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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-02-2130, : February 21, 1974 The Lansing Town Board met in an Adjourned Meeting at 8 P.M. as called at the meeting of February 14th. Said meeting scheduled at which time the Town Board would take action on the proposed construction planned by the N.Y.S. Dept. of Transportation on the Rte. 13 - N. Triphammer intersection, and act on any other business that may come before said board. ROLL CALL Wesley McDermott Supervisor Present Louis Bush Councilman Present Bert Hilliard Councilman Present Edward LaVigne Councilman Present Lee Naegely Councilman Present Jane Bush Clerk Present Visitors: Deputy Clerk Wanda Brink and approximately fifty Lansing residents. The Supervisor called the meeting to order having the clerk take the roll call. Letter received and read from Gerald R. Talandis iry which he expressed his views on two different ways to make major improvement over the plans presented by the State, however, his final recommendation was that we proceed with the con- struction of the overpass. Letter received and read from Triphammer Interchange Association. Said association strongly urged the Town Board to turn down the-proposed State Dept. of Transportation plan and design for the Rte. 13- Triphammer Road Traffic Interchange. Letter received from the Lansing Planning Board. Said letter stating that after careful study and consideration had been made by the Planning Board in regard to the proposed overpass on N. Triphammer Road and Rte. 13, they reluctantly approved the most recent design proposed by the N.Y.S. Dept. of Transportation with the provision that in some way driveways will be consolidated'and will not be on the ramps. Planning Board Chairman, Viola Miller, discussed in more detail, the concerns of the Planning Board relating to the plan. Wallace Washbon spoke on behalf of the Lansing Civic Association. A graph was prepared by the association in order to view the pros & cons of the three Alternatives, namely, the State Plan, the Modified State Plan and the Modified At Grade solution. The first choice of the association would be to delay the project, improve the at -grade approach with left turn lights and right hand yield to Rte. 13, and their last choice would be to accept the original N.Y.S. Dept. of Transportation plan. The association stated they would accept the modified Dept. of Transportation plan with consolidated driveways and provisions for pedestrian crossing if: 1) the consolidated driveways were located for orderly and safe traffic flow to prevent critical danger spots to shoppers, and 2) the ramps, if any, should be sanded by County or Town to minimize danger. This is the safest way to insure that ramps installed to provide safety on Rte. 13, are not offset with increased accidents on Triphammer Road, Supervisor McDermott at this time discussed conversations he had had with the New York State Department of Transportation in regard to common access roads. The State has agreed to construct common access roads in order to resolve driveway problems, on condition that work easements and /or rights of way are obtained.with- in six months from the day of commencement of construction of said interchange. The Tompkins County Board of Representatives have agreed to work with the Town, County and State regarding said access road plans. The State has also agreed.to make available a Landscape Architect to meet with an individual or group designated by the Supervisor to discuss measures that can be taken to make the project aesthetically pleasing. Supervisor McDermott, at this time, extended privilege of the floor to all persons present who desired to be heard. Numerous questions were asked and discussed, in addition to statements made by interested residents. Supervisor McDermott announced that action would now be taken by the Town Board on the proposed construction planned by the New York State Department of Transportation on the N.Y.S. Rte. 13 - Triphammer Road Interchange. The following motion was made by Councilman Naegely and seconded by Councilman Bush. WHEREAS, the State of New York Department of Transportation has planned and let the construction of an interchange providing for grade separation of Triphammer 1 Continued February 21, 197+ WHEREAS, in an effort to relieve community concern over the design of said interchange, the New York State. Department of Transportation has added to its original proposal the installation of traffic signals with pedestrian push buttons to make it easier and safer to cross Triphammer Road near Lansing Apartments and at the North end near the Holiday Inn and has made provisions for paved walkways along both sides of Triphammer Road and has agreed to send a landscape architect to meet with an individual or group designated by the Lansing Town Supervisor to discuss