HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CAC-2011-03-14Conservation Advisory Council
Meeting Minutes — 03/14/11
Attending: Nathan Brenner, Michael Culotta, Meghan Jacquet, Rima Shamieh, Tom
Shelly, Anna Stalter
Absent: Laura Martin
Included in these minutes are review comments on the following projects:
§ 140 College Avenue
§ Ithaca College Boathouse, 692 Third Street Extension
§ Design Review Ordinance
§ Collegetown Area Form Districts
§ Amended Collegetown Parking Overlay Zone
Comments submitted previously; CAC has no additional comments
§ Seneca Way Apartments, 140 Seneca Way
§ Collegetown Terrace Apartments, East State Street
140 College Ave
• Parking /Public Transportation
• Are parking requirements satisfied based on the current
Collegetown Parking Overlay Zone?
• How will additional parking requirement be satisfied on a permanent
basis (as opposed to the proposed short -term leased parking
arrangement)?
• What type of variance or special use permit is required for the short -
term leased parking proposal?
• CAC believes the project may benefit by providing indoor bike
storage or sheltered outdoor bike storage. Could a parking variance
be contingent on having sheltered bike storage?
• Would the developer consider an agreement with Ithaca Carshare
that could mitigate the requirement for parking? Has that been
considered as a mitigating factor?
• Other
• Reference FEAF page 3 of 20, Section A, Questions 4 and 5. These
all include information essential to our review process and should
be answered in full.
• Reference FEAF page 3 of 20, Section A, Question 6. How does
the SWPP review water that runs through the site from above and
then out below when the site is tiered? The site description, Section
A, doesn't describe how surface water flows onto and off of the site.
• Reference FEAF page 5 of 20, Section B, Question 1f. CAC asks
that the developer explain in a consistent way how parking spots
are being tallied. At various points in the proposal, we have read
about 6 on -site spots, 5 on -site spots, 5 on -site and 4 off -site, etc...
o LEAF Part 2, Question 14 (page 5) and Question 18 (page 7) are
inconsistent. Both indicate environmental impacts. If impacts are
anticipated, CAC would like to review LEAF Part 3.
Ithaca College Boathouse, 692 Third Street Extension
• We received notice that this SPR application has been withdrawn. Has
DEC been notified about this?
Design Review Ordinance
• Is this ordinance proposal meant to present guidelines for design, or is it
meant to present a process for review only?
• In LEAF, Part 3, it is stated that this ordinance will be more protective of
the environment. Does this refer to the urban or the natural environment?
How are you qualifying the potential positive impacts on the natural
environment?
• CAC asks that green building and sustainable building design measures
be considered as elements of design review.
• Will landscaping be a component of design review guidelines?
• The introduction does not adequately describe potential impacts from the
loss of the design review board. What are the consequences?
Collegetown Area Form Districts
• CAC understands that the intention of form -based zoning is to encourage
pedestrian use and public transportation through the use of zoning. For
example, bike lanes up State Street, buffers /barriers between pedestrians
and traffic, and open spaces designed to ease pedestrian interaction.
Amended Collegetown Parking Overlay Zone
• Can the one -time fee be adjusted for inflation annually?
• Why is the one -time fee anchored by 50% of the cost of construction?
Why was 50% chosen instead of a larger percentage of cost, such as
75 %?
• Where else are "payment in lieu" systems currently used? What current
systems were used to model the proposed Ithaca system?
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