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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.14.2009 Planning Board Minutes1 Planning Board Village of Cayuga Heights Fire Station October 14, 2009 7:00 PM Present: Chairman Martin Harms, Henry Richardson, Mark Morris, Graham Gillespie, Janet Shure, Sean Cunningham, Attorney Kristin Gutenberger, Clerk Norma Manning Others: Trustee Diana Riesman, Joan Jurkowich, Sara Lepore, Carole Schiffman, Anne Turcotte, Brent Cross, Jack Young, Anita Watkins Martin Harms, Chairman of the Planning Board of the Village of Cayuga Heights, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Motion by PB Member Shure Seconded by PB Member Harms. Motion to pass Resolution xxxx approving the minutes of September 9, 2009 Planning Members Harms, Richardson, Morris, Gillespie and Shure voted YES. Chrmn. Harms reviewed the agenda as presented. Public Comment Todd Cowen – concerned about the houses that are for sale in the Village and bought by landlords for students. This becomes a significant concern to the Village in terms of water run- off, storm water issues and the general character of the Village. Discussion ensued among the PB regarding taking the subject on now vs. discussing it later as a Plan issue. Is there urgency to deal with the issue now? Should the PB ask the Trustees to take over with this issue? Jack Young said that if the Village acted now, would the house in question be grandfathered? Attorney Gutenberger believed so but would need to further research the question. Chairman Harms asked if the PB wanted to act on this now. Sean C. was concerned about rushing into anything. He urged the public to talk to the Trustees so they (the Trustees) will ask the PB to look into the issue. At this time, Atty. Gutenberger reminded the PB that they were in a Public Comment period and there should be no discussion among the audience and the PB during this time. ______________________________________ 2 Invited Guest Comments Chrmn. Harms then introduced invited guests, the first being Joan Jurkowich, Deputy Commissioner of Planning at Tompkins County Planning Dept. Joan offered her assistance in discussing how the PB is going to proceed. She also offered the County’s help with their mapping program which contains lots of data. She urged the PB to call them before the PB spent time digging for information. The County also has a program in place to provide staff support (at a cost) to our community. Chmn. Harms asked if he could get an estimate of the cost. Joan J. said she would get that information back to him. She further said that she is very happy that the Village is looking at key issues and suggested that the PB pick a few key issues to address to focus their efforts on. Janet S. asked if the PB could get a copy of the County’s Comprehensive Plan and Joan J. answered that it is available on the County’s website. She also urged the PB to look beyond Tompkins County lines to see similar communities as VCH. Trustee Riesman stated that she is familiar with the issues that are relevant in the Town. There then was discussion on whether the Town has to review the Village’s plan before it is ratified by the Village. Discussion on GML 239. Carole Shiffman, Friends of the Corners, was then introduced. Carol first wanted to advise the PB that she was not affiliated in any way with the Board. Her purpose for starting the Friends of the Corners website was to create a community conversation about the Corners. The demographics have changed dramatically in the past 10 years, i.e. Kendal, CHES, Cornell and N. Campus and this has greatly impacted the Village. Community conversation has begun now. There is discussion on walkability, sidewalks, lighting, architecture, etc. Carole has found that if she asked people about Community Corners, they couldn’t verbalize their feelings. They need something to react to. S. Cunningham asked how the PB should go about discussing this issue. Chmn. Harms said that the PB is in a listening mode while identifying key issues. Community Corners is a major issue for the Comprehensive Plan. M. Morris said that the PB has to identify what the levers are to affect change at the Corners. Trustee Riesman said that Tim Ciaschi is open to discussion but is very much managing the property, not necessarily looking at the “vision”. Henry R. stated that renting to the kinds of businesses that Carole was alluding to is not necessarily very profitable in the long run. Jack Young, Chairman of the VCH Zoning Board next spoke. He asked the PB how the Zoning Board can help. The ZBA’s purpose is to protect the zoning in the Village. Issues t hat the ZBA may be