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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-2024-09-03 1 Planning and Development Board Minutes September 3, 2024 Board Members Attending: Emily Petrina, Chair; Bassel Khoury, Andy Rollman, Elisabete Godden, Jennie Sutcliffe Board Members Absent: Daniel Correa Board Vacancies: One Staff Attending: Lisa Nicholas, AICP, Director - Department of Planning and Development Nikki Cerra, Environmental and Landscape Planner - Department of Planning and Development Samuel Quinn-Jacobs, Planner - Department of Planning and Development This meeting was held in Common Council Chambers, Third Floor, City Hall, and also conducted remotely using videoconferencing technology, as authorized by Part WW of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022 of New York State and Local Law 2022-05. All resolutions and public comments are attached at the end of this document. Chair Petrina called the meeting to order at 6:17 p.m. 1. Agenda Review – None 2. New Planning Board Member – Jennie Sutcliffe 3. Yamila Fournier, Senior Planner, Department of Planning and Development and Nan Rohrer, Downtown Ithaca Alliance – Overview of the Downtown Plan 4. Approval of Minutes – 06/25/24 On a motion by Godden, seconded by Rollman, the 06/25/24 meeting minutes were approved by unanimous consent. 5. Public Comment Chair Petrina opened Privilege of the Floor. The following individuals spoke regarding the Meinig Fieldhouse project: - CJ Kirst - Sydney Malaga - Alex Brotherton 2 - Jenny Graap - Chloe Maester - Sam Musungu - Dylan Page - Brayon Crawford - Sarah Burlingame - Chris Davis - Alan Zhao - Anne Rhodes - Phoebe Brown - Connor Buczek - Bethany Ojalehto Mays - Ben Sahakiam - Wilson Selzer - Brian Eden - Cheryl Bolts - Carver Hauptman - Yayoi Koizumi - Dan Swanstrom - John Dennis - Leila Wilmers - Margaret McCassland There being no further members of the public appearing in order to speak, nor any additional written comments submitted to be read into the record, Chair Petrina closed the Public Comment period. 6. Board Responses to Public Comment Board members thanked the public for their comments. 7. Special Permit Review A. DICC Afterschool Care – Pre-K – 201 East Tompkins Street by Krista Tripp. Public Hearing (Unofficial) and Declaration of Lead Agency. The applicant is proposing to use the ground floor of the building for an afterschool. The current use of the ground floor is a fitness studio. The project is in the R-2B Zoning District, in which neighborhood commercial is allowed by special permit. This is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 and is subject to environmental review. Applicants Attending: Krista Tripp The applicant described their request for a special permit to operate an afterschool in a R-2B zoning district. Details regarding the operation of the afterschool and physical changes to site were discussed. 3 Adopted Declaration of Lead Agency On a motion by Godden, seconded by Khoury. Public Hearing (Unofficial) Chair Petrina opened the unofficial public hearing on a motion by Godden, seconded by Khoury, and the board voted unanimously. Walter Choh spoke in opposition of the project. Alyssa Weber and Tony Serviente both spoke in support of the project. Chair Petrina closed the public hearing on a motion by Godden, seconded by Khoury, and the board voted unanimously. Board members expressed their support for the project. Rollman asked the applicants questions regarding the affordable aspect of the childcare center. Chair Petrina suggested that the applicant propose permanent signage to address parking concerns brought up during public comment. 8. Site Plan Review A. 116 North Meadow Street by Whitham Planning and Design. Consideration of Project Changes. The Planning Board granted final approval of this project on February 27, 2024. The applicants are now seeking approval for changes to the approved site plan. The changes include reducing the footprint to accommodate the Safe Work Zone and the No Work Zone and raising the building height for flood mitigation. This project was determined to be a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 B.(1)(k) (l) and (n) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) for which the Planning Board, acting as Lead Agency, issued a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance on January 23, 2024. Applicants Attending: Graham Feltham, Scott Whitham The applicants presented a series of site plan changes to the approved project at 116 N Meadow Street. The applicant explained to the board the reasoning and circumstances that led to the changes and used a series of renderings to describe those changes. Changes include a step-back of the building to accommodate required space during the construction process. The applicants went on to explain that the building proposal was also raised to satisfy floodplain development requirements. Godden expressed her support for the project changes, stating that the changes appeared unavoidable and minor. 