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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-11-16 Board of Public Works Meeting AgendaDATE: April 11, 2016 BPW MTIME: 4:45 pm LOCATION: 3rd Floor, Board of Public Works City Hall, Council Chambers 108 E. Green St., Ithaca AGENDA Time Topic Voting? Presenter(s) Allowed 1. Call to Order /Agenda Review No Mayor Myrick 5 min. 2. Mayor's Communications 3. Communications and Hearings from Persons Before the Board 4. Response to the Public 5. Administration & Communications A. Approval of Meeting Minutes 1. March 28, 2016 6. New Project Presentation 7. Reports A. Special Committees of the Board B. Council Liaison C. Board Liaisons D. Superintendent and Staff 8. Buildings, Properties, Refuse & Transit No Mayor Myrick No Public 5 -15 min. No Commissioners Yes Mayor Myrick 5 min. No Various 20 min. A. Bench Donation, Six -Mile Creek Natural Area — Yes Supt. Thorne 5 min. Resolution A resolution is provided for the Board's consideration in accepting the donation, per the discussion held on March 28, 2096. 9. Highways, Streets & Sidewalks 10. Parking & Traffic A. Approval to Begin a Parking Scratch -Off Ticket Yes Dir. of Parking Nagy 5 min. Program — Resolution Per the Board's discussion on March 28, 2016, a resolution to begin a pilot program is provided for consideration. 11. Creeks, Bridges & Parks A. Declaration to Act as Lead Agency for the Yes Dir. of Eng. Logue 5 min. Environmental Review of Brindley Street Bridge Replacement Project — Resolution This resolution is required for the environmental review process. B. Babe Ruth Baseball Storage Shed Approval — Yes Supt. Thorne 5 min. Resolution This resolution is provided for consideration from the Board's discussion on March 28, 2016. C. Columbia Street Park Project — Resolution Yes Dir. of Eng. Logue 5 min. This resolution is provided in response to the Board's March 28, 2016, discussion. D. Fuertes Overlook Restoration - Resolution Yes Dir. of Eng. Logue 5 min. Friends of Stewart Park provided this resolution that authorizes them to use grant funding. E. Large Pavilion Fee Waiver — Resolution Yes Dir. of Eng. Logue 5 min. This resolution reflects the Board's discussion on March 14, 2096. Time Topic Voting? Presenter(s) Allowed 12. Water & Sewer A. Appeal of Water Bill for 309 Center Street — Yes Asst. Supt. Whitney 5 min. Resolution B. Appeal of Water Bill for 1109 North Aurora Street Yes Asst. Supt. Whitney 5 min. — Resolution These resolutions reflect the Board's discussions held on March 28, 2016. 13. Discussion Items A. A Resolution to Direct Staff for Implementing a No Dir. of Eng. Logue 5 min. Portion of the Bicycle Boulevard Plan along North Tioga Street between the Commons and Court Street A proposed resolution is provided for the Board's discussion. B. Stewart Park Ash Project No 5 min. A local artist has presented a proposal to the Public Art Commission and Parks Commission to create sculptural art from an Ash Tree in Stewart Park. A memo from Megan Wilson, Senior Planner, is enclosed for additional information. C. Approval of Sites for the Public Art Commission's No 10 min. Rainwater Art Project — Proposed Resolution The Public Arts Commission has been awarded a grant to install rainwater art in and around downtown Ithaca. The Commission is asking for approval of the sites for this artwork. 14. New Business No 15. Adjournment Yes Page 2 8A. Bench Donation, Six -Mile Creek Natural Area — Resolution WHEREAS, the Ruoff family desires to install and maintain a memorial bench in the Six -Mile Creek Natural Area, and WHEREAS, the Natural Areas Commission is supportive of the request and upon consultation with the City Forester, have selected an appropriate style and location of the bench, and WHEREAS, funds for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of the bench will come from the "Ruoff Memorial Six -Mile Creek Natural Area Trust Fund ", which was specifically created for this purpose, and from additional funds from the Ruoff family as needed, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works supports the installation of the memorial bench in the Six -Mile Creek Natural Area, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Works or designee work with the City Controller's office to access the trust funds, and that the City Forester ensure that the bench is properly installed at the accepted location. Page 3 10A. Authorization to Begin a Scratch -Off Parking Card Pilot Program — Resolution WHEREAS, the City has received many complaints about the newly installed on- street pay stations from mobility- impaired and senior citizens, and WHEREAS, the request has come from many senior citizen associations asking for an easier way to be compliant and pay for parking on the street, and WHEREAS, to accommodate those groups, and anyone else who wishes to use this system, City staff have suggested offering a one -time use scratch card that would be pre -sold and placed on the dashboard or hung from the rearview mirror during the time the vehicle is parked on the street, and WHEREAS, City staff will work with local businesses so that the scratch -off cards could be sold at any location that currently distributes the City's trash tags, and WHEREAS, the scratch -off cards will be sold in the following denominations of time: '/ of an hour (15 minutes) $0.38 each '/ of an hour (30 minute) $0.75 each 1 Hour (60 minutes) $1.50 each 1 %2 Hours (90 minutes) $2.25 each 2 hours (120 minutes) $3.00 each 3 hours (180 minutes) $4.50 each 4 hours (240 minutes) $6.00 each 8 hours (480 minutes) $12.00 each and, WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works discussed beginning a two -year pilot program to sell pre -paid scratch -off cards at their