HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1987-05-11 TOWN OF ITHACA
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
May 11 , 1987
At a Regular Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca ,
Tompkins County , New York , held at the Town Offices at 126 East
Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York , at 5 : 30 P .M . , on the 11th day of
May , 1987 , there were :
PRESENT : Noel Desch , Supervisor
Henry McPeak , Councilman
Shirley Raffensperger , Councilwoman
Marc Cramer , Councilman
Gloria Howell , Councilwoman
Robert Bartholf , Councilman
Patricia Leary , Councilwoman
ALSO PRESENT : Robert Parkin , Highway Superintendent
Robert Flumerfelt , Town Engineer
John Barney , Town Attorney
Bruce Brittain , 135 Warren Road
Harriet B . Brittain , 135 Warren Road
Ruth Mahr , 103 Judd Falls Road
Wayne Stokes , 109 Judd Falls Road
Beverly Livesay , Board of Representatives
Marjorie Goldsmith , 117 Judd Falls Road
Edwin B . Oyer , 117 McIntyre Place
Mary Ann Oyer , 117 McIntyre Place
William W . Goldsmith , 117 Judd Falls Road
Margery Shipe , 236 Forest Herne Drive
Frank Shipe , 236 Forest Home Drive
Representatives of the Media :
Stephanie Siegel , FM 93 News
Mark A . Webster , WPKO
Fred Yahn , Ithaca Journal
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Supervisor led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance .
REPORT OF 'TOWN OFFICIALS
Supervisor ' s Report
Fire Station Sites
Supervisor Desch stated that probably the Board members were
already aware of the fact that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of
Appeals approved two sites for the new Fire Stations . He stated
that he was circulating a copy of the environmental assessment form
and the schedule . Requests for proposals to architects have now
been sent out and it is expected that a selection will be made at a
joint meeting of the Committee and the Board of Fire Commissioners
on June 15 ,
Water/Sewer Project
Supervisor Desch noted that the Town is still awaitng Audit and
Control approval of the improvement . Field work is continuing
Town Board 2 May 11 , 1987
including test borings . In order to provide a proper distribution
of staff time , it may make sense to bid the project in phases
namely , the Dubois Road , Woolf Lane , Trumansburg Road , Campbell
Avenue and West Haven Road part first with some part or all of the
remainder later in the Fall . For example , East Shore Drive sewer
must be done when the lake level is down next winter .
East Ithaca Circulation
The Supervisor went on to say that at a meeting last Thursday , the
County ad hoc committee settled on a proposed budget of $30 , 000 for
the Richardson study which will include a truck observation survey .
It is proposed that the participants share in the cost as follows :
Cornell $ 51000
Town of I.thaca 51000
City of Ithaca 5 , 000
County 15 , 000
$30 , 000
He stated that he would like a concensus and perhaps a formal
resolution committing the Town to this level of participation . All
of the neighborhood association representatives at the meeting ,
indicated support for the study .
Water Commission - Supervisor of Administration
Supervisor Desch noted that the Commission is nearing completion of
the interviews for this position . He noted that the Commission has
received almost 40 applications , many in the outstanding category .
So far , three have been interviewed with at least one more
tomorrow . The new person needs to be on board within two week in
order to be ready for the take over of the utility billing on July
lst .
Route 91 Study
Supervisor Desch stated that the Niederkorn report will be
presented to the public and to a joint meeting of the Common
Council/Town Board and County Board on May 21 . Public questioning
will then be permitted on June 4 at a meeting in Kulp Auditorium .
The main report will be about 200 pages and there will be an
executive summary of some 12 pages and 5 pictures .
Sewage Treatment Plant Project
The Supervisor went on to say that we have another grant amendment
for over $ 100 , 000 . It has taken over three years to get it
declared eligible . He noted that he was referring to the Cayuga
Lake Study of the effects of the new outfall on the lake . This was
a mandated part of the original approval but neither the State nor
EPA would acknowledge eligibility . We had to do virtually a
national literature search to find other examples of similiar
studies having been funded . The results will not be known until at
least one to two years after the new plant is in operation but so
far it looks very favorable that there will not be an ammonia
problem .
Town Spring Clean-Up
. Supervisor Desch noted that each year this event gets bigger to the
point were it is taking well over one week . A constituent has
suggested that next time (perhaps Fall Clean-up) that we do it by
zones so that the material is not out by peoples houses for so
long .
New SEQR Regulations
The Supervisor reported on the new SEQR Regulations which were
adopted by the State in March have now been received by the Town .
It means we will need to modify our local law . New forms are
included . It will take sometime to draft the modification but he
Town Board 3 May 11 , 1987
suggested that the new forms be adopted tonight , since the
regulations are effective June 1st .
Supervisor Desch noted that the presence of Mr . Thomas Cullen who
wished to speak to the Board .
Mr . Thomas Cullen , 402 Salem Drive stated that there was a water
main break on Salem Drive which flooded his house . He went on to
say that at first , the water company would not respond at all , he
then called the fire department who called the water company and
they finally came , two and one-half hours later . He stated that at
that point he had six inches of water in his house . They shrugged
• their shoulders and walked away , saying if you have any problems
take them up with the Town of Ithaca . He went on to say that that
was two months ago and with $ 1 , 800 worth of damages there he would
like to get it fixed .
Supervisor Desch asked Mr . Cullen if he was the first one to call
in the water break ?
Mr . Cullen responded yes . He stated that he had to go through two
water companies , the first one said they were the wrong water
company and they didn ' t know the phone number of the second water
Company *
Supervisor Desch asked if the break happened about 6 : 45 P .M . ?
Mr . Cullen responded , yes .
Councilwoman Howell asked if it was Bolton Point ?
Supervisor Desch responded that it was the Town of Ithaca water
system but the supply was from Bolton Point .
Councilwoman Raffensperger remarked , was it Bolton Point that Mr .
Cullen called and they didn ' t cone for how long?
Mr . Cullen responded , two and one-half hours . Mr . Cullen went on
to say that the Cayuga Heights Fire Department did cone but
unfortunately their pumps didn ' t work . The water was coning so
fast we just couldn ' t do anything , we put everything we could think
in the way of the water . He went on to say that at the time he
called , the water was just in the garage but by the time they got
there it was six inches deep in the house . There is an apartment
in the basement with hardwood floors and they buckled , the rugs
have dried but still need to be cleaned . The carpet company wants
several hundred of dollars before they will bring back the pad .
The contractor wants money before he will cone in and change the
floor . He stated that at one point , he called the insurance
broker , Boothroyd . He stated that he was leaving the Country and
they promised someone would be there the next day to look at the
damage . No one showed up . Mr . Cullen stated that todate all he
had received from the insurance company was a form letter stating
they are going to investigate to find out if he was negligent .
• Mr . Cullen went on to say that the water company did dig up the
street and repair the leak but they did not want to know about
anything else , nor could they suggest how I could get someone to
give me a hand in cleaning up the damages ,
Supervisor Desch remarked , that as he understood it Mr . Cullen was
in the process of filing a claim so that time does not run out on
his damage claim .
Town Board 4 May 11 , 1987
The Town Clerk gave Mr . Cullen a copy of the law which included the
instructions on how to file a claim .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked what Mr . Cullen had to file ?
Supervisor Desch responded a notice of claim .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked what that was ?
Supervisor Desch responded , it has specific information relating to
the incident and relating to the specific damage and cost of that
damage . The insurance company looks at that and may say
immediately that the Town is wholely responsible or they may say it
• was an act of God . He went on to say that we have not had many
cases where the Town has had to pay anything beyond insurance
coverage but we also haven ' t had cases where the insurance has paid
it all . They usually determine that it is an act of God .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked where does Mr . Cullen get these
forms ?
The Town Clerk replied there are no forms . The rules and
regulations are under General Municipal Law , Section 50E , "the
notice shall be in writing , sworn to by or on behalf of the
claimant , and shall set forth : ( 1 ) the name and post-office address
of each claimant , and of his attorney , if any ; ( 2 ) the nature of
the claim; ( 3 ) the time when , the place where and the manner in
which the claim arose ; and ( 4 ) the items of damage or injuries
claimed to have been sustained . . . . . . . . . . . " .
Councilman McPeak remarked , then he sums up the action that took
place and his estimates .
The Town Clerk replied , right .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that it sounded like Mr . Cullen
had already filed a claim .
Town Attorney Barney replied no , there is a very clear statutory
procedure that has to be followed . If you fail to follow that
procedure , the claim would be disallowed by the insurance company .
The Town Attorney went on to say that it has to be written , it has
to be verified under oath , there is a whole series of provisions
that flow from that that the insurance company has a right to
investigate the claim . Actually they can call Mr . Cullen in , to be
sworn under oath , have a stenographer and testimoney taken under
oath on the validity of the claim . So there is a lot of things
that flow from that and it is necessary that it occur and if it
doesn ' t occur , the statute is like a statue of limitations , if it
doesn ' t happen within 90 days from the date of the loss then there
is no claim against the Town .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked Mr . Cullen if his own insurance
company had not been helpful with this ?
• Mr . Cullen responded , well they have made phone calls .
Town Attorney John Barney remarked that it was not a terribly
complicated notice of claim, only five or six items .
Councilwoman Howell remarked , you have already heard from that
insurance company anyway , so that step has been taken , something is
wrong somewhere .
Town Attorney Barney replied , don ' t mislead Mr . Cullen , the notice
of claim has got to be filed within 90 days and it has to contain
Town Board 5 May 11 , 1987
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I
the requirements set forth in Section 50E . He went on to say that
it was not important whether Mr . Cullen had notified , written ,
called or done anything , that notice has to be properly served on
Jean as Town Clerk . That ' s a prerequisite for any kind of action .
Councilwoman Raffensperger questioned , then Mr . Cullen files this
notice of claim and serves in on Jean?
The Town Attorney replied , right . Then Jean sends it to Boothroyd ,
Boothroyd sends it to their company .
Town Engineer ' s Report
• Water & Sewer
Town Engineer Robert Flumerfelt reported that the Supervisor had
covered most of his report on the 1987 Water & Sewer Improvements .
However , surveys are now completed for the West Hill area north of
the hospital , also Taughannock Boulevard , the East Shore area and
Warren Road . Campbell Avenue area is about 50 % completed , as far
as surveying . We have yet to do West Haven Road , Maple Avenue and
Vine Street areas . We will concentrate on West Haven Road next so
that we complete all the West Hill areas and get that ready to go
to bid first . We will be dividing the contract , as the Supervisor
already indicated . The map plotting is progressing , the West Hill
area north of the hospital , is all mapped and parts of Taughannock
Boulevard and East Shore Drive are on maps . We have started the
test borings , we started on Taughannock Boulevard because design
wise , that was one of the biggest question marks . He stated that
he thought we were going to be very lucky there in not discovering
any solid rock , a few boulders , but he thought it would be possible
to carry the gravety main out Taughannock Boulevard , all the way .
That would eliminate the need for a force main or pump station .
He went on to say that they have requested proposal for engineering
assistance on the hydropneumatic pumping station on West Hill and
have received six proposals .
ENGINEERING ASSISTANCE FOR 1987 SEWER AND WATER ImpROVEmENT PROJECT
RESOLUTION NO . 100
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilman Mc Peak ,
WHEREAS , the Town Engineer has requested and received proposals
from six engineering firms for engineering assistance for the 1987
Water and Sewer Improvements Project in preparation of plans ,
specifications , and engineering report for a hydropneumatic water
Pumping station to be incorporated in the West Hill Water System
Improvements north of the Hospital Complex , and
WHEREAS , the proposals received , ranging in cost from $ 2 , 500 to
$21 , 800 , were received by the Town Engineer with respect to design
concept of the hydropneumatic station , experience of the firm in
® designing similar facilities , size and qualifications of staff
available to perform the work , and ability to meet the required
time schedule , and
WHEREAS , it is the opinion of the Town Engineer that the firm
adequately meeting the above criteria at the lowest cost is
Resource Engineering , Cortland , New York , whose proposal was the
second lowest received in the amount of $ 4 , 750 plus $ 300 to $ 400
fees during construction ,
Town Board 6 May 11 , 1987
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca , that the proposal submitted by Resource Engineering be
accepted and that the Town Engineer be authorized to execute an
Agreement for engineering services with Resource Engineering in an
amount not to exceed $5 , 150 .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
Kay Street Drainage Improvements
The Town Engineer went on to say that the Kay Street drainage
improvements are underway , as of today . The Town Highway crew has
. started the installation of some driveway culverts and work on the
swales .
Hospital Access Road
He went on to say the work is being done on the plans and
specifications for the hospital access Road . They are getting
pretty close to completion . Hopefully in the next few days we can
get it completed . He went on to say that he had talked Mr . & Mrs .
Eugene Ball again and that he was not having great success in
meeting their concerns as far as water supply , which is one of the
items they are concern about particularly since the bad fire at the
Indian Creek barn . They are also concerned about possible loss of
trees along their easterly line where we want the sixty foot strip
of land for the roadway . He went on to say that he thought that
most of the large trees would not be disturbed . We will replace
the livestock fence and do some landscaping but water seems to be
the big issue . He stated that frankly he had had high hopes of
their acceptance by now of our camiitments but that he had not been
able to get that .
Highway Department Heating System
Town Engineer Flumerfelt reported that the Highway Department
Heating System contract has been signed and issued the notice to
proceed the first of May . He went on to say that they should be
getting started shortly .
Judd Falls Road Area
The Town Engineer reported that additional traffic counts are being
taken in the Judd Falls Road , Forest Home Drive area , while we can
get them before May 15th when Judd Falls Road will be reopened to
two-way traffic .
Miscellaneous
Town Engineer Flumerfelt remarked that under miscellaneous , there
are two large tanks available from the old sewage treatment plant .
They are 600 , 000 gallon tanks , which he stated he was presently
investigating the possibility of salvaging and reuse in the future
as water storage tanks . He stated that they may be able to cut
them , store them and later reuse them .
He went on to say that there as been continuing review of
developers plans including mainly the review of the proposed
sanitary sewer and pumping station in comiondland II development ,
NYSEG EASEMENT
Councilman Cramer asked- if this gas line would be used to provide
natural gas to the Jacobs project?
Supervisor Desch replied that he assumed this to be correct .
RESOLUTION NO . 101
7; 0 l
. Town Board 7 May 11 , 1987
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilwoman
Raffensperger ,
WHEREAS , the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation seeks an
easement 15 feet in width for construction of a gas main across
property owned by the Town of Ithaca known as 106 Seven Mile Drive
and presently occupied by the Town of Ithaca Highway Garage and
Maintenance Facility , said easement to extend from the southerly to
the northerly property lines of the Town of Ithaca ' s land with its
center line substantially parellel to and approximately 30 feet
west of the center of Seven Mile Drive , together with a service
extension to the Town Highway Facility and extensions to the
opposite side of said highway ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca , that the said easement be granted by the Town of Ithaca to
the New York State Electric & Gas Corporation in consideration of
$ 1 . 00 paid by the grantee to the grantor .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary,
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
ENCROACHMENT - 103 SHARLENE DRIVE
Town Engineer Flumerfelt stated that there is a garage that
encroaches by a few feet on a 20 ' sewer easement and also a
blacktop driveway built over the easement , neither of which effect
the sewer main . Therefore , he recommended that the Town allow the
garage and driveway to remain in place as they exist but reserving
the right to use the easement anytime in the future when it is
necessary to gain access to the sewer for repairs , replacement or
maintenance .