4 Rollman confirmed with the applicants, details regarding the safe work zone requirement from NYSEG. Rollman expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that the building has been pulled further away from the street, and that the windows were removed from the first floor façade. The applicants confirmed the project changes, stating that the overhang of the building was pulled away from the street, not the base of the building. Applicants, board members and staff discussed the changes made to the windows on the eastern façade of the bottom floor of the building. Board members noted that the proposed changes are acceptable so long as windows were added to the bottom floor as discussed. Adopted Declaration of Approval of Project Changes On a motion by Godden, seconded by Khoury. B. Waters Edge - 683 Third Street by Waters Edge Ithaca, LLC. CEQR Review: Aesthetic Resources/Architecture/Visualization Viewpoints. The applicant proposes to demolish three existing Department of Transportation maintenance buildings to redevelop the 8+ acre site into a mixed-use development that will include two five-story buildings along Cayuga Inlet and two 4-story buildings inland with 450-500 residential units between the four and approximately 10,000 SF of commercial space. The project will be constructed in two phases with approximately 200 units in the first phase and between 250-300 units in the second phase with each phase including a waterfront and inland building. The waterfront buildings will be connected by a second-floor roof terrace and will have a mix of parking, commercial, residential and amenity/service space on the first floor with apartments and additional amenities above. The two inland buildings will include a mix of residential units and amenity service space. Site improvements and amenity spaces include fire pits, outdoor recreation, eating, cooking and seating areas, landscaping, lighting, and several new terraced stairways and ramps along the Waterfront trail to provide access to new boat docks with a kayak launch along the Inlet. The project is in the MD Zoning District and will require no variances. This is a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 B.(1)(d), (h)[2], (i), (k), (l), (n) and (8)(a) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) and is subject to environmental review. Applicants Attending: Ian Hunter The applicant presented a series of visualizations of the proposed project. The applicant went on to discuss the siding material choice for the project and gave an example of how the product changes as it ages. Renderings were shown depicting the Cayuga Waterfront trail and the proposed docks and landscaping associated with the proposal. 5 Godden discussed with the applicant fire access concerns from previous meetings. Rollman confirmed with the applicant landscaping details and provided feedback regarding landscaping buffers. Rollman asked the applicant to provide a landscaping plan depicting the conditions of neighboring properties. Rollman confirmed with the applicant that the proposed siding material is natural. Khoury discussed with the applicant the aging of the proposed siding material. Sutcliffe asked the applicant if there was a plan to provide separate biking and walking lanes for those traversing the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. Sutcliffe went on to request that the applicant include benches. Chair Petrina asked board members if they are comfortable with grey siding material. Petrina went on to state that she believes that the buildings are imposing and present flat facades. Petrina suggested that the inland buildings incorporate designs from the waterfront buildings as it relates to shielding mechanical equipment from view. Petrina requested that the applicants provide more information regarding the views from the lower floors of the inland buildings. Cerra gave the applicant feedback regarding public amenities, landscaping features and parking layout. Cerra went on to voice concern relating to the safety of the proposed bike lanes, pointing out that the designated “lanes” were placed directly in the parking lot between two rows of parked cars. Cerra noted that no details regarding the lanes have been provided and that there appears to be no infrastructure to protect bikes from cars or separate them from pedestrians. Board members, staff and the applicant discussed the project’s timeline as it relates to SEQR. Board members asked staff questions regarding the process for an Environmental Impact Statement. C. Meinig Fieldhouse – Indoor Sports and Recreational Center (ISRC) – 239 Tower Road. by Kimberly Michaels, Fisher/TWM Landscape Architecture. Potential CEQR Determination. The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board has a pending application for an indoor sports and recreation center at 239 Tower Road on the Cornell University campus. The applicant proposes to construct the Meinig Fieldhouse, an indoor sports and recreation center of approximately 90,000 SF on the existing Robison Alumni Fields which is composed of natural grass and artificial turf fields, sidewalks, spectator viewing areas, and parking lots. The Meinig Fieldhouse will accommodate a field that will be programmed to support NCAA requirements for women and men lacrosse competitions; a varsity soccer pitch and/or varsity football field for practices; and the facility will host campus recreation, club, and intramural sport teams. The proposed building will also include a mechanical room, restrooms, a training room, and storage on the ground floor; two team rooms, restrooms, an area for elevated filming 6 and mechanical spaces on the second level mezzanine accessible by both stairs and elevator; and on each level an area for a limited number of spectators. The project is located in central campus and the limit of disturbance is proposed to be approximately 7 acres in total, with 5.8 acres in the City and 1.2 acres in the Town of Ithaca. The project site is located in the U-1 Zoning District in the City of Ithaca and will require no variances and is located