measures that can be taken to make the project aesthetically pleasing; and WHEREAS, Tompkins County Government recognizes the need for common access roads to and from the properties of abutting property owners; and WHEREAS, the County is on record as recognizing the need for common access roads and is committed to pursue an acceptable solution and to participation in that solution in conjunction with the other parties involved and a majority of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives Public Works Committee is committed to work with the State of New York, the Town of Lansing and the abutting property owners in an effort to obtain said common access roads on to Triphammer Road; and WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation has agreed to con - struct the said common access roads as a part of the proposed project in the event that Tompkins County or the Town of Lansing is able to obtain the necessary work easements and /or right of ways; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Board of the Town of Lansing that the resolution of said Board of November 28, 1973 be and hereby is rescinded upon the condition that the Tompkins County Board of Representatives Public Works Committee working in conjunction with the Town Board of the Town of Lansing, the Lansing Planning Board and the abutting property owners will continue their efforts to obtain the necessary work easements and /or rights of way and upon the further condition that the New York State Department of Transportation will construct the aforesaid common access roads on said rights of way in conjunction with, and as a part of, the aforesaid interchange construction if and when said work easements and /or rights of way are obtained within six months from the date of commencement of, construction of said interchange. Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board (Aye) . ,(No) (No) ( Aye ) (Aye) Louis Bush, Councilman Bert Hilliard, Councilman Edward LaVigne, Councilman Lee Naegely, Councilman Wesley McDermott, Supervisor Carried The following statements were made by each Board Member as they cast their vote: STATEMENT OF COUNCILMAN LOUIS BUSH: ------------ - - - - -- I would like to go back in a little history of Rte. 13 and the interchange. It seems the State constructed Rte. 13 for the good of Tompkins County, Ithaca and the Town of Lansing, with a lot of pressure from the University I'm sure, to bring traffic in and out of our County and when this happens, it makes a real nice business intersection, which is no fault of the State. The State didn't ask people to build their business places where they did. All the businesses knew that there was an interchange in the planning of the State at the time they built their buildings, so now the State, several years later, comes along and there is a big traffic problem. Who has created the traffic problem? Not the residents of the Town of Lansing for sure, I think we could probably get along with a $50.00 stop sign if it weren't for the businesses there at the intersection. So the State comes down and see the big problem, so they offer us an overpass. Want to give.it to us, of course some of our money is in it too. They want to help us alleviate the problem, and at first there weren't many facts known about it. Everyone thought it was a big monument, this and that, they didn't know what they were doing. We have to give them credit for a little intelligence, - Planners, State Engineers and Safety people. They know their job better than we do, I'm sure. So actually, they are doing us a favor of getting rid of traffic on Rte. 13. The Town of Lansing won't have to put up with the through traffic on Rte. 13. It has been stated that if there were a full clover -leaf it would take Howard Johnson's and cost a tremendous lot of money and money is involved, we all know that. If we can't afford a Cadallic we buy a Ford. I think the whole problem is not with the State, the County or with the Town, I think the problem is .with the property owners and the businesses 100 %. I think the business people should bend over backwards, in fact get down and kneel on the ground to work with the County, the Continued February 21, 1974 as far as from N. Lansing that have to work at the University and surely this is going to make it safer for these people - much safer. There has been something about the poor lights. Mr. Galloway stated the other nite that we would have to stop once. You have to stop once now, you have to stop once and then carry through the rest of the lights, so as far as any traffic jams or hold -ups therefrom the through traffic, it would really help that. We have to remember it isn't built just for the business people in the intersection, it is built for the whole County, it's built for the State and it's built for all people together, not just one certain group. STATEMENT OF COUNCILMAN BERT HILLIARD* It is like, I believe, Harris said, we have the ball, what are you going to do, run or kick it around some more. When I vote on something, I usually like to be 100% sure that I'm doing the right thing and if I was to say yes to this, I couldn't live with it. I believe there is some solutions that have not been worked out, what they are I don't have the answer to, maybe six weeks, a month, two months kicking it around, working, seeing some more things in writing may work out a few of the problems that exist right now. There is a bad problem, I figure, with the pedestrian crossing. For one example, on the right hand turns. If I was to vote yes, I couldn't feel right the first time some child or anybody got hit crossing one of those right - hand turn lanes. They've got stop lights to put the people in there, how are they going to get them across? So, I have got to say NO to this proposal as it stands. STATEMENT OF COUNCILMAN EDWARD LAVIGNE: is This /probably the few times in four or five years that Sy Smidt and I have ever agreed on anything. A poor design is probably the most expensive design you can get. This is a permanent structure, once its up it is going to stay there, we are going to have to live with it, there's no recourse, there is no going back for a re- design. Many concerned people, this is not an off - theman or rip -off the estab- lishment group, many concerned people in this town voiced objections to this design. We still have the same design, so therefore, in my estimation, we have the same objection. I vote NO. STATEMENT OF COUNCILMAN LEE NAEGELY: ' ------------ - - - - -- It is nice to be asked. It would be nicer to be asked before the contract had been awarded. It would have been even nicer to have been asked while the project was still in the planning stage. However, after thoughtful consideration, I have come to the following conclusions: 1) The intersection, as it is, is hazardous. 2) ?No'@ne; has come up with a better ";. workablee;::.l:ong range plan on the same land area. 3) The main overpass and access lanes to and from Rte. #13 are adequate and satisfactory. 4) With the suggested modifications to the business entrance ramps, most of the other objections may be overcome. 5) The increasing use of this intersection, without an overpass, will result in more accidents, near accidents, and frustrating aggravation. The rapidly approaching and similar problem of the Warren Road Intersection, makes one hope that the State Department of Transportation will consult with our local governmental bodies while our projects are being planned. Rather reluctantly, but with the spirit of future intergovernmental cooperation in mind, I would cast my vote YES. STATEMENT OF SUPERVISOR WESLEY MCDERMOTT: --------------- - - - - -- I quite frankly, until I sat down and heard each of the board members, did not know how they would vote. I've intentionally, I think, avoided attempting to per- suade in according to my view up to this point. Over the last few weeks I've done a great deal of soul searching and I'm sure all the other board members have. I've. attempted to consider, I believe, all of the alternatives and the objections that have been raised with the current design and in this process, I've attempted to consider the other alternatives or the other proposals. First, I personally don't believe that an on -grade solution is possible with the current traffic that we have or what traffic that we are certainly going to experience in the next two to three years. I also feel that probably of�the other alternatives, the clover -leaf design is the least practical because it has, I think, the following drawbacks: first of all, this is still going to have some of the same features that you have withtthe present proposal. something is Roing to have 1 Continued February 21, 1974 .3 . In considering the other alternatives, I felt that the clover -leaf was the least practical of solutions. The other proposal and considering them with the complaints and the various factors that I think are involved in both.safety and overall design, we have the elevated diamond which is the current State proposal or the depressed diamond. In terms of time completion we can have the elevated diamond in 1975 I understand. The depressed diamond, we are told by the State, would have to go back to "day one" for additional condemnation and probably at the very best we could hope for would be five years, meaning 1980 or beyond. In the meantime, I don't feel that we can live for a much longer period with the present intersection as it is. Cost, I believe, is also a factor that should be considered. Talking comparatively two million dollars as opposed to four or five million. As for some of the criticisms that have been lodged in regard to..:ourr.ent design, one specifically that came up over and over, the left turn danger. I think the