HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB 2024-08-22 PB 8-22-24 1 Town of Dryden Planning Board Meeting Thursday, August 22, 2024 Hybrid Zoom Approved 9-26-24 Planning Board - 2024 Current Members I.P. Z Ex Ab Tony Salerno, Chair (2029) X John Kiefer (2027) X Frank Parish (2028) X Chris Morrissey (2030) X Craig Anderson (2025) X Joe Wilson (2024) X Brad Will (2026) X Diane Tessaglia-Hymes (2024) Alternate X Bill Griffin ( ) * Alternate X Other Staff or Board Members I.P. or on Zoom Ray Burger, Director of Planning (IP) Gina Cassidy, Planner (IP) Joy Foster - Recording Secretary (Z) Dan Lamb, Town Board (IP) On ZOOM or I.P. Adam Fishel (IP) Lynn True Lane (Z) Ryan Jordans (IP) Laurie Snyder (IP) Steven Hugo (Z) Justin Hicks (Z) PB 8-22-24 2 AGENDA 6:00pm Call to Order  Welcome – Quorum Check  Public Comment Period For items not on the agenda and limited to 3 minutes per person.  5&9 Freese Road – Public Hearing (continuation) and Site Plan Review with SEQR. Resolution to Town Board with recommendations. Public comments are limited to 3 minutes per person.  Town Board Resolution on Data Processing Centers-Crypto Mining  Planning Department Update  Town Board Update  Minutes Approval – July25, 2024 Chair Salerno opens the meeting at 6:01 PM and activates B. Griffin (alternate) Minutes Approval for 7-25-24 Motion: J. Wilson to approve the minutes as amended Second: B. Griffin Motion Passes 4-2. No, C. Anderson and F. Parish abstains (were not present on 7-25-24) Public Comment Period – No public comment 5&9 Freese Road – Public Hearing (continuation) and Site Plan Review with SEQR and Public comments. Adam Fishel from Marathon Engineering with his team, presentation for the project. Addressing the public comment issues from last month’s meeting • Concerning landscaping along the frontage, more trees have been added across the front to improve visual buffering. • Reduced pole height to 20-foot-tall pole fixtures in front of the buildings and in the parking and driveway areas to address possible light spillage onto other properties. This maintains desired light levels in parking and sidewalk areas. • The condensers for the taller 3-story building will be on the roof and will be screened with a wood fence for visual buffering as well as noise. The condensers between the 2- story multi- family buildings will be buffered by a solid wood fence facing Freese Rd. • The reduction in the stormwater management proposed has already gone through DEC design manual changes and DEC issued new guidance. The bioretention area has been reduced to comply. This will protect water quality with a smaller footprint. The stormwater retention pond in the back will stay the same size and will not be impacted. • When the water is discharged there is a defined channel on the corner of the Weinstein’s property and Cornell’s. Pipe will discharge to a grass ditch. There will be fencing around the ponds. • There will be an on-site manager who is on-site every workday of the week but not full- PB 8-22-24 3 time. They will share duties between 2 projects. They may be there about 4 hours a day. There will be a facilities coordinator for the maintenance of the property as needed. There will be emergency numbers 24/7. • Contacted TCAT about a bus stop and TCAT has no interest in putting in a bus stop shelter at the Dryden and Freese Rd. intersection. INHS wants the shelter, and they will pay to have one installed. • Concerning the fill site and the caliber of the soil, with the destroyed buried homes. There is construction debris and it’s soft and unclassified, not compacted and the geotechnical assessment says it cannot support any of the buildings proposed. Foundation support which will consist of ground screws that would penetrate through the softer soils. The ground screws can penetrate the rock, so the buildings would be supported on a deep foundation system. During construction if other unsuitable materials are discovered, they will have to be removed appropriately. There is engineering backup that substantiates the use of ground screws. Boards Discussion The Board and Marathon Engineering had a discussion on the need for sidewalks along the Dryden Rd side. Added sidewalks would take away from the single-family’s yard and they would go nowhere just a strip of sidewalk on Rt. 13. Zoning requires