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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes1 Village of Cayuga Heights Planning Board Meeting #100 Monday, March 28, 2022 Marcham Hall – 7:00 pm Minutes Present: Planning Board Members Chair F. Cowett, A. Monroe, E. Quaroni, R. Segelken Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross, Clerk J. Walker, Trustee M. McMurry, Alternate Member M. Johnston J. Germano, 870 Highland Road D. Herrick, T.G. Miller C. Modisher, STREAM Collaborative Members of the Public Item 1 – Meeting called to order • Chair F. Cowett opened the meeting at 7:02 pm. • Chair F. Cowett stated that Board Member J. Leijonhufvud is unable to attend the meeting, and Alternate M. Johnston is appointed a full voting member of the Board for this meeting; Attorney R. Marcus will also be unable to attend the meeting. Item 2 – February 28, 2022 Minutes • The Board reviewed the minutes of the February 28, 2022 meeting. Motion: A. Monroe Second: R. Segelken RESOLUTION No. 342 APPROVING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 28, 2022 RESOLVED, that the written, reviewed and revised minutes of the February 28, 2022 meeting are hereby approved. Aye votes – Chair F. Cowett, M. Johnston, A. Monroe, E. Quaroni, R. Segelken Opposed – None Item 3 – Public Comment No members of the public wished to speak. 2 Item 4 – Site Plan Review – 893 Highland Road • Chair F. Cowett stated that the Board will continue site plan review for this project; following the Board’s January 24 meeting, E. Petrina, Firehouse Architecture Lab, resigned as project architect and has been replaced by C. Modisher, STREAM Collaborative; also, D. Herrick, T.G. Miller, has joined the design team to assist in completing the site plan review process; new drawings provided by the applicant show that the proposed residence has been shifted further towards the west and its south side has been shortened to increase the separation between the structure and the riparian buffer for the intermittent stream located on the southern property line; the residence footprint remains approximately 2,700 square feet as its footprint has been extended slightly from east to west; the new drawings show protection of the riparian buffer with a fence during construction, a rain garden west of the residence to mitigate stormwater runoff, a roof downspout and drainage system and a driveway slotted trench drain directing runoff to the rain garden, and construction materials and equipment staging areas west of the residence and away from the riparian buffer; a conceptual landscape plan shows existing trees being retained and new trees to be planted including trees north of the residence to provide a privacy screen; these drawings have been posted to the Planning Board’s webpage and made available to the public in advance of this meeting. • Chair F. Cowett further stated that the Planning Board at its February 28 meeting rescheduled the public hearing for this project for this meeting; notice of the public hearing was published as required in a newspaper of general circulation at least ten calendar days before March 28 and the Village also mailed notices to all owners of property located within 200 feet of 893 Highland Road. • The public hearing commenced at 7:07 pm. • A. Hatcher, 111 East Remington Road, asked whether the map on the back of the public hearing notice is similar to the project drawings posted to Planning Board’s webpage. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross replied that map on the back of the public hearing notice is the project site plan with the addition of stormwater calculations. • J. Germano, 870 Highland Road, summarized the project; she is building a house for her mother to age independently in place; she recognizes this is a special parcel of land, and has met with many of the neighbors and sought to address their concerns; stormwater, landscaping, and grading issues have been addressed since the Planning Board’s January 24 meeting and and she has four project goals: (1) harmony with the wooded landscape with the residence nestled within it (2) maximizing privacy for her mother and the neighbors while maintaining views with thoughtful landscape design (3) a barrier free home incorporating age-in-place design (4) respect for the land and minimizing environmental impact by building within zoning regulations, mitigating stormwater runoff, and protecting trees and the riparian buffer during construction. 3 • M. Lewis, 895 Highland Road, stated that he has met with J. Germano and appreciates her attention to detail; he has three questions of concern: (1) Is the swale north of the residence sized sufficiently to handle drainage from the north and east? (2) Will this swale extend far enough to the east to capture runoff from the flagstone patio which looks from the grading plan to be composed of fill and, if so, could it back up runoff from the northeast? (3) Does the two square foot change in the residence footprint shown in the updated site plan reflect a final design or is the footprint still a bounding box for lot coverage compliance? • J. Germano replied that the swale north of the residenced has been sized and extended further than originally intended to capture runoff from 895 Highland Road; tree species bordering the swale have been selected for compatibility with it; runoff from the patio will flow into the swale. • C. Modisher stated that the residence footprint has been nailed down and any future changes to the residence will be internal and not external. • D. Herrick stated the patio is not composed of fill; the grading shown in plan has been achieved by excavation rather than fill and runoff from the northeast will not back up; the swale can be extended further if needed without impacting neighboring properties. • J. Germano stated that she would prefer to not extend the swale further east in order to preserve an existing hickory tree. • A. Monroe asked whether roof runoff from 895 Highland Road should be redirected away from 893 Highland Road. • Chair F. Cowett stated that the Planning Board at its January 24 meeting encouraged the applicant to discuss this issue with the property owner at 895 Highland Road, but the Board does not have the authority to compel the redirection of such runoff. • E. Quaroni asked whether porous paving material could be used for the patio. • J. Germano stated that she is open to other paving materials besides flagstone. • D. Herrick stated that any materials other than concrete would be okay; the patio would typically have a drainage layer beneath it; area drains could also be added to direct runoff to the rain garden. • Chair F. Cowett stated that the landscape plan shows river birch being planted along the swale which is a good choice since this tree species tolerates wet conditions. • A. Hatcher stated concern with erosion of the stream bank and particularly its northern bank; 15 feet of the stream bank has eroded in the past 20 years and erosion threatens the trees, especially a large black walnut, located in the riparian buffer. • Chair F. Cowett stated that the project protects the riparian buffer and its stormwater plan mitigates runoff associated with the residence; therefore the project itself is unlikely to worsen stream bank erosion. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross stated that all stream banks eventually erode; preserving the riparian buffer offers some protection from erosion; the applicant may need to take measures in the future to provide additional erosion protection. 4 • J. Germano stated that she has walked the stream with A. Hatcher; she wants to preserve the large black walnut tree and may seek approval from the NYS DEC in the future do some form of erosion control. • E. Quaroni stated that the NYS DEC offers a “Buffer in a Bag” program that provides plant seedlings to property owners free of charge to preserve riparian buffers and assist in erosion control. Motion: M. Johnston Second: A. Monroe RESOLUTION No. 343 TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING RESOLVED, that the public hearing regarding the site plan review for the proposed residence at 893 Highland Road be closed. Aye votes – Chair F. Cowett, M. Johnston, A. Monroe, E. Quaroni, R. Segelken Opposed – None • The public hearing closed at 7:37 pm. • Chair F. Cowett asked Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross to discuss the applicant’s stormwater management plan and pre- and post-construction stormwater calculations provided by T.G. Miller. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross stated that the Planning Board asks project applicants to mitigate post-construction stormwater runoff to the maximum extent practicable; the stormwater calculations provided demonstrate that post-construction runoff will be mitigated through practices that flow into a rain garden and from there to the Village’s ditch line and then into the stream; post-construction runoff mimics pre-construction runoff for 1, 10, and 100 year precipitation events; it is a good plan that also provides a level of water quality treatment and some retention volume. • R. Segelken stated appreciation of the age-in-place design of the residence and the applicant’s willingness to meet with the neighbors and seek their input; he would like Cayuga Heights to be recognized as encouraging age-in-place design. • E. Quaroni asked about the project’s energy reduction plans. • C. Modisher replied that the project will utilize air source heat pumps, meet NYS Stretch Code requirements, install an electric car charger, and mount solar panels on the roof if site conditions allow for it. • Chair F. Cowett asked about the residence’s connection to the Village’s sanitary sewer system. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross stated that the Village still intends to make a sewer connection from the residence to an existing sewer system manhole located at 5 the intersection of Berkshire, East Remington, and Highland Roads and that this connection can be made without the use of pumps. • D. Herrick stated that there is an 8 foot decrease in elevation between the residence’s finished first floor elevation and the connection to the existing manhole and that this change in elevation should be adequate to facilitate a gravity-based connection to the Village’s sanitary sewer system without the need for pumps. • Chair F. Cowett stated that, because the Board categorized the project as a Type II SEQRA action at its January 24 meeting, the applicant did not need to complete Part 1 of the SEQRA Short Environmental Assessment Form, nor did the Planning Board need to complete Parts 2 and 3 of that form or make a SEQRA finding for the project’s environmental impact; however, the Board will consider environmental factors when making findings for site plan review per § 305-117.B of the Village’s Zoning Law. • The Board discussed § 305-117.B of the Village’s Zoning Law, “Factors to be considered by the Planning Board in site plan review,” and made the following findings: o Location and site of the use: The site is located at 893 Highland Road in the Village’s Residence zoning district. The Tompkins County property class code is 311 for residential vacant land. o Nature and intensity of the use: The proposed use is a four bedroom single family residence with a two car attached garage, one curb cut, and one driveway. The nature and intensity of this use are consistent with the Residence zoning district and with neighborhood character. o Size and topography of the site: The site is 0.53 acres. Lot shape is irregular and stems from a 1949 subdivision; lot width adjacent to Highland Road complies with the current Village Zoning Law, but average lot width does not. Because the subdivision occurred prior to the Village’s initial Zoning Law of 1953, it is considered a buildable, non-conforming lot as long as it meets the setback and lot coverage requirements contained in the Village’s current Zoning Law. The site slopes from east to west towards Highland Road and from north to south towards Renwick Brook, a Class C intermittent stream, which flows east to west along the site’s southern property line. o Location of the site in respect to road access: The site is adjacent to Highland Road on its western property line. Access to Highland Road will be provided by one curb cut and one driveway. 