Council Priorities 2019-2022 Refresh

Get back to basics: "green" only where economically/competitively viable offset by simple infrastructure maintenance e.g. street conditions.

Stick to the basics

Cancel unpopular Bus Routes

I realize that Buses are needed to minimize the impact on environment, but after many years of seeing buses empty all day long in my neighborhood, it is counter-productive to maintain these buses routes. Bus routes should be established based on concrete need and not on ideological concept.

Implement Large Item Trash Pickup

Kingston, currently does not provide large item trash pick up as part of regular garbage collection. This encourages illegal dumping.

Environmental problems with cheap clothing

I have heard that clothing is the second biggest emitter of CO2. Could Kingston ban or put an extra tax on cheap clothing?

Provide Cycling linkages from outer areas to downtown

Safe cycling routes are spotty Bath road is nice now but how do you get to it if heading West? What if you are not going to link to Bayridge Drive - Front Road is deadly Collins Bay doesn't even have a shoulder in some locations and yet it links to Cat Woods extension

Re-zone Kingston proper for multi-family

Rental unit availability could be significantly increased by allowing and encouraging residents to convert basements into secondary residential units. So much rental potential is being lost by forcing most of the housing stock in the central Kingston area to conform to single-family dwelling zoning. Allow, encourage, and perhaps even provide some funding or support to convert basements into legal rental units.

Make affordable housing mandatory in all neighbourhoods and buildings to limit red line districts, encourage community and mental health.

End ‘Othering’.

Push the tiny house project that is already in the works.

Changing zoning bylaws to facilitate tiny house building for individuals and partners would really help to open up opportunities for future home owners that can’t afford a regularly mortgaged house in the city. Tiny homes would also be less impactful in terms of Kingston’s environmental footprint. There is already an up and coming project for tiny homes in city council as well. Pushing this objective would be very beneficial to those low income families who would rather spend their money on a home than renting an overpriced apartment. Expand the options. Make it easier for the next generation to build their own homes.

Expand the urban boundary

With construction materials increasing in price, and housing costs already rising at unsustainable levels, the City must increase the supply of land as one tool to reduce costs. However, at the same time, the City should also increase the property taxes on undeveloped land. Too many large, prime, west-end plots sit vacant. If the owners won’t build on the land, put the pressure on them to do something with it.

Property standards

Residents of the city's core area would welcome periodic sweeps of Sydenham and Williamsville wards by city property standard bylaw officers. Too many of the student dwellings in this area of the city are eyesores. They are run down, littered with trash, and attract vermin.

A crosswalk at Ecole Sir John A MacDonald-this area is exceptionally dangerous during pick up and drop offs and is much worse since Covid

St. Martha’s St. and Jasmine St. corner is increasingly dangerous with no crosswalk for students and parents to safely cross. Some cars stop to let you go, while the other side zooms past, cars turning, children constantly trying to cross and running across. This is a tragedy in the making. There is way more traffic now, both vehicular and pedestrian, since more people walk or drive their kids to school now. Please fix this, and please do it expediently.

While downtown development is great, there should be a focus on developing all across the City -more neighbourhood shops, businesses, patio

More walkable opportunities in different neighbourhoods (not just box stores and strip malls); attractive areas - simllar to Vancouver so each district has vibrancy

Add communter cycling routes from west-end/north to downtown that are safe and consistent.

Our downtown parking and flow issues present a problem, and moving to a cycling city (especially) with COVID would encourage and hit two initiatives (climate-friendly)

Eliminate fares on City Transit. Encourage bus use instead of cars and help people having trouble affording passes

Make it illegal to drive a car with a modified loud muffler

I was wondering if the City can consider enforcement of some sort of rules about noise from cars. Many cars in the city seem to be modified with incredibly, disruptively loud mufflers (some are so loud, they can hurt one's hearing!). They impede enjoyment of common spaces (try sitting on a patio on Princes St. for an hour and you'll know what I mean.) I have seen in some municipalities in Quebec signage that excessive noise from cars is not permitted (I'm assuming this is somehow enforced). Is this something Kingston could consider?

Help local business thrive so they can hire more people.

I think in light of COVID, priorities must be chosen based on city-preservation and best for YGK citizens....

Economic development and affordable housing become top priorities in light of this...

Talent attraction campaign

With many workplaces going remote, now is a great opportunity to bring more high skilled workers to town from overcrowded cities with poorer quality of life.

Developer/financier incentives/subsidy for affordable commercial/industrial spaces for creative boutique businesses and craft manufacturers

Examples of businesses might include soap making, pottery, jewellery making, fine art painting, metalworks, cabinet making, coffee roasting, microbrewery or winemaking, handcrafted clothing manufacture, custom shoe manufacture, hat and accessory manufacture, printmaking, papermaking, screenprinting, video and filmmaking, photography, furniture restoration, sound studio recording, musical rehearsal spaces, writing hubs, dance/yoga/martial arts studios, leather tooling, saddle making, art framing, art restoration, bookbinding, musical instrument making, etc.

Smarter Shopping

The Rideau Center East end is getting a new mall. It will have a $ Store and there is already one there, which has been serving us well. I’m sure the new store will put the old one out of business. I guess competition reigns supreme.

More community garden spaces and education

Due to covid 19, there has been a huge spike in interest in gardening, local food and our food system as a whole. It is a great time to harness this momentum and support people as they endeavour to grow their own food and learn more about local producers. There is a need for more spaces and support. Even last year, I had to email almost every community garden to find a plot and was put on several wait lists. Plot availability should not be a barrier to growing your own food in a city with so much green space. Many first time gardeners are also going through a learning curve, and outdoor education / support through existing local organisations (ie funding for current gardening groups, Loving Spoonful, newcomer support groups, schools etc). This not only supports healthy eating and food security, but also fills an unique social void during this time.

Provide pro-active programs to foster health in relationships and families. Can combine with affordable housing...

Build spaces (like affordable housing) that also reflect city goals (community spaces, partnerships with social )

Enable walkable areas outside of the core. Build & Plan for walkable areas and not just drive-able.

areas west of SirJohnA Blvd are car-dependant. Walkway connections within and between - neighbourhoods are deliberately blocked or not built by policy. This requires pedestrians and cyclists to hazard crossing highways, private property, and rail lines to travel to school or employment. This is designed for car use. examples are Cataraqui North area, Bayridge drive, and Gardiners rd areas.

Plant more trees

Build Food Security and Production into all city public spaces

This past year Kingston residents planted its first two food forests. They aren't producing much yet but everyone who has seen them has been excited to see them grow especially after this springs potential food shortage scare. All city parks and green spaces should have edible plant species mandated as a certain percentage of what is planted. Many options are as low maintenance as other plantings currently in place. Think of the benefit to the food security of our most vulnerable and all citizens that this could add to the city.