RESOLUTION NO . 102
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilman McPeak ,
WHEREAS , a survey done by Clarence W . Brashear , a licensed land
surveyor (New York No . 38194 ) , of the premises at No . 103 Sharlene
Road in the Town of Ithaca , Tax Map Parcel No . 6-57-1-8 . 110 , and
map of same entitled "Survey Map , No . 103 Sharlene Road , Lot 98 ,
Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York" and dated April 14 ,
1987 , indicates that a corner of a garage attached to the house on
said property encroaches on a 20-foot-wide sewer easement crossing
the property ( see Covenants Deeds Book 471 , Page 1065 ) by a
distance scaled to be approximately 4 feet , and that a blacktop
driveway also has been constructed over said sewer easement , and
WHEREAS , neither the encroachment by the garage nor the blacktop
driveway as they presently exist are deemed to have an adverse
effect on the sanitary sewer for which the easement was granted ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca , that the garage and blacktop driveway be allowed to remain
in place as they presently exist , however , that the right be
reserved by the Town of Ithaca to use the easement at any tiem that
may be necessary to gain access to the sewer for repair ,
replacement , or maintenance .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
OVERTIME FOR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES
f70zIf
Town Board 8 May 11 , 1987
RESOLUTION NO . 103
Motion by Councilwoman Raffensperger ; seconded by Councilwonan
Howell ,
WHEREAS , the Engineering Department staff will be short one person
until May 26 , 1987 while Assistant Engineer Erik Whitney is on
Military Reserve Duty , and
WHEREAS , present Engineering Department workload requires maximum
possible staff time ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca that overtime pay at the rate of 1 1 / 2 times regular rate ,
over 37 1 / 2 hours per week , be authorized for Mary S . Bryant up to
10 additional hours per week until May 26 , 1987 .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
Highway Superintendent ' s Report
Highway Superintendent Robert Parkin stated that he did not have
too much to add to his written report except a change to Item # 3 ,
Removal and refilling of soft spots on Forest Home Drive ,
Reconstruction . Double surface treat these spots . Work on
dredging off side slopes , it should be grading instead of dredging .
He went on to say that Spring Clean-up has run eight to nine days ,
which is a new record for , us . Also , the new truck as arrived .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that she assumed that when Judd
Falls Road is opened to two way someone will clean it up right
away?
Highway Superintendent Parkins replied , yes .
Building Inspector/ Zonin Officer ' s Report
Building Inspector/ Zoning Officer Andrew Frost reported that he
issued 19 Certificates of Compliance , seven of them were for house
sales . When we do these inspections for house sales we are
concentrating on local law and zoning and not much on building code
unless we have some good records in Town Hall on the building . He
stated that it was hard to certify a building , particularly an
older building , when you can ' t see its foundation behind the walls
and other aspects that would be relative to building code . He went
on to say that legal actions has been initiated on three of the
complaints . He noted that he issued one sign permit issued for the
month . There were 58 field visits , 40 of them were for uniform
code building inspections . He went on to say that 31 Building
Permits had been issued .
Councilman Cramer asked if there was a fee for the Certificate of
Compliance ?
Mr . Frost responded , there is a $ 15 . 00 fee .
REPORT OF COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES
County Representative Beverly Livesay stated that she had no
specific report this evening , but if anyone had any questions she
would be glad to try and answer them .
Town Board 9 May 11 , 1987
BUDGET AMENDMENTS
RESOLUTION NO , 104
Motion by Councilman Cramer , seconded by Councilman McPeak ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby
authorize the following budget amendments .
1 ) Transfer $69 . 00 from A5132 . 200 Highway Garage Heating & Air
Conditioning to A5132 . 100 Highway Garage Personal Services ,
2 ) Transfer $ 314 . 92 from A1990 . 400 Contingency to A1010 . 400 Town
• Board Contractual $ 306 . 22 and A1420 . 400 Attorney $ 8 . 70 .
3 ) Increase appropriation G9710 . 700 Sewer Fund Serial Bond
Interest by $6 , 120 to a total of $ 305 , 778 and Increase
estimated revenues G2771 from Joint Sewer by $ 6 , 120 to a total
of $ 80 , 580 to correct the amount of interest payment shown in
budget .
4 ) Transfer from Federal Revenue Sharing Fund Balance $ 456 . 60 to
CF8340 . 480 West Shore/East Shore Water $ 156 . 60, and CF8120 . 483
West Shore/East Shore Sewer $ 300 . and
WHEREAS , Burns Road Capital Project is canplete and State and
Federal aid has been received , and
WHEREAS , the appropriations for this project is $ 5 , 354 . 11 over
budget ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca that Highway Fund DB5112 . 453 Permanent Improvements
reimburse Burns Road Capital Project this amount , and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED , that if additional grant money is received
for this project it will be allocated to the Highway Fund , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that approval is hereby given for General
Fund Part Town to borrow $ 15 , 000 from General Fund Townwide to be
repaid when the Certificate of Deposit matures on June 1 , 1987 , or
state aid is received , whichever is first .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
COPIER BIDS
Connie Allen reported that nine bids had been received , four of
them are in the same category , price wise , so we are going to
examine the machines .
INVESTMENT POLICY
• Supervisor Desch stated that the State Auditors had given us the
indication that this was one critisim they are going to have on how
we operate , in that we don ' t have a written investment policy . He
stated that he had gone over this form with them and they are
comfortable with this , it matches very closely the guidelines
issued by Audit and Control . He stated that there were a couple of
things that he left out from the guidelines as they pertained to
things that were very unlikely to be appropriate to our needs . He
went on to say that the problem originated elsewhere with unsequred
SO-9
Town Board 10 May 11 , 1987
repurchase agreements that some school districts go in trouble
with , Audit and Control has been very sensitive to this subject .
RESOLUTION NO . 105
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilwoman Howell ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approve
the following Investment Policy :
The objectives of the Investment Policy of the Town of Ithaca are
to minimize risk ; to insure that investments mature when the cash
is required to finance operations ; and to insure a competitive rate
. of return . In accordance with this policy , the Chief Fiscal
Officer is hereby authorized to invest all funds including proceeds
of obligations and reserve funds in :
Certificates of Deposit issued by a bank or trust company
authorized to do business in New York State ;
Time Deposit Accounts in a bank or trust company authorized to
do business in New York State ;
Obligations of New York State ,
Obligations of the United States Governments
In Repurchase Agreements involving the purchase and sale of
direct obligations of the United States .
All funds except Reserve Funds may be invested in :
Obligations of agencies of the federal government if principal
and interest is guaranteed by the United States .
With the approval of the State Comptroller , in Revenue
Anticipation Notes or Tax Anticipation Notes of other local
governments .
Only reserve funds may be invested in :
Obligations of the Town of Ithaca .
All investments made pursuant to this investment policy shall
comply with the following conditions :
19 COLLATERAL .
a . Certificates of deposit shall be fully secured by
insurance of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or
by obligations of New York State or obligations of the
United States or obligations of federal agencies the
principal and interest of which are guaranteed by the
United States , or obligations of New York State local
governments . Collateral shall be delivered to the Local
• Government or a Custodial Bank with which the Town of
Ithaca has entered into a Custodial Agreement . The
market value of collateral shall at all times equal or
exceed the principal amount of the certificate of
deposit . Collateral shall be monitored no less
frequently than monthly , and market value shall mean the
bid or closing price as quoted in the Wall Street Journal
or as quoted by another recognized pricing service .
b . Securities purchased through a repurchase agreement shall
be valued to market at least weekly .
Town Board 11 May 11 , 1987
c . Collateral shall not be required with respect to the
direct purchase of obligations of New York State ,
obligations of the United States , and obligations of
federal agencies the principal and interest of which are
guaranteed by the United States Government .
2 . DELIVERY OF SECURITIES .
a . Repurchase Agreements . Every Repurchase Agreement shall
provide for payment to the seller only upon the seller ' s
delivery of obligations of the United States to the
Custodial Bank designated by the Town of Ithaca , or in
the case of a book-entry transaction , when the
obligations of the United States are credited to the
Custodian ' s Federal Reserve Bank account . The seller
shall not be entitled to substitute securities .
Repurchase agreements shall be for periods of 30 days or
less . The Custodial Bank shall confirm all transactions
in writing to insure that the Town of Ithaca ownership of
the securities is properly reflected on the records of
the Custodial Bank .
b . Payment shall be amde by or on behalf of the Town of
Ithaca for obligations of New York State , obligations the
principal and interest of which are guaranteed by the
United States , United States Obligations , certificates of
deposit , and other purchased securities upon the delivery
thereof to the custodial bank , or in the case of a
book-entry transaction , when the purchased securities are
credited to the Custodial Bank ' s Federal Reserve System
account . All transactions shall be confirmed in writing .
3 . WRITTEN CONTRACTS .
Written contracts are required for Repurchase Agreements ,
certificates of deposit , and custodial undertakings . With respect
to the purchase of obligations of U . S . , New York State , or other
governmental entities , etc . , in which monies may be invested , the
interest of the Town of Ithaca will be adequately protected by
conditioning payment on the physical delivery of purchased
securities to the Town of Ithaca or Custodian , or in the case of
book-entry transactions , on the crediting of purchased securities
to the Custodian ' s Federal Reserve System account . All purchases
will be confirmed in writing to the Town of Ithaca .
It is therefore , the policy of the Town of Ithaca , to require
written contracts as follows :
a . Written contracts shall be required for all Repurchase
Agreements . Only credit worthy banks and primary
reporting dealers shall be qualified to enter into a
Repurchase Agreement with the Town of Ithaca . The
written contract shall provide that only obligations of
the United States may be purchased , and the Town of
Ithaca shall make payment upon delivery of the securities
or appropriate book-entry of the purchased securities .
No specific repurchase agreement shall be entered into
unless a master repurchase agreement has been executed
between the Town of Ithaca and the trading partners .
While the term of the master repurchase agreement may be
for a reasonable length of time , a specific repurchase
agreement shall not exceed thirty ( 30 ) days .
b . Written contracts shall be required for the purchase of
all certificates of deposit .
Town Board 12 May 11 , 1987
c . A written contract shall be required with the Custodial
Bank ,
4 . DESIGNATION OF CUSTODIAL BANK ,
1 . Custodial Bank . The Tompkins County Trust Company chartered
by the State of New York is designated to act as Custodial
Bank of the Town of Ithaca ' s investments . However , securities
may not be purchased through a Repurchase Agreement with the
Custodial Bank ,
59 FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF INSTITUTIONS .
All trading partners must be credit worth . Their financial
statements must be reviewed at least annually by the Chief Fiscal
Officer to determine satisfactory financial strength or the Chief
Fiscal Officer may use credit rating agencies to determine credit
worthiness of trading partners . Concentration of investments in
financial institutions should be avoided . The general rule is not
to place more than $ 2 , 000 , 000 in overnight investments with any one
institution .
Investments in time deposits and certificates of deposit are to be
made with banks or trust companies . Their annual reports must be
reviewed by the Chief Fiscal Officer to determine satisfactory
financial strength .
When purchasing eligible securities the seller shall be required to
deliver the securities to our Custodial Bank .
Repurchase agreements shall be entered into only with banks or
trust companies or registered and primary reporting dealers in
government securities . Sound credit judgments must be made with
respect to trading partners in repurchase agreements . It is not
assumed that inclusion on a list of the Federal Reserve is
automatically adequate evidence of credit worthiness .
Repurchase agreements should not be entered into with
undercapitalized trading firms .
A margin of 5 % or higher of the market value of purchased
securities in repurchase agreements must be maintained .
6 . OPERATION , AUDIT AND REPORTING ,
The Chief Fiscal Officer or the deputy chief fiscal officer shall
authorize the purchase and sale of all securities and execute
contracts for Repurchase Agreements and certicates of deposit on
behalf of the Town of Ithaca . Oral directions concerning the
purchase or sale of securities shall be confirmed in writing . The
Town of Ithaca shallpay for purchased securities upon the delivery
or book entry thereof .
The Town of Ithaca will encourage the purchase and sale of
securities and certificates of deposit through a competitive or
• negotiated process involving telephone solicitation of at least two
bids for each transaction .
At the time independent auditors conduct the annual audit of the
accounts and financial affairs of the Town of Ithaca , the
independent auditors shall audit the investments of the Town of
Ithaca for compliance with the provisions of these Investment
Guidelines .
Within sixty ( 60 ) days of the end of each of the first three
quarters of the fiscal year , the Chief Fiscal Officer shall prepare
Town Board 13 May 11 , 1987
and submit to the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca a quarterly
investment report which indicate new investments , the inventory of
existing investments , and such other matters as the Chief Fiscal
Officer deems appropriate .
Within 120 days of the end of the fiscal year , the Chief Fiscal
Officer shall prepare and submit to the Town Board an annual
investment report , recommendations for change in these Investment
Guidelines ; the results of the annual independent audit ; the
investment income record ; a list of total fees , cornussions or
other charges , if any , paid to the Custodial Bank and such other
matters as the Chief Fiscal Officer deems appropriate .
The Town Board shall review and approve the annual investment
report , if practicable at its April meeting .
At least annually , and if practicable , at the May meeting of the
Town Board , the members shall review and amend , if necessary , these
Investment Guidelines .
The provisions of these Investment Guidelines and any amendments
hereto shall take effect prospectively , and shall not invalidate
the prior selection of any Custodial Bank or prior investment .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
COUNTY SUMMER YOUTH WORKERS PROGRAM
RESOLUTION NO . 106
Motion by Councilwoman Raffensperger ; seconded by Councilwoman
Howell ,
WHEREAS , the Town of Ithaca is eligible to receive $ 3 , 300 in 50 %
matching funds from Tompkins County as reimbursement for hiring
youth between the ages of 14 and 19 inclusive for a maximum of 120
hours each during the summer , and
WHEREAS , the parks , engineering , and planning departments have need
of additional help during the summer months ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca hereby approves participation in the Summer Jobs Program to
the limit of the full eligibility of $ 3 , 300 . Appropriation
accounts to be charged for the Summer Youth Program are : A1440 . 1
Engineering Personal Services ; A7140 . 1 Playgrounds & Recreation
Personal Services ; B7140 . 1 Parks Personal Services ; B8020 . 1
Planning Personal Services . The program to consist of two
four-week sessions beginning July 5 and ending August 28 , 1987 , six
to seven youths per session for a total of 12 to 14 youths for the
entire program . Rate of pay to be $ 3 . 35 to $ 4 . 50/hour .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
• voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION REQUEST FOR DANBY ROAD
Supervisor Desch noted that Item 15 is in response to a letter from
Ruth Mahr having to do with the speed limit on Danby Road . He
stated that his only problem was in knowing how far we should go
with the distance for the speed zone and the timing . He went on to
say that as the Board knew, it is difficult the get the State
traffic folks to recognize what we often feel is a hazzard . In
Town Board 14 May 11 , 1987
this particular case it is going to be even more difficult because
of the configuration of the highway and the width , the traffic
carrying capacity , the fact that it is has a relatively gentle
slope . He wondered if the Town would not be better off putting in
a request once the fire station is under construction and once we
have had a chance to evaluate whether it should go up to King Road ,
part way up to King Road or all the way up to the Town line , or
whatever . He went on to say that he was afraid that if the Town
applied on the basis of speculation , at this point , what they will
say is when it happens write us again and we will look at it .