6 o Provisions for parking: § 305-90.F.1.a of the Village’s Zoning Law requires that, for a one-family dwelling, two off- street parking spaces be provided. The project is a single family residence with one dwelling unit, and the two-car attached garage and driveway provide at least two off-street parking spaces. Therefore, parking provisions are compliant with the Village’s Zoning Law. o Relationship of improvements and lot size to the parking area: Improvements include a residence, two-car attached garage, and driveway. The parking area is located to the west of the residence and consists of the garage and a driveway apron which provides space for a vehicle turn-around and two exterior parking spaces if needed. o Traffic and noise generated by the proposed use: The proposed use is a single family residence in the Village’s Residence zoning district. The site is currently a vacant lot and improvement with a one-family dwelling will generate some increase in vehicular traffic, but this increase is likely to be slight. Similarly, the proposed use will generate some increase in noise, but this increase is likely to be slight. o Landscaping: A conceptual landscape plan shows existing trees that are being retained to maintain the existing landscape and new trees that are being planted which include River Birch north of the residence to provide a privacy screen from the neighboring property. There is also a gray flagstone front walk and a bench in the riparian buffer facing the stream waterfall. o Architectural features: The residence is a two story structure on a concrete slab with four bedrooms, an attached two car garage, a flagstone patio, and a covered porch. The roof will be standing seam metal or composite slate shingles from recycled materials. Wall cladding will be a combination of stone and wood siding with stone on the lower part and wood siding above. Retaining walls will most likely be stack stone. o Location and dimension of the improvements: The residence is located 25 feet east of the western property line and 15 feet south of the northern property line, and at its nearest point is 8 feet from the 20 foot wide riparian buffer associated with Renwick Brook. Lot coverage is 12% and the driveway has an average slope 7 of approximately 7%. Building height, yard setbacks, and lot coverage are compliant with the Village’s Zoning Law. o Impact of the proposed use on adjacent land uses: The project is a single family residence. Adjacent land uses are single family residences. Therefore, the proposed use is consistent with adjacent land uses and its impact on adjacent land uses is expected to be slight. o Impact of the proposed use on the environment: The site is currently a vacant, undeveloped lot. Renwick Brook, a Class C intermittent stream, flows east to west along the site’s southern property line. § 305-58.A of the Village’s Zoning Law requires a 20 foot riparian buffer on either side of a stream bank top, § 305-58.C states activities prohibited within a riparian buffer, and § 305-58.D and § 305-58.E states the uses and activities permitted within a riparian buffer. The project as proposed complies with these sections of the Village’s Zoning Law. The residence footprint is located outside the riparian buffer, the buffer will be protected from construction activities with a fence, and staging areas for construction materials and equipment have been located away from the buffer. In addition, the proposed use will introduce impervious surfaces to a previously unimproved site and increase stormwater runoff. A roof downspout system and a slotted trench drain in the driveway direct runoff to a rain garden located west of the residence near Highland Road. Calculations provided establish that the rain garden will mitigate post- construction runoff and that post-construction peak runoff will be equal or less than pre- construction peak runoff for 1, 10, and 100 year precipitation events. Therefore, although the project location is an unimproved site containing an intermittent stream and there will be some environmental impact due to constructing the proposed residence, the applicant and design team have made a good faith effort to limit the project’s environmental impact and, in particular, to minimize adverse impact to the intermittent stream and its riparian buffer. o Impact of the proposed use on infrastructure and existing Village services, including sewer, water, stormwater management, solid waste disposal, fire protection, police protection, and road maintenance: The residence will connect to a Village water main on Highland Road providing potable water. There is at present no Village sewer main on Highland Road opposite the lot’s western property boundary. Village DPW will extend a sewer main from a manhole located at the intersection of Berkshire, East Remington, and Highland Roads south on Highland Road to provide a sewer connection to the residence. Apart from the sewer main extension, the proposed use will not substantially impact public potable water and wastewater treatment facilities. The proposed use will introduce impervious surfaces to a previously unimproved 8 site, but proposed stormwater practices, such as the roof downspout system, the slotted trench drain in the driveway, and the