involved in include occupancy, Community Corners, Nodal Development, walkability, fencing, re-subdivision of lots, Cornell’s owning of undeveloped land, etc. Jack Y. suggested that the ZBA and the Planning Board have a joint meeting for discussion purposes. Graham G. then asked how does the PB corral all the information out there. How does the PB incorporate all the information into the items that have to be addressed? Trustee Riesman said that the PB should reach out to Cornell, and a good person to speak to is John Gutenberger. Mena Amundson, Cornell University Planner is another good source of information. Jack Y. said that once the PB identifies the issues, it should find a person like Carole Shiffman to take them on. 3 Brent Cross, Supt. of PW, Building Engineer, Bldg. Commissioner, Zoning Officer, and Stormwater Management Officer for the Village then spoke. He said that as a PB, the Village has a good jump on the Comprehensive Plan element. Within that role, the Village will get involved in preparing a vision of the public property in the Village. The Village works closely with the County. They provide us with mapping services such as a listing of 2 family dwellings that could become targets for multi-family purchases. With reference to our zoning ordinance, the County could help the Village compare ours with others in the County. The levers that the Village might want to have are already in place. The Village has a liberal amount of allowed uses in the commercial district. Current zoning doesn’t prohibit a Nodal Development. TCAT bus stops. The Village is served well by TCAT. The Village didn’t participate in developing the routes, but they are very successful. VCH is currently working with TCAT on two locations (Triphammer Road and Pleasant Grove Road) by installing a pull off lane and a bus shelter. Cornell is interested as no one knows where the bus stops. Signage will be installed. The PB then went into a discussion mode. Sean C. discussed “Google Docs” as a useful tool for the PB to set up on their computers. He will send out instructions to each member. Key Issues to Consider Janet S. asked what property is eligible for National Historical designation in the Village. She has researched the subject. Additions to the issues to discuss are: density and occupancy, National Historical designation in VCH, landscaping/walkability. Henry R. is looking at model plans and will put the executive plans on Google Docs. A statement of purpose needs to be developed. Mark M. asked about the tree survey. Chmn. Harms has invited Fred Cowett to speak at the November PB meeting. How about a walking tour of the Village in the spring? Would have to be a “public meeting”. Information Gathering/Communications Opportunities Public Survey Options – Yasmin Miller can help with questions – phone vs. written survey. Group of 2 PB members to meet with Yasmin to get costs. Janet S. thinks we need to be very specific with the questions. Is it too premature to do a survey now? Surveys tend to validate what we already know. The PB has to guard against “nobody asked us”. Further discussions on Comprehensive Plan documents – ISTEA Money – Nodal Development – Planning Board Website – Cornell CRP Dept. Student Update The PB needs to solicit their feedback. David West, a present CRP Dept. student explained that the class is divided into 3 different areas…2 in VCH and 1 at the Mall. In the end, all the information obtained will be added together into a State of the Community Report, which is the main information gathering tool. Sean C. will get in touch with the class T.A.’s for information. Structuring the Comprehensive Plan Assembly Process – 4 Need Graham G.’s timeline to add here. Janet S. stated that she will be unable to attend the PB meetings in December, January and February as she will be out of town. The next meeting was set for November 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM Motion by Chmn. Harms to adjourn at 10:39 p.m. Seconded by PB Richardson Planning Members Harms, Richardson, Morris, Gillespie and Shure voted YES. Respectfully submitted, Norma R. Manning Village Clerk See Planning Board Notes on next page. PLANNING PAD (Notes Made At October Meeting) 5 Possible Ad-Hoc Sub-Committees – Short Duration Residents’ Survey Development TABLE Type, Timing – Cost Public “Visioning” Sesion(s) TABLE Alternatives, Venue, Timing, etc. Village Tour for Board (Spring/Virtual?) Mark and Brent Cross Liaison with TCPB Re: Data Services, etc. Graham Same as above with Cornell Henry Planning Consultants + Grants Janet Develop Min. Range of Services Necessary Research Firms Ballpark Cost PB Website + Google Docs Sean