Planning Board agrees to update definition of ‘hotels’

The board also wants the Common Council to proceed with updating the city’s entire zoning code

City Planning Board members have concurred with a request from the Common Council to update the definition of “hotels” within Kingston’s zoning code.

At the same time, though, Planning Board members said during an online meeting Monday, March 15, that they want the council to update in a timely manner how the zoning code defines and regulates the various types of hotels, such as boarding homes and bed and breakfasts. Board members also want the council to move forward with the lengthier process of updating the city’s entire zoning code, which was adopted in 1963.

The council has already approved changing the definition of “hotels” that appears in two places within the city code but must get feedback from the city and Ulster County planning boards before changing it within the zoning code.

The proposed new definition of “hotel” is “a building or portion of which is regularly used and kept open for lodging of transient guests on an overnight basis. The term ‘hotel’ or ‘motel’ includes short-term rentals, an apartment hotel, motor court or inn, ‘tourist cabins,’ boarding house or club, or similar hotel or motel type of accommodations by whatever name designated, whether or not meals are served, and shall include those facilities commonly known as ‘bed-and-breakfasts’ and ‘short-term rentals.’”

Part of the Planning Board’s discussion revolved around members’ concerns that, even if the definitions were updated, the zoning code would continue to be in need of changes. They also questioned how the definition change would affect any hotel applications that are submitted before zoning changes are made to the regulations for such facilities. Board members said they wanted to encourage the council to move swiftly to update the regulations for hotels even before any overall zoning code update is completed.

“Any time that you can encourage the council to act swiftly with regard to an issue of this significance, you should take that opportunity,” city Assistant Corporation Counsel Daniel Gartenstein told the board. “I think that your letter certainly can be drafted in a way that makes it clear that this is something that cannot wait for the global zoning overhaul and that it has to be done month by month and the council has to continue to move on this, this spring.”

The council is considering a proposal to hire a consultant to update the entire zoning code, but that matter is still pending.

“Once the definition is consistent throughout the code and consistent with the county code, the Common Council can revisit all of those sections dealing with boarding homes, short-term rentals, bed-and-breakfasts and tailor those sections to the current situation in the city,” Gartenstein said.