meeting on March 28, 2016, and expressed their support, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works does hereby authorize the Superintendent of Public Works and the Director of Parking to initiate a two -year pilot program in the City of Ithaca to sell scratch -off cards for on- street parking, to begin June 1, 2016, with reviews of the program to be completed annually. Page 4 11A. Declaration to Act as Lead Anencv for the Environmental Review of Brindley Street Bridue Replacement Project — Resolution WHEREAS, State laws and regulations and Section 176.6 of the City Code of the City of Ithaca require that a lead agency be established for conducting environmental review of certain proposed actions, in accordance with applicable law, and WHEREAS, State regulations and the City Code specify that the lead agency shall be that agency which has primary responsibility for undertaking, approving or funding the action, and WHEREAS, the existing Brindley Street Bridge ( "the Bridge ") is a single span, single lane multiple steel girder bridge carrying Brindley Street over the Cayuga Inlet, and WHEREAS, Brindley Street Bridge Replacement Project ( "the Project ") involves the construction of new roadway and bridge on a relocated horizontal alignment that would connect Taber Street with the West State Street/Taughnnock Boulevard intersection, and WHEREAS, on January 25, 2016, the Board of Public Works concurred with the preliminary project scope as presented by the consultant during the meeting, and WHEREAS, on February 8, 2016, the Board of Public Works voted on a resolution that notify the Board's intent to act as a lead agency for environmental review of the project focused on Alternative 2; now, therefore be it WHEREAS, it has been requested that [Common Council, City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), New York State Department of Environmental Protection (NYSDEC), Army Corps of Engineers, City of Ithaca Disablity Advisory Coucil (DAC), City of Ithaca Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), City of Ithaca Bicycle /Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC), and Tompkins County Planning Department], all potentially involved or interested agencies consent to the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works being Lead Agency for this project, and WHEREAS, it was agreed by the involved agencies that the Board of Public Works be designated lead agency for the environmental review for Brindley Street Bridge Replacement Project; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works does hereby declare itself Lead Agency for the environmental review of the Brindley Street Bridge Project. Page 5 11B. Babe Ruth Baseball Storaae Shed Approval —Resolution WHEREAS, Ithaca Babe Ruth Baseball League is proposing to fund and install a new 12'x 12' storage shed next to Field 9 in Cass Park, and WHEREAS, the Parks Commission has reviewed the proposal and supports the installation of the new shed, and WHEREAS, City staff support installation of the new shed so long as staff approves final location of the shed, staff is allowed access to the shed, Ithaca Babe Ruth Baseball provides insurance and maintains the shed in good condition for the duration of the license, and that ownership of the shed transfers to the City at the end of the license, and WHEREAS, pursuant to City Code Chapter 170 "Use of City Real Property ", any non - transitory use of City parkland requires a license, and Section 170 -5(G) vests in the Common Council sole authority to grant approval of any license to use City parkland, and WHEREAS, Ithaca Babe Ruth League serves the area's youth by providing social and athletic recreational opportunities for its members and guests through baseball leagues, clubs and games, and WHEREAS, should Council approve the license for this use, the license agreement shall require Ithaca Babe Ruth League to: 1) submit documentation ensuring that participation in its activities is available to all members of the public via membership application and payment of fees, which may not be unreasonably large, said unreasonableness to be evaluated after accounting for discounted or income - sensitive opportunities for participation in the Babe Ruth League's activities, and 2) file with the City Clerk an annual report on: a) the then - current fee structure for membership, b) the reasonableness of said fee structure, and c) community participation opportunities and events being offered by the League. Now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works supports entering into a license agreement charging an annual fee based on the Marine Commercial appraisal category of $0.48 per square foot for the installation of the shed and use thereof with the following conditions: 1) City staff approve the location, 2) City staff are allowed access, 3) Ithaca Babe Ruth Baseball League maintains the shed in good condition for the duration of the license, 4) Ithaca Babe Ruth Baseball League provides proper insurance as required by the City, and 5) Ownership of the shed be transferred to the City at the end of the license agreement, or if the City prefers, the group will remove the shed from the premises and return the site to its original condition. Page 6 11C. Proposed Resolution to Approve Scope of Work for Repairs in Columbia Street Park WHEREAS, Common Council authorized Capital Project #798 in the amount of $81,000 for repairs in the Columbia Street Park, and WHEREAS, though this funding seems to be sufficient to restore most of the walkways and stairs to a state of good repair, it is not likely to be enough to do so for the entire park, and WHEREAS, Engineering staff prepared a recommended scope of work for the park for that budgeted