rain garden will greatly mitigate the impact of runoff from impervious surfaces on Village stormwater management. The proposed use will not significantly impact other Village services. o Provisions made for reducing energy use or incorporating renewable energy systems into project design: The residence incorporates air-source heat pumps for both space heating and water heating. It will also meet NYS Stretch Code requirements and implement best practices for air sealing and limitation of thermal bridging. An electric car charging port may be installed and the roof may be utilized for onsite solar energy production if site conditions allow for it. o Effect on population density, if any: The site is currently a vacant lot and will be improved with a single family residence with one dwelling unit. Population density will be increased, but this increase will be slight and does not conflict with neighborhood character. o Any other factors reasonably related to the health, safety, and general welfare of Village residents and consistent with the Village's current Comprehensive Plan: Recommendation 1.4 of the Village’s current Comprehensive Plan advocates that the Village continue its historic role as a residential neighborhood. This project is consistent with that recommendation and with the health, safety, and welfare of Village residents. • M. Johnston suggested that the applicant should be required to submit a finalized landscape plan showing the species and genera of new plantings, and the number and location of such plantings, as a follow up to the conceptual landscape plan that has been provided. • Chair F. Cowett agreed with M. Johnston and suggested that any requirement for the applicant to submit a finalized landscape plan be included as a condition of site plan approval; he asked Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross about the timing for such a submittal. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross replied that a finalized landscape plan should be submitted prior to the issuance of a building permit. 9 Motion: E. Quaroni Second: A. Monroe RESOLUTION No. 344 TO APPROVE WITH CONDITIONS THE PROPOSED PROJECT AT 893 HIGHLAND ROAD RESOLVED, that, based upon the findings made by the Planning Board in consideration of § 305-117.B of the Village’s Zoning Law, the site plan for the proposed project at 893 Highland Road is hereby approved with the following conditions: (1) A safety fence shall be installed along the riparian buffer as shown in Drawing C201 and maintained until project completion including all landscaping activities; (2) No construction activities shall occur and no construction equipment or building materials shall be stored within the riparian buffer; and (3) A finalized landscape plan showing the species and genera of new plantings, and the number and location of such plantings, shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer prior to the issuance of a building permit. Aye votes – Chair F. Cowett, M. Johnston, A. Monroe, E. Quaroni, R. Segelken Opposed – None Item 5 – New Business • Chair F. Cowett stated that RaNic Golf Club may submit a formal application to the Village and make a presentation to the Village’s Board of Trustees at its meeting on April 20 to create a Planned Development Zone (PDZ) for improvements to the former Ithaca Country Club; the majority of the golf course and the club are located in the Town of Ithaca, but the request for the Village PDZ involves redeveloping the existing pool and pool house, constructing two hotel buildings with fifty-three rooms, a spa, restaurant, and infinity pool, also four cabanas adjacent to the hotel, and up to twenty-four townhouses, some of which would be located adjacent to Pleasant Grove Road with the rest located along the driveway in the club’s interior; the golf course clubhouse, the majority of which is located in the town, would be reconstructed; additional townhouses and an event space in a barn would be built in the Town on Warren Road; if the Board of Trustees approves a PDZ, the project would then be submitted to the Planning Board for site plan review. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross discussed some differences between site plan review and the review of a proposed PDZ; the Board of Trustees are not considering project approval, but need to see past project details to consider revisions to Village 10 zoning; this is likely to be an iterative process and the Board of Trustees will likely want some feedback from the Planning Board in considering the PDZ. • E. Quaroni asked if the focus of the Board of Trustees in considering the PDZ will be on land use. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross replied that the focus of the Board of Trustees focus will likely be on land use and density. • E. Quaroni asked about the traffic study of the Community Corners area intersections previously commissioned by the Village and whether it has been dropped. • Code Enforcement Officer B. Cross replied that study has not been dropped; the Village was waiting for Cornell’s North Campus Expansion project to be completed before considering the traffic study further; the Cornell project is expected to be completed by this fall. • Chair F. Cowett stated that A. Monroe has decided not to seek re-appointment as a full Board member and thanked A. Monroe for his service on the Board. • Chair F. Cowett further stated that Trustee M. McMurray did not seek re-election and will be rejoining the Planning Board as a full member, having been a Planning Board member previously and also a member of the Villge’s Zoning Review Committee; these changes are to be confirmed by the Board of Trustees at its organizational meeting on April 4. • The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 25, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Item 6 – Adjourn • Meeting adjourned at 8:44 pm.