HomeMy WebLinkAbout1967-05-08 Minutes
LANSING PLANNING BOARD
May 8 , 1967 : Town Hall
• Regular Meeting
PRESENT : James Showacre , Chairman ; Mrs . Viola Miller ;
Messrs . Paul Barron , Alex Cima , Frederick Edmondson ,
John Ettinger
ABSENT : Mr . Herbert Ley
Also attending : Mr . James Lee , Planning Director of the Greater
Ithaca Regional Planning Board ; John J . Vasse ,
Real Estate Dealer ( for interview purposes only)
* * *
The meeting was called to order by the chairman at 8 : 15 porno
Minutes of the previous meetings of April 10 and April 24 were
approved .
The chairman asked for comments on the format of the minutes .
It was the sense of the meeting that the present format is
satisfactory .
• Miller A news release should appear in the Ithaca Journal short- PUBLIC
ly . Note will be made of the fact that there will be a
survey , so that the public will be aware of this . Plans RELATIONS
for meetings will be made public also . Mr . Ley has every-
thing set up except for South Lansing , but it is assumed COMMITTEE
he has obtained the services of someone for the work of
distribution of the letters , of which there will be a
total of 200 to 300 in North Lansing . Mr . Sandsted has al -
ready requested 75 beyond the additional number of letters
given to him , because of the number of new homes in his
district . The chairman suggested that a spot check be made
of the general distribution .
Showacre The chairman reported for Mr . Ley . Mr . Ley had divided INFORMATION
the Planning Council into a number of groups - some five
to seven - with at least two or three in each group . An COMMITTEE
attempt has been made in the groups to divide themselves
so that someone from southern Lansing and someone from
northern Lansing would go out together to make a preliminary
land use study . These groups will locate bridges , build -
ings , etc . ( to be tabulated according to a key provided by
Mr . Cole ) . They were charged with the job of making a
windshield study and reporting back on May 15 . This will
• give a better idea than can be gained from the 1960 census ,
and will show new roads and bring the listing of names up
to date . On May 15 Mr . Ley will appoint a committee to put
all of this information on one map , and from this a report
will be made .
Minutes , LANSING PLANNING BOARD , May 8 , 1967 ; Town Hall , Regular Meeting , page 2
• Edmondson A letter has been received from Mr . Darwin Field , Chief , PROFESSIONAL
Bureau of Community Planning , Albany , asking that three
prospective planners be interviewed , as this is a re- PLANNING
quirement of law . He has consulted with the Upstate RELATIONS
office of Mr . Herbert Smith , but found that the prin-
cipal in Rochester was so busy that the first date he COMMITTEE
could offer was the 21st of June . He then talked to
John Vatet , who is the Planning Director of the firm of
Sargent , Webster , Crenshaw , and Foley , and found that Mr .
Vatet would be delighted to come to Ithaca for an inter -
view. The next talk was with Russell Bailey , of Utica ,
who with the personnel of his firm has done a good deal of
planning for towns in Upstate New York . Mr . Bailey agreed
to come down , but as planners always work at night and his
firm ' s members ' evenings are filled , only Mr . Bailey will
be able to accept the invitation of this Board .
There will be a special meeting of the Board to interview
Messrs . Niederkorn and Bailey , and on May 22nd an inter -
view with Mr . Vatet . Then a decision can be made as to
who will be the Planner . These three candidates are the
best fitted to do the job , and it is necessary that the
Planning Board make a decision within the month .
• Ettinger Agrees that the Board should move as quickly as possible
on this matter .
Edmondson There are some offices which cannot accept a job like this ,
because there is not enough money in it ; and yet the ones
selected have done good jobs elsewhere . Before the meeting
of May 11th this Board should have a good range of questions
to be put to these people , so that the Board can be sure of
its choice . It would be impossible to call them back , so
the decision must be reached at that time . All questions
must be pertinent .
Showacre Suggested that the Board members get together in groups of
two or three and formulate questions to be put to the
planner candidates .
Edmondson Outlined a few of the questions which might be used , such as
time , estimated cost , fitness for the job , relationship of
the principal to the job , relationship to 701 , etc .
Lee Commented that the Board should beware of too cheap a
price . If there is a tremendous range in price , it would be
strange , and should not occur ; but a very cheap price would
be suspect .
• Edmondson Had asked how much time the principal would spend on the
project and attend meetings . Mr . Niederkorn could attend the
meetings , and has at his disposal a great deal of material ,
but of course the other potential planners could easily ac -
quire this . All of the three must be thoroughly queried
in order to choose the right one .
Minutes , LANSING PLANNING BOARD , May 8 , 1967 ; Town Hall , Regular Meeting , page 3
• At this point in the meeting the Board discussed with real TRAILER PARK
estate dealer John J . Vasse the matter of his arranging for
the purchase of land by a trailer park promoter . Several LAND
of the members of the Board had met with him at hoon to dis - PURCHASE
cuss this matter '
Vasse There are some 48 acres on two sides of a road area 1 . 7 miles
from the airport . The land is needed for a site for permanent-
type trailers for rental , not sale , to students . The promoter
is willing to pay the entire water and sewer costs . There are
two other choices , but the favorite is this property , on Hillcrest
and Warren Road . The trailer park itself will have paved
roads , paved paths , and permanent cement foundations .
Edmondson There is no question that there is a place for the mobile home
in a good development . Taggin Wagon Park is an example of the
best trailer park there is , and of course the Board could find
some poor ones . There is no zoning law , and all of the Board
members could see the possibility of doing a good job which would
be an asset to the Town and make a profit for the owners . The
Long property on the Lake Road has the problem of the necessity
for installation of a sewage plant . Any trailer park would com-
ply with the Town trailer ordinance . The land could be sold
• with the provision that certain conditions would be fulfilled .