Councilwoman Raffensperger remarked that her concern, was that we
get a fire station and knowing how long it takes anything to
dribble through the state bureaucracy , she wondered if it wouldn ' t
be well to start the process now so that we will be in better shape
when the fire station is built?
Councilman Bartholf remarked that once the fire station is built we
will have two lights there , so he felt the State would act much
faster when they saw the lights .
Supervisor Desch replied , the State will have to have a transition
zone because of the presence of those lights . Whether they will
design the transition zone until the design of the lights are well
along , he did not know . The Supervisor suggested the staff be
requested to develop a recommendation and report back at the June
meeting .
SALES TAX RESOLUTION
Supervisor Desch remarked that there was a slight downturn in sales
tax receipts . He went on to say that this resolution , which you
have all had since the last meeting , makes provisions for the sales
tax proceeds collected by the County to be paid directly to the
Town and to be applied for any Town purpose that is permitted by
the particular law . Any decision to apply for this must be done by
September first of the year preceeding the year it would become
effective . He noted that the first quarterly payment that the Town
would receive is May 1 , 1988 . The Supervisor stated that it would
mean a little over a million dollars in sales tax revenues to the
Town .
Councilman McPeak remarked that he was going to ask the same
question that he asks every year . We have many people in the
County doing business , transients , they set up in a hotel or up in
a back lot , they sell many types of items . He asked if there was
any enforcement or effort on the part of the County to collect
sales tax that is due the County and Town? Councilman McPeak
remarked that whenever is sees a person from South Carolina selling
furniture , he is sure that when he finishes Saturday night or
Sunday night he goes quickly back to South Carolina ,
County Representative Livesy replied that anybody coming in ,
transient like that in the community to sell has got to have a
• permit or license and anybody who sells anything is liable for that
tax . What the State enforcers do about it she stated that she did
not know . We are not even permitted to know who pays what in sales
tax . It ' s somekind of a business secret . This is all up to the
State .
Councilman McPeak asked who gives them the permit?
Mrs . Livesay replied that she believed the County issues the
permit .
Town Board 15 May 11 , 1987
RESOLUTION NO . 107
Motion by Councilman McPeak ; seconded by Councilman Bartholf ,
WHEREAS , the Board of Representatives of the County of Tompkins ,
State of New York by resolution # 256A , 1966 , as subsequently
amended , authorized the imposition of a sales tax on qualified
goods sold within the County of Tompkins , and
WHEREAS , pursuant to Section 1262 of the Tax Law, the proceeds of
such sales tax are applied to reduce the County taxes and general
Town taxes levied upon real property in the County , and
. WHEREAS , Section 1262 of the Tax Law provides that a Town located
in a County which levies such a sales tax may , by local law ,
ordinance or resolution , provides that such amounts collected by
such sales tax be paid directly to the Town to be used for any Town
purpose , and
WHEREAS , the Town Board , after due consideration , has determined it
would be in the best interests of the Town for such sales tax
proceeds to be paid directly to the Town :
NOW THERFORE IT IS RESOLVED , that beginning January 1 , 1988 , all
such sales tax proceeds collected by the County of Tompkins , State
of New York , and attributable to the Town of Ithaca , shall be paid
directly to the Town of Ithaca , to be applied for any Town purpose ,
and
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED , that the Town Clerk shall mail a copy of
this resolution to the Chief Fiscal Officer of the County of
Tompkins by registered or certified mail before September 1 , 19870
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none )
SOLID WASTE RESOLUTION
Supervisor Desch , referring to a draft resolution on solid waste
stated that the drafted the resolution primarily to see if there
was anything the Board felt they should be doing . He stated that
he was not quite sure what the resolution should do or exactly what
it should say . He noted that the draft resolution does not say
what most of the other resolutions in the other Tompkins County
Towns say about the location of the new landfill . However , he
noted that that does not mean that the Town is not concerned
because probably the worst of the twenty sites will impact the Town
of Ithaca more than many of the sites that are located directly
within other municipalities . He stated that he was talking about
the one on the west side of Sheffield Road , which is across the
street from a developed residential area . This resolution follows
through in the flavor of what you see in front of you , in terms of
requiring certain things like public water supply in developed
areas and tipping fees . He asked the Board for their concerns ,
• noting that he did not propose that the Board take action on the
resolution this evening but he stated that he would like everyone
to think about it .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that she had a couple of
comments , one is that she had had some discussions with the people
about the Danby site (DA 1 ) and people in the Town of Ithaca who
feel they have some interest as far as the access and creeks on the
Property -
Supervisor Desch asked if DA 1 was the Miller Road site ?
Town Board 16 May 11 , 1987
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied , the Gunderman Road one , between
Jersey Hill Road and Comfort Road . She went on to say that the
other ccmrent she was about talking about was all the things we
were going to do for whoever got the landfill and that it seemed to
her that the monitoring of wells was quite important .
Supervisor Desch replied , they will be mandatory as far as DEC is
concerned . The County won ' t get a permit unless there is a
commitment to do that .
Beverly Livesay replied , that is true . The only question is
whether we should exceed DEC ' s requirements to put at rest various
peoples concerns . She went on to say that the Board might be
interested that she has been trying to get the Solid Waste
Management Committee to make a recommendation to the County Board
on a benefit sharing or cost sharing proposal that would spell out
the things that people are concerned about and most of the things
in this resolution . She stated that she would be circulating her
draft proposal to the Solid Waste Committee tomorrow. A lot of. the
things that are in your resolution are in her draft , she remarked .
You might be interested in seeing that , expecially if you are not
going to act on this resolution tonight .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that she had a lot of concerns
about constructing a solid waste burning facility . The reports
that the County has received over the years indicates still a lot
concerns about a refuse burning plant . She stated that at this
point she was not keen about just signing on to any burning
facility that anybody just thinks about .
PERSONS TO BE HEARD
Supervisor Desch noted the presence of several residents of the
Forest Home area who were concerned with the end of the Judd Falls
Road one-way experiment . He then presented the following
statement :
"The Forest Home Improvement Association has adopted a resolution
requesting that the Town continue the Judd Falls Road experiment
while the results are being evaluated . A number of the members are
here this evening to urge us to do that .
The Ithaca Community has already been informed that the experiment
will end on schedule as originally planned , May 15 . That date was
decided by the Board at our April 13 meeting .
Sane members of the Forest Home Community are of the understanding
that the road would stay one-way and that the permanent
improvements would follow the evaluation of the experiment .
Although this is not particularly logical , I can appreciate that
the anxiety and needs might lead one to that conclusion although
the resolution adopted in September makes no reference to this
supposition .
In providing for the traffic circulation needs of the Town we must
keep the interest of the entire community in mind in developing
solutions to localized problems . One of the most common complaints
received during the experiment was the safety and condition of
Caldwell Road . It is a fact that Caldwell Road is in need of
upgrade , regardless of whether Judd Falls Road becomes one-way or
two-way . It is a reasonable expectation on the part of the Ithaca
Community that the Caldwell Road upgrade should be the highest
priority . Judd Falls Road will need to be two-way while Caldwell
Road is closed for construction . This is the most practical
sequence . So what is the problem? The question is do we wait for
Town Board 17 May 11 , 1987
the completion of the East Ithaca Study , i . e . , December 1987 before
we proceed with Caldwell Road? If so , the permanent one-way
improvements to a one-way Judd Falls Road could not be done then
until the summer of 1989 . I would prefer to proceed with the
design of the Caldwell Road upgrade now , do the construction over
the winter and next spring so that next summer we could do the
one-way improvements on Judd Falls Road and perhaps the portion of
Forest Home Drive near the east bridge next summer .
Preliminarily , what we have in mind for Caldwell Road is to ease
the curve at the top of the hill , ease the slope as much as
feasible , widen to a standard Town highway width and provide some
kind of walkway . "
David Kuckuk , 229 Forest Hone Drive stated that he had been asked
to read a statement from the Forest Home Improvement Association ,
which he stated he would like to read before any discussion as it
may present a vehicle by which we may be able to approach the
issue . He went on to say that the Association held their
semi-annual spring meeting on the 4th of May and it was a very
constructive meeting in terms of discussion on the various issues .
Mr . Kuckuk presented the following resolutions :
RESOLVED , that this Association request the Town of Ithaca to
replace the present road signs limiting use of roads to trucks
weighing five tons with signs prohibiting all trucks except for
local delivery , such signs to be similar to those used in the City
of Ithaca .
RESOLVED , that the Association request NYSEG to install new mercury
vapor lights in the places suggested by the Committee ' s report ,
with the exception that Burnham Kelly , whose house is at the east
end of the first birdge be first consulted about a new light in
front of his house .
RESOLVED , that it is the sense of this Association that the one-way
experiment on Judd Falls Road not be terminated but continued while
the results of this experiment are evaluated .
RESOLVED , that it is the sense of this Association that there be
additional experimental measures undertaken ( including possible
additional one-way sections of road) to ameliorate other traffic
problems , and this community insists the Town , County and
University find ways of diverting traffic around Forest Hone .
.Mr . Kuckuk stated that he would like to point out that the mood ,
since this meeting , and in the face of what could be potentially a
very difficult issue for us as a community to deal with , has been a
very positive one . It ' s been very constructive in terms of trying
to recognize the positive benefits in terms of the one-way plan ,
possible problems that we have seen as the result of it and rather
than simply setting and arguing and fighting we have been looking
for ways to deal with it constructively and internally . Including
a couple of meetings , one very long one , where we looked at
possible solutions . We are not traffic engineers but we looked at
• what we thought were possible solutions . There are two reasons to
be here tonight , one is to ask for your reaction to the resolutions
and secondly to say that we are trying to look for a constructive
way of dealing with this . We are asking you to appoint appropriate
people from the Board , from the Town staff to have a working
session with us or working sessions if that is desirable so that we
can understand what priorities you are looking at , you have
expressed one here tonight Noel , and we can talk about the concerns
we have , the problems we see arising from these pieces that seem to
fall into place . We can get reactions to things we have looked at
and thought might help both for Forest Home and the broader
Town Board 18 May 11 , 1987
community . What we are looking at for is a way to work together as
opposed to just throwing things back and forth which unfortunately
has been the way we have worked in the past .
Supervisor Desch noted that before the Forest Home Association
members came , the Board did discussed the status of the East Ithaca
Circulation Study , the Tony Richardson study . He went on to say
that the proposal was for a $30 , 000 study which involves the entire
corridor from Route 79 on out to Route 13 , involving Bryant Park ,
Pine Tree Road , Forest Home , Community Corners , etc . He stated
that we are talking about a $30 , 000 study , including the review and
observation of truck traffic situation . The recommended split
would be $ 15 , 000 from the County , $ 5 , 000 from Cornell , $5 , 000 from
the Town and $5 , 000 from the City . He stated that he did not know
what kind 'of reception that is going to receive from any of the
other municipalities because it will need to go through the County
Committee process . He stated that this will enable us to plug in
to that study a number of one-way possibilities in Forest Hcme as
well as determine what is needed in the way of additional
circulation to get vehicles around Forest Home . He stated that he
thought it was almost obvious that it will show that the present
road network is not capable of handling , not only today ' s traffic ,
but what is preceived to be a very major increase with all the
projects that seem to be on the books , the airport , the Village of
Lansing , all the water systems that are being extended in the Town
of Lansing , etc .
William Goldsmith , 117 Judd Falls Road stated that he would like to
endorse the statement that the Supevisor just made and also what
Mr . Kuckuk said . He stated that he had just two comments , one that
Andy McElwee has made repeadly over the last month which is that
the problem is not the traffic the way it now is so much as what
it ' s going to be , even five years down the road . If you look at
any projections it ' s inconceivable that that traffic will be able
to get though the area . So it ' s really time to think hard about
the future and he went on to say that he thought this study is a
good idea . On the other hand , he stated that he thought the
Supervisor was right , we already know pretty much what the study is
going to show, we don ' t have the capacity to take that traffic
through the community . That suggests that it makes sense to
maintain the one-way experiment , to try other modifications even
while improving Caldwell Road which is certainly in terrible shape .
He stated that he just had one comment on what you said about
Caldwell Road . He stated that he could remember two different
years in which the first bridge was closed for a good part of the
year , at least one year plus and everybody survived it . That was a
road that we assumed simply could not be closed as we are assuming
Caldwell can ' t be closed even for the period it is being repaired .
He went on to say that everybody lived through it and everybody
coming by lived through it somehow, so it suggests that there is a
possiblity that repairs could be undertaken on Caldwell while
scmeother section remains one-way .
Supervisor Desch replied , you are talking about a long time ago ,
may be twelve years . You are talking about different volumes of
traffic .
Mr . Goldsmith replied even then , the volume in front of Mr .
Kelley ' s house , as I remember it , was close to the 10 , 000 level .
It wasn ' t a backwoods little creek then , it was still heavily
traveled . The campus wasn ' t as closed then as it is now .
Supervisor Desch replied , we are talking about Caldwell Road being
closed for quite a while , this is not a repair job , you are talking
about cutting and grading and gravel .
Town Board 19 May 11 , 1987
A lady in attendance remarked that she did not think improving
Caldwell Road was of significant interest to Forest Home . Having
cars whizzing down at a faster clip then they can now is of no
advantage to us . We are still going to carry the same volume of
traffic after its been improved .
Supervisor Desch replied that this was exactly why he had put the
question to the people of Forest Home . However , he stated that he
did not think the Town could do thing in the reverse sequence , we
have to either understand that Caldwell Road is going to be a
standard Town road in order to properly handle the two-way traffic
when Judd Falls Road becomes one-way and a portion of Forest Home
Drive becomes one-way , if that ends up happening . There has to be
• a way until a by-pass is constructed to get vehicles throught that
part of the Town . We have a responsibility to make that happen .
The lady asked what was the status of the by-pass ?
Supervisor Desch replied , we will know when we complete this East
Ithaca Study , hopefully .
Andrew McElwee , 123 Judd Falls Road remarked , if you are going to
reconstruct Caldwell Road is there a possibility that it could be a
one-way road and the job could be a different one than perhaps you
had planned?
Supervisor Desch , replied no , that he could not think of any way
that Caldwell Road could be a one-way road .
Dale Grossman , 111 Judd Falls Road stated that she remembered
setting at the meeting last Fall it was held out on Route 13 , in
which the Board presented the Judd Falls Road one-way arrangement .
