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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.8.2010 Planning Board MinutesMeeting #16 Planning Board December 8, 2010 Page 1 Village of Cayuga Heights Planning Board Meeting #16 December 8, 2010 Minutes Board Members Present: Chair Martin Harms, Alternate Sean Cunningham, Frederick Cowett, Graham Gillespie, Others: VCH PB Consultant George Frantz, Police Chief Boyce, Clerk Mills, Clerk Poppensiek Guest: VCH Trustee Szekely The meeting of the Village of Cayuga Heights Planning Board was called to order at 7:04 PM. Chairman Harms reviewed the agenda. There is no further update on the Upland Road development by Mark Mecenas. Mr. Mecenas has agreed to extend the review period. Motion: Frederick Cowett Second: Graham Gillespie Resolution No. 52 AUTHORIZING ALTERNATE MEMBER TO VOTE AT TONIGHT’S MEEING RESOLVE, that the Alternate member, Sean Cunningham, is hereby authorized to vote at tonight’s meeting. Aye Votes: Martin Harms, Frederick Cowett, Graham Gillespie, All Approve Motion: Frederick Cowett Second: Sean Cunningham Resolution No.. 53 APPROVING MINUTES OF November 10, 2010 RESOLVE, that the written, reviewed and revised minutes of November 10, 2010 meeting are hereby approved. Chair Harms opened the floor for Public Comment at 7:15 pm There were no public comments at this time. Chair Harms invited George Frantz to make an announcement: Sunday, December 12th at 7:00 pm at the Ithaca Town Hall there will be a Marcellus Shale presentation by his graduate students. Chair Harms closed the floor at 7:18 pm Next item: Board Training – A presentation at TC3 last week was attended by several Board members. The focus was on the SEQR process. It was discussed that members need by law to complete four training hours per year. Currently there is no formal record keeping with regard to training hours. Certificates of training hours Meeting #16 Planning Board December 8, 2010 Page 2 earned should be submitted to the Village Clerk. The Clerk will create a database to record training hours completed. It was pointed out that there are alternatives to the training at TC3. G. Frantz indicated that the NY Planning Federation offers training courses in the fall. There are also on-line classes available through New York State. In any event, it was advised that the Planning Board members not wait until near the end of the year in order to complete their training. Next item: Comprehensive Plan – Collection of information from the VCH department heads regarding suggestions, changes, and additions to the Comprehensive Plan. Chief Boyce started by noting that adding sidewalks and bicycle lanes can be costly, and many people may not want a sidewalk in front of their home. A bicycle lane must be four feet wide by law, which could mean in some cases buying land from the property owners. Adding parks, pathways, and trails may also mean hiring more police. Parks, pathways, and trails can provide access to predators and thereby require an increased police presence or response. Parks used by families during the day may bring out undesirables at night. There is a growing need to watch out for trespassing, break-ins and car item theft. Chief Boyce indicated more goes on in the Village than one would thing. The Village currently employs 6 full-time and 14 part- time police officers. In response to a question by G. Gillespie, Chief Boyce indicated that there is one officer on duty during each shift. Discussion continued regarding the types of people who are out during the night, and the volume of negative occurrences. The Village’s Fire and Police Departments provide great service to Village residents. However, if parks, pathways, and trails are added, then these services will also need to increase and paying for this increase needs to be addressed. Chair Harms asked a question regarding record computerization, and renovations and additions to Marcham Hall. Currently, Superintendent Cross is working on court room renovations pertaining to lighting and reworking the electric panels downstairs with a contingency budget not to exceed $50,000. With respect to record computerization, grants may be available to assist in records management. Mention can be made in the Comprehensive Plan to improve records management. Trustee Szekely suggested that the Comprehensive Plan should include mention of the need to appoint a village historian to research, document, and publicize Village of Cayuga Heights history. F. Cowett suggested that it would be advantageous to Village residents to have as much data digitized and made easily accessible to residents, possibly via the Village website. Data could include documents submitted to the Planning Board such as stormwater plans, SEQR reports, etc. Greater availability of such documents might increase resident interest in the work of the Planning Board. Chair Harms noted that, with regard to renovating Marcham Hall, proactive, long-term planning should be emphasized. For example, the server needs to be updated and Marcham Hall needs to be made handicap accessible. Meeting #16 Planning Board December 8, 2010 Page 3 F. Cowett added that the Comprehensive Plan should include mention of the need to expand and renovate Marcham Hall to accommodate existing and future needs for provision of Village services. Chair Harms offered possible additions to the Comprehensive Plan: improve efficiency of Village agencies through improved record management and provide greater access to Village records for Village residents. G. Frantz also noted that Cayuga Heights has a historic pattern of development and many places in the Village might be considered historic. Chair Harms reminded the group that Janet Shure has conducted as in-depth review of historic places in the Village: this review could provide the basis for a Village of Cayuga Heights register of historic places. More discussion followed regarding changes to the Comprehensive Plan, including the concerns and issues regarding the construction of new sidewalks and the repair of existing ones; creating subdivisions and its implications; coordinating with NYSEG and Village street paving projects; and if there are any updated, accurate maps or GIS layers of VCH utilities. A suggestion was made to change the meeting day from Wednesday to another day of the week to give Superintendent Cross opportunity to attend meetings. Consideration of any change was tabled for the next Planning Board meeting: January 12th. G. Frantz will take suggestions and changes so far discussed and implement them in a revision of the Comprehensive Plan for the January 12th meeting. It was noted that Chair Harms will not be available for the February and March Planning Board meetings. Hopefully, the Comprehensive Plan will be far enough along by the June meeting to forward a draft to the Board of Trustees for their review and possible approval. Chair Harms asked Mr. Frantz to revisit and revise the proposed timeline for completion of the Comprehensive Plan for the January 12th meeting. F. Cowett suggested prioritizing completion of the Comprehensive Plan before proceeding with plans for the Community Corners charette. G. Gillespie advised of the need for additional manpower with respect to the charette and the possible need to rethink its implementation. Discussion continued regarding the charette and was tabled for a future meeting. Motion: Graham Gillespie Second: Sean Cunningham RESOLUTION No. 54 – Adjourn Meeting Resolve, that this meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM. All in favor – Aye None opposed Meeting #16 Planning Board December 8, 2010 Page 4