amount, which includes repairing 6 stair sets and hand rails, replacing approximately 55 linear feet of sidewalk, removal of a staircase and a segment of walkway, and a curb cut for Public Works access, and WHEREAS, the Parks Commission reviewed this proposal at their meeting on March 8th and those in attendance were in support of the scope of work, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works reviewed the proposed scope of work at their meeting on March 28, 2016, and supports the project as such, and WHEREAS, repairs in kind are a Type II action in SEAR and CEQR and as such require no further environmental review; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the scope of work for this project as presented to the BPW on March 28, 2016, which is outlined in a memo from Engineering Technician, Leland O'Connor, dated February 10, 2016. Page 7 11D. Fuertes Overlook Restoration —Resolution WHEREAS, Friends of Stewart Park has received two grants totaling $15,000 with a goal of raising $20,000 to restore the Fuertes Overlook, and WHEREAS, Friends of Stewart Park will coordinate work with Jeanne Grace and Bryan McCracken, and WHEREAS, this funding will be used to repair stone walls and landings, replace metal railing, install plantings along the swan pond edge adjacent to the overlook, design and install an interpretive panel, and create a trail link to the Waterfront Trail, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works supports utilizing the funding towards the restoration of the Fuertes Overlook. 11E. Large Pavilion Fee Waiver— Resolution WHEREAS, Friends of Stewart Park is hosting two events to raise awareness and funds for the Large Pavilion window and door restoration project, and WHEREAS, The Board discussed a request to waive the pavilion rental fee for these events that benefit the city park, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves waiving the rental fees for the Large Pavilion on Friday, July 27, 2016, and Saturday, September 24, 2016. Page 8 12A. Appeal of Water Bill for 309 Center Street — Resolution WHEREAS, utility billing and liens on property are addressed between buyer and seller before the transfer of real property, and WHEREAS, the water and sewer billing account balance information as well as the municipal lien certificate for this property were available at the Office of City Chamberlain when the real property at 309 Center Street changed ownership in December of 2014, and WHEREAS, no requests for this information was made of the City of Ithaca prior to closing for settlement between the buyer and seller, and WHEREAS, the first request the Water & Division received to remove the water meter and turn off the water was March 3, 2015, and WHEREAS, the contractor had in violation of City Code removed the water meter in January without communication with the City, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca BPW denies the Water and Sewer Billing appeal for 309 Center Street, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board requests that the City Chamberlain not charge interest or late fees on this bill for a period of 30 business days from the date of this resolution. 1213. Appeal of Water Bill for 1109 North Aurora Street— Resolution WHEREAS, no request for change in billing address was received by the City, and WHEREAS, the water and sewer billing was sent to the property management company designated by the owner, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca BPW denies the Water and Sewer Billing appeal for 1109 North Aurora Street, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board requests that the City Chamberlain not charge interest or late fees on this bill for a period of 30 business days from the date of this resolution. Page 9 13A. A Resolution to Direct Staff for Implementing a Portion of the Bicvcle Boulevard Plan along North Tioga Street between the Commons and Court Street WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works adopted a Bicycle Boulevard plan, as amended, and WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works has proposed a repaving project in the 300 and 400 blocks of North Tioga Street, which could include implementing the rest of the Bicycle Boulevard plan along Tioga Street, and WHEREAS, after considering public comment and parking data collected, the Board would like to modify the action called for in the plan between the Commons and Court Street, at this time; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works directs staff to continue similar Bicycle Boulevard pavement markings, wayfinding signs and speed limit signs as used along other portion of the Boulevards on the segment of North Tioga Street between the Commons and Court Street, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Vehicle & Traffic Schedules be thus to reflect a 25mph speed limit along North Tioga Street between Seneca Street and Farm Street, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Board of Public Works directs staff to proceed with the traffic calming proposed by staff in the March 14th BPW agenda, in a memo from the Director of Engineering dated March 9th, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board is open to reconsidering the implementation of this plan, specifically, the installation of bicycle lanes and the removal of some parking between the Commons and Court Street at a future date. Page 10 CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street, Suite 202 Ithaca, New York 14850 -5690 OFFICE, OF THE CITY ENGINEER Telephone: 607/274 -6530 Fax: 607./274 -6587 To: Board of Public Works From: Tim Logue, Director of Engineering Date: April 7, 2016 Re: Tioga Street and the Bicycle Boulevard Please find enclosed a draft resolution that attempts to reflect your conversation at your last meeting in regard to implementing the Bicycle Boulevard plan along N Tioga Street from Farm Street to the Commons. I would summarize your discussion along a few major points: • Removing parking along the east side of the 200 & 300 blocks, even with proximate, alternative parking options, seems to be too inconvenient for the public, especially considering the three public buildings in these blocks - the post office, Town Hall, and the County Court building. • It is not fully clear why bike lanes are so important in these last few blocks. Though generally the Board would prefer bike lanes or enhanced bicycle accommodations, in the context of above parking/ downtown consideration, and with relatively moderate traffic volumes and speeds, it seems that an extension of the Bike Boulevard treatments (large pavement markings, wayfinding signage, a 25 mile speed limit) with additional traffic calming (a higher density of speed humps), may well provide sufficient accommodation. • The Board is disappointed that the abovementioned public buildings have externalized the costs to provide parking to the public, the need for which is widely agreed upon, and instead have used the available parking at each facility to provide parking to their employees instead of the public. The City then bears the cost to provide this public parking. The Board wishes that these institutions would do a better job to provide for these constituents, even if there is a cost. • The Board is willing to reconsider this decision based on further information or other developments. There was some conversation about a more comprehensive study of parking in the downtown and a more coordinated approach to making a bicycle facility connection to the Commons. There was also some discussion about the Mayor approaching the County and the Town to discuss An Equal Opportunity F,mployer %,4,h commitment to workforce diversification." 0 employee/ public parking options; and the DIA offered to study how people get to the post office. I would also like to clarify a few points that were brought up in the public comment and expand on a few other points. • There were.a few comments along the lines of "if you remove this parking, you remove access to the post office, Town Hall or the County Courthouse." I hope it is clear that reducing convenient parking does not actually limit access to these buildings. It may make it a little more difficult to get there (one might have to park a block away or take the time to park in the garage), but access is not eliminated. I would frame this more along the lines of levels of service. Currently, there is a fairly high level of service for people trying to park a vehicle; and there is a fairly low level of service for people riding bicycles. Installing bike lanes would provide for a better balance, but the discussion at the Board seemed to lead along the lines of not only "what balance is appropriate ?" but also "how does one measure or evaluate these levels of service ?" The parking data and proposed mitigations did address some considerations for a parking level of service; but, there were still some points that are harder to quantify or to mitigate (convenience for people who have limited mobility, or peak demand during the highest peak times of the year). Also, I think people struggled to get a sense of what levels of service are either appropriate or needed for people on bicycles. How much better are bicycle lanes than traffic calmed, shared lanes? How do we know if bicycle lanes are necessary to achieve the goals of the Bicycle Boulevard plan in this case; won't additional traffic calming and the other bicycle boulevard treatments be better than what we have now? Will families, seniors, beginners, and other "design users" really feel so uncomfortable on a street that is not wide enough to share side by side, but would require motorists to be patient behind a slower moving bicycle? Will the delays to motorists really increase their frustration levels so much that their behavior would become intimidating to people looking for a low stress bike way to the Commons? • I don't personally know the answers to these last questions. So much depends on people's behaviors, tolerances for risk, and desires. I do appreciate the Board's openness to reevaluating this decision at some point in the future. Though Public Works sometimes has to make 50 year decisions, this is certainly not the case. It will be fairly easy to come back and remove parking and install bike lanes should the BPW want to reconsider this. What I do know is that without some leadership it will likely be a while before anyone reconsiders this decision. It would be useful to staff to know what would make the Board rethink this decision. Would be it be additional public input, or additional information (such as parking or post office info, as noted above), or would it be some movement by the Post Office, Town or County to rearrange parking for their facilities? Or will it just be time and experience? CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850 -5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, ZONING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Division of Planning & Economic Development JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT PHYLLISA DESARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Telephone: Planning & Development — 607- 274 -6550 Community Development/IURA — 607 - 274 -6559 Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura @cityofithaca.org TO: Board of Public Works FROM: Megan Wilson, Senior Planner DATE: April 6, 2016 RE: Stewart Park Ash Project Local artist Jack Elliott has presented his proposal for the