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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-11 Board of Public Works Meeting AgendaA meeting of the Board of Public Works will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at 4:45 p.m. in Common Council Chambers — Third Floor, City Hall, 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York. 07-MM 6. Approval of Minutes (5 min.) 6.1 May 25, 2011, Regular Meeting Minutes — Resolution 011111 M -lual 8.2 Highways, Streets and Sidewalks (20 min.) A. Approval for the Removal of the Fair Street Traffic Diverters — Resolution 8.4 Creeks, Bridges and Parks A. Request For Site Plan Review And Landmarks Commission Action On Proposal For Decorative Chains In Dewitt Park — Resolution 9. DISCUSSION ITEMS (60 min.) 9.1 Curb Lawn Gardens 9.2 Cornell Bridge Means Restriction 9 . Wei tell IdA111WII'm If you have a disability that will require special arrangements to be made in order for you to fully participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 607- 274 -6570 at least 48 hours before the meeting. The Board of Public Works meets on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of the months at 4:45 p.m. All meetings are voting meetings, opening with a public comment period. Meeting agendas are created from prior public input, Department operating, planning issues, and requests made to the Superintendent. The Board reserves the right to limit verbal comments to three minutes and to request written comments on lengthy or complex issues. This information may then be used to create committee agendas, with the speaker or author invited to attend. 8.2A Approval for the Removal of Fair Street Traffic Diverters — Resolution The attached resolution addresses part of the removal of "temporary" traffic devices anticipated in the "Six Point Plan" adopted early in the redevelopment of the South Meadow Str eet %1%Jf ridor during the early 20V V's. I I ie Invcal device_ v "�e Ye irl�Cvta _ he va6A cVe the land development was going to occur faster that the various new regional traffic elements of the six point plan could be designed and built. Staff was always nervous about the local devices because once any traffic device is installed it is our experience that it is difficult to remove them. This proposed removal has already matched our experience during the several years' time that the Fire Department and its Board of Fire Commissioners have been trying to have the devices removed. The BPW has reviewed a lot of historical information during that period of time. I have only attached two items here for your immediate reference: the time line and the traffic counts. These confirm to staff that the regional traffic realignment has been successful and the local devices can be removed. They were never built to be permanent. They were also never built as honest diverters which would have been solid walls. Finally, I have attached Tim's note to Jennifer Dotson and her response. We have already seen a neighborhood e -mail that says that removal without any other mitigation is unacceptable. Our response is that the temporary devices were installed until the regional devices could be installed and the traffic counts confirm the traffic realignment. We are requesting the removal because the mitigating measures are now in place and working. The local traffic is one third of what it was in 2000 and well within comparable neighborhood street traffic levels. 8.4A Request For Site Plan Review And Landmarks Commission Action On Proposal For Decorative Chains In Dewitt Park — Resolution Attached is the City Attorney's resolution requesting an expedited review of the site plan for the proposed chain installation and the Landmark Preservation Committee's determination. Also attached is the full packet of information previously distributed to the Board. 9.1 Curb Lawn Gardens The continuing saga of the curb lawn gardens has now taken the form of Kathy Gehring's draft annual public service announcement that could be published in the late winter much the same as we publish notices about leaf clean up or snow removal. Kathy backed up her draft with Page 2 copies of the various code sections (C -73, C -76, 86 -2, 96 -1, 100 -1, 178 -3, 325 -17 & 331 -1) which I have not provided here, but would be glad to provide upon request. 9.2 Cornell Bridge Means Restriction The attached package of e -mail is from JoAnn Cornish concerning Cornell's proposed means restriction (suicide barriers) on bridges. I have not had a chance to read or even skim the whole collection so I offer them without comment as some representation of material that is circulating in opposition to modifying community bridges. I think Dan Hoffman presented an accurate view of the BPW position concerning this issue when he said that the Common Council can intervene or take on the issue of Means Restriction if it feels that there are larger community or policy issues they must address. The Charter makes the BPW responsible for the City's bridges, and if nothing else happens, the Board should consider any proposed modifications to the bridges being offered or recommended, in this case by Cornell. The exact path this issue will take within