HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2020-11-17Approved by ILPC::December 15, 2020
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Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC)
Minutes — November 17, 2020
Present:
Ed Finegan, Chair
David Kramer, Vice Chair
Stephen Gibian, Member
Katelin Olson, Member
Susan Stein, Member
Donna Fleming, Common Council
Liaison
Bryan McCracken, Historic
Preservation Planner
Anya Harris, City of Ithaca staff
Absent:
Avi Smith, Member
Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 202.1, this meeting was conducted remotely via the
online meeting platform Zoom. Chair E. Finegan called the meeting to order at 5:34 p.m.
I. AGENDA REVIEW
B. McCracken explained that the application for 216 University Avenue would not move
forward based upon the recommendation of the City Attorney.
B. McCracken also noted that the applicant for 122 Wait Avenue was unable to attend, so
revisiting the window proposal would be postponed.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST
Chair E. Finegan opened Public Comment.
There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written comments
submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed Public Comment.
III. NEW BUSINESS
• 705 E Buffalo Street, East Hill Historic District – Proposal to Replace a Deteriorated
Railroad Tie Retaining Wall along the South Property Line with a Dry Stacked Natural
Stone Retaining Wall (or) a Pre-Cast Concrete Retaining Wall.
Applicant Joe Price of Ithaca Renting, LLC and Matt McCarty, engineer with LaBella, appeared
in front of the ILPC to present a revised application (considered previously at last month’s
meeting) in for replacement of a deteriorated railroad tie retaining wall.
M. McCarty presented four different options, two natural stone, and two pre-cast concrete
options.
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J. Price indicated their preference is in the order presented, with his first choice being the smaller
format dry-laid stone.
D. Kramer asked it their primary reason for that was aesthetics.
J. Price said yes.
K. Olson thanked them for returning to the Commission with alternatives. She said she knows it
can take time and effort. She said she would be fine with either of the first two options.
Commission members expressed support for either of the first two options presented, with a
preference for the smaller of the two options presented.
D. Fleming asked if they could reduce the size of the parking lot.
J. Price said that it’s his understanding that all the parking spaces are required by the City.
B. McCracken said that the parking requirements for Collegetown have since been changed, and
at least some of the spots could be eliminated.
J. Price said that to do that they would have to make the building fully compliant with the current
Building Code.
B. McCracken said he’d spoken with the zoning administrator, and she indicated something
different. He and the applicant agreed to look into it further.
Chair E. Finegan asked if there were any additional comments or questions, or if the
Commission was ready to move forward.
S. Gibian asked for details on the guardrail.
J. Price said they would use the wooden fence that’s there now.
M. McCarty said some of it might need repair or components replaced.
Chair E. Finegan asked if their intent was to rebuild the existing fence along top of the new wall.
S. Gibian said it’s a plus that the fence blocks the view of the parking lot.
D. Kramer said that they can do it by right, as it’s an in-kind replacement, but he doesn’t love it.
J. Price said he wouldn’t mind using something else, but the economics of it might be
prohibitive.
K. Olson said it’s nice that they are going to use local stone, and she said wood prices are high
right now.
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S. Gibian thanked the applicant for considering alternative approaches and doing research.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
V. ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by S. Stein, seconded by D. Kramer, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous
consent at 7:31 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner