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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAWHC 2024-04-10Dryden Affordable and Workforce Housing Committee Minutes for April 10, 2024 Meeting Via Zoom Making Dryden hospitable & affordable for working families Attendance: Martha Robertson; Ray Burger; Craig Anderson; Dillon Shults, Mike Murphy, Chuck Geisler; Christina Dravis and Miles McCarty could not attend. Agenda: 1. Approval of March minutes 2. Updates on Housing Committee's projects a. Conversations with CCE and INHS on MH’s weatherization, funding and administration (Chuck, Ray, Dillon) b. Update on Town lands planning (Ray/Dillon) c. Annual report summary provided by Chuck: discussion and approval d. Update on TC3 on public input regarding uses of their student housing (Martha) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. March meeting minutes approved with changes. 2. Project: Park Grove: Martha reported via prior email on conversation with Tim Critty. Park Grove has not closed on parcel yet. Tim will be in touch. Dryden Rd./366 (market rate units) has broken ground. 3. Project: CCE Weatherization of 50 MHs: Chuck and Ray report on conversation with Ben Carver (INHS MH Director) about 1) using Karim Beers’ HUB funds (Empower +) to hire project manager based in Dryden or with INHS, and 2) INHS’s potential interest in taking charge of the project on Dryden’s behalf? Example: current contract with INHS might be expanded. And will contact Karim as to constraints on HUB funding and get back to us. Ray notes that Dryden Fiber is approaching homeowners with respect to broadband and perhaps would simultaneously announce weatherization funding when contacting MH and MHP owners (will be contacting over 1000 homes in mobile home parks this year). Ray will talk to David Maker (D.F. director)—could this happen automatically (if assisted with a brochure) or compensation? Project manager still needed as liaison with CCE; how to fund? 4. Project: Town Lands Planning DRYC met last week to develop RFP. Jason is liaison to town board for use of land. Leonardo should be invited to be on this planning task force. Marty Conger on staff will be their point person. Leonardo has signaled our committee interest to T.B. in multi-use focus for town lands and will send email urging his participation and viewpoint (in support of housing component) to DRYC. The Town Board’s mandate is that the consultant has to consider multi-uses for the land. Brad Will has crafted technical drawings showing how housing and playing fields could be included in post-DEC wetland delineation space and allowing hundred-foot buffered required by DEC; Chuck will forward Brad’s Option C to committee. 5. Project: TC3 Empty Dorm Use Meeting Martha reported on April 5 meeting at TC3 with its president, representatives from COFA, Longview, INHS, Kendal and Foodnet. Campus is in town, not village. Debt load on three of seven dorms that are empty is large, so TC3 Foundation (private) needs to find revenue- producing use for buildings. TC3 wants to maintain the four buildings closest to campus for its own students; there are multiple possibilities for the three “uphill” buildings. Martha asks: could town apply for funding to develop an RFP, exploring senior housing or other uses? Ray notes that the town would then have to direct it. Could Foundation submit RFP (probably not, seek guidelines) or could county do it? Martha will attend T.B. meeting for endorsement of Housing Committee to go after county grant for consultant to do RFP. Mike asked if IDA has funding for this? Chuck suggested speaking with Greg Mezey to gauge county interest, given how important TC3 is to county. Conversation about Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) process to bring in design/build team. Foundation must be involved in this. Martha will follow up with county and TC3 president. 6. Other projects  Ray is working on NYS pro-housing application. Don’t know if required in the future, but helps to have it done and ready to go.  Dillon Shults leaving Planning staff and going back to Tompkins County Health Department. Leaving Friday. The Town of Ithaca is hiring two planners and the County is hiring a planner – lots of competition. Committee expressed its thanks to Dillon for a great six month run in Dryden.  Is there agreement on using the agenda-organizing framework proposed by Craig and Chuck – short term, midterm, long-term with a slush category? Yes , general agreement.  As for zoning changes (short term priority facing the town), Chuck will send out our previous work on this, links to the zoning and MH Law, and a relevant article. The consultant is starting the audit process next week, with Ray and the Planning Board. They’re supposed to hold five additional meetings, including interviews such as with Housing Committee members. Minutes by Martha, transcribed by Chuck. Corrections invited. Next meeting: May 1, 1:30 PM.