At that point the residents of Forest Home were up in arms because
they had not been consulted and at that point the plan was going
through , the arrangements had been made and the improvements were
going to be made to Judd Falls Road itself . The idea of the
experiment was instituted , she stated that it was her understanding
to benefit Forest Hcme so that the study could be done to see how
it would affect the neighborhood community . It has happened , you
have a sense of what the community reaction is , we are in favor of
continuing it with the resolution that was overwhelmingly approved
by the group . She stated that her reaction was that if the Town
was at that point prepared to make Judd Falls Road one-way and do
permanent improvements , what was the Town planning on doing with
Caldwell at that time ? How have things changed so that we can ' t
have Judd Falls Road one-way while something is being done to
Caldwell ?
Supervisor Desch responded that the reason to trying to do Judd
Falls Road at that time was the economy of scale relating to Forest
Home Drive construction because the Town Engineer at that time felt
that the condition of Judd Falls Road was sufficiently poor to
warrant doing it in conjunction with Forest Home Drive . The
problem is , that from the standpoint of safety , not talking about
the impact on other Town resident of using Caldwell Road the safety
• hazzard is far worse . We simply have to have an alternative for
moving vehicles through that area while Caldwell Road is down .
Ruth Mahr , 103 Judd Falls Road stated that she would like to
refocus a little she thought . She stated that she did not think
the question was whether Judd Falls Road became permanently one-way
or not . That ' s not the question at this point . The question is
what happens on the 15th of May . It seemed to her that none of the
plans the Board was talking about are at all firm and that also it
doesn ' t seem to her that there is anything that would prevent Judd
Falls Road from staying one-way on at temporary basis so long as
Town Board 20 May 11 , 1987
all these other plans are in the works . There is no need to reopen
Judd Falls Road , at this point , to two-way traffic , none she stated
that she knew of . Until and unless and may be not even then , until
some of these other projects you are talking about actually take
place .
Mrs . Mahr continued , noting that it was certainly her understanding
and she did not want to speak for the community , but that the
spirit of the discussion in the Fall about what to do with Judd
Falls Road reflected an awareness on the part of the Town that we
really did have a problem there . The traffic has doubled in the
last 16 years . In 1970 we were very concerned about it and it has
doubled since then and its probably going to double again in the
• next 10 to 15 years . She went on to say that the road was too
narrow for the kind of traffic they have , it ' s unsafe for both
motorists and pedestrians and it ' s distructive for our community .
She went on to say that for the first time , last Fall , we had a
sense that the Town Board was going to take an action with us to
alleviate the problem . She stated that she thought that the
Community also had a feeling that the Town Board was going to work
with them on this . That it would be sort of a mutual kind of a
process , or discussion , that you wouldn ' t do one thing and then we
would cane and have to react to it . We would be working together .
She stated that she personally felt this spirit had been broken by
the declaration that on May 15th the experiment was ' going to end
and that Judd Falls Road would become two-way again .
Supervisor Desch replied that that decision was made way back in
September .
Mrs . Mahr replied , not that Judd Falls Road become two-way again .
The resolution was that the experiment would end on the 15th of
May .
Supervisor Desch replied that ' s what is happening , the experiment
is ending on the 15th of May .
Mrs . Mahr remarked what the resolution of the Association is asking
is that the Board please reconsider the decision to make it
two-way , not necessarily to make it permanently one-way at this
point but to reconsider and leave the experiment in place .
A man in attendence remarked , are you saying this is happening?
Supervisor Desch questioned what the man was referring to?
The man replied , it ' s going back to two-way .
Supervisor Desch replied , the decision was made in September to run
the experiment through the Spring term at Cornell , that ' s why it ' s
reopening on May 15th .
The man remarked , if this is final , then there is no sense in a lot
of us being here then . We came to discuss it .
• John Congin , Judd Falls Road stated that originally the road was
going to be one-way , it was going to be regraded , it was going to
be repaved and that was it . The decision had already been in place
at that time .
Supervisor Desch replied , you can look at the resolution if you
want to . He went on to say that he had looked at it and at the
discussion that took place as show in the minutes as well . He
stated that he did not know whether it ' s in Forest Homes interest
to continue only a portion of the community that may even go beyond
what Judd Falls Road has gone through in terms of it being one-way
Town Board 21 May 11 , 1987
without having the results of more exausted study . You kind of
show this in your resolution that you adopted . He went on to say ,
but we simply , until a decision is made , cannot forclose on the
flexibility of having that as a two-way road . That ' s the reason I
focused the question somewhat different from Mrs . Mahr , we need to
know, we don ' t want it held in limbo any longer than you do .
However , as Mr . Kuckuk has suggested , we need to work together
toward the solution without waiting for the by-pass . He stated
that he did not see keeping Judd Falls Road , by itself , one-way as
providing the fexibility with all those other things that are
happening in that area .
Judith Ashton , 105 McIntyre Place stated that she felt part of the
problem was that we will not have collected all the necesary data .
Some of the counters were only put up in the last few weeks and to
get the full impact of having Judd Falls Road one-way , the counters
that were put on Forest Hone Drive just two weeks ago must have
some change to run through a normal traffic pattern .
Supervisor Desch replied , having done this is one of the reasons we
pushed as hard as we did to get it started over the winter months ,
was to get that data and he stated he was confident that the Town
will have the same data over the five month period as if we had run
it for a six month period . He stated that he did not believe the
Town would learn anything more than we already know .
Judith Ashton replied , we didn ' t have counters at strategic points
throughout the commity to see how the traffic was redirected .
Supervisor , Desch replied that might be so , but plugging the data we
have into the East Ithaca Study that will be forth coming as well ,
will give us that much of a leg up on any decisions . We don ' t
loose anything .
Marie Terrell , 124 Judd Falls Road stated that she was wondering if
the Board had considered that while any improvements , if there are
improvements to be made on Caldwell Road , are being made whether or
not some of the North bound traffic could be routed on the part of
Forest Hone Drive that goes along Beebe Lake . She stated that she
knew currently that the road had not been paved but it doesn ' t seem
as though that would be a very time consuming process for the Town
to pave that stretch of road since the basic ground work has been
done . She stated that that is an option , if signs were
appropriately placed traffic that was heading northbound that is
currently goes through the Plantations , on Caldwell Road and North
could be routed along Beebe Lake in a northerly direction which
could handle the traffic without opening Judd Falls Road to two-way
traffic .
Supervisor Desch replied that one thing is clear , under a permanent
one-way solution for Judd Falls Road , we will be loosing
Plantations Road as an access . Cornell threatened to close that
off during the experiment but we pretty much talk them out of it .
However , he stated that he did not feel much would be- lost , if we
make it one-way south all the way to Tower Road , as far as their
• own access to parts of the campus , that need Plantations Road they
will be able to use the upgraded Caldwell Road . You have a good
point in terms of trying to encourage more traffic to use the newly
restored road but he did not know if they could do that until it is
completed and paved , etc .
Ms . Terrell went on to say that there was one thing that she was
slightly confused about and would like to get some reaction about .
She went on to ask if we open Judd Falls Road , we still have people
going the wrong way on Judd Falls Road , after five or six months
there are still people who don ' t know another way to go and she
Town Board 22 May 11 , 1987
stated to her opening it up to two-lane traffic , if you are still
considering in the long run , making it a one-way road is going to
do nothing be infuriate the driving public that goes through Forest
Home . Not that we don ' t want to infuriate them , we would like too
and get the out of there . But as members of the Town Board in the
layman ' s view Judd Falls Road is one-way , now it ' s two-way , then
it ' s going to be one-way again , maybe , sometime , she stated that
she did not know if this was a problem that the Board had
anticipated contending with .
Supervisor Desch replied that he could not remember anything being
more publicized , in the beginning , that this was going to be an
experiment , so like Mrs . Terrell , he stated he could not show too
much sympathy .
Frank Shipe , 236 Forest Hone Drive remarked that he had one
practical question , he then asked , if in fact the Judd Falls Road
is maintained one-way and continues to Tower Road rather than just
to the Jughandle and if Caldwell Road is closed off and if
Plantations Road is closed off , how do you expect the people living
where we do to get hone other than go to Varna or out Hanshaw Road
and back down Warren Road? So , he stated that he thought there
were sane practical problems that have not been settled . He stated
that he would like to support David Kuckuk ' s comments and
specifically the third resolution that was presented , mainly that
some sort of set up be arranged to communicate between the Forest
Hone Improvement Association and the Town Board . He stated that he
did not consider that the experiment is complete , an experiment is
not complete until you have evaluated the data and the data has not
been evaluated , in fact , some of the data isn ' t even in yet . He
stated that he thought it was premature to say that the experiment
is complete .
Joel Silbey , 105 Judd Falls Road remarked that there are two things
that keep getting mixed up and he stated that he thought , for one
final time , he would like to separate them . Whatever the permanent
resolution of our problems are , and he stated that he did not know
what that was , he would like to commend the Board as there has been
more responsiveness , more interest and more commitment in trying to
figure out what to do over the last few years than what he saw
before that and it may be simply because we have reached 9 , 600 cars
a day on Judd Fall Road and there just isn ' t room for anymore . He
stated that he agreed the experiment wasn ' t over an a lot of things
have to be considered about that and he stated that he did not know
what the solutions are and it was going to take a while . Fine , can
we put that aside and take it as a given that the Town Board , we
and everyone else is interested in permanent solutions based on the
best available evidence . He went on to say that he wanted to go
back to something Ruth Mahr said . He thought that whatever the
points are , whatever is necessary , the argument for reopening Judd
Falls Road to two way traffic at this point is unclear to him . It
has been stated that there is some kind of flexibility , and he said
he was not quite sure what that flexibility means . He stated that
he was pleading with all of the Board to reconsider because of the
past , not quite six months , of the six month experiment we have
• seen such an extraordinary change in the quality of life on our
side of the bridge . He stated that he knew there were problems in
the rest of the community but we have seen such an extraordinary
change , you have given us a sense of what the good life is , to take
it away from us right now for reasons that seem to him to be vague
and have more to do with Cornell then with the Town or with us
raises son? questions . We are down to 1 / 3 on the number of cars .
The rest of the community have not picked up all of them so they
are going somewhere . He stated that his point still remains that
as long as you are evaluating evidence , as long as you are trying
to work through what this is going to be , can ' t you find some way
Town Board 23 May 11 , 1987
to make the same argument for flexibility and help by keeping Judd
Falls Road one-way briefly until this is all worked out ?
Supervisor Desch replied , the answer can best be said by the
following : "You as taxpayers , I think , under perhaps slightly
different circumstances and that is that you are not living where
you are living , would tell this Board that we are irresponsible in
demanding that all of the northbound traffic continue to subject
themselves to the hazzards of Caldwell Road as it presently is . He
went on to say that he thought the Board had gone through five
months as far as we can extend ourselves , we haven ' t had a law
suit , it ' s not May 15th yet , but the time is going to cane if we
continue Judd Falls Road on a one-way basis we are going to have a
• serious accident on Caldwell Road and we as a Board don ' t want to
let that happen for any hours longer than we possibly can . That is
why we need to prepare a plan , upgrade Caldwell Road run it by your
Association so that you are comfortable that we are not
constructing a new four-lane highway or a new Route 96 and get on
with it .
Karen Baum stated that she lived across the road from the Shipes ,
so she was one of the persons who lives on Forest Home Drive by the
bridge and one of the persons who supported the resolution to
maintain the experiment but she felt it was very important for all
to keep in mind that while Judd Falls Road traffic has doubled in
sixteen years , our traffic has doubled in four months . Part of
this resolution of all of us wanting to work on a solution that
provides a solution for the community and what I ' m worried about is
only a solution for Judd Falls Road because of Caldwell being in
the shape that it is and because of other circumstances . She
stated that she lives in the grey house under the bridge and the
cars that cane to a screeching halt before that bridge cane to a
screeching halt about six feet from her front door and it is a
serious problem . She went on to say that she was afraid there will
be people killed outside her door .
Supervisor Desch stated that there were ways to resolve that even
with improving Caldwell Road by making that portion one-way and
having a stop sign on the filter plant side of the bridge .
However , he stated that he did not want to get into details as the
Board has not discussed this .
Ms . Baum replied that she wanted the community to remember that
they were talking not just about one solution of keeping the road
one-way that we really need to talk about a solution for the
camm pity . We haven ' t solved the problem we have solved someone ' s
problem and created another very large . problem .
Wayne Stokes , 109 Judd Falls Road stated that he hated to see the
experiment end . What he called an experiment was something that
you could see visibly and people are being routed in a different
direction to see how thing happen . He stated that he also realized
that one-way ' s really only work if you have another one-way
parallel to it and Judd Falls doesn ' t have that . The solution to
the Forest Home community is to have it one-way coming into Forest
Hone from Caldwell Road . Your are going to tear up Caldwell Read
and force half of Forest Hone community to loose their community
and instead you say Cornell is going to shut down Plantations Road
which seems to him that the increase in traffic which has happened
in the last ten years was all due to Cornell , with their building
and their parking lots . He stated that he thought that Cornell
should be as much responsible about routing that traffic as by
creating it . He continued , noting that if Plantations Road were
shut down it would be all the better for them , we are in favor of
Cornell closing any road they want to but in the meantime until
Caldwell Road is constructed that they have to give a little and
9 � �
Town Board 24 May 11 , 1987
they can give by using the Jughandle as a one-way through the other
side of Forest Home and slowing the traffic down over there .
Supervisor Desch remarked that Cornell also has a liability problem
since it ' s not designed to handle that kind of a volume of traffic .
Mr . Stokes asked what kind of liability problem did the Town feel
they had on Judd Falls Road with the children? You mentioned
before about improving Caldwell Road and also making so pedestrians
can use it . He stated that he thought that the pedestrian traffic
was a little heavier on Judd Falls Road than it was on Caldwell
Road .
. Supervisor Desch replied that he was thinking about a walkway , not
necessarily right along side of the road , a way for people to get
through there which now is difficult .
Andrew McElwee stated that it had been pointed out to him that the
arch , not the old arch , the new arch under the Jughandle was
beginning to fail . What is their (Cornell ' s ) liability?
Supervisor Desch responded , substantial . He then asked if anyone
else who had not spoken wished to do so?
William Goldsmith replied that he would like to know what the Board
thought about his idea ?
Supervisor Desch replied , that he just did not want to give Cornell
any excuse for not participating in a major way in the by-pass .
Mr . Goldsmith replied , well the by-pass is something that he had
not heard about since he bought his house about five or six years
ago .
Supervisor Desch replied that it had been in limbo for a long time .
A lady in attendance stated that the feeling in Forest Home was
that if there is any way that we can make traffic going through
Forest Home so difficult for the drivers that they will be forced
to find another way that may be they will get Cornell Is attention
to their dilema in getting to work if they have to go through
Forest Herne by the way of robinhood ' s barn , if we make little
sections one-way and make it just as tortuous as possible for
through traffic and retain the identity of the community . She went
on to say that as it is we seem to be giving ourselves away to
facilitate motion for anybody else and crippling ourselves .
Supervisor Desch remarked that the lady was sounding expactly like
a person living on Cliff Street or Hector Street and you are right .
You wonder when the breakdown point will arrive .
The lady continued , the argument to make Judd Falls Road one-way
was a matter of safety , there was bound to be accidents and you are
saying now there are bound to be accidents on Caldwell Road ,
Supervisor Desch replied , irrespective of how we finally configure
the one-way or don ' t configure it or upgrade Caldwell Road or
whatever , it ' s absolutely clear that the by-pass is needed . It has
been needed , we are not talking about a need twenty years down the
road . It has been needed for the last twenty years .
