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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 8-15-2016.pdf EXHIBIT 2017-052 page 1 of 4 Minutes VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS Monday, August 15, 2016 Marcham Hall BOARD OF TRUSTEES 7:00 p.m. MONTHLY MEETING Present: Acting Mayor Salton; Trustees: Biloski, Friend, Marshall, and Robinson; Fire Superintendent Tamborelle; Police Chief Steinmetz; Superintendent of Public Works Cross; Clerk & Treasurer Mangione; and Attorney Marcus Absent: Mayor Woodard and Trustee Supron Call to Order: Acting Mayor Salton calls the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. 1. Approval of Meeting Minutes from May 16, 2016 (Exhibit 2017-043) Resolution #7878 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves the May 16, 2016 Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes as presented in Exhibit 2017-043. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Marshall Ayes: Acting Mayor Salton; Trustees Biloski, Friend, Marshall, and Robinson Nays and Abstentions: none Motion carried 2. Report of Fire Superintendent Tamborelle (Exhibit 2017-044) Code Enforcement classes that Superintendent Tamborelle has been attending are completed. He received notification that he has passed the test. Movie Night at the Firestation is over for this year. It was a great success. The late truck delivery penalty money from KME has been agreed to increase by $1,000 to a total of $9,000 in equipment credit. Recruiting for the Fall Class has begun. The Ithaca Times interviewed Superintendent Tamborelle for an article on volunteer firefighter recruiting and retention. A photographer spent time with him as well; he hopes the article will have a positive effect on recruiting. New truck E203 is running great and is in service. 3. Privilege of the Floor The sign-in sheet is represented here: EXHIBIT 2017-052 page 2 of 4 The following comments are presented by Mr. Ronald Bors. EXHIBIT 2017-052 page 3 of 4 4. Report of the Mayor a. Planning Board Update Mr. Fred Cowett, Chair of the Planning Board (PB) recalls that the last time he spoke to the Board about the proposed Cayuga Medical Office construction it was presented as a three story building. If it had been approved, it would have created de facto rezoning of the commercial zone in terms of building height. At that time the Board of Trustees expressed concern about building height, parking adequacy, and vehicle trips that the project would generate. When these concerns were relayed to the project design team, they revised their project design to reduce the height to two stories. The project will still require two variances. One is the distance between buildings and the other is lot coverage. They will be looking for a lot coverage variance of between 20% and 21%. Current zoning code restricts lot coverage to 15%; they were previously granted a lot coverage variance of between 17% to 18% for an existing structure. In 2015, an informal meeting took place involving Mr. Cowett, then Mayor Supron, Village Engineer Brent Cross and the developers. During that time the Zoning Review Committee (ZRC) was working on proposed changes to zoning code. It had been discussed by the ZRC that lot coverage in the commercial zone was already at 18% and an increase would bring that into compliance. It had also discussed that perhaps an increase in height would be permissible conditioned on mixed use. For example, retail on the ground floor and offices on the other floors. Some other configuration beside three floors of office space. The project was resubmitted at the PB meeting in July. An earlier traffic study submitted by the developer was revised to correct inconsistencies. The applicant’s Traffic Engineer will be attending the August PB meeting and it is expected that questions on their traffic and parking calculation methodology will be asked. Their ratings for the capacity of intersections have fluctuated. They are basing a lot of what they are doing on International Traffic Engineers (ITE) modeling. The PB wants to know what assumptions are made in this modeling. There is also a Public Hearing scheduled for the August PB meeting. The PB will begin the SEQR process at its next meeting as well. If they do not feel confident that they have the information to complete the SEQR, they will suspend the process until the questions are satisfactorily answered. This has been an iterative process and will continue to be so as the Planning Board continues its work. b. Safe Routes to School (Walkability Committee) and Lake View Cemetery Right of Way Agreement Meloney McMurry presents information on selecting a consultant to conduct a feasibility study on the proposed improvements to sidewalks and pathways as discussed at the July Board of Trustees meeting. The contractors would be looking at construction of sidewalks on Kline Road between Highland and Cayuga Heights Road additionally construction on Cayuga Heights Road from Highgate, down Wyckoff, through Lake View Cemetery. The purpose of the feasibility study is for the Village to better understand the projects in terms of cost and logistics. One response was received a few weeks ago from Fisher Associates and another response was just received from Barton & Loguidice. Fisher’s references are very strong both in experience and in integrity. The feasibility study informs the Village how much the project could cost and will consist of engineering conceptual planning, maps, surveying, and the cost estimate. This