in the Low-Density Residential Zoning District in the Town of Ithaca and will require variances in the town. This has been determined to be a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 B.1(b), (n), and 8(a), and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) and is subject to environmental review. Applicants Attending: Kimberly Michaels, Alicia Farhner, Leslie Schill, Trey Sasser, David Herrick The applicants presented on the reasoning behind the proposed development and argued that the proposal fills a need in the community. The applicant went on to address the community concerns related to the proposed synthetic turf. The applicants stated that the project will be compliant with a proposed New York State law that requires PFAs free materials for projects such as this project. The applicant went on to discuss the stormwater plan and how it addresses micro-plastic pollution. Rollman discussed with the applicant how the proposal fits in with campus plans. Board members, staff and the development team discussed the proposed project’s mitigations for artificial turf. Details relating to the environmental concerns brought up by the public were discussed. The composition of the turf and stormwater management of the land surrounding the athletic field were highlighted. The applicants noted that the proposed turf will be compliant with a future New York State law that requires the material to be free of any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); the infill of the proposed turf will be made of a plant-based material; and that the stormwater management of the outdoor field will filter out a large amount of the micro-plastics. Board members and staff discussed changes needed to be made to the FEAF Part 3 due to new information being provided by the applicant on the floor of the meeting. Adopted Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance On a motion by Khoury, seconded by Rollman. D. Duffield Hall Expansion – 116 Hoy Road by Marine Mukashambo, Cornell University. Public Hearing and Declaration of Lead Agency. The applicant proposes constructing a 4-story, 46,340 SF building addition to the existing 4-story 97,500 SF Phillips Hall, located on the corner of Hoy Road and Campus Road. The addition with new research labs and instructional spaces, serves to connect the existing Duffield and Phillips Halls, which the entire complex upon completion will be referred to as Duffield Hall. The project will also include renovation to the existing buildings including accessibility 7 compliance with changes to existing entrances, and will renovate the existing interiors with structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to comply with building and energy codes. Site improvements include new sidewalks, a plaza area, landscaped buffers along Campus and Hoy Roads, lighting, and a new ADA crosswalk on Hoy Road. The project site is located in the U-1 Zoning District and will require no variances. This has been determined to be a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 B.(1)(b) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) and is subject to environmental review. Applicants Attending: Marine Mukashambo, Leslie Schill, Margaret McFadden Carney The applicant had no presentation and was available for questions from the board. Board members had no questions and thanked the applicant. Public Hearing Chair Petrina opened the public hearing on a motion by Khoury, seconded by Rollman, and the board voted unanimously. Chair Petrina closed the public hearing a motion by Khoury, seconded by Rollman, and the board voted unanimously. Adopted Declaration of Lead Agency On a motion by Khoury, seconded by Rollman. 9. Zoning Appeals • BZA 3276 – 110 Dryden Road (AT&T), Telecommunications Modification • BZA 3277 – 122 First Street, Area Variance • BZA 3279 - 710 Mitchell Street, Area Variance • BZA 3278 – 917 W. State Street, Sign Variance 10. Reports • Director’s Report • New time for project review committee 11. Old/New Business - none Adjournment: On a motion by Khoury and seconded by Godden, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 11:15 pm. ADOPTED RESOLUTION Special Permit Declaration of Lead Agency Neighborhood Commercial (Afterschool) 201 E Tompkins St City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board September 3, 2024 WHEREAS: 6 NYCRR Part 617 of the State Environmental Quality Review Law, and Chapter 176.6 of the City Code, Environmental Quality Review, require that a lead agency be established for conducting environmental review of projects, in accordance with local and state environmental law, and WHEREAS: State Law specifies that for actions governed by local environmental review, the lead agency shall be that local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, and WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board has one pending application for a Special Permit for a Neighborhood Commercial Use in an R-2B Zoning District at 201 E Tompkins Street by Krista Tripp for owner Tony Serviente, and WHEREAS: in accordance with City Code, §329-9 (B) (f), Standards for Special Conditions and Special Permits- Applicability, a special use permit is required for “Neighborhood retail or service commercial facilities in R-2, R-3, CR-2, CR-3, and CR-4 Districts”, and WHEREAS: The applicant is proposing to use the ground floor of the building for an afterschool. The current use of the ground floor is a fitness studio. Additional changes may include the addition of signage. There are eight parking spaces on site, and