan for the city, enabling new development to fit the historic pattern without needless variances. The code legalized mixed use and “gently denser” development, repealed minimum parking requirements, legalized accessory dwellings citywide, and lowered the barriers to affordability.
Conference of Mayors Achievement Award
In May, Kingston Forward was also selected for the 2024 Local Government Achievement Award given by the New York State Conference of Mayors. “This community-led initiative will really change how and where new development is created in Kingston, and we believe this is much more equitable and sustainable,” said Mayor Steven Noble. “We are already starting to see new projects that create much-needed housing, especially the crucial ʻmissing middle,ʼ and affordable development.”
Charrette sketch showing how to repair the effects of 1960s “urban renewal” projects and restore the form of the town