accidents statistics which were available when Mr. Galloway was here . indicated that most of accidents on Triphammer Road were caused by the left turning movement and if you made a left turn from Triphammer to Rte. 13 I think are aware of probably why these accidents are caused. Primarily I think because there are drivers who do not know how to make that turn properly. Another thing is, you are making that turn within a space of 20 to 25 feet, whereas, either diamond proposal separates that turning movement by some 300 feet so you don't have the crossing pattern. The criticism.of the bridge. We have freezing conditions, I think, in either or even considering the clover -leaf, you still are going to have a bridge because there will be a grade separation and your still going to have the freezing problem. I also think of how difficult or how many accidents the freezing of the bridge on Rte. 13 over 34B has been. I am aware of a little problem:.there. In the beginning we had numerous objections to the problem of visibility from Tight to light and I think the most of them have been resolved with a better under- standing of what is actually involved here in the fact that 4% is not a mountain. As a matter of fact, last Saturday I was doing some of this soul searching and talking to Norm Stanton. Norm pointed out to me that our Lansing Activities Unlimited Field up here is layed out on a 2% grade and I think it's not perceptable to the human eye, 4% doesn't frighten me, quite frankly. In each of the plans you have the advantages of grade separation. I think the merging pattern into Rte. 13 would be the same in both the diamond and the.depressed diamond and I think also, whether or not this project is accepted by the Town of Lansing at this time, in any event, I think it would be desirable for the consolidation of driveways. There was a question raised at one time, I believe, of through traffic on Triphammer in the fact that it would be slowed down. It is my understanding from Mr. Galloway's presentation that each of these lights would sequential and if you approach the first light and it was green that you would have a "go" all the way through the intersection. I think.this would be the same, of course, with probably the depressed diamond. Provisions have now been made for pedestrian traffic which, I think is important and I think as a metter of fact, very early the Civic Association took a position supporting some means of expediting pedestrian traffic in the area. I expect that we would have both in the depressed diamond or in the elevated diamondr:- There was concern with the fog problem. We have that now and I think when you put that bridge 23' in the air or leave it where it is, your going to still °have �a problem. Hopefully the lighting that has been provided will resolve this or at least alleviate it somewhat. I can see no change or no benefit in terms of driveway access and the access numbers in the depressed diamond over the present plan. The access drive grades, certainly if we were to assign plus and minus factors, the elevated diamond with the present drives, does have a disadvantage, but I believe with all of us working together we can work out the common access hopefully and we can alleviate this problem as well. The speed limit on this project as proposed to this area was designed to be 40 miles per hour.. We are not talking about whipping along at 55 or 60 miles per hour as we presently have. I think that is a factor that has to be considered in the safety in whether or not these ramps are negotiable, whether or not there is going to be an increased problem in stopping and starting etc. I too, like Manley, would prefer that this hadn't been our decision alone, but S4_ March 12, 1974 The Lansing Town Board met in Regular Session at the South_Lansing Town Ball on March 12, 1974 at 8 P.M. with Supervisor Wesley McDermott presiding. ROLL CALL Wesley McDermott Supervisor Present Louis Bush Councilman Present Bert Hilliard Councilman Present Edward LaVigne Councilman Present Lee Naegely Councilman Present Lloyd Sharpsteen Highway Supt. Present Jane Bush Clerk Present Visitors: Water Supt. James Howell, Deputy Clerk Wanda Brink, Planning Board .Chairman Viola Miller and ten Lansing residents. The Supervisor opened the meeting having the clerk take the Roll Call. A copy of the minutes of January 8th, 22nd, February 5th5 12th, 14th and 21st, 1974 meetings having been furnished to the members of the town board beforehand, the Supervisor asked for a motion to propose corrections of errors or to accept same as submitted. MOTION by Mr. Naegely and seconded submitted by the clerk be approved. by Mr. Hilliard that the minutes-as Carried Letter received and read from Friendly Ice Cream Corp. In anticipation of opening a retail shop at the Cayuga Mall, they requested an analysis of the water serving Water Dist. #{1. Water