sidewalks. Applicant will move forward with sidewalks rather than apply for waiver. There were discussions on fire access, turn around and sprinklers with the fire department and a consensus was reached through Chief Mason (Varna FD) and Chief Bell (Dryden FD) that adequate fire protection is incorporated in the design and site plan. For the Green Development Bonus, we are going for the EGC, Energize Green Community 2020 certification. It will be certified, and a checklist mapping was provided in the submission. We are hoping the Planning Board will accept the certification to ERC 2020 as a comparable justification for the bonus. The Board agrees the analysis provided looks great and the qualification is above the base certification level. The applicant has met all the requirements. There was a floodplain discussion. The County 239 review recommendation was that the project follow the floodplain guidelines because the floodplain extends a little bit into the fall creek side of the property (North corner). The determination is that the elevation of the building is above the floodplain. Motion: T. Salerno to close the public hearing Second: J. Wilson Motion Passes – Unanimous The Board reviews SEQR environmental assessment forms and completes Part 2 and 3 Motion: J. Kiefer moves to make a negative declaration of environmental significance Second: T. Salerno Motion Passes 6-1. J. Wilson is opposed Commented [TS1]: Wording PB 8-22-24 4 RESOLUTION #_2_ (2024) – Approving Site Plan at 5 & 9 Freese Road, Tax Parcels 53.-1-3.2, 53.-1-3.7, 53.1-1-1, 53.1-1-2, 53.1-1-3, 53.1-1-4, 53.1-1-5, 53.1-1-6, 53.1-1-7, 53.1-1-8, 53.1-1-9, 53.1-1-10, 53.1-1- 11, 53.1-1-12, 53.1-1-13, 53.1-1-14, 53.1-1-15 and 53.1-1-16 WHEREAS, A. On May 9, 2024, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services applied for a site plan approval for demolition of existing site features, lot resubdivision, and the modification of the development’s stormwater facilities to facilitate the construction of three (3) new multi- family buildings totaling 53 dwelling units and six (6) single-family home lots. One of these buildings is proposed to exceed the permitted 5,000 square feet footprint. This project is proposed to be located at 5 & 9 Freese Road, tax parcel numbers 53.-1-3.2, 53.-1- 3.7, 53.1-1-1, 53.1-1-2, 53.1-1-3, 53.1-1-4, 53.1-1-5, 53.1-1-6, 53.1-1-7, 53.1-1-8, 53.1-1-9, 53.1-1-10, 53.1- 1-11, 53.1-1-12, 53.1-1-13, 53.1-1-14, 53.1-1-15 and 53.1-1-16. Application included site plans, notice of ground disturbance, engineering reports, elevations, SWPPP, and Full Environmental Assessment Form. Supplemental materials submitted July 12, 2024, and August 8, 2024, included more detailed plans, revised to satisfy requests for changes by the Planning Board. B. The Town Planning Department considers the application complete and in conformance with the requirements of the Code of the Town of Dryden (Code) §270-11, and C. A public hearing was held on July 25, 2024, with public comments registered in the meeting minutes and considered by this board, and D. The Tompkins County Planning Department has reviewed the application pursuant §239 –l, -m, and –n of the New York State General Municipal Law, and E. In a letter dated August 19, 2024, the Tompkins County Planning Department determined that the proposed action would have no significant county-wide or inter- community impact, and F. Pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and its implementing regulations at 6 NYCRR Part 617, the Planning Board of the Town of Dryden has, on August 22, 2024, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate the Full Environmental Assessment Form Parts 1, 2, and 3, and G. The Planning Board has reviewed this application relative to the considerations and standards found in Code §270-11 for site plan review. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: PB 8-22-24 5 1.The Planning Board approves the site plan documents, submitted with the application dated May 9, 2024, and supplemented July 12, 2024, and August 8, 2024, as site plan for 5 & 9 Freese Road, conditioned on the following: a. Once the final SWPPP is approved by the Town’s Stormwater Manager and Engineer a copy of the DEC’s letter of acknowledgement shall be provided to the Town. b. Any minor site plan changes made necessary as a result of the building code review do not need further review from the Planning Board unless requested by the Planning Department. c. A Special Use Permit (SUP) is approved by the Town Board to permit the proposed three-story building to exceed 5,000 square feet. d. Project must comply with the recommendations of the Town’s Engineer and Highway superintendent for utility and road infrastructure improvements along Freese Rd. and Dryden Rd. including comments that have been issued or yet to be issued. Comments to be satisfied prior to issuance of building permits. e. The final form of any easement and easement descriptions that may be necessary for public ingress/egress or stormwater purposes. All unnecessary easement(s) that may have been filed for previous developments are to be vacated as deemed unnecessary by the Town Engineer and Town Attorney. New easement(s) to be executed and filed with Tompkins County Clerk prior to issuance of building permits. 2. Town of Dryden Standard Conditions of Approval as amended August 14, 2008, apply: 1) The Environmental Assessment Form prepared in connection with the project is approved and accepted based upon the fact that the project will have no adverse environmental impact. 2) The project shall be constructed according to the plans submitted by the applicant and approved and filed with the Town of Dryden. 3) That the project during and following construction shall comply with all applicable Town, County, State and Federal laws, statutes, codes, ordinances, approvals and rules and regulations. 4) That the project during construction and upon completion shall not constitute a public or private nuisance. 5) When municipal water or municipal sewer is available to the site, the applicant shall connect to the same upon notice to do so from the Town. 6) If applicable, the project shall comply with Dryden Town Local Law #4 of 2007 establishing the Town of Dryden Stormwater Management, Erosion and Sediment Control Law. 7) The existing buffer is required, and it shall be maintained by the applicant. 8) No permits shall be issued until all fees and current reimbursable expenses are paid by the applicant and no Certificate of Occupancy or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance shall be issued until all outstanding reimbursable expenses are paid by the applicant. PB 8-22-24 6 9) In the event of a sale, transfer or discontinuance of the permitted use of the property, the applicant or permittee shall notify the Planning Department of such sale, transfer or discontinuance. Motion: J. Kiefer moves to approve the Resolution Second: C. Morrissey Motion Passes - unanimous The Board recommends to the Town Board that they approve the Special Use Permit as specified in the Site Plan. The applicants met the requests that the fire department made to deal with the large 3-story building, including going beyond fire code requirements in some cases. They also mitigated stormwater and floodplain issues and sited the building to minimize visual impacts from the road. Motion: T. Salerno Second: J. Kiefer Motion Passes - unanimous Town Board Resolution on Data Processing Centers – Crypto Mining After the Boards discussion on Data Processing Centers/Crypto Mining, they decided to do more homework/research on this and address it at another meeting at a later date. Planning Department Update – Ray Burger • The Zoning audit is scheduled to have a written draft by the 19th, and they will zoom in our meeting on the 26th for further discussion. • We want Data Processing Centers/Crypto Mining included in the audit process. • The Panning Department was able to get the town NY state Pro Housing, certification. that’s a big hurdle. This make the town eligible for a pool of $650 million worth of funding and grant packages. • The Caswell Landfill application is tabled for now, due to cost of connecting the project to the closest substation. Town Board Updates – Dan Lamb • The Town board is disappointed over the Caswell project being tabled. The revenue to the community would have been a bonus. • There was a town audit on our budgets, and we are proud that we are doing things right. • For the Rail Trail Task Force, we are making it more of a subcommittee approach. • Work on the EMS issue is ongoing. • Next meeting will be 9-26-24 at 6PM Meeting adjourned: 8:10PM Commented [TS2]: Is this correct?