the City will be as complex as the issue itself, but under the charter the BPW is the front line for the City bridges, right next to the site plan review by the Planning Board for all the bridges. oALUPvvJ. gr2t , 1>.E. Svper�v teoAev�,t of PLtUI L Work,�s J R we 10, 2011 Page 3 WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works has received a request from the Ithaca Housing Authority to remove the diagonal diverter at the intersection of Wood Street and Fair Street, and WHEREAS, the Ithaca Fire Department and the Board of Fire Commissioners has requested that the Board of Public Works remove said diverter as well as the diagonal diverter at the intersection of South Street and Fair Street, as well as the speed bumps on South and Wood Streets, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works held a public hearing on the removal of the diverters on March 9, 2001, and WHEREAS, the City Transportation Engineer has conducted traffic counts and made a recommendation to remove the two "diverters," now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works hereby directs the Department of Public Works to remove the two "diverters" on Fair Street and to restore the intersections as appropriate, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works requests that the City Transportation Engineer conduct a follow up study to monitor traffic volumes and speeds on Wood and South Streets and make a recommendation for any further action, if any, within the next year. Page 4 An Abbreviated History of Traffic Studies and Construction Related to the South of the Creek Neighborhood and the "Diverters" 1990s • Southwest Area Land Use Planning - impacts of various land use scenarios. Council directed planning work in 1992, though discussions and other planning had been ongoing since early 1970s • Task Force on Traffic Issues - studies traffic issues around the City, including the South of the Creek neighborhood, 1992 -1994 • Octopus realignment discussions and design. Construction begins in 1995 and continues for about 3 years • City commissions study of converting West Spencer Street to two -way traffic and other traffic concepts in South of the Creek neighborhood. lfiidy rnmplPtPri by SRF Rr AggnriatPc in 1999 • Traffic Impact Studies included in Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Southwest Area Land Use Plan -1998 and 1999 2000 • March: Diverters installed at Wood /Fair and South /Fair intersections as temporary measure • August: GEIS adopted, calling for further study of traffic management and monitoring 2001 • April: Southwest Area Land Use Plan adopted • Six Point Plan study - Wilbur Smith & Associates - adopted Dec 5th • September & December: Six Point Plan recommendations funded 2002 • April: South of the Creek Traffic Calming Planning Charrette • Nov: Reconstructed South Plain Street Bridge over Six Mile Creek opened to motor vehicle traffic (with sidewalks & bike lanes) 2003 • Meadow Street (Rt 13) bridge over Six Mile Creek widened • Mini- circle built at Center Street & South Plain Street 2004 • West Spencer Street converted to two -way traffic • Roundabout constructed at W. Spencer, S. Albany, and Old Elmira Rd • South Meadow Street /Elmira Road (Rt 13) highway widening Page 1 of 2 2004 (cunt.) ® Common Council redirects action on Taughannock Blvd Extention study (to pursue federal funding, instead of City only funding) 2006 ® South Meadow Street Traffic Study completed by Fisher Associates - a follow up traffic study required by NYSDOT to assess impacts of southwest development and transportation improvements 2007 • Ithaca Housing Authority requests removal of "diverters" • Board of Fire Commissioners requests removal of "diverters" 2008 ® February: Neighborhood meeting held with City Planning & Engineering staff Compiled by: Tim Logue City Transportation Engineer March 9, 2011 Page 2 of 2 Page 1 of 2 Bill Gray - Re: 2 items at BPW From: Jennifer Dotson <jdotson @cityofithaca.org> To: Tim Logue <timlo @cityofithaca.org> Date: 6/10/2011 11:10 AM Subject: Re: 2 items at BPW CC: Maria Coles <mcoles @cityofithaca.org >, Eric Rosario <erosario @cityofithaca.org >, "J.R. Clairbome" <jclairbo @cityofithaca.org >, <southofcreek @yahoogroups.com >, Bill Gray <billg @cityofithaca.org >, <bpw @cityofithaca.org> Tim, Thank you for the heads up! I have a couple of questions: Is the plan to remove both diverters, or just the Wood /Fair one that I thought had been the focus of concerns? iS there any plan to replace theiii With a.uyU1111r, aiid if moo, vvhat'3 the tui�iisg of ii�jtallation? I feel pretty sure that removal without any other steps will be unpopular in the neighborhood. I've copied both the neighborhood list and BPW on this, because I'm certain that both groups will benefit from the answers and any further discussion. I'm planning to attend the BPW meeting (at 4:45 on Wednesday). Again, thanks for the headsup. Jennifer P.S. Any word on the next steps for the Albany /Titus signals? Jennifer Dotson First Ward Alderperson, Green Party Chair, Planning and Economic Development Committee 212 Wood St City of Ithaca, NY (607) 351-5458 From: "Tim Logue" <timlo (a) tXofithaca.org> To: "Eric Rosario" <erosario cityofithac" >, "J.R. Clairborne" <Jcl lairbo @ityo ithaca.org >, "Jennifer Dotson" <jdotson rtyofithaca.00r >, "Maria Coles" <mcoles &cit ofithaca.or2> Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:19:19 -0400 Subject: 2 items at BPW Hello Jennifer, Maria, Eric & J.R., Just wanted to let you know about two items coming up at the BPW. 1. Next week (6/15) they are considering a resolution to remove the "diverters" on Fair Street. They discussed this two days ago and seem prepared to vote to remove them. 2. Also, they called for a public hearing at their June 22 meeting to consider a new sidewalk installation on South Plain Street in Baker Park and in front of 805 South Plain. We can build the sidewalk in the park out of file://C: \Documents and Settings \billg\Local Settings\ Temp \XPgrpwise \4DFIFB9Ccoimai... 6/10/2011 Page 2 of 2 the sidewalk crew budget, but the Charter requires that we assess the costs of sidewalk in front of 805 to the property owner. A hearing is required before the BPW directs the sidewalk construction. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Tim Tim Logue City Transportation Engineer Office of the City Engineer City of Ithaca 108 E. Green St. Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 274 -6535 timlo@cityofithaca.org file: //C: \Documents and Settings \billg \Local Settings\ Temp \XPgrpwise \4DF1FB9Ccoimai... 6/10/2011 8.4A Request For Site Plan Review And Landmarks Commission Action On Proposal For Decorative Chains In Dewitt Park — Resolution Suggested Resolution (drafted by City Attorney — 619111) for 6115111 Board of Public Works meeting WHEREAS, the DeWitt Park Restoration Committee, a community group that includes military veterans, has made a proposal for action that is intended to discourage inappropriate use of and further damage to several memorials to local war veterans that are located in the central plaza of DeWitt Park; and WHEREAS, the proposal is for the installation of decorative chain fences approximately thirty inches high and located approximately one foot from the front of the Civil War, World War I and World War II monuments, which placement is intended in particular to discourage the riding of skateboards along the front base of said monuments, which activity has been causing physical damage to the monuments; and WHEREAS, the Restoration Committee has indicated that it is prepared to pay for the cost of installing the proposed fences; and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works, on behalf of the City, wishes to pursue this possibility, for the purpose of protecting the monuments; and WHEREAS the owner of DeWitt Park, namely, the First Presbyterian Church, from whom the City of Ithaca leases the park, has indicated in a letter from its pastor, dated June 2, 2011, that the church supports the proposal; and WHEREAS, according to the City Attorney, the proposed action is exempt from environmental review, but requires site plan review (as a "project of limited scope ") and, because it would occur within the DeWitt Park historic district, either a report or a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (depending on whether the proposed change is deemed to be to an improvement owned by the City, or owned by someone else — e.g., the church); now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby requests that the City's Board of Planning and Development (or the Director of Planning and Development, for expedited review) facilitate and commence site plan review for the proposed chain fences, as soon as is practical; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board hereby requests that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission facilitate and commence the appropriate review of and action on the proposed chain fences, as soon as is practical, so that the Board can vote on the proposal in the near future. 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Korean War Monument, Washington, CiC. North Dakota AITY-T PARK R-EST091AMON COMMITTEE 2451BURNS ROAD `)ROOKTONDALE, _6 7 ---------- ;;w� C44*( LO,f,4 R5i>' APPDX. 12-" IN I-rP,-91YF Oil:� /,x o PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 8, 2011 f, opring is the time of the year to begin planting flowers, ornamental grass, shrubs, trees and other vegetation. The City of Ithaca encourages these plantings as a way to beautify the city. However, the Board of Public Works reminds residents that plant vegetation in the curb lawn, the area between the sidewalk and the curb, that there is a height limitation of ten (10) inches to keep in mind when choosing what to plant. Ithaca has many elderly and disabled residents and visitors. Please assist them when moving from their parked vehicle to the sidewalk by maintaining your lawns between the curb and the sidewalk at a level that does not hinder passage. Residents that live on street corners may not install fences on their property any closer than twenty (20) feet from the corner. This ensures driver and pedestrian safety by maintaining line of sight free from obstructions. For further information, please see the City's Municipal Code Chapter 178-3(F), or contact the Superintendent of Public Works at (607) 274-6527.