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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-08-20r% • ®r Present: Absent: TOWN OF DRYDEN Planning Board Meeting Minutes August 20, 1987 I Ron Chase, Mitchell Lavine, Henry Slater, Eugene Rotunda,:: Barbara Caldwell, presiding Rose Marie Bobnick, Julie Lee Also Present: Cheryl L'Amoreaux, Henry Slater 1. PRELIMINARY HEARING - Gettez (Subdivision/mixed use of a RA zone) A preliminary hearing event that Mr. Gettez located in an RA zone. Mr. Wood, representing the property his plans lease. In the event a would be preferred, to consider the application from Mr. Gettez in the should subdivide his property. This property is Mr. Gettez reported that when Mr. Gettez purchased were uncertain as to whether he would build or subdivison does take place, public water and sewer A preliminary subdivision map of Mr. Gettez's property was presented to the Board. It was suggested by the Board that the proposed road be made one -way thereby making a sharp curve less dangerous; that these plans be presented to the Town Board; and upon the actual sale of the parcels then the new owners would need to obtain approval from the Planning Board. The Board went on to point out that if it appears that it is going to be a subdivision then Mr. Gettez would have to formally come back to this Board for a public hearing and all of the other work. A copy of a proposed zoning map for the Town of Dryden was presented to the Board. Discussion was held on1the zoning restrictions placed on the proposed RA zone towards Slaterville. Chairman Caldwell pointed out that at the last meeting a rough re- mapping was passed on to the Town Board with some suggestions and proposed changes in the Ordinance itself for allowed uses and for a new category called RA. The Town Board reviewed these suggestions and changes and felt their primary concern was that they wished the area crossed patched on the map to be considered as additional RB -1 area. If you wish to agree with this recognization, then I will mail our recommendations back to them. Basically, they wish to have this come down Route 38 to the Freeville Village and then all the rest to the northeast and eastsouth of the Freeville to abut the RD area. Charles Evans, 819 Snyder Hill Road, Ithaca agreed with Chairman Caldwell's analysis in representing the Town Board's position. Mr. Evans did point out, however, that he is a property owner in the ®effected area of the proposed change. He expressed concern with the definition and the mapping of the RA zone, and felt that his property will be too restrictive with the required five -acre lot size when only 5% could I i I PB: 8 -20 -87 Page 2 be used. Another concern expressed was suggested to putting restrictions .on southern exposures of hills because it would be an ideal place for an energy efficient development if we were in an energy crisis. A third problem expressed would basically zone out a whole water district that has been in the making for three years and felt there was no consideration for situations where there is sudden public utilities available. There is a water district, it butts up against Eastern Heights which has a sewer district and it it could be extended in that area. Development from Cornell will progress east unless something is put into its path to make it impossible. Mr. Evans went on to point out that in looking at a topographical map, there is a fair amount of State land which could be zoned RA, and in the Hunt Hill area there are lots of areas that is appropriate - but there are areas that aren't appropriate too. My point is, that there are areas in allows this RA zone for which a 5 -acre lot is inappropriate to build anything on whether 100 acre, this allows it or not. The Board pointed out that zoning is to map what is physically and what is probability. Topographical maps were used to come up with a rough plan that was acceptable. It was difficult and time consuming, and there should be developments and potential development in the Town of Dryden, but have chosen areas that need the most protection - the most fragile areas. Charles Evans reflected that a you to consider smaller planned preferably 30, couple members on the Town Board would like unit development rather than a 100 acre, Regarding the water district Charles Evans pointed out that it goes almost down to Route 79 and comes up Snyder Hill Court and extends east down the slope of the land. Water extends slightly beyond Snyder Hill Court, but a larger area can be served because of the slope of the land. Under the current set of circumstances with water, the same restrictions would still hold in a subdivision, they would still have sand filters and the same restrictions would hold from the TC Health Department whether you had water or not. The sewer comes up to the edge of Eastern Heights. It might be another issue entirely because of the way the sewer areas are structured in the county and because the City of Ithaca is the treatment center although the Town of Dryden does own a portion of that treatment center. I have a real problem for the person who has lived on his land for 50 or 60 years and have seen the rules change out from under him with no power whatsoever to do anything about. They have changed his opportunities considerably although they have not changed his land. My house sits in the middle of 100 acres and I have no particular plans on changing it, but I do have concerns what my children might like to do or their grandchildren. The Board pointed out that in one sense it is to restrictive for the person who has the land and who plans to sell it off to people who are ready to buy subdivided parcels and perhaps it is to restrictive for public utilities. But there are some counter- balancing issues in conflict in terms of sedimentation issues as well as other differences which are PB: 8 -20 -87 Page 3 also important. It is known that once you get into an area where there are water problems realestate prices don't go up fast and the people who do live there would prefer to have that greater appreciation. These factors seem to go against the concern of the person who wants to keep his land with one -acre or two -acre zoning for spectulative.purposes. Development is headed out that way and we are trying to reinforce with the RA parcels and there is a need and desire taking this from the point of view of some of it has been the kind that zone. There is a desire for 5 acre for smaller ones too. We are the environmental concerns. Where development is less than 5 acres we are of the density, starting to see problems because i The Board pointed out that there are other issues to consider, not just about topograhpy but the depth of bed rock. A depth which could cause problems in a lower section should development go up a hill. The worst soils and those shallow depths of bedrock are in this southern hill district. Steve Landau, Hunt Hill Road reported that sand filters are being used in the area and alot of them are unmonitored and if unmonitored it can contaminate wells. With a sand filter, the system that comes out the other end is not flowable because they have been installed in areas where there is infuriable soil and it is not going to periculate through the soil. Mr. Evans suggested that the Planning Baord assure the Town Board that there is going to be a definitive iron -clad way to define these areas. I will take back to the Town Board that I believe there is a way, but I am not sure how. I think it will be complex yet it is not fair to draw straight lines. The Town Board has concerns about how the ordinance will .allow some kind of an adjustment should public utilities move in an area. Public water solves part of the problem and should be considered if a sewer district extends in an area, but I am not sure how you would deal with that without changing the ordinance all the time. Tom Sims, 3 Hunt Grove Road, Ithaca expressed the need for the Board to look at the glossary of terms and update them. The Baord reflected their hope to hire someone to do the mapping taking into account all factors mentioned and look at the gound water situation, the depth of bedrock and soil conditions, land adjacent to the roads as well as the slope, proximity to surface water bodies and so forth. Chuck Geisler suggested that the Board may want to make a pilot area that is already critical and perhaps under development pressure, map it so people can see what those lines look like before doing the entire town. M. Lavine suggested that the Board should add into that protection adjacent neighboring properties and include deterioration of water quality, water quantity, sedimention of surface and ground water bodies, facts due to flooding, erosion and other eventual features. ' 3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS 4 No minutes of previous meetings were approved. PB: 8 -20 -87 Page 4 The next meeting of the Town of Dryden Planning Board will be held on September 17, 1987 at 8:00 pm. 5. ADJ OURNNERT There being no further business, Chairman Caldwell declared the meeting adjourned. Re 7eyl ectfully bm tted, i r L moreaux Recording Secretary • i • i