Supt. James Howell to forward information requested. Letter received and read from Dr. Kenneth H. Felch, representing Northeast Professional Building located on Graham Road, West. Said letter requesting Graham Road, West be accepted and maintained by the Town Highway System. Plann- ing Board to examine and report back. No further action taken. Letters read from Town of Ithaca and Village of Cayuga Heights stating that both municipalities had adopted and approved, by resolution, the agreement en- titled "Agreement of Municipal Cooperation for Construction, Financing and Opera- tion of an Inter - Municipal Water Supply and Transmission System ". Letter read from Manley H. Thaler, Treasurer of Triphammer Development Co., Inc. Said letter stated concern of traffic problems during the construction of the overpass in regard to Cinema Drive and Uptown Road Intersection. Letter referred to Planning Board. Letter received and read from Town of Ithaca Supervisor, Walter J. Schwan, reviewing the computation of debt shares of the municipalities in regard to the contractual agreement for the Water System. Letter received and read from Ceracche T.V. Corp. regarding their recent commencement of subscription or pay cable programming on its cable television - system serving the community, and further stated that after close of their fiscal year on April 30, a request will be submitted for a franchise amendment which will include authorization for the subscription television rates. Letter received from Frank R. Luguori, Commissioner of Planning for Tompkins County Dept. of Planning. Said letter discussed proposed Warren Road improvements, Airport - Industiral Park Area. An Industrial Park Site Plan - Access Road Pro- posal was also submitted. The board discussed and reviewed same. Letter received from Eric Stein requesting a reduction on his water bill, the high consumption being due to the excessive amount of water wasted caused by the freezing of pipes. It was the consensus of the board that inasmuch as it was no fault of the Town Water Department, the request would have to be denied. RESOLUTION offered by Mr. Bush: RESOLVED, that the penalty on the water bill of Eric Stein, for the period of 9/30/73 to 12/31/73, be waived if paid by April 15, 19740 Seconded by Mr. LaVigne. Carried Letter read from Raymond T. Schuler, Commissioner, N.Y.S. Department of Transportation. Said letter concerning N.Y.S. Rte. 13 - Triphammer Interchange a.n(i rPa_ccurinp the town that the nromises made by the N.Y.S. Department of 1 Continued March 12, 197+ Mr. Rhaeto Pfister, Representative from the Dalrymple Company, appeared before . the board and explained in detail the construction plans for the Rte. 13- Triphammer Road Interchange. Mr. Pfister also outlined .the.propgsizd.detours,.that would-be used during the construction period. George Beckwith appeared before the board and requested the town to accept his road known as Beckwith Lane, in the event the N.Y.S. Electric & Gas Corp. power line right -of -way can be moved westerly of said existing Beckwith Lane. Discussion by the board, following resolution offered: RESOLUTION OF INTENT - BECKWITH LANE RESOLUTION offered by Mr. Bush: WHEREAS, George Beckwith has heretofore constructed a road known as Beckwith Lane in the Town of Lansing in or about the Fall of 1970, and WHEREAS, at the time of said construction the aforesaid George Beckwith appeared before the board and requested that the town accept said road, and WHEREAS, at the time of said appearance, reservations were expressed with town liability relating to N.Y.S. Electric & Gas power line right -of -way in the vicinity of said road, and WHEREAS, no action was taken by said board as a consequence of aforesaid reservation, and WHEREAS, the aforesaid George Beckwith is in the process of negotiating the movement of the N.Y.S. Electric & Gas right -of -way westerly of said road and has asked this board for a resolution of intent with regard to future acceptance of said road, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that it is the consensus of this board that upon satisfying this board that the construction of said road will meet the requirements set forth in the specifications for acceptance of town roads heretofore passed as a resolution of this board and upon further condition that conveyance of said road to the town shall be free and clear of all liens and encumbrances and after examination of title and approval by the Town Attorney and written approval by the Town Highway Superintendent, it is the intent of this board to accept said as a town road. Seconded by Mr. LaVigne. Vote of Town Board .Vote of Town Board Vote of.Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board . (Aye) (Aye ) . (Aye) . (Aye) ( Aye) Louis Bush,_Councilman Bert Hilliard, Councilman Edward LaVigne, Councilman Lee Naegely, Councilman Wesley McDermott, Supervisor Carried Supervisor McDermott announced that the meeting of the Planning Board scheduled for March 18th to review the Sub- Division Rules and Regulations, had been postponed. Supervisor McDermott appointed Councilman Edward LaVigne as the Town Board's Representative to the Aesthetics Committee - N.Y.S. Rte. 13 - Triphammer Road Interchange. Town Board discussed painting ceilings in Town Hall. No action..taken. The appointment of members to serve on the "Inter- Municipal Water Supply and Transmission Commission ", was discussed by the board. Following resolution offered: RESOLUTION offered by Mr. Bush: RESOLVED-, that Edward, LaVigne and James Showacre be appointed as Town of Lansing representatives to serve as members on the Inter - Municipal Water Supply and Transmission Commission, said terms to be at the pleasure of the board. Seconded by Mr. Naegely. Carried The board discussed developments to date in regard to Lansing's participation in the County Sewer Agency. Letters read from Commissioner -of Planning, Frank R. Liguori and O'Brien & Gere, Engineers, Inc. Discussion by the board on the establishment of a Water and Sewer Advisory ,Commission for the Town of Lansing. It was the consensus of the board that such Continued March 12, 1974 The Highway Improvement Program for the year 1974 was discussed.by.the board. Following resolution offered: RESOLUTION offered by Mr. Bush: WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing has heretofore appropriated funds for the repair and improvement of Searles Road in said Town under the Town Highway Improvement Program, and WHEREAS, the State of New York has heretofore allocated state aid for the aforesaid improvement, and WHEREAS, residents of Searles Road have appeared before the Town Board in and for the Town of Lansing and have requested that the said board not improve said road under the aforesaid Town Highway Improvement Program, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing shall hereby discontinue the proposed improvement of Searles Road in said Town and hereby transfers the funds here- tofore allocated from the town highway budget for the improvement of the said Searles Road to the improvement of Buck Road in said Town between N.Y. State Route #34 and County Road #151 and hereby authorizes the Town of Lansing Highway Superintendent to make application to the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation for the transfer of the state aid as previously approved by that department for the improvement to said Searles Road to the proposed improvement of the said Buck Road as aforestated and upon approval of the transfer of said N.Y.S. Department of Transportation funds to make the proposed improvements to the said Buck Road. Seconded by Mr. Hilliard. Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board Vote of Town Board ( Aye ) . . . . . ( Aye ) (Aye) (Aye ) ( Aye ) Louis Bush, Councilman Bert Hilliard, Councilman Edward LaVigne, Councilman Lee Naegely, Councilman Wesley McDermott, Supervisor Carried The board discussed the request of the Lansing Board of Education in regard to the town abandoning and deeding to the school district, the Wildman Road from the new entrance drive, east to its end. Town Attorney Robert Williamson working on this matter with School Attorney William Barrett. The Lansing Board of Education has asked the opinion of the Town Board in regard to installing a stop light on Ludlowville Road to insure safety to the students,cross- ing said road daily inasmuch as they will be sharing the facilities of the three school buildings beginning September 1974. Highway Supt. Sharpsteen to check this matter with Co. Highway Supt. Howard Stevenson and report back at the next Regular Town Board meet- ing. No action taken at this time. Planning Board Chairman, Viola Miller, stated that Paul Barron had given a verbal resignation as a Member of the Lansing Planning Board. Mrs. Miller and Councilman Louis Bush to appoint a replacement to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Barron, preferably a person engaged in the occupation of farming. RESOLUTION offered by Mr. LaVigne: RESOLVED, that Planning Board Chairman, Viola Miller and Councilman Louis Bush be authorized and directed to appoint a replacement to serve as a Member of the Lans- ing Planning Board to fill the unexpired term of Paul Barron, said term expiring December 31, 1974. Seconded by Mr. Bush. RESOLUTION offered by Mr. Bush: Carried RESOLVED, that General Fund bills #48 through . #76.totalling $12,026.96 and Highway Fund bills #43 through #69 totalling $12,575.30be and the same are hereby approved for payment, and be it further RESOLVED, that Water District #1, Water District #2, Sewer District #1 and Sewer District #2 bills be and the same are hereby approved for payment. Seconded by Mr. Naegely. Carried On Motion, meeting adjourned to March 19, 1974 at 7:30 P.M.