This is a condition that the dept. of Public Works is aware of. Last fall some grinding was done to expose more of the curb to carry water to the storm drains. This was done on several streets and we are addressing the drainage issues as time and funding allow. The picture shown must be old because some patch work was done to many of the driveway aprons and unless I am mistaking this was one of them. Emerso St. was just completed and we will address this street in the near future.

89 Lucas Avenue still does not have the driveway ramp fixed from your fall removal of half the curb. It also exposed the lousy workmanship done in front by Central Hudson, which destroyed the stoop and foundation. Thanks Central Hudson and the City of Kingston for not realizing that people really do live on these horrible streets. And for Alderman Turco-Levin to not know that the zoo has been completely renovated, trees ripped out and snow melt allowed to roll down hill into our backyards makes for wonderful living conditions on Lucas Avenue; shame on you. I have been told on no less than 8 occasions that Lucas Avenue was to get new drainage and the street repaired. When? I hope the next time the fire department asks me to leave my home because of flooding they take me to the mayors house for the evening....maybe we can all camp out there....

To clarify Alderwoman Andi's comment about storm drains and sewers, the storm water regulations initiated by the EPA about20 years ago were intended to separate storm water from sewage so waste water treatment plants could hand treatment of excrement without diluting it with storm water. Since Kingston is a 400 plus year old city, about 100 years ago when sewers were installed the storm water was connected too. Now the city needs to separate the two systems to comply with the law- to assist home buyers cannot obtain a CO until the downspouts and storm water are separated from the sewer. It would be neighborly if existing homeowners spent the time to separate their sewers from the storm water.
BTW- to m. schupp- the one driveway was repaired, but not both in the picture. Half a thank you to DPW, I guess.

Oh, and I forgot to mention to Alderwoman Andi... the zoo has been renovating for quite awhile: In 2007 the zoo/city took over the police barn where the horse patrol was stabled and allowed it to become over run with feral cats and piles of junk where vermin can hide. In 2008 the zoo regraded the back half of the property and sloped it so storm water runs off into the neighbors yards (and basements)- without a permit or engineer plans- which IS AGAINST THE LAW. In 2009 the zoo/city cleared one acre of land (just enough to keep it legal) by the basketball courts removing the only buffer to noise from the stadium.

Hmmmm. Cricket. Cricket. No comment Alderwoman Turco-Levin?

Michelle,
If you have serious issues my phone number is on the City website and I am always happy to talk with anyone who has concerns. Your comments were more of a statement than a directive, what would you like to be done? Have you discussed it with the Parks dept or Supt Schupp?
I would be happy to arrange a meeting with you and your other neighbors who have issues and our City's engineer.

I also wish to comment that I was told that Lucas Ave was scheduled for repaving. After the last Council meeting with Supt. Schupp this past Monday he insists that his crews are trying to handle large volumes of yard waste, trash collection, and recycling collection so they are behind on their paving and storm drain repairs. I have been in office since January of 2010, the issues at the park were done long before I had access to City projects.

Let's see, about 3 years ago we (the neighborhood homeowners) started a group "Wet Feet" and met with the mayor on three occasions (dozens of homeowners showed up) and at the one session I attended he stated that the drain for the Blue Stone Court would be repaired, there would be new storm sewers for Lucas Avenue, and he would have the city planner look into repairing the area around the zoo to remove storm water drainage. I attempted to get the NYSDEC involved with the unauthorized clearing of the small forest at the stadium ball court, but apparently once the damage was done, the ENCON officer thought it was not worth pursuing. Maybe you could refresh the mayor's memory that he made promises he did not keep...

I will be at the Nature Center tomorrow night for our Friends of Forsyth meeting and I will be sure to ask about previous excavation projects.
I will also follow up with the City's engineer and the mayor about this stuff. Please, give me a call and let me know the details. I will do whatever I can to help find a solution. As for the City taking down trees with no regard ...don't get me started. It saddens me to see the disregard for our treasured trees.

This is what the storm drain at 91 Lucas Avenue looked like after a rain storm...90% of it is the gravel eroding from the street blocked the grates. This happens with each and every storm. Should I send a bill to the City of Kingston for every time I end up cleaning it off?

Cricket. Cricket.

I shoveled a giant pile of gravel and called the DPW office- they sent someone over to pick it up that day- THANK YOU! Please send a street sweeper when you get a moment this week.

DPW did some cold patching... what a waste of tax dollars and man hours- it is going to wash down Lucas Avenue right to the catch basin, again. When will DPW realize water is stronger than ANYTHING they can build?

This issue is over two years old. Has the problem been taken care of? The work done at the zoo - which was not illegal, has largely been completed and there should be no run off coming from that now - the new plantings have become quite lush.

Please let us know if this is still an issue, or I will close the issue.

Rumor has it that the storm water pipe has a hole in it on Lucas near Millers Lane. Is it true?

It is impossible to determine anything- it is either drought or downpours- and the downpours wash everything from trash cans to litter to brush down Lucas.

So are there specific improvements that are desired? Let's be constructive. The area has had issues for a long time - so the complaints are legitamate. Please detail what you think needs to be done. Appreciative constructive responses will get faster treatment from the overworked and underfunded DPW.

Big picture: The whole uptown area from Hurley Avenue to Greenkill Avenue needs stormwater assessment and re-engineering. Either replace stormwater pipes with larger diameter pipe or daylight streams so we can stop having basements full of water every time it rains. Global climate change is here and is NOT going away anytime soon.
Small picture: sell and move out of Kingston.