Mayor's Message

Save the Date: Mayor Noble's State of the City Address

Citywide Parking Study RFP Released

Midtown Thriving Plan Released + Public Meeting Announced

Tree Commission Added to Online Portal

New Year's Eve Concert at Old Dutch Church

The Kids NYE Event at Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center

Waterfront Advisory Committee Members Announced

City of Kingston Board & Commission and Job Opportunities

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

As we approach the end of 2025, we are still going strong. This week, we issued an RPF for a citywide parking study, we launched a new portal for the Tree Commission, and released the Midtown Thriving plan for revitalizing underutilized property in Midtown Kingston.

If you want to hear more about our accomplishments and vision for the future, I will be delivering my annual State of the City address on Tuesday, January 6 at the Common Council meeting, which will take place at City Hall at 7:30pm. The public is welcome to attend. I'd love to see you there as I recap 2025 and look forward to our goals and initiatives for 2026.

City offices will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Trash and recycling will not be picked up on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and will be delayed two days next week.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

-Steve

City Issues RFP for Parking Study

The City of Kingston has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Citywide Parking Study which will evaluate existing conditions and identify areas where capacity can be better utilized, and new technologies can be used to better manage on and off-street parking across the city.

The Citywide Parking Study RFP asks for the proposals that will:

• Inventory and assess the publicly available parking across the day and throughout each season
• Identify needs and opportunities in relation to recognized standards of similar communities
• Develop recommended strategies and programs to address parking needs, including but not limited to: parking management; connectivity; physical parking changes; regulatory and zoning changes; signage, education, and marketing materials; public-private partnerships
• Provide necessary implementation strategies related to proposed parking system changes

Community engagement will also be a large component of the study, including a public survey.

In 2023, Mayor Noble and Council President Andrea Shaut announced a Parking Task Force, which was formed to gather community input regarding parking issues and create a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the comprehensive parking management study. In February 2025, the City of Kingston was awarded $100,000 from the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council’s Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies Program for the citywide parking study. The RFP can be found here. 

Midtown Thriving Plan Released

The full Midtown Thriving plan will be presented at a public meeting on January 14, 2026, at 6:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

The Midtown Thriving plan, focused on vacant and abandoned properties within a 471-acre area that runs along the Broadway corridor, summarizes the research work done by Pattern for Progress, including community input received over the life of the project, and covers topics such as population and demographic trends, economic development, housing, transportation, and infrastructure. Based on research and community input, the plan includes detailed policy recommendations and an implementation strategy.

Representatives from Pattern for Progress and City staff will host a public meeting on January 14, 2026, at 6:00pm at City Hall to present the final draft and answer questions. Comments will be accepted until January 31, 2026.

The final plan will then be submitted to the New York State Department of State to officially designate the area as a Brownfield Opportunity Area, which will give development in the area priority and preference for state programs, eligibility for pre-development funding, and unlock tax credits for property owners and developers.

The study was funded by a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant for $238,559 from the New York State Department of State.

The study, a link to the input survey, and more information can be found at https://engagekingston.com/midtown-thriving.

Tree Commission Added to Transparency Portal

The Tree Commission application and review process has been moved to the new online platform, which the City of Kingston launched earlier this year for the Planning Board and Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission (HLPC) review processes.

The online platform, which was created for the City of Kingston by the Kingston-based tech company MuniCollab, streamlines the process for submitting applications for street tree planting, planting or adopting a tree, applying to the Tree Commission for tree maintenance or removal, and applying for funding assistance for costs incurred for pruning or tree removal.

Visit the platform at https://cityofkingstonny.municollab.com/tree-commission.

New Year's Eve Concert

The City of Kingston, in collaboration with Ars Choralis, will co-host the fourth annual New Year’s Eve concert event at Old Dutch Church.

A Quilt of Courage concert

December 31, 2025

6:00pm

Old Dutch Church

272 Wall Street, Kingston, NY

The event is free, open to the public, and appropriate for all ages. At the event, financial donations are being accepted to benefit the People’s Place.

More information at https://arschoralis.org/new-years-eve-2025/.

NYE Event for Kids at Midtown Center

Waterfront Advisory Committee Members Announced

The Waterfront Advisory Committee (WAC) members, who will serve 5-year terms, will be:

Edward Bakter

Jen Benson

Sara Bonacquist

Sharon Boyd

Amanda Cabanillas

Carl Brown

Lisa Cline

Joseph Drago

Timothy Feeney

Kaira Grundig

Naomi Major

John Rasmus

Kristen Wilson

The WAC will collaborate with City and State staff, as well as planning consultants, to update Kingston’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan (LWRP), starting with a Public Outreach Plan to ensure broad community participation. The Plan will engage City residents, including special-interest groups and stakeholders, in order to build consensus around how to advance and update planning for a resilient waterfront into the future.

Originally adopted in 1992, the LWRP established a framework for protecting and enhancing Kingston’s coastal resources. The updated plan will accommodate the effects of climate change, expand coverage to include the Esopus Creek, create a Harbor Management Plan for the Rondout, and attract investments in waterfront projects. 

This project is funded by the New York State Department of State under Title II of the Environmental Protection Fund.

More information about the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan can be found at www.engagekingston.com/waterfront-revitalization-plan

City of Kingston Job and Board/Commision Opportunities

The City of Kingston is hiring! The following positions are currently open:

• Assistant Corporation Counsel
• Heavy Motor Equipment Operator
• Skilled Laborer
• WWTP Mechanic II

For more information on civil service exams and job opportunities, please visit https://kingston-ny.gov/employment

The following civil service exams are scheduled:

• Account Clerk on February 28, 2026 (deadline: 2/10/26)

The City has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community. The following currently have openings:

• Historic Landmark Preservation Commission
• Ethics Board (Republican or non enrolled)
• Conservation Advisory Council
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Ulster County Planning Board

Find the application at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.

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 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/