Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kingston Laws and Rules Committee holds public hearing on form‑based code amendments; no public commenters
Summary
A May 5 Laws and Rules Committee public hearing on amendments to the Kingston Forward form‑based code opened at 6:35 p.m. and closed four minutes later after no members of the public spoke; the meeting was held virtual‑only after a last‑minute decision by President Schott.
Kingston — The Laws and Rules Committee opened a public hearing at 6:35 p.m. Monday, May 5, on proposed amendments to the Kingston Forward form‑based code and closed it four minutes later after no members of the public spoke.
The committee hearing, called at 6:35 p.m. by Michelle, a member of the Laws and Rules Committee, covered proposed changes that the city planning board, the Ulster County planning board and the Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission had reviewed. "It is Monday, May 5 at 06:35PM, and I'm calling this public hearing of the laws and rules committee to order for refer regarding amendments to the Kingston forward form based code for review, that went to the city Kingston planning board, the Ulster County planning board, and the historic landmark preservation commission," Michelle said when opening the hearing.
The hearing was held virtual‑only after what a meeting participant described as "a very last minute decision, made by president Schott due to a situation in the building," and notices were posted on the doors and on the city website, the participant said. A person who had logged into the meeting as "property owner" left before speaking, and committee members asked for a few minutes to wait for any additional callers before closing the hearing.
"We're closing the public hearing because there are no speakers," Michelle said when closing the session at about 6:39 p.m. The committee then recessed until its regular 7 p.m. meeting. No motions or votes on the code amendments were taken at the public hearing.
Why it matters: Amendments to the Kingston Forward form‑based code are subject to procedural review by multiple local boards and commissions; public hearings are part of that review. This hearing recorded no public comment, but the committee will continue deliberations on the amendments at subsequent meetings according to the standard review process.
Details from the meeting: the committee opened the hearing at 6:35 p.m.; a logged‑in attendee identified only as "property owner" disconnected; notices about the virtual‑only location were posted on the building doors and the city website after a last‑minute decision attributed to President Schott; the public hearing was formally closed at about 6:39 p.m. The Laws and Rules Committee scheduled its regular meeting for 7 p.m., when it expected to continue committee business and caucus.