WHEREAS: this is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 and is subject to environmental review, now, therefore be it, RESOLVED: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board, being that local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, does, by way of this resolution, declare itself Lead Agency in Environmental Review for the proposed project. Moved by: Godden Seconded by: Khoury In favor: Petrina, Khoury, Rollman, Godden, Sutcliffe Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Correa Vacancies: One 1 APPROVED RESOLUTION 116 N Meadow Street Project Changes Site Plan Review City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board September 3, 2024 WHEREAS: The City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board approved a new 5-story building comprised of 60 units, located at 116 N Meadow Street by CSD Housing, on February 27, 2024, and WHEREAS: the applicants are now seeking approval for changes to the approved site plan. The changes include reducing the footprint to accommodate the Safe Work Zone and the No Work Zone and raising the building height for flood mitigation, and WHEREAS: this Board, has on September 3, 2024, reviewed and accepted as adequate revised drawings titled Site Key Plan, L-001 dated September 5, 2024 and prepared by Passero Engineering Architecture, Marathon Engineering, EC4B Engineering and Whitham Planning & Design; W Seneca: Staircase and Ramp, W Seneca & Meadow Intersection: Staircase and Ramp and N Meadow Approved Plan: Setback Staircase and Ramp all prepared by Whitham Planning and Design and dated September 5, 2025, and other application materials, and WHEREAS: the Planning and Development Board has determined that the project changes are consistent with the January 23, 2024 Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance and that no additional environmental review is required, now therefore be it RESOLVED: that the Planning Board does approve the proposed changes to the approved site plan, subject to the following: The following conditions must be satisfied within six months of approval or the start of construction, whichever comes first: i. Submission of east elevations along Meadow Street depicting the street level windows that were in the original approved drawings to Planning staff for review and may require Board approval ii. Submission of drawings depicting mechanicals on the building roof hidden from the street to Planning staff for review and may require Board approval, and be it further RESOLVED: that this approval incorporates several of the unresolved conditions, including Conditions i- viii, of the February 27, 2024 Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval Resolution. Moved by: Godden Seconded by: Khoury In favor: Godden, Rollman, Sutcliffe, Petrina, Khoury Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Correa Vacancies: One APPROVED RESOLUTION City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board S/CEQR Negative Declaration Meinig Fieldhouse- Indoor Sports & Rec Center 239 Tower Rd September 3, 2024 WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board has one pending application for site plan approval for an indoor sports and recreation center located at 239 Tower Rd by Kimberly Michaels, Trowbridge Wolf Michaels, a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio, and WHEREAS: the applicant proposes to construct the Meinig Fieldhouse, an indoor sports and recreation center of approximately 90,000 SF on the existing Robison Alumni Fields which is composed of natural grass and artificial turf fields, sidewalks, spectator viewing areas, and parking lots. The Meinig Fieldhouse will accommodate a field that will be programmed to support NCAA requirements for women and men lacrosse competitions; a varsity soccer pitch and/or varsity football field for practices; and the facility will host campus recreation, club, and intramural sport teams. The proposed building will also include a mechanical room, restrooms, a training room, and storage on the ground floor; two team rooms, restrooms, an area for elevated filming and mechanical spaces on the second level mezzanine accessible by both stairs and elevator; and on each level an area for a limited number of spectators. The project is located in central campus and the limit of disturbance is proposed to be approximately 7 acres in total, with 5.8 acres in the City and 1.2 acres in the Town of Ithaca. The project site is located in the U-1 Zoning District in the City of Ithaca and will require no variances and is located in the Low-Density Residential Zoning District in the Town of Ithaca and will require variances in the town, and WHEREAS: this is a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176- 4 B.1(b), (n), and 8(a), and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) and is subject to environmental review, and WHEREAS: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Tompkins County Department of Health, City of Ithaca, Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability, and Town of Ithaca, all potentially involved agencies in this action, have consented to the Planning Board acting as Lead Agency for this project, and WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board, being the local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, did on January 23, 2024 declare itself Lead Agency in Environmental Review for the project, and WHEREAS: the Planning Board, acting as Lead Agency in Environmental Review, did on September 3, 2022, review and accept as adequate: a Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF), Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Parts 2 and 3 prepared by Planning staff; Indoor Sports and Recreation Center & Multi-Purpose Field Packet (26 pp C100-L8-11) dated 04/19/24 and prepared by Project Consultants including Sasaki Architect + Landscape Architect, T.G. Miller, P.C., Lemessurier, RFS Engineering, Howe Engineers; Vehicle Tracking Study (2 pp) prepared by above consultants and dated 03/20/23; Seven diagrams dated 04/19/24 and prepared by TWLA A Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio; and other application materials, and WHEREAS: interested parties have been given the opportunity to comment on the proposed project, and any received comments have been considered, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED: That, per the requirements outlined in 6NYCRR Part 617.3(g) of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, the segmentation of the above-referenced action from future phases of development is warranted, given that: 1. City of Ithaca Planning Board approval of the proposed Meinig Fieldhouse does not commit the Town of Ithaca to approve any of the development of a field hockey field associated with the property on Game Farm Road in the Town of Ithaca; 2. As the proposed development of the field hockey field is located entirely in the town, the Town of Ithaca will establish itself as Lead Agency for this action; and 3. Segmentation of the environmental review for the new Meinig fieldhouse in the City of Ithaca and Town of Ithaca from the environmental review for any future development of the field hockey field in the Town of Ithaca will not be less protective of the environment, because the construction and use of a fieldhouse in the City of Ithaca in central campus does not share common environmental impacts with the construction and use of a new field hockey field over one and half miles away off of central campus in the Town of Ithaca in terms of traffic, noise, lighting, visual, stormwater, utilities and other impacts. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the City Planning Board determined, as elaborated in the FEAF Part 3, that the proposed project will result in no significant adverse impacts on the environment and a Negative Declaration for purposes of Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law be issued in accordance with the provisions of Part 617 of SEQRA. Moved by: Khoury Seconded by: Rollman In favor: Rollman, Khoury, Sutcliffe, Petrina Against: None Abstain: Godden Absent: Correa Vacancies: One ADOPTED RESOLUTION City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board Declaration of Lead Agency Duffield Hall 116 Hoy Road September 3, 2024 WHEREAS: 6 NYCRR Part 617 of the State Environmental Quality Review Law and Chapter 176.6 of the City Code, Environmental Quality Review, require that a lead agency be established for conducting environmental review of projects in accordance with local and state environmental law, and WHEREAS: State Law specifies that for actions governed by local environmental review, the lead agency shall be that local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, and WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board has one pending application for site plan approval for constructing a 4-story, 46,340 SF building addition to the existing Phillips Hall by Marine Mukashambo, and WHEREAS: the applicant proposes constructing a 4-story, 46,340 SF building addition to the existing 4- story 97,500 SF Phillips Hall, located on the corner of Hoy Road and Campus Road. The addition with new research labs and instructional spaces, serves to connect the existing Duffield and Phillips Halls, which the entire complex upon completion will be referred to as Duffield Hall. The project will also include renovation to the existing buildings including accessibility compliance with changes to existing entrances, and will renovate the existing interiors with structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to comply with building and energy codes. Site improvements include new sidewalks, a plaza area, landscaped buffers along Campus and Hoy Roads, lighting, and a new ADA crosswalk on Hoy Road. The project site is located in the U-1 Zoning District and will require no variances, and WHEREAS: this is a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4 B.(1)(b) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4 b. (11) and is subject to environmental review, and WHEREAS: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Tompkins County Department of Health, both potentially involved agencies in this action, have consented to the Planning Board acting as Lead Agency for this project, now, therefore be it RESOLVED: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board does, by way of this resolution, declare itself Lead Agency in Environmental Review for the proposed project. Moved by: Khoury Seconded by: Rollman In Favor: Petrina, Khoury, Rollman, Sutcliffe Against: None Abstain: Godden Absent: Correa Vacancies: One Planning & Development Board Public Comments - September 3, 2024 Written public comments submitted for the September 3, 2024 Planning and Development Board meeting can be accessed via this link: https://www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter/Index/1700 CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Lisa Nicholas, AICP, Director Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6565 E-Mail: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org