Vasse Is leaving maps with the Board so that they can check over the
three proposed locations and decide which one the trailer park
promoter would be permitted,to purchase . The trailers will be
installed eight to an acre . ,
Showacre The Board does not wish to be discriminatory against any class
of buyers , but on the other hand it has a duty to preserve
certain conditions . If the Planning Board proposed ordinances
that can be put into effect first , then there is no question
about the developers building . But if the developers come in
first , then there can be problems . The Board is under some
pressure now to revamp all of the existing ordinances and came
up with some new ones .
i
4
Miller Which will hurt % z� more , a well developed trailer park or
the proposed Cayuga Motors installation ? Members of the Board
felt that the proposed Cayuga Motors installation would be the
more detrimental .
Vasse The problem is to get within a reasonable distance from the Uni -
versity and from shopping facilities . The Long property is the
most desirable , and the necessity for investing $ 0 in
• sewer and water facilities makes it imperative that the develop -
ers be given assurance that no other sewer or water facilities
will be installed for their use by the Town in less than _fifteen
years . The promoter would like to get a minimum of fifty units
installed for fall occupancy .
Minutes , LANSING PLANNING BOARD , May 8 , 1967 ; Town Hall , Regular Meeting , page 4
• Showacre The Board will let Mr . Vasse hear from them of its decision
within a few days .
(Mr . Vasse departed at 9 : 20 p .m . , leaving several maps for Board
members ' perusal . )
Showacre A verbal request has been received from Mr . Dates to look over MOBILE
the mobile home ordinance and make recommendations to the
Town Board . HOME
3 who is the ORDINANCE
Edmondson It will be necessary to call on Fred ,
ac-
knowledged expert in these matters .
Showacre The proposal goes from the Planning Board to the Town Board,
An approval will have to be given by the Town Board , followed
by a ten- day notice of a public hearing . It looks as if the
26th or the 29th would be the earliest date for this to be
possible . This means that such an ordinance would have to be
written by the Planning Board this week . All combinations
can be in the one ordinance , The Town Board will have to see
this on the 16th in order to present it on the 26th . After
the hearing , the Town Board may adopt the ordinance .
• Edmondson Felt that this time schedule is perfectly possible to meet .
He will be glad to explain the details at any meeting with
members of the Town Board . He has materials coming in from
various parts of the country , and the material can be modified
in a few details to present something which can be defended .
Showacre Designated Monday , May 15 , as a special meeting , to open at
7 : 00 p . m .
Edmondson Asked Mr . Lee if he could offer anything of help to the meeting
at this point .
Lee Could not add anything , but congratulated the Board on having
Mr . Edmondson as a member .
Edmondson Mr . Edmondson and the Board invited Mr . Lee to attend any of the
meetings of the Planning Board .
Lee Explained the function of his original Board , and the necessity
for two or more areas to work together sometimes on common
problems .
Chairman Presented a letter from Mr . Ernest Cole on a basic study on AGRICULTURE
• agriculture . Mr . Cole would like to meet with Mr . Ley and Mr .
Barron to find out what is needed for the basic study . He STUDY
would like to bring this study into a tri- town area larger
aspect , and then allow the Town of Lansing to take out from
it the information pertinent to Lansing .
. .
Minutes , LANSING PLANNING BOARD , May 8 , 1967 ; Town Hall , Regular Meeting , page 5
• Showacre Requested that Mr . Barron and Mr . Ley investigate this proposi -
tion with Mr . Cole and no later than June 12 come back with a
general outline of what they and Mr . Cole have put together .
Ettinger There was a meeting of Messrs . Ettinger , Edmondson , and Show- INTERIM
acre a couple of weeks ago , and as a result of this meeting SUB-
two resolutions had been prepared . He read the policy state - DIVISION
ment and also definitions of various terms in connection REGULA-
with real estate planning . Also read the procedure for ap - TIONS
plication to the Planning Board for a subdivision .
Showacre Anything to be submitted to the Town Board will be by a roll -
call vote .
Ettinger MOTION : That the Planning Board accept as their official
Subdivision Regulation the procedures presented May 8 , 1967 ,
until such time as they are amended or replaced as a complete
Subdivision ordinance of the Town of Lansing .
Motion seconded .
Ettinger SECOND MOTION : That the Planning Board of the Town of Lansing
may modify the procedures of the Subdivision Regulations for
• Subdivisions of 2 , 3 , or 4 proposed lots or building sites if
said modification is considered in the best interest of the
Town of Lansing .
It was decided to table action on this motion until the material
is checked out by attorney Williamson , and to present it again
at the meeting of May 11 .
fir
Ettinger In discussion with Mr . Dates he has committed himself . DEAD-END
REGULATION
Showacre Reported receipt of a letter from Mr . Niederkorn concerning SUBDIVISION
the chairman ' s request to consider writing up formal sub -
division rules and regulations . His answer is in the affirm- RULES AND
ative , and has suggested that maps be obtained for this pur- REGULATIONS
pose by him and various groups . Other projects for the
moment have priority , and this project could be ready by fall .
This matter is to be held in abeyance until a planner is se-
lected , and then he could be asked to proceed as rapidly as
possible on this particular project . No decision is to be
made now .
• A complete code can be obtained by the introduction of a sim- BUILDING
pie resolution by the Town Board to adopt the State code . CODE
MOTION : to adjourn, 10 : 30 p .m.. Seconded . Passed .