does not include preparation of the application. In order to have an application for this round of funding it may be beneficial to limit the scope. Trustee Friend has spoken with Town of Ithaca Supervisor Bill Goodman; he believes that the Town will support the Village’s application. Barton & Loguidice’s references were called by Trustee Friend and found them to be excellent. Both of these firms came from an approved list from the NYS DOT. There is significant time pressure to complete a study in order to be prepared to submit a grant application from the Transportation Alternates Program (TAP) when made available. A recommendation is made that the Board should be mindful to select a firm that is knowledgeable of the local area. It is not known if construction of any of these proposed sidewalks will have opposition. Questions remain on the Lake View Cemetery right of way (ROW) agreement and the need to have it complete prior to retaining one of the professional engineering services. Lake View Cemetery would like to be able to open its gates during the winter months. The Village would assume snow plowing of the pathway which may involve repair in order for plowing to be effective. Police presence is also welcomed by the Cemetery Board. Police Chief Steinmetz states that his department has no difficulty taking over patrol of the Cemetery. He would require authority to be specifically stated in the ROW Agreement. It makes it easier for 9-1-1, the County Sheriff, Ithaca Police, and the Cayuga Heights Police for jurisdiction to be clearly defined. It is not foreseen that the Town of Ithaca will have an issue with a change of coverage. Susan Ritter, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town has been brought up to date by the Walkability Committee. It will be optimal for a cross- walk to be located at the bottom of the Cemetery walkway to cross Lake Street/E. Shore Drive which is located in the Town. There is a crosswalk located nearby; it is approximately 200’ – 300’ from where the path meets Lake Street. Acting Mayor Salton mentions multiple other issues to be addressed before the ROW is approved. c. Joint Youth Commission (JYC): Annual Report The JYC serves youth in the Towns of Ithaca and Caroline and Villages of Cayuga Heights and Lansing as part of the Municipal Youth Services System and is coordinated through the office of Kristin M. Bennett, Planner for Tompkins County Youth Services. In 2015, 30 youths from the Village of Cayuga Heights were among the 290 served. EXHIBIT 2017-052 page 4 of 4 There is a vacancy on the JYC for one additional representative from either the Town of Ithaca or the Village of Cayuga Heights. If anyone has an interest or knows of someone who has an interest or would like to learn more they can contact the Village Clerk’s Office. d. Assistant Superintendent of Public Works: Advertising Budget (Exhibit 2017-046) Tompkins County Personnel has advised the Village that it is beneficial to draw up a plan for recruiting candidates for this position. The plan includes a budget and identifies areas where advertising should best be targeted. Resolution #7879 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves expenditures for the purpose of advertising the open position of Assistant Superintendent of Public Works, not to exceed $3,000 and instructs the Treasurer to increase the Budget in the Street Administration account (A5010.410) for the same amount to be debited from General Fund: Contingency (A1990.400). Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Marshall Ayes: Acting Mayor Salton; Trustees Biloski, Friend, Marshall, and Robinson Nays and Abstentions: none Motion carried 5. Report of the Trustees No additional topics are presented. 6. Report of the Police Chief (Exhibit 2017-047a, b, c) There is still one officer out on disability and another on 207c (Workers’ Compensation). They are able to work on light duty only. The Department is one part-time officer down. Chief Steinmetz requests permission to start the hiring process to fill the opening. Resolution #7880 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves Chief Steinmetz’s request for permission to start the hiring process to fill a non-competitive, part-time officer opening. Motion: Trustee Salton Second: Trustee Friend Ayes: Acting Mayor Salton; Trustees Biloski, Friend, Marshall, and Robinson Nays and Abstentions: none Motion carried The RFP to study police force consolidation is to have been released on July 29, 2016. 7. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross The Public Works Committee met earlier in the week. Pricing on technologies that would allow the relining of the Triphammer Road culvert are more expensive than the effort to dig up the old one and replace it completely. That construction will take place this fall. 8. Report of the Treasurer (Exhibit 2017-048a, b, c) There are no questions on the monthly abstract or the vouchers contained therein. Resolution #7881 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves Abstract #003 for FYE2017 consisting of TA vouchers 11 - 19 in the amount of $17,072.39 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 149 - 244 in the amount of $294,065.69 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Marshall Ayes: Acting Mayor Salton; Trustees Biloski, Friend, Marshall, and Robinson Nays and Abstentions: none Motion carried 9. Report of the Attorney No additional topics to introduce. 10. Adjournment Acting Mayor Salton adjourns the meeting at 9:55 p.m.