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Home My WebLink About1993-11-22 TOWN OF LANSING Summary of Planning Board Meeting Monday, November 22, 1993 ; 7:30 p. m . PLANNING BOARD 'Denotes Present ' Lm Davidson * Larry Sharpsteen , Chairperson ' Linda Hirvonen Robert Todd * Viola Miller Al White Cheryl Nickel * George Totman, Planning, Zoning , and Code Administration Larry Tvaroha, Town Councilman p ; GENERAL BUSINESS Viola Miller made an announcement about a holiday party to be held in the Lansing Community Center on November 28 from 3 - 5 p.m . for all the committee members of the Lansing 2010 project, the Planning Board , the Town Board, and all their family members. Through Viola, Cheryl suggested the need to have a joint meeting with the Town Board soon . Larry >; Sharpsteen agreed , indicating the need to possibly have quarterly joint meetings . Cheryl has gotten feedback from some of the committee members that they don't feel there has been enough • representation from the Town Board. Larry Sharpsteen stated that the feeling of the Town Board is one that they need to remain impartial until this project is done. George Totman added that Larry Tvaroha attends the Planning Board meetings acting as a liaison to the Town Board and does a good job of keeping the Town Board up to date on the activities of the Planning Board. Lin questioned whether the Planning Board was up to date on the activities of the Town Board. Larry Sharpsteen suggested the possibility of every third month switching the second meeting of the Planning Board to coincide with the Town Board's meeting. Viola also raised the point that in years past, a rotating member of the Planning Board attended meetings of the Town Board. 1F Larry Sharpsteen asked that the board members begin to think about a nominating committee for next month . Larry then asked if anyone has heard anything from the Town Board about the list of candidates submitted for the vacant position. George Totman stated that this item was on the agenda for the Town Board's last meeting , but they may have gone into Executive Session to discuss the list. Viola Miller stated that Ned Beaty with the Village Planning Board has offered to come and speak to the Planning Board . Larry Sharpsteen felt that this was a good idea to begin to open the discussion between these boards. Larry stated that he would extend an invitation for Ned to come to the January 24 meeting of this board . Viola felt that these boards should discuss greenways. Committee Updates Viola stated that Dee Barber's grant submission was funded for $1 , 800 which was not the full amount a requested. In order to maximize the services of the consultant, Dee is looking to minimize the expenses for lodging, meals, etc. Town of Lansing Planning Board Monday, November22, 1993 Page 2 Larry Sharpsteen questioned whether anything has been done to clarify and address various people's concerns about conservation and preservation vis-a-vis rights of individual property owners. From the • Agriculture Resources Committee Larry felt that the use of the terms conservation and preservation make some of committee members rather uncomfortable. Viola stated that there isn't anything more that can be done other than what is in the zoning ordinance. She stated that there can be a conservation council with the capacity to advise. Larry Sharpsteen questioned George Totman as to what parts ofthe York State Uniform Building Code have been adopted by the Town of Lansing to address sensft vel building sites. George Totman stated that the Building Code is strictly related to the structure and soundness of the building and not where it can be built. Larry Sharpsteen there might be a certain way in the wording of a conservation district which doesn't preclude allowing the builder to put in adequate foundations (limit the size, etc.) but does leave room for the code to work. Larry Sharpsteen stated that something else the Planning Board needs to consider is allowing an existing use to be transferred from owner to owner. Linda stated that the use can be transferred as long as it continues to be used in the manner it was at the time of the sale, but not if the purchaser plans to change the use and the use is not permitted in that area. George Totman felt that since zoning is of a sensitive nature in Lansing, he suggested that the Planning Board begin to focus on first getting the district in and then work on defining the conservation districts. Larry Sharpsteen stated that if they work on this section by section, then it will be perceived that the Planning Board is going behind the community's back. He stated that everything is currently in place to do the education and selling of zoning. Linda agreed hoping that this process will be more successful now because more people in the community are involved in the planning. Larry Sharpsteen stated that he had spoken with John Pulma at one of the meetings of the Economic • Development Committee and began looking at the current industrial zone and discussing the Core of Engineer Wetland regulations. They question they raised was whether or not a piece of land is classified as a wetland by Cornell, NYS, or whomever, if a permit is issued and a development goes in, at any time at their convenience, the Core of Engineers come in and make a decision that that area is a wetland under their regulations. The wetland than needs to be replaced on a 2 for 1 basis. Both were unclear whether this becomes the responsibility of the property owner, or whether the municipality the use shares in the responsibility. Viola questioned what 2 for 1 is. Lin stated that it meapprovedat tw acres needs to be replaced for every acre of wetland that is used in a development. Larry's point is that most of the current industrial zone is useless because it is designated as a wetland, so there is a need to expand the industrial zone to accommodate future development. Viola suggested the possibility of establishing a Conservation Council or Conservation Board, which is working in some local towns. The Conservation Board would serve in more than an advisory capacity; they would tell developers whether they should do this or that. The Conservation Council would just serve in an advisory capacity; their responsibility would be to know where the wetlands are. Larry Sharpsteen felt this might be useful for the town to consider establishing a Conservation Council to act in an advisory capacity. Un Davidson felt that the Town Center Committee and the Historical Resources Committee should have a joint meeting in the near future. Larry added that the Economic Development Committee would like to have a representative from the Town Center Committee attend a meeting of the EDC. 14 Viola stated that Cheryl had indicated that she would like to get more publicity for all the just for the Town Center Committee. Linda Hirvonen agreed that this wouldstep.be an important es, not I • 4 • Town of Lansing Planning Board Page 3 r Monday, November 22, 1993 �. George Totman questioned whether Jeff Simpson, reporter with the Ithaca Journal, should be invited to the holiday party on November 28. 4 0. i.. Linda Hirvonen stated that there isn't much to report from her subcommittee because all of the members have been very busy with other projects. Linda stated that she will encourage the Communications Committee to begin publicizing the other committees a little more. Larry Sharpsteen stated that the Economic Development Committee is working as an information vacuum . Viola stated that the Historical Resources Committee has been working very hard. This committee intends on continuing in an advisory capacity. Larry stated that the Economic Development Committee also intends to continue on in an advisory capacity. gr George Totman stated that Monica Crispen is the liaison with Cooperative Extension , and she is willing to . . come to a meeting of this Planning Board. Larry Sharpsteen stated that one area he would like to get xm clarification from Monica is about the process for removal of land from an agriculture district versus the penalties for stopping the agriculture district tax benefit. This meeting was closed at 8: 15 p.m . # . Submitted by Michelle Eastman .h44 • • er :74 Sa '4S t �a - iI 12' 6 tag rre