Stewart Park Ash Project to both the Parks Commission and Public Art Commission. He proposes to create sculptural art from an Ash tree in Stewart Park. The tree would be uprooted and volunteers would clean and debark the roots on site in the park. Tools would be attached to the tree so people can work on the project at any time, and the area would be recorded by video for both documentation of the project and for security purposes. Mr. Elliott would like to see the piece remain in Stewart Park upon completion but a proposal for permanent display has yet to be presented. The Parks Commission raised some concerns about liability and safety issues, and Mr. Elliott was willing to address these concerns as plans developed. If the piece remains in Stewart Park, the Commission would like to see it located in a highly visible area. The Parks Commission voted unanimously to support the project, provided that periodic updates be provided. The Public Art Commission (PAC) was also supportive of the project but did not make any formal recommendation since the piece has not yet been proposed for permanent installation on City property. If Mr. Elliott would like to propose that the piece be permanently displayed in Stewart Park, the proposed installation will need to be presented to the PAC for review prior to BPW and Common Council approval. If you have any questions, please contact me at 274 -6560 or mwilson0cityofithaca.or 13B. Approval of Sites for the Public Art Commission's Rainwater Art Project — Proposed Resolution WHEREAS, the Public Art Commission (PAC) is interested in creating rainwater art at several locations in and around downtown Ithaca, and WHEREAS, this type of artwork is created by placing a stencil on an area of sidewalk that is then sprayed with a paint that seals the concreate to moisture; during wet weather, the area surrounding the stenciled design changes color from the moisture while the stenciled area remains dry, revealing the artwork, and WHEREAS, the artwork is temporary and will wear away in less than a year after installation, and WHEREAS, the members of the PAC will seek input from the community on possible designs and will contact adjacent property and business owners prior to installation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the following City -owned sidewalks as potential sites for the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission's rainwater art project: • North side of E. Seneca Street (between N. Aurora St. and N. Tioga St.) • West side of N. Aurora Street (in front of Seneca Street Parking Garage) • East side of N. Tioga Street (between E. Seneca Street and the Post Office) • North side of E. State Street (at the intersection near Viva) • South side of E. Green Street (between S. Cayuga St. and the Tompkins County Mental Health Building) • East side of S. Cayuga Street (between E. Green St. and E. Clinton Street) • Six Mile Creekwalk • Entrance to the Alex Haley Pool • South side of W. Court Street (in front of GIAC) Page 11 CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850 -5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, ZONING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Division of Planning & Economic Development JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT PHYLLISA DESARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Telephone: Planning & Development – 607- 274 -6550 Community Development/IURA – 607 - 274 -6559 Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura @cityofithaca.org TO: Board of Public Works FROM: Megan Wilson, Senior Planner DATE: April 6, 2016 RE: Rainwater Art Project The City's Public Art Commission (PAC) was recently awarded a grant through a private foundation to install rainwater art at several locations in and around downtown Ithaca. To create the artwork, a stencil is placed on an area of sidewalk that is then sprayed with a paint that seals the concrete to moisture. When it rains, the area surrounding the stenciled design changes color from the moisture while the stenciled area remains dry, revealing the artwork. Rainwater art appears only when the ground is wet; it is completely invisible during dry weather. The installation is temporary, and the paint wears away with foot traffic, weather, and shoveling. Examples of this type of work are attached and a short video can be found at https:// www. youtube.com /watch?v= CBmWON6HIR8 The PAC is seeking permission from the Board of Public Works to create rainwater art on sidewalks at the following locations: • North side of E. Seneca Street (between N. Aurora St. and N. Tioga St.) • West side of N. Aurora Street (in front of Seneca Street Parking Garage) • East side of N. Tioga. Street (between E. Seneca Street and the Post Office) • North side of E. State Street (at the intersection near Viva) • South side of E. Green Street (between S. Cayuga St. and the Tompkins County Mental Health Building) • East side of S. Cayuga Street (between E. Green St. and E. Clinton Street) • Six Mile Creekwalk • Entrance to the Alex Haley Pool • South side of W. Court Street (in front of GIAC), If approved, the PAC members will complete this project themselves. They are currently compiling ideas for possible designs (quotes, images, sayings, etc.) and will then invite community members to vote on the top ideas. Adjacent property owners and business owners will be contacted in advance for their input on the design to be installed near the property /business. The artwork would then be installed in early summer. If it is successful, the PAC will likely seek additional funding for future rounds of the project. If you have comments or questions, please contact me at 274 -6560 or mwilson@gityofithaca.org. 0*4K J-7 F, am of F�-ir-gnwm