On Tuesday, the Kingston Common Council approved a resolution that would prohibit the transfer of municipal parking lots to private developers pending the completion of a citywide parking study. Alderman Bob Dennison (D-Ward 6), Alderwoman Sara Pasti (D-Ward 1) and Alderman Ben Falk (D-Ward 4) cast the dissenting votes on the moratorium, which is opposed by Mayor Steve Noble.

The resolution was introduced last month by Alderman Michael Tierney (D-Ward 2) where two large municipal lots have been targeted for redevelopment as housing. On Schwenk Drive, the Kingstonian mixed-use project, which includes 143 units of housing and a 420-space parking garage for residents and the public, is slated to replace the existing parking lot. And while developers claim that the completed project will be a net gain in parking in the Stockade District, the lot is likely to remain out of commission for as long as two years while the Kingstonian is under construction.

On North Front Street, meanwhile, Mayor Steve Noble recently announced a partnership with another developer to replace a municipal parking lot with 50 units of affordable housing. As of now there are no plans to include off-street parking in the project. Tierney, a progressive who in the past has supported efforts to make city streets more bike and pedestrian friendly and less car-centric, said he introduced the measure after hearing from constituents concerned that the pending projects would make a scarcity of parking – long an issue in the Uptown business district – immeasurably worse.

“I’m probably the most anti-car person in the city of Kingston. It is not comfortable for me doing this,” said Tierney. “But we’re going to see a significant crunch, specifically Uptown. That’s my impetus for doing this.”

Tierney’s proposal comes as a $200,000 parking study is just getting underway. The effort by a volunteer committee working with a consultant involves outreach to city residents and a detailed inventory of existing parking resources. The committee will also look at zoning and other factors impacting parking before making a set of recommendations for consideration by the council. Tierney’s proposed moratorium would prohibit the transfer of city parking lots until the study is complete.

Opponents of the moratorium expressed concern that the resolution could signal to developers that the city was not firm in its commitments to projects already in the works. Dennison called the measure superfluous since the council already has the power to approve or reject any transfer of city property. Dennison added that it was unlikely any of the contemplated projects would reach the point of a property transfer.

“I think it’s an exercise in futility,” said Dennison. “I don’t think [Noble is] going to be in a position to ask for anything until after the [parking] study is done.”

Noble, who is halfway through his third four-year term in office, has spent much of his administration working to undo the legacy of Urban Renewal, which saw dense, urban streetscapes demolished to accommodate more car-friendly infrastructure. A new form-based zoning code that passed in 2023 with Noble’s approval dropped off-street parking requirements for new residential and commercial construction; he has touted the potential of city-owned parking lots to be redeveloped into badly needed housing. Noble has also come under fire from city lawmakers who say he has not done enough to get the council’s involvement or approval for projects involving the transfer of city property to private developers, often presenting them as a fait accompli after the process is well underway.

“At the end of the day we are the deciders on whether city property is sold,” said Tierney. “But when that comes to us the train is already so far from the station we’re either derailing sometimes a years-long process or we’re under significant pressure to approve whatever that sale is.”