Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-11-07 ,LL ,t • TOWN OF LANSING Planning Board Monday, November 7, 1994; 7:30 p.m. 11 PLANNING B ® ARD. MEMBERS r Denotes present) * Jackie Baker * Cheryl Nickel Lin Davidson Larry Sharpsteen, Chairperson * Brad Griffin Robert Todd Viola Miller Al White Larry Tvaroha, Town Councilman George Totman, Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer PUBLIC PRESENT Tom Niederkorn GENERAL BUSINESS, Town Hall Alternatives - From the last meeting, all the board members were supposed to submit in writing to Tom Niederkorn their feelings of the positives and negatives for locating the new town hall. Those comments were pulled together into a handout entitled, 'Town Hall Discussion, November 7, 1994". Tom indicated that he received information from most ® of the members but not all, and has synopsized those opinions submitted into a handout entitled 'Town Hall Location Analysis," which was distributed for review. He stated that there is certainly not any unanimous opinion about one side of the road or the other. Most comments submitted indicated that there would be advantages and disadvantages to development on either side of the road. The same is true for the issue of locating the town center. Al White commented about the possibility of moving the softball fields. He suggested the option of changing the name of the fields to "Christopher Park" Al felt that the family and the community would look positively toward this change. Fred Christopher had a large impact on this community, particularly in his interest in softball. Al thought this change would be best on the original land that was dedicated, but could easily be transferred to the land across the road Larry Sharpsteen was concerned about comments made about possibly selling the land on the south side of Route 34. He felt it would be in the better interest of the town if the land was leased versus sold. By selling the land, the town would lose the income from taxes. Brad . Griffin questioned whether the town will be any better or worse of a place -to live in whether the new town hall is built on one side of the road or the other. Cheryl Nickel commented that the town hall is a symbol of the town, and the looks of the building will be important She felt that ' by specifying the exact location of the new building, it will actually restrict what can be developed around it. She didn't feel, realistically due to the traffic, that the town could exist on both sides of the road and be used except by people getting into their cars and driving. By putting the town hall and the town center on the south side of the road, it remains a symbolic center of a town. Town of Lansing Planning Board Page 2 Monday, November 7, 1994 Larry doesn't feel that because a town builds something practical and economical without trying to make it as pretty as they can, that it says anything negative about the town. It is a utilitarian building, and it doesn't have to be an architectural wonder. It doesn't have to be ugly either to be utilitarian. Al White commented that the town won't have to spend a fortune to have something that it can be proud of. The board members each took a few minutes to review the synopsis and make comments. It was then suggested that the synopsis, with the few additions and changes, be submitted to the Town Board along with the actual individual comments from the Planning Board members. Tom will prepare a cover letter to go along with the comments asking that the Town Board review the comments in their process of making a decision. Tom felt that the existing town hall still has some utilitarian value, and that the Planning Board might take a position that this building might make a statement in terms of a town center. The building and those that are surrounding it could be used as a focal point of a town center on the south side of the road. Cheryl stated that there are feasibility studies that could be done to determine what uses the existing town hall could be used for and how much it would cost to bring the building up to code. Cheryl felt that the town hall, the schoolhouse, and the community building create a "space" that is off of the main road. This would only be further developed if the buildings were cleaned up and brought up to code. Cheryl felt that if municipal parking lots were created that would serve both sides of the road, it would create advantages that could be offered to businesses. Brad Griffin questioned what the original use of the town hall was. Larry Sharpsteen stated that it was originally used for kindergarten classes; the grange hall was also used as a • schoolhouse. Brad commented that these buildings represent an educational history for the town, and that he would like to see that aspect preserved. The Planning Board feels that the buildings have some value to the town and feel strongly that if a way could be found to save them and use them as a focal point of a town common area on the south • side of the road, that the Town Board should make every effort to do so. Land Use Precincts - Tom indicated that not everyone submitted their interpretations of the land use precincts, but he got some interesting categorizations from those he did receive. Tom handed out and read through the land use designations descriptions. A large map with the precincts marked out was displayed. Each precinct was then reviewed and discussed for the appropriate designation(s). Road Use Designations - The discussion of road use designations will be discussed at the next meeting of the Planning Board. This meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. Submitted by Michelle Eastman The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 14, 1994. r .. i 3 3 , YY aiRt t r 1 TOWN HALL DISCUSSION { Nov . 7 , 1994 411 POTENTIAL SITE "A" : Located in the vicinity of the current Town Hall . POTENTIAL SITE " B " : Located on land recently purchased from the State . SITE " A" ( Pluses ) Several buildings already exist that could be the nucleus of a Center . Uses existing buildings in the municipal campus area . Retains the traditional location and close to current Town Hall , Community Building and Field School . Easy access from Woodsedge and existing businesses . Opportunities for expanded parking to serve future commercial expansion . $ Less future investment needed for roads and parking . Compact development facilitates pedestrian and vehicular access and reduces infrastructure costs . Reduces pedestrian crossing of Route 34 to a minimum . Better atmosphere - further from State prison sites . 41/0 Location favored by cross-section of Lansing residents . Sewer service might be easier and cheaper . 4 Town square concept with Town Hall as centerpiece could win funding support that could help pay for sewers in this area . Would be part of an existing complex and not orphaned on a remote site . Town Hall will attract traffic and might generate opportunities for small businesses and services . Would not have a negative impact on existing ballfields . A nice looking Town Square would help sell business and industry on Town-owned sites . Concur with other points in Cheryl ' s letter . SITE "A" ( Minuses ) Lacks adequate room for temporary sewage disposal . Precludes sale of land to generate funds that might be used for expansion of ball fields . ,. 1 A municipal center somewhere else would free up existing Town Hall land for commercial purposes . ® 111 Options for other development and interim septic siting more limited . Limited land for future expansion of Town ' s governmental functions . Short-term disruption of town functions would be greater . Crowds ball fields which might not be moved for some time . Adequate parking space for current and future needs will leave less land for future business expansion . SITE " B " : ( Pluses ) Greatest latitude and number of options for long-term control of adjacent Town land . Would be a good use for new Town-owned land . Might encourage the formation of a light industrial park and enhance the Town ' s chances of getting grants for supporting infrastructure for this whole area . Presents least short-term disruption of current government and recreation functions . Ample available land for development and expansion of sewage disposal • O system . Provides a base for infrastructure needed to support new recreation facilities . Plenty of room for current and future parking needs when the recreation center will be established . Room for future expansion of governmental services and activities . Adequate space for siting and landscaping the building . Depending on architectural style , new Town Hall might be more appropriately located on a more remote site . Would free up good land for future expansion of the current business area . SITE " B " : ( Minuses ) • Isolated from existing business area . Encourages traffic and additional use of cars for short hops ; conversely , discourages pedestrian traffic . Spreads out , rather than concentrates the civic/governmental plant . A dispersed development will increase infrastructure costs . II/ 4 RELATED COMMENTS ( paraphrased ) 1 . Shouldn ' t be in a big rush to build until future trends are more clearly known . 2 . Selection of one or the other of these sites does not rationally seem crucial to the concept of a " Town Center . " The south side does not assure it ; the north side does not preclude it . 3 . Reasons for coming to Town Hall or any related buildings are entirely different that going shopping . 4 . Site selection , building design , infrastructure , etc . should reflect clear goals for function with the most cost effective use of funds . 5 . The creation of the ball fields and their heavy use says a lot about Lansing in a very positive and healthful way . ( Should be very careful when considering their future . ) 6 . The Town Board ' s idea of a leased office/research park could be developed with either location . None of the ideas for commercial development of the central area , including a park or a village green , are precluded by either scheme . a 1 4