Beverly Livesay stated that she felt there needs to be a little bit
of clarification because the problem that they had was that
essentially a by-pass for Forest Home was not found . If we want to
talk about the Freeze Road for a by-pass , that is the road we are
talking about for a by-pass .
Town Board 25 May 11 , 1987
Supervisor Desch replied , that ' s your opinion . There have been two
by-passes that have been maped . One was the one that went through
Plantations , before plantations was constructed , he stated that in
his view that was the one that should have been built .
Mrs . Livesay responded , that may be so but that is not the one that
was talked about .
Supervisor Desch replied that he could not agree if you say the
other one would not have worked , however , he stated that he did not
want to get into a discussion about the details at this time .
William Goldsmith stated that he would like to make a couple of
comments , first of all , the Forest Hone community judges , the first
part of the experiment showed a resounding success , traffic was cut
from 9 , 600 vehicles per day to about 3 , 400 . You could talk to your
neighbors across the street . He stated that Andy McElwee and he
can talk to each other next door without getting run over . Kids
can ride their bikes , walk back and forth . It ' s much safer and its
a much better place to live . One of the bad things about this is
that it has increased traffic across on the other side from about
2 , 500 to about 5 , 000 cars a day and that unacceptable . It ' s very
clear that additional one-way experiments on the other side , maybe
including Caldwell Road , would lessen that traffic . Where those
cars go we are not sure but they are obviously already going , a
fair amount , somewhere else . He went on to say , we voted and we
would like to encourage you to reconsider your decision to keep
that one-way and to try one-way experiments on the other side . Our
interests are clearly comiunity wide in Forest Home which is to
minimize traffic in Forest Home . Your actions to resolve the
problem on one side of the creek made it worse on the other side ,
more of that might make it better all the way around . Computerized
traffic counters will not tell us what one-way experiments will
show. Maintaining the one now one-way will tell us how people are
beginning to travel and he stated that he saw no way to go except
up with this kind of an experimentation . He went on to say that he
saw no reasons for shutting down and ending the so called
experiment . The experimental information is not in yet , further
extensions of the experiment can be made , the whole comunity is
unified behind that idea . We were the ones opposed to making it
permanent one way to begin with when the Town said they were going
to do it now we are co lung back saying lets continue trying it
out . He said he just did not see the reason for stopping what has
been an improvement and can be improved so that the whole ca m mity
can stand to benefit by it .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that she understands that
Caldwell Road needs major reconstuction to make it a truly safe
road . Councilwoman Raffensperger asked whether or not Caldwell
Road could be repaired so as to make it as safe as the average
street in our ca m mity and then institute the one-way experiment
on both sides of the bridges in Forest Home while we wait for this
wonderful study , which she felt would be a wonderful study as we
always use the lack of information as an excuse to do nothing and
this should give us lots of information .
Robert Flumerfelt , Town Engineer responded that repairs could
smooth the road but the width of the road , the grade , the lack of a
pedestrian way would still be factors lacking to what a complete
reconstruction of Caldwell Road would bring about . It would simply
smooth the pavement if we undertook repairs .
Councilwoman Raffensperger questioned , could the shoulders be
repaired?
Of
Town Board 26 May 11 , 1987
Town Engineer Flumerfelt responded , you are talking about major
regrading to widen the shoulder sufficiently because the closeness
of the banks to the edge of the road .
Frank Shipe stated that he to had a comment on Caldwell Road . He
agreed with Mrs . Raffensperger that it would be nice to repair it ,
not rebuild it , and continue with the experiment . The assumption
that making it wider is going to make it safe is a questionable
assumption . He suggested that the Board look at the accident rate
out by the Gas and Electic that a wide road compared to Caldwell
causes . Opening up the road , in his opinion , is not going to
insure increased safety , in fact the poor shape of the road is one
reason that people don ' t go faster . You open it up and instead of
going by our place at 40 miles per hour , they will be going by at
60 miles per hour .
Supervisor Desch replied , there is no repairing it . There simply
is no road base there . You will not be able to hold pavement . It
would be a waste of money to blacktop it in its present
configuration .
A lady remarked , then leave it the way it is and let people find
another way .
John Congin again spoke , saying that he had only lived there about
four years now . We have children walking to Belle Sherman and he
stated that he walked to work , on the very small sidewalk on Judd
Falls Road . In walking along that road with cars going both ways
he stated that he really was concerned that just slipping off the
sidewalk , with cars coming both ways , and they go real fast , it ' s
really taking someones life in their own hands . Since that six
month experiment has been going on , children can walk on the street
with a real mark of safety because cars aren ' t going as fast . They
aren ' t passing each other , they aren ' t going down the hill on ice
and snow and spinning out on to Forest Home Drive . It ' s been a
safe situation , bicyles have room . When there are two cars going
side by side there really is very little or no room . In the last
six months that has been different . The other side of Fall Creek
in Forest Hone has had some real problems and he stated that he
thought the Board had heard the direction which the Forest Home
neighborhood and community would like to see is something that
would balance that and make it all safe . He stated that he knew
the Board had a townwide responsibility but if you talk about
moving cars and facilitating transportation at the cost of
pedestrians and bicylists and people who live there , there is no
solution that you could do that would make any better the
situation , only worse if you go in that direction . The small
bridges being one-way , with traffic coming around those corners .
There is a certain point where people will have to say it ' s going
to get worse but it can ' t without making it unlivable . If you
think you are going to string this road out and make it wider you
are going to gut the community , a very very beautiful community and
a part of Cornell , Plantations and the Town of Ithaca . You really
couldn ' t do anything without ruining the entire area except by
making the road safe and making it so less car traffic goes through
there . By making it convenient for autos you are going to gut the
area , the same thing that ' s happened to Meadow . The same thing
that is going to happen to Cliff Street . That ' s really a beautiful
part of the Town of Ithaca and I know you feel that way and I ' m
sure Cornell feels that way . You don ' t want to see Cornell ruined .
You ' ve given us a breathing space and we would like to see a follow
through and making it wonderful for the people on the other side of
Fall Creek , as a community wide solution .
A lady in attendance stated that she thought wider and faster was
not better . It ' s an inconvenience for us too to get from one side
Town Board 27 May 11 , 1987
of Ithaca to another but she stated that she did not mind it .
There are small things that can be done , the speed limit could be
lower and enforced . Overweight vehicles , that law could be
enforced . She stated that she did not know why it ' s not enforced ,
it never has been . She stated that she believed a simple answer
would help . Lower the speed limit , route the trucks from 366 to
Route 13 . Initiate a second one-way street , all of Forest Home
would share the burden that way .
Ruth Mahr remarked that she did not understand , she thought that
coming down here as a community almost pleading to the Board to
listen to them . Please listen to some of the constructive
suggestions that we have made to some of the things you can do in
• the interum . She stated that she would like to . know where the
Board stands on this . Is there anything we can do ? Are you
Willing to reconsider the decision to open Judd Falls Road to
two way traffic on May 15th?
Supervisor Desch responded , the decision was made in September when
the resolution was adopted . The point is this , very plain and
simple , we have spent on balanced , on the issues of Forest Home
circulation , in proportion to all the other problems and issues we
have to deal with probably more than we could justify . That
doesn ' t mean that we are closing the issue or that we are through
we are committed to continue . We made a commitment to participate
in the East Ithaca Circulation Study . We have put out ideas that
we want you to look at . We hear the differences of opinion . The
fact is in September we made the decision this would be a five to
six month experiment . We said it would come to an end at the end of
the Spring term . We have a responsibility to this entire
community . We have gone the extra mile in terms of being willing
to participate in an experiment for this long of a period . You
heard me talk about the liability . We owe it to you not only as
Forest Homers but as taxpayers and consitutents to make provisions
for traffic to move through this community . We cannot put the
people of this entire community under the gun in terms of
liability . Even if it means there is going to be pain in the terms
of your situation for a while longer . If you want us to say don ' t
participate in the East Ithaca Study , that is fine , let us here
from you . You don ' t have to say so at this meeting . Just because
we are closing as we have a lot of other adenda items to do ,
doesn ' t mean this is the end but you have to in a sense , as
taypayers do the same thing that we are , and look at the overall
community .
Paul Booth , 107 Judd Falls Road stated that he would like to ask
the Board where were their thoughts in regard to liability six
months ago when your initial plan was presented to us , when the
bids were put out on the curbing for actually doing Judd Falls Road
one-way . He went on to say that there was actually no thought
about liability or anything then . Why the assumption that when the
experiment is over we naturally go back to two-way traffic , the
experiment was to delay implementation of a one-way plan on Judd
Falls Road . We asked for the delay to see safety concerns , traffic
concerns . You have obviously addressed the safety concerns , the
traffic concerns because we routed 2 , 000+ cars away from the entire
Forest Home community . He stated that he did not see where the
failure in the experiment is that says we are not going to do what
you guys originally proposed to us .
Supervisor Desch relied that he had not heard anyone say the
experiment was a failure .
Mr . Booth replied , then if it is a success , the way it was
presented to me was that the experiment was to see whether the
one-way plan , as you proposed it to us , would work . You , yourself
Town Board 28 May 11 , 1987
said the one-way experiment was not a failure . Where is the
one-way plan that you spent our taxpayers dollars to work up . He
stated that he had blueprints that were sent to everybody showing a
ccu pletely one way road . You planned for it then . Mr . Fabbroni
told us there were studies then that supported it . What has
happened to those studies now? You argued very convincingly that
Judd Falls Road should be one-way . There was no thought of
Caldwell Road at that time .
Supervisor Desch replied that the plans are still valid and as
several people have said , the results are not all in and this is
true .
Mr . Booth remarked , and yet your decision is made .
Supervisor Desch replied , the decision is the same as the original
decision .
Mr . Booth replied that he disagreed with this as the Board
presented us with a one-way plan . The experiment was to, delay the
implementation of that plan for six months while it was evaluated .
The six months are gone , the plan should be evaluated unless the
experiment was a failure and it was not .
Councilwoman Leary stated that when she voted for the experiment
she stated that she was not under the impression that it would
necessarily go back to two-way at the end of the time . Fran what
everybody else is saying here , it should stay the way it is
regardless of what ever happens to the other road . She noted that
she was not convinced that Caldwell has to be two-way , but what
ever happens there it sounds like Judd Falls Road being so heavily
residential and the road was never meant to take this kind of
traffic . It sounds like . Judd Falls should be one-way no matter
what else happens anywhere else . Personally if we are studying the
traffic in the general area it shouldn ' t hurt to keep it one-way
while we are studying the traffic in the general area . If there is
anyway to reconstruct Caldwell Road and do rerouting .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that this whole Board raised the
question a month ago about why the one-way was going to be
discontinued on Judd Falls Road on the 15th . She stated that she
knows what the resolution says . It says the experiment will
continue and she felt this was ambiguous as to whether or not the
one-way would continue while it was being evaluated . There were
three reasons given to this entire Board as to why we had to open
Judd Falls Road while we were evaluating the results of the
experiment and other alternatives . One of the things that came up
was the other side of the community being one-way which is
something that in the past the community has opposed . Now the
community seems to be saying , let ' s look at it . The three reasons
were : that Cornell has closed the Collegetown bridge which has
done all kinds of things , I ' m sure you know , to the traffic
patterns in that area . That ' s something that last September or
last summer we had no idea Cornell was going to do . The paving of
the road along Beebe Lake , I know the Town hoped would take place
last fall . It did not because of the weather . It is going to have
to be done this summer , that was the second reason this Board was
given . And the third reason is that Caldwell Road is getting a lot
more traffic , as you people on the other side know, than we
anaticipated , then we guessed . when you do experiments you guess
about what is going to happen . It ' s getting a lot more traffic and
its deteriorating and she stated that she was concerned about the
basic safety of it . Even if people keep to the speed limit all
kind of things , she stated that she thought there were areas on it
that were really unsafe and the Town does have the responsibility
to make sure that you and everybody else who comes on Caldwell are
Town Board 29 May 11 , 1987
reasonably safe . She stated that the reason she asked the question
can we fix it up and make it safe is because she did not know . It
is a technical question . That was the reason the whole Board was
given for the opening of that , it wasn ' t that we didn ' t ask about
it or were not concerned about the opening of Judd Falls Road ,
Wayne Stokes remarked that he did not understand why so much
concern over liability goes everywhere else except where pedestrian
traffic is . He went on to question what happened to the suggestion
that he made , as far as involving Cornell with helping us out to
correct our traffic problems . Why was no comment made?
Supervisor Desch replied , Cornell will be involved .
Mr . Stokes replied , involved to the point of allowing us to use one
or both of the Plantations Roads as a way of delaying things , and
taking care of things like the Caldwell Road problem that you have .
He stated that he did not like the feelings that he had that
although suggestions and other suggestions that people have made
here have just been absorbed without any comment as to whether or
not they are going to be responded to or what .
Supervisor Desch replied that Mr . Stokes ideas and all others will
be in the record and will be taken into account in any future
actions taken .
Mr . Stokes replied that he would like scene action taken now and
that it seemed to him that the Board had other issues on the agenda
but what is more important than the people of the Town who show up
to discuss something .
Supervisor Desch replied , nothing is more important . That ' s how we
make decisions .
Councilman Cramer remarked , in regard to the reopening of Judd
Falls Road , the Highway Committee net and reviewed the traffic
data , reviewed the concerns that the construction season will have
on the community , the impact on the community , and resolved that
temporarily the experiment that existed on Judd Falls Road would
have to , for public safety reasons , be terminated . The decision of
the Highway Committee which effects the Board deals with the public
safety of the community , He stated that he understood and
sympathized with the residents of Judd Falls Road and realized that
the decrease in the traffic count on Judd Falls Road was startling
and enlightening and promising . We do need a permanent solution ,
we do need a by-pass solution and he stated that he felt the Town
Board was going to take action in regard to that in the very near
future . The Forest Home Improvement Association has brought forth
four resolutions , he stated that he would like the Town Board this
evening to take action to ask the Engineer to look into the mercury
vapor lights . He stated that that issue has been before the Town
on numerous occasions and if we could address that issue we could
resolve one of the issues that is a public safety issue in the
Forest Home community .
• Supervisor Desch stated that the Town Attorney should look at the
resolution , in terms of the district whether the district needs to
petition or not . This is an appropriate request .
Bruce Brittian , 135 Warren Road stated that he would like to end on
a more positive note , he stated that he would like to thank the
Town Board for their time both tonight and the time they have spent
in the past on this and with this as a ccMMunity and said that he
would like to look forward to working with all or some of you in
the future .
SfF
Town Board 30 May 11 , 1987
Supervisor Desch thanked Mr . Brittain and also all who came this
evening .
PUBLIC HERRING TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE TRAFFIC ORDINANCE
Proof of posting and publication of notice of a public hearing to
consider amending the traffic Ordinance having been presented by
the Town Clerk , the Supervisor opened the public hearing .
Town Attorney Barney noted that the major differences were in
Section 5 and Section 6 . He noted that signs were now on a
separate schedule , attached .
As no one present wished to speak , the Supervisor closed the public
hearing .
RESOLUTION NO . 108
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilman Bartholf ;
ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RESTATING ORDINANCE REGULATING TRAFFIC AND
PARKING IN THE TOWN OF ITHACA
Pursuant to Section 130 of the Town Law of the State of New York
Section 1660 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New
York , the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New
York does ordain and enact as follows :
Section 1 . Territory Affected . This ordinance shall be applicable
to all territory within the Town of Ithaca outside of the
incorporated Village of Cayuga Heights ,
Section 2 . Superseding and Amending of Prior Ordinances . This
ordinance amends and restates the traffic ordinance of the Town of
Ithaca adopted September 7 , 1961 effective September 26 , 1961 and
all amendments thereto and to the extent the provisions of said
earlier ordinances conflict with the ordinance as set forth herein ,
this ordinance shall govern .
Section 3 . Parking Vehicles . The parking of motor vehicles or any
part thereof on the paved portion of Town highways , or upon the
shoulder or upon or in any ditch adjoining said highways , is
prohibited in all of the following locations :
( a ) On both sides of McIntyre Place .
(b) On both sides of Judd Falls Road from its intersection
with Tower Road to its intersection with Forest Home
Drive .
( c ) On both sides of Pleasant Grove Road from the Village of
Cayuga Heights line to the intersection with Forest Home
Drive (Route 392 ) .
(d) On both sides of Snyder Hill Road from the Town of Dryden
line to the intersection with Pine Tree Road .
(e ) On both sides of Judd Falls Road from Route 366 southerly
to the railroad overpass .
( f) On the west side of Coddington Road fran the intersection
Of Coddington Read with the center line of the Ithaca
College Road northerly 110 feet fran said intersection .
(g) On the south side of Mitchell Street fran the Town of
Town Board 31 May 11 , 1987
Ithaca line easterly to Pine Tree Road .
(h) On the north side of Mitchell Street from the Town of
Ithaca line easterly to Judd Falls Road .
( i ) On both sides of Judd Falls Road from its intersection
with Tower Road to its intersection with New York State
Route 366 ,
Section 4 . Stopping of Motore Vehicles . The stopping of motor
vehicles , other than in accordance with erected traffic control
devices , or as may be required by traffic conditions , is prohibited
in the following locations :
( a) Buttermilk Falls Road West in its entirety .
( b) Buttermilk Falls Road East in its entirety .
Section 59 Stop Signs . The intersections enumerated on Schedule A
annexed hereto are designated as stop intersections and stop signs
are ordered installed at the entrance to such intersections as set
forth on Schedule A .
Section 6 . Yield Signs . The intersections set forth on the
annexed Schedule B are designated as yield intersections and yield
signs are ordered installed at entrances to such intersections as
set forth on Schedule B .
Section 7 . Penalties .
( a) Any violations of Sections 3 and 4 shall constitute a
traffic infractiona and any persons violating the same shall be
deemed guilty of a traffic infraction and shall be punishable by a
fine of not more that $50 . 00 or by imprisonment for not more than
15 days or by both such fine and imprisonment .
(b) Failure to observe the signs erected in accordance with
Sections 5 or 6 shall be treated as a traffic infraction and shall
be punished as set forth in the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the
State of New York ,
Section 8 . This ordinance shall be effective 10 days after
publication and posting in accordance with Section 133 of the Town
Law ,
SCHEDULE A - STOP SIGNS
On Birchwood Drive at Salem Drive
On birchwood Drive North at Salem Drive
On Blackstone Avenue at Roat Street ; eastbound approach
On Blackstone Avenue at Roat Street ; westbound approach
On Blackstone Avenue at Christopher Lane
On Brandywine Drive at Christopher Lane
On Campbell Avenue at Brookfield Road
• On Christopher Circle (east end) at Christopher Lane
On Ciristopher Circle (west end) at Christopher Lane
On Concord Place at Burleigh Drive
On Coy Glen Road at Elm Street Extension
On Deerfield Place at Salem Drive
On Deerfield Place at Winston Drive
On Dove Drive at tis easterly intersection with Snyder Hill Road
On Dove Drive at tis westerly intersection with Snyder Hill Road
On Drew Road at Woodgate Lane
On Forest Home Drive at Caldwell Road
On Forest Home Drive at Warren Road , eastbound approach
. Town Board 32 May 11 , 1987
On Forest Home Drive at Warren Road , westbound approach
On Glenside Road at Coy Glen Road
On Haller Boulevard at Elm Street Extension
On Harwick Road at Wildflower Drive
On Judd Falls Road at Tower Road , northbound approach
On Judd Falls Road at Tower Road , southbound approach
On Judd Falls Road at Arboretum Road
On Lexington Drive East at Burleigh Drive
On Lexington Drive West at Burleigh Drive
On Lisa Place at Lisa Lane
On Longview Drive at Poole Road
On Maplewood Drive at Salem Drive
On McIntyre Place at Judd Falls Road
On McIntyre Place at Forest Hcme Drive
On Penny Lane at Abbey Road , eastbound approach
On Regency Lane at Snyder Hill Road
On Renwick Place at its northerly intersection with NYS Route 34B
On Renwich Place at its southerly intersection with NYS Route 34B
on Rosehill Road at Muriel Street
On Rosehill Road at Winston Drive
On St . Catherine Circle at Siena Drive
On Simsbury Drive at Brandywine Drive
On Strawberry Hill Road at Wildflower Drive
On Sugarbush Lane at Snyder Hill Road
On Sycamore Drive at Salem Drive
On Tareyton Drive at Rosehill Road , northbound approach
On Tareyton Drive at Rosehill Road , southbound approach
On Terraceview Drive at Honness Lane
On The Byway at its easterly intersection with Forest Home Drive
On The Byway at its westerly intersection with Forest Home Drive
On Townline Road at Sandbank Road
On Valley View Road at Elm Street Extension
On Vera Circle at its northerly intersection with Woodgate Lane
On Vera Circle at its southerly intersection with Woodgate Lane
On West Haven Road at Elm Street Extension
On Wildflower Drive at Honness Lane
On Winston Court at Winston Drive
On Winston Court where the southerly portion of Winston Court
running east and west intersects the westerly portion of
Winston Court running north and south
On Winston Court at the southerly end of the middle portion of
Winston Court which runs north and south
On Winston Court at the northerly end of the middle portion of
Winston Court which runs north and south
On Winston Court where the easterly end of the sourtherly portion
of Winston Court running east and west intersects the easterly
portion of Winston Court running north and south
On Winston Drive at Salem Drive
On Woodgate Lane at Poole Road
On Wyckoff Road at Renwick Heights Road
SCHEDULE B - YIELD SIGNS
On Blackstone Avenue at Siena Drive
On Brandywine Drive at Winthrop Drive
On Dove Drive , southbound approach , at the east end of Pheasant
Lane
On Eastern Heights Drive at Joanne Drive
On Eastern Heights Drive at Sharlene Drive , westbound approach
On Eastern Heights Drive at Sharlene Drive , eastbound approach
On Elm Street Extension at Culver and Poole Roads
On Grove Place at Grove Road
On Grove Road at Woolf Lane
On Hickory Place at Juniper Drive
On Hickory Place at Pineview Terrace
Town Board 33 May 11 , 1987
On Landmark Drive at Eastern Heights Drive
On Landmark Drive at Park Lane
On Lisa Lane at Texas Lane
On Maplewood Drive at Pinewood Drive
On Orchard Street at Roat Street
On Pennsylvania Avenue at Kendall Avenue
On Penny Lane at Abbey Road , westbound approach
On Pheasant Lane at Dove Drive , westbound approach
On Pineview Terrace at Juniper Drive
On Pinewood Place at Birchwood Drive North
On Renwick Drive at Renwick Heights Road
On St . Catherine Circle at Blackstone Avenue
On Sandra Place at Winthrop Drive
On Sharlene Road at Snyder Hill Road
On Sharlene Road at Tudor Road
On Sky Vue Road at Snyder Hill Road
On Snyder Hill Road at Pine Tree Road
On Stone Quarry Road at King Road West
On Sycamore Drive at Pinewood Drive
On Tudor Road at Park Lane
On Winston Court at Salem Drive
Supervisor Desch called for a roll call vote .
Councilman Bartholf Voting Aye
Councilman Cramer Voting Aye
Councilwoman Howell Voting Aye
Councilwoman Leary Voting Aye
Councilman McPeak Voting Aye
Councilwoman Raffensperger Voting Aye
Supervisor Desch Voting Aye
The Resolution was thereupon declared duly adopted .
AMENDMENT TO LOCAL LAW # 5 - 1985 , RELATING TO FLOOD DAMAGE
PROTECTION
Proof of posting and publication of notice of public hearing to
consider an amendment to Local Law # 5 - 1985 , relating to Flood
Damage Protection , having been presented by the Town Clerk , the
Supervisor opened the public hearing .
Attorney Richard Ruswick stated that there was one item he wished
to bring to the Board ' s attention . Our present law requires that
mobile homes that are placed on pilings must be on stable soil and
Placed no more than 10 ' apart and reinforced if pilings are more
than 6 ' above the ground . They are not required under the federal
regulations and that he had left them out .
Supervisor Desch responded that it was more of a technical aspect
and would be covered in the application process .
As no one present wished to speak for or against the proposed
amendments to the local law the Supervisor closed the public
• hearing .
LOCAL LAW NO . 9 - 1987
Motion by Councilwoman Howell ; seconded by Councilman Bartholf ,
LOCAL LAW NO . 9 - 1987
A LOCAL LAW FOR FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION
Town Board 34 May 11 , 1987
Section 1 . Article XV of the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of
Ithaca , which Article was added to such ordinance by Local Law # 5
of the year 1985 be and the same is hereby amended to read as set
forth below :
SECTION 1 . 0
STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION AND PURPOSE
1 . 1 FINDINGS
The Town Board fo the Town of Ithaca finds that the protential
and/or actual damages from flooding and erosion may be a problem to
the residents of the Town of Ithaca and that such damages may
• include : destruction or loss of private and public housing , damage
to public facilities , both publicly and privately owned , and injury
to and loss of human life . In order to minimize the threat of such
damages and to achieve the purposes and objectives hereinafter set
forth , this local law is adopted .
1 . 2 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
It is the purpose of the local law to promote the public health ,
safety , and general welfare , and to minimize public and private
losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by provisions
designed to :
( 1 ) regulate uses which are dangerous to health , safety and
property due to water or erosion hazards , or which result in
damaging increases in erosion or in flood heights or
velocities ;
( 2 ) require that uses vulnerable to floods , including facilities
which serve such uses , be protected against flood damage at
the time of initial construction ;
( 3 ) control the alteration of natural flood plains , stream
channels , and natural protective barriers which are involved
in the accommodation of flood waters ;
( 4 ) control filling , grading , dredging and other development which
may increase erosion or flood damage ;
( 5 ) regulate the construction of flood barriers which will
unnaturally divert flood waters or which may increase flood
hazards to other lands , and ;
( 6 ) qualify and maintain eligibility for participation in the
National Flood Insurance Program .
1 . 3 OBJEC'T'IVES
The objectives of this local law are :
( 1 ) to protect human life and health ;
• ( 2 ) to minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood
control projects ;
( 3 ) to minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated
with flooding and general undertaken at the expense of the
general public ;
( 4 ) to minimize prolonged business interruptions ;
( 5 ) to minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as
water and gas mains , electric , telephone , sewer lines , streets
Town Board 35 May 11 , 1987
and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard ;
( 6 ) to help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound
use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to
minimize future flood blight areas ;
( 7 ) to provide that developers are notified that property is in an
area of special flood hazards and ,
( 8 ) to ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood
hazard assume responsibility for their actions .
• SECTION 2 . 0
DEFINITIONS
Unless specifically defined below , words or phrases used in this
local ' law shall be interpreted so as to give them the meaning they
have in common usage and to give this local law its most reasonable
application .
"Appeal „ means a request for a review of the Building Inspector ' s
interpretation of any provision of this Local Law or a request for
a variance ,
"Area of shallow flooding" means a designated AO or VO Zone on a
cam unity ' s Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) with base flood depths
from one to three feet where a clearly defined channel does not
exist , where the path of flooding is unpredictable and
indeterminate , and where velocity flow may be evident .
"Area of special flood hazard " is the land in the floodplain within
a ccMunity subject to a one percent or greater change of flooding
in any given year . This area may be designated as Zone A , AE , AH ,
A0 , A1-990P V , V0 , VE , or V1-30 . It is also commonly referred to as
the base flood plain or 100-year floodplain .
"Base flood" means the flood having a one percent chance of being
equalled or exceeded in any given year .
"Basement " means that portion of a building having its floor
subgrade (below ground level ) on all sides .
"Building" means any structure built for support , shelter , or
enclosure for occupancy or storage .
"Cellar " has the same meaning as "Basement"
"Development " means any manmade change to improve or unimproved
real estate , including but not limited to buildings or other
structures , mining , dredging , filling , paving , excavation or
drilling operations located within the area of special flood
hazard .
"Elevated building " means a non-basement building built to have the
• lowest floor elevated above the ground level by means of fill ,
solid foundation perimeter walls , pilings , columsn (posts and
piers ) , or shear walls .
"Existing manufactured home Park or manufactured have suvidivision"
means a parcel (or contiguous parcels ) of land divided into two or
more manufactured home lots for rent or sale for which the
construction of facilities for servicing the lot on which the
manufactured have is to be affixed ( including , at a minimum, the
installation of utilities , either final site grading or the pouring
0 97
Town Board 36 May 11 , 1987
of concrete pads , and the construction of streets ) is completed
before the effective date of Local Law # 5 - 1985 .
"Flood" or "Flooding" means a general and temporary condition of
partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas front
( 1 ) the overlow of inland or tidal waters ;
( 2 ) the unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface
water fron any source .
"Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM) " means an official map of
the Community published by the Federal rgency Management Agency
• as part of a river in Community ' s Flood Insurance Study . The FBFM
delineates a Regulatory Floodway along water courses studied in
detail in the Flood Insurance Study .
"Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) " means an official map of a
community , issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency , where
the boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard have been
defined but no water surface elevation is provided .
"Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) " means an official map of a
community , on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency has
delineated both the areas of special flood hazard and the risk
premium zones applicable to the community .
"Flood Insurance Study " is the official report provided by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency . The report contains flood
profiles , as well as the Flood Boundary Floodway Map , as elevations
of the base flood .
"Floodproofing" means any combination of structural and
non-structural additions , changes , or adjustments to structures
which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved
real property , water and sanitary facilities , structures and their
contents .
"Floodway has the same meaning as "Regulatory Floodway"
"Functionally dependent use " means a use which cannot perform its
intended purpose unless it is located or carried out in close
proximity to water , such as a docking or port facility necessary
for the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers , shipbuilding ,
and ship repair . The term does not include long-term storage ,
manufacture , sales , or service facilities .
"Lowest Flood " means lowest level including basement , cellar ,
crawlspace or garage of the lowest enclosed area .
"Manufactured home " means a structure , transportable in one or more
sections , which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be
used with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the
required utilities . The term also includes park trailers , travel
trailers , and similar transportable structures placed on a site for
180 consecutive days or longer .
"Mean Sea Level " means , for purposes of the National Flood
Insurance Program , the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of
1929 or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a
community ' s Flood Insurance Rate Map are referenced .
"New Construction" means structures for which the " start of
construction " commenced on or after the effective date of this
Local Law.
. � 9 .7
Town Board 37 May 11 , 1987
"Principally Above Ground" means that at least 51 percent of the
actual cash value of the structure , excluding land value , is above
ground .
"Regulatory Floodway" means the channel of a river or other
watercourse and the adjacent land areas that may be reserved in
order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing
the water surface elevation more than a designated height as
determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a Flood
Insurance Study or by other agencies as provided in Section 4 . 3-2
of this Law .
" Start of Construction" includes substantial improvement and means
the first placement of permanent construction of a structure (other
than a manufactured hare ) on a site , such as the pouring of slabs
or footings , the installation of piles , the construction of columns
or any work beyond the stage of excavation . Permanent construction
does not include land preparation , such as clearing , grading , and
filling , nor does it include the installation of streets and/or
walkways ; nor does it include excavation for a basement , footings ,
piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms ; nor does
it include the installation on the property of accessory buildings ,
such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not as
part of the main structure . For manufactured homes , " start of
construction" is the date on which the construction of facilities
for servicing the site on which the manufactured have is to be
affixed ( including , at a minimum, the construction of streets ,
either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads , and
installation of utilities ) is commenced but in any event , no later
than the placement of a manufactured hone on a foundation .
" Structure " means a walled and roofed building , a manufactured
hare , or a gas or liquid storage tank , that is principally above
ground .
" Substantial Improvement" means any repair , reconstruction , or
improvement of a structure , the cost of which equals or exceeds 50
percent of the market value of the structure either :
( 1 ) before the improvement or repair is started ; or
( 2 ) if the structure has been damaged and is being restored ,
before the damage occurred .
For the purposes of this definition " substantial improvement " is
considered to canmence when the first alteration of any wall ,
ceiling , floor or other structual part of the building commences ,
whether or nt that alteration affects the external dimensions of
the structure . The term does not , however , include either $
( 1 ) any project for improvement of a structure to comply with
existing state or local building , fire , health , sanitary ,
or safety code specifications which are solely necessary
to assure safe living conditions ; or
. ( 2 ) any alteration of a structure or contributing structure
listed on the National Register of Historic Places or a
State Inventory of Historic Places .
"Variance " means a grant of relief from the requirements of this
local law which permits construction or use in a manner that would
otherwise be prohibited by this Local Law ,
SECTION 3 . 0
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Town Board 38 May 11 , 1987
3 . 1 LANDS TO WHICH THIS LOCAL LAW APPLIES
This local law shall apply to all areas of special flood hazards
within the jurisdiction of the Town of Ithaca .
3 . 2 BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING THE AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD
The areas of special flood hazard identified by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency in a scientific and engineering report
entitled "The Flood Insurance Study for the Town of Ithaca , or
Tompkins County , New York " , dated June 4 , 1984 , with accompanying
Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary Floodway Maps is
hereby adopted and declared to be a part of this Local Law . The
Flood Insurance Study and maps are on file at the office of the
Town Clerk ,
3 . 3 INTERPRETATION , CONFLICT WITH OTHER LAWS
This Local Law is adopted in response to revisions to the National
Flood Insurance Program effective October 1 , 1986 and shall
supersede all previous laws adopted for the purpose of establishing
and maintaining eligibility for flood insurance .
In their interpretation and application , the provisions of this
Local Law shall be held to be minimum requirements , adopted for the
promotion of the public health , safety , and welfare . Whenever the
requirements of this local law are at variance with the
requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules , regulations , or
ordinances , the most restrictive , or that imposing the higher
standards , shall govern .
394 SEVERABILITY
The invalidity of any section or provision of this Local Law shall
not invalidate any other section or provision thereof .
3 . 5 PENALTIES FOR NON-C LIANCE
No development shall occur and no structure shall hereafter be
constructed , located , extended , converted , or altered and no land
shall be excavated or filled without full compliance with the terms
of this Local Law and any other applicable regulations , including
receipt of the development permit set forth below together with any
building permits required pursuant to any building , zoning or other
rule , law, or regulation governing construction . Any violation of
the provisions of this Local Law by failure to comply with any of
its requirements , including violations of conditions and safeguards
established in connection with conditions of the permit , shall
constitute a misdemeanor . Any person who violates this Local Law
or fails to comply with any of its requirements shall , upon
conviction thereof be fined not more than $ 500 or imprisoned for
not more than 30 days or both , for each violation , and in addition ,
shall pay all costs and expenses involved in the case . Each day
of noncompliance shall be considered a separate offense . Nothing
herein contained shall prevent the Building Inspector from taking
• such other lawful action as necessary to prevent or remedy a
violation . Any structure found not complying with the requirements
of this Local Law for which the owner has not applied for and
received an approved variance under Section 6 . 0 will be declared
non complying and notification set to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency ,
3 . 6 WARINING AND DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
The degree of flood protection required by this local law is
considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on
Town Board 39 May 11 , 1987
scientific and engineering considerations. Larger floods can and
will occur on rare occasions . Flood heights may be increased by
manmade or natural causes . This local law does not imply that
land outside the area of special flood hazards or uses permitted
within such areas will be " free from flooding or flood damages .
This local law shall not create liability on the part of the Town
of Ithaca , any officer or employee thereof , or the Federal
Emergency Management Agency , for any flood damages that result fran
reliance on this local law or any administrative decision lawfully
made thereunder .
SECTION 4 . 0
ADMINISTRATION
4 . 1 REQUIREMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT PERMIT
( 1 ) A development Permit shall be obtained before any development
or start of construction , whichever occurs earlier , within any
area of special flood hazard established in Section 3 . 2 .
( 2 ) The Building Inspector is hereby appointed Local Administrator
to administer and implement this local by granting or denying
Development Permit applications in accordance with its
provisions .
( 3 ) The Building Inspector may include such conditions to the
grant of any Development Permit as the Building Inspector may
reasonably require to carry out the purpose of this law, and ,
further , in consideration of technical evaluations , all
relevant factors and standards specified in other sections of
this law including , but not limited to , those set forth in
Section 6 . 1 ( 4 ) , below .
4 . 2- 1 DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION
( 1 ) The application for the Development Permit must be made by the
Owner of the property , or by a person duly authorized by the
Owner ( "hereinafter collectively referred to as the 'Owner" ) ,
on forms prepared by the Building Inspector .
( 2 ) The following information is required where applicable :
(a) plans , in duplicate , drawn to scale showing the nature ,
location , dimension , and elevations of the area in
question , existing and/or proposed structures , fill ,
storage of materials and drainage facilities ,
(b) elevation in relation to mean sea level of the proposed
lowest floor ( including basement or cellar) of all
structures ;
(c) elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any
non-residential structure will be flood proofed ;
• (d) when required , a certificate from a licensed professional
engineer or architect that tte utility floodproofing will
meet the criteria in Section 5 . 1-3 ( 1 ) ;
(e ) certificate from a licensed professional engineer or
architect that the non-residential flood-proofed
structure will meet the flood-proofing criteria in
Section 5 . 2 ; and
( f) description of the extent to which any watercourse or
regulated floodway will be altered or relocated as a
95�
Town Board 40 May 11 , 1987
result of proposed development .
( g) such other information as the Building Inspector may
reasonably require .
( 3 ) Any permit issued may require that the work for which the
permit is granted shall be begun on a date which shall be no
more than three months after its issue . The estimated date of
completion of the work shall appear on the permit . The
Building Inspector may grant extensions of time as the
Building Inspector may reasonably determine , taking into
account the factors and standards set forth elsewhere in this
law and the Building Inspector may require additional
• conditions taking into account such factors and standards and
any changes in the physical facts , or in any applicable law ,
code or regulations , and the extent of the progress of such
work at the time of application . Such application for
extension shall be made on forms prepared by the Building
Inspector .
4 . 2-2 DUTIES OF OWNER
( 1 ) Upon placement of the lowest floor , or flood-proofing by
whatever means , it shall be the duty of the Owner to submit to
the Building Inspector a certificate of the elevation of the
lowest floor , or flood-proofed elevation , in relation to mean
sea level . The elevation certificate shall be prepared by or
under the direct supervision of a licensed land surveyor or
professional engineer and certified by same . When
flood-proofing is utilized for a particular building the
flood-proofing certificate shall be prepared by or under the
direct supervision of a licensed professional engineer or
architect and certified by same . The Building Inspector shall
review all data submitted . Deficiencies detected shall be
cause to issue a stop-work order for the project unless
immediately corrected .
( 2 ) It shall be the responsibility of the Owner to insure that all
work and construction has been done in canpliance with the
requirements of this law . The Owner shall sign and
acknowledge a certificate that the work has been performed and
campleted in accordance with all provisions of this law and
the conditions of a permit . The Building Inspector may also
require that such a certificate be signed by a competent
person who has supervised or examined the work .
493 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BUILDING INSPEC'T'OR
Duties of the Building Inspector shall include , but not be limited
to :
493,-1 PERMIT APPLICATION REVIEW
( 1 ) Review all Development Permit applications to determine that
the requirements of this local law have been satisfied .
• ( 2 ) Review all Development Permit applications to determine that
all necessary permits have been obtained from those Federal ,
State or local governmental agencies from which prior approval
is required .
( 3 ) Review all Development Permits for campliance with the
provisions of Section 5 . 1-5 , Encroachments .
4 . 3-2 USE OF OTHER BASE FLOOD AND FLOODwAY DATA
0L
Town Board 41 May 11 , 1987
When base flood elevation data has not been provided in accordance
with Section 3 . 2 , BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING THE AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD
HAZARD , the Building Inspector shall obtain , review and reasonably
utilize any base flood elevation and floodway data available from a
Federal , State or other source , including data developed pursuant
to Section 5 . 1-4 ( 4 ) in order to administer Section 5 . 2 , SPECIFIC
STANDARDS and Section 5 . 3 FLOODWAYS .
4 . 3-3 INFORMATION TO BE OBTAINED AND MAINTAINED
( 1 ) Obtain and record the actual elevation , in relation to mean
sea level , of the lowest floor , including basement or cellar
of all new or substantially improved structures , and whether
or not the structure contains a basement or cellar .
( 2 ) For all new or substantially improved floodproofed structures .
( i) obtain and record the actual elevation , in relation to
mean sea level , to which the structure has been
floodproofed ; and
( ii) maintain the floodproofing certifications required in
Sections 5 . 1 and 5 . 2 .
( 3 ) Maintain for public inspection all records pertaining to the
provisions of this local law including variances when granted
and Certificates of Compliance .
4 . 3-4 ALTERATION OF WATERCOURSES
( 1 ) Notify adjacent communities and the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation prior to any alteration or
relocation of a watercourse , and submit evidence of such
notification to the Federal Insurance Administrator .
( 2 ) Require that maintenance is provided within the altered or
relocated portion of said watercourse so that the flood
carrying capacity is not diminished .
4 . 3-5 INTERPRETATION OF FIRM BOUNDARIES
The Building Inspector shall have the authority to make
interpretations when there appears to be a conflict between the
limits of the federally identified area of special flood hazard and
actual field conditions .
Base flood elevation data established pursuant to Section 3 . 2
and/or Section 4 . 3-2 , when available , shall be used to accurately
delineate the area of special flood hazards .
The Building Inspector shall use flood information from any other
authoritative source , including historical data , to establish the
limits of the area of special flood hazards when base flood
elevations are not available .
4 . 34 STOP WORK ORDERS
( 1 ) All floodplain development or construction found ongoing
without an approved Development Permit , or any other required
permits , shall be subject to the issuance of a stop work order
by the Building Inspector . Disregard of a stop work order
shall be subject to the penalties described in Section 3 . 5 of
this Local Law.
( 2 ) All floodplain development found to be not complying with the
provisions of this law and/or the conditions of the approved
Town Board 42 May 11 , 1987
permit shall be subject to the issuance of a stop work order
by the Building Inspector . Disregard of a stop work order
shall be subject to the penalties described in Section 3 . 5 of
this Local Law,
4 . 3-7 INSPECTIONS
The Building Inspector or , if required by the Building Inspector ,
the Owner ' s engineer or architect shall make periodic inspections
at appropriate times throughout the period of construction in order
to monitor compliance with permit conditions and enable the person
who is conducting the inspection to certify that the developTent is
in compliance with the requirements of either the Development
• Permit or the approved variance .
4 . 3-8 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
( 1 ) It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or to permit the use or
occupancy of any building or premises , or both , or part
thereof hereafter created , erected , changed , converted or
wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure
until a Certificate of Compliance has been issued by the
Building Inspector stating that the building or land conforms
to the requirements of this Local Law .
( 2 ) All other development occurring within the designated flood
hazard area will have upon ccopletion a Certificate of
Compliance issued by the Building Inspector .
All certifications shall be based upon the inspections conducted
subject to Section 4 . 3-7 , the certification of professionally
qualified representatives made pursuant to Section 4 . 3-7 and/or
certified elevations , hydraulic information , floodproofing ,
anchoring requirements or encroachment analysis which may have been
required as a condition of the approved permit .
SECTION 5 . 0
PROVISIONS FOR FLOOD HAZARD REDUCTION
5 . 1 GENERAL STANDARDS
In all areas of special flood hazards the following standards are
required :
5 . 1-1 ANCHORING
( 1 ) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be
anchored to prevent flotation , collapse , or lateral movement
of the structure resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic
loads , including the effects of buoyancy .
( 2 ) All manufactured homes shall be installed using methods and
practices which minimize flood damage . Manufactured hones
must be elevated and anchored to resist flotation , collapse ,
• or lateral movement . All manufactured hones to be placed or
substantially improved shall be elevated on a permanent
foundation such that the lowest floor of the manufactured one
i_s at or above the base flood elevation and be securely
anchored to an adequately anchored foundation system in
accordance with the following requirements .
( i ) Over-the-top ties shall be provided at each of the
four corners of the manufactured hone , with two
additional ties per side at intermediate locations ,
with manufactured hones less than 50 feet long
Town Board 43 May 11 , 1987
requiring one additional tie per side .
( ii ) Frame ties shall be provided at each corner of the
home with five additional ties per side at
intermediate points , with manufactured homes less
than 50 feet long requiring four additional ties per
side .
All components of the anchoring system shall be
capable of carrying a force of 4 , 800 pounds ; and
( iv) Any additions to the manufactured home shall be
similarly anchored .
5 . 1-2 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS
( 1 ) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be
constructed with materials and utility equipment resistant to
flood damage .
( 2 ) All new construction and substantial improvements shall be
constructed using methods and practices that minimize flood
damage .
5 . 1-3 UTILITIES
( 1 ) All new construction and substantial improvement shall be
constructed with electrical , heating , ventilation , plumbing ,
air conditioning equipment , and other service facilities that
are designed and/or located so as to prevent water from
entering or accumulating within the components during
conditions of flooding . when designed for loction below the
base flood elevation , a professional engineer ' s or architect ' s
certification is required that such utilities meet this
specification .
( 2 ) All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed
to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the
system;
( 3 ) New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed
to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the
systems and discharge from the systems into flood waters ; and
( 4 ) On-site waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid
impairment to them or contamination from them during flooding .
5 . 1-4 SUBDIVISION PROPOSALS
( 1 ) All subdivision proposals , including proposed manufactured
hone parks or subdivisions , shall be consistent with the need
to minimize flood damage ;
( 2 ) All subdivision proposals , including proposed manufactured
home parks or subdivisions , shall have public utilities and
facilities such as sewer , gas , electrical , and water systems
located and constructed to minimize flood damage ;
( 3 ) All subdivision proposals , including proposed manufactured
home parks or subdivisions , shall have adequate drainage
provided to reduce exposure to flood damage ; and ,
( 4 ) Base flood elevation data shall be provided for subdivision
proposals and other proposed developments ( including proposals
for manufactured hone parks and subdivisions ) greater than
either 50 lots or 5 acres .
Town Board 44 May 11 , 1987
5 . 1-5 ENCROACHMENTS
( 1 ) In all areas of special flood hazard in which base flood
elevation data is available pursuant to Section 4 . 3-2 or
Section 5 . 4-4 ( 4 ) and no floodway has been determined the
cumulative effects of any proposed development , when combined
with all other existing and anticipated development , shall not
increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more
than one foot at any point .
( 2 ) In all areas of the special flood hazard where floodway data
is provided or available pursuant to Section 4 . 3-2 the
requirements of Section 5 . 3 , Floodways , shall apply .
i5 . 2 SPECIFIC STANDARDS
In all areas of special flood hazards where base flood elevation
data has been provided as set forth in Section 3 . 2 BASIS FOR
ESTABLISHING THE AREAS OF SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARDS and Section 4 . 3-2 ,
USE OF OTHER BASE FLOOD DATA , the following standards are required .
5 . 2-1 RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
New construction and substantial improvement of any residential
structure shall have the lowest floor , including basement or
cellar , elevated to or above the flood elevation .
5 . 2-2 NONRESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
New construction and substantial improvement of any commercial ,
industrial or other non-residential structure , together with
attendant utility and sanitary facilities , shall either : have the
lowest floor , including basement or cellar , elevated to or above
the base flood elevation ; or be floodproofed so that the structure
is watertight below the base flood level with walls substantially
impermeable to the passage of water . All structural components
located below the base flood level must be capable of resisting
hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and the effects of buoyancy .
If the structure is to be floodproofed :
( i ) a licensed professional engineer or architect shall
develop and/or review structural design , specifications ,
and plans for the construction , and shall certify that
the design and methods of construction are in accordance
with accepted standards of practice to make the structure
watertight with walls substantially impermeable to the
passage of water , with structural components having the
capability of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic
loads and effects of buoyancy ; and
( ii ) a licensed professional engineer or licensed land
surveyor shall certify the specific elevation ( in
relation to mean sea level ) to which the structure is
floodproofed .
. The Building Inspector shall maintain on record a copy of all such
certificates noted in this section .
5 . 3 FLOODWAyS
Located within areas of special flood hazard are areas designated
as floodways ( see definition , Section 2 . 0 ) . The floodway is an
extremely hazardous area due to high velocity flood waters carrying
debris and posing additional threats from potential erosion forces .
When floodway data is available for a particular site as provided
00 .-71
Town Board 45 May 11 , 1987
by Section 3 . 2 and Section 4 . 3-2 , all encroachments including fill ,
new construction , substantial improvements , and other development
are prohibited within the limits of the floodway unless a technical
evaluation demonstrates that such encroachments shall not result in
any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base
flood discharge and no manufactured home shall be placed within the
limits of the floodway except in an existing manufactured home park
or existing manufactured home subdivision .
SECTION 6 . 0
VARIANCE PROCEDURE
• 691 APPEALS BOARD
( 1 ) The Zoning Board of Appeals as established by the Town Board
shall hear and decide appeals and requests for variances from
the requirements of this local law .
( 2 ) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall hear and decide appeals when
it is alleged there is an error in any requirement , decision ,
or determination made by the Building Inspector in the
enforcement or administration of this local law .
( 3 ) Those aggrieved by the decision of the Zoning Board of
Appeals , or any taxpayer owining property in the Town of
Ithaca who may have a significant interest in the decision and
proceedings on which it was based , may appeal such decision to
the Supreme Court pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice
Law and Rules .
( 4 ) In passing upon such applications , the Zoning Board of Appeals
shall consider all technical evaluations , all relevent
factors , standards specified in other sections of this local
law, and
( i) the danger that materials may be swept onto other
lands to the injury of others ;
( ii ) the danger to life and property due to flooding or
erosion damage ;
( iii ) the susceptibility of the proposed facility and its
contents to flood damage and the effect of such
damage on the individual owner ;
( iv) the importance of the services provided by the
proposed facility to the community ;
( v) the necessity to the facility of a waterfront
location , where applicable ;
( vi ) the availability of alternative locations for the
proposed use which are not subject to flooding or
erosion damage ;
( vii ) the compatibility of the proposed use with existing
and anticipated development ;
(viii ) the relationship of the proposed use to the
comprehensive plan and flood plain management
program of that area ;
( ix) the safety of access to the property in times of
flood for ordinary and emergency vehicles ;
Town Board 46 May 11 , 1987
( x) the costs to local governments and the dangers
associated with conducting search and rescue
operations during periods of flooding ;
( xi) the expected heights , velocity , duration , rate of
rise , and sediment transport of the flood waters and
the effects of wave action , if applicable , expected
at the site ; and
( xii ) the costs of providing governmental services during
and after flood conditions , including search and
rescue operations , maintenance and repair of public
utilities and facilities such as sewer , gas ,
electrical , and water systems and streets and
bridges .
( 5 ) Upon consideration of the factors of Section 6 . 1 ( 4 ) and the
purposes of this local law, the Zoning Board of Appeals may
attach such conditions to the granting of variances as it
deems necessary to further the purposes of this local law .
( 6 ) The Zoning Board of Appeals shall maintain the records of all
appeal actions including technical information and report any
variances to the Federal Emergency Management Agency upon
request .
6 . 2 CONDITIONS FOR VARIANCES
( 1 ) Generally , variances may be issued for new construction and
substantial improvements to be erected on a lot of one-half
acre or less in size contiguous to and surrounded by lots with
existing structures constructed below the base flood level ,
Providing items ( i-xii ) in Section 6 . 1 ( 4 ) have been fully
considered . As the lot size increases beyond the one-half
acre , the technical justification required for issuing the
variance increases .
( 2 ) Variances may be issued for the reconstruction , rehabilitation
or restoration of structures and contributing structures
listed on the National Register of Historic Places or the
State Inventory of Historic Places , without regard to the
Procedures set forth in the remainder of this section .
( 3 ) Variances may be issued for new construction and substantial
improvements and for other development necessary for the
conduct of a functionally dependent use provided that :
( i ) the criteria of subparagraphs 1 , 41 5 , and 6 of this
section are met ;
( ii) the structure or other development is protected by
methods that minimize flood damages during the base flood
and create no additional threat to public safety .
( 4 ) Variances shall not be issued within any designated floodway
if any increases in flood levels during the base flood
discharge would result .
( 5 ) Variances shall only be issued upon a determination that the
variance is the minimum necessary , considering the flood
hazard , to afford relief .
( 6 ) Variances shall be issued only upon ;
( i ) a showing of good and sufficient causes
Town Board 47 May 11 , 1987
( ii ) a determination that failure to grant the variance
would result in exceptional hardship to the
applicant ; and
a determination that the granting of a variance will
not result in increased flood heights , additional
threats to public safety , extraordinary public
expense , create nuisances , cause fraud on or
victimization of the public or conflict with
existing local laws or ordinances ,
( 7 ) Any applicant to whom a variance is granted for a building
with the lowest floor below the base flood elevation shall be
given written notice that the cost of flood insurance will be
commensurate with the increased risk resulting from lowest
floor elevation .
SECTION 2 . This Local Law shall take effect 20 days after is
adoption or upon its filing with the office of the Secretary of
State of the State of New York , whichever is later .
Supervisor Desch called for a roll call vote .
Councilman Bartholf Voting Aye
Councilman Cramer Voting Aye
Councilwoman Howell Voting Aye
Councilwoman Leary Voting Aye
Councilman McPeak Voting Aye
Councilwoman Raffensperger Voting Aye
Supervisor Desch Voting Aye
Local Law No . 9 - 1987 , was thereupon declared duly adopted ,
FINANCIAL REPORT
RESOLUTION NO . 109
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilwoman
Raffensperger ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approve
the April Financial Report ,
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) ,
CPA AUDIT REPORT
This item will be considered at the June Town Board meeting .
TOWN OF ITHACA WARRANTS
RESOLUTION N0 , 110
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilman Mcpeak ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approves
the Town of Ithaca Warrants dated May 11 , 1987 , in the following
accounts :
General Fund - Town Wide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 38 , 252 , 39
General Fund - Outside Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 13 , 168 . 37
Town Board 48 May 11 , 1987
Highway Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 32 , 266 . 94
Water & Sewer Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 457 , 707 . 47
Federal Revenue Sharing Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10 , 000 . 00
Lighting District Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 420 . 59
BOLTON POINT WARRANTS
RESOLUTION N0 , 111
Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman Cramer ,
RESOLVED , that the Bolton Point Warrants dated May 11 , 1987 , in the
Operating Account are hereby approved , in the amount of $ 62 , 807 . 39
after review and upon the recommendation of the Southern Cayuga
Lake Intermunicipal Water Commission , they are in order for
payment .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FORM ON THE LOCAL LAW PERTAINING TO FLOOD
DAMAGE PREVENTION
Supervisor Desch remarked that the Board members all have the
Environmental Assessment Form on the local law pertaining to Flood
Damage Prevention , in their packets , which the Town Planner
recommends a negative declaration .
RESOLUTION N0 , 112
Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman McPeak ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approves
the findings of a negative declaration on the environmental
assessment form on the local law pertaining to Flood Damage
Prevention .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
The Attorney Barney stated that to be techically correct , the Board
should reaffirm their vote on the Local Law pertaining to the Flood
Damage Prevention ,
Supervisor Desch then call for a roll call vote reaffirming the
Board ' s vote on the Local Law ,
Councilman Bartholf Voting Aye
Councilman Cramer Voting Aye
Councilwoman Howell Voting Aye
Councilwoman Leary Voting Aye
Councilman McPeak Voting Aye
Councilwoman Raffensperger Voting Aye
Supervisor Desch Voting Aye
REVISED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FORMS
Supervisor Desch stated that as he pointed out at the beginning of
the meeting there is a new set of forms that have cone with the
State ' s revisions to SEAR . He stated that he thought that since
these regulations are to be implemented June 1 which is prior to
our next meting , we need to adopt the new envi
me ronmental assessment
forms . He asked if the Board had any quesions on them, he know
Town Board 49 May 11 , 1987
that they will take more time in the future in preparing them than
the present forms .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked if they were not presently part of
the local law?
Supervisor Desch replied no . He stated that he was not sure , if
when our local law was revised , they would be made a part of it
either . However , since they were not a part of our current local
law we should move forward and adopt them .
RESOLUTION N0 , 113
Motion by Councilwoman Raffensperger ; seconded by Councilman
Bartholf ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby adopt
the new Environmental Assessment Forms in relation to the State of
New York ' s revisions to SEAR.
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
CAYUGA VISTA COVENANTS
Town Attorney John Barney stated that he had reviewed the covenants
and that he could go through them , much the same way the Board had
done in the past a couple of times , but he felt the Board should
get to the heart of the issue . He went on to say that back in
October of 1985 , when Cayuga Vista ' s Covenants was first presented
to the Board there was discussion relative to a limitation of
occupancy limiting the rental period of the units to no more than a
five year period by the developer and relative to the requirement
of owner occupancy . He noted that there is no limitation in these
declarations , that he could find , nor in the by-laws , so he stated
that he thought there was a bridge that should be crossed , at that
point , and then when we cross that bridge he stated that he would
be happy to go on an comment on the other parts . He stated that he
did not know if the Board wanted to take up their , and his , time
until this has been resolved .
Supervisor Desch asked the Board members if they had any comments .
He went on to say that the Board had a long , long discussion on
this on a number of occassions . The Supervisor remarked that he
felt Mr . Mazza needs to know whether that is a requirement that
needs to be built in here before we approve these or not .
Edward Mazza , developer , replied that he would tell the Board the
reason for the change . As you know , I did not want these
restrictions in there . I didn ' t think they were appropriate at the
time , however , to get my project going I reluctantly agreed to do
it with the understanding that it was the policy of the Town of
Ithaca and that that was the way they were going to handle them
from then on . Of course , that has not been the case , different
policies have been instituted in the Town of Ithaca . He went on to
say that he did not understand why there was a policy imposed upon
his development and on not imposed upon others . That ' s why , since
I found out you had never acted on these officially before I
thought if I came back in it would be appropriate to discuss this .
Councilman Cramer remarked that he thought the Board had acted on
the officially , and that he thought that the rental restrictions ,
and the occupancy restrictions were a matter of Board
determination . We spent a great deal of time discussing them with
you . He stated that since he finds the covenants lacking those
Town Board 50 May 11 , 1987
provisions prohibit his approval of the covenants . He stated that
he did not want to disapprove the covenants but as he recalled the
discussions , he stated that he was adamant in regard to the rental
provisions and that he was adamant in regard to the occupancy
provision . He went on to say that he would continue to be adamant
in that regard unless they are included .
Mr . Mazza stated that he would like to ask Councilman Cramer a
question . Where you not at the meetings when the Board did
Deerrun7 Were you not in attendance at those meetings ?
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied that she was in attendance at
that meeting and she stated that she had already discussed with the
staff the fact this Town Board was not apprised of the fact that
that had been determined as equivalent to yours . She stated that
as far as she was concerned , if Deerrun is equivalent in all ways ,
which she stated she sincerely doubted , then she stated that she
felt the Town Board should have had that kind of information before
they acted on Deerrun . She stated that she did not think it was
equivalent .
Mr . Mazza replied , how do you think they are different?
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied that she did know that when you
(Mr . Mazza) went to the Planning Board , and she stated that she
took the time to go through those minutes , there has been a most
interesting change in this whole project along the way . A gradual
change in what the Planning Board approved and recommended to the
Town Board , what the Town Board first saw , she went on to say that
she thought it was clear that the Planning Board had rights under
cluster to limit the occupancy . Absolutely , that ' s in the cluster
regulations . There seems to have been some kind of trade off
between rentals and occupancies and a very confusing kind of
history . But the fact still remains that the Planning Board and
the Town Board had the right to do that .
Mr . Mazza replied that they had agreed to limit the number of
unrelated persons that can occupy them but the fact of owner
occupancy is not a proper restriction , he felt . It ' s not a
restriction that is placed on single family homes in the Town of
Ithaca .
Councilwoman Raffensperger responded , but these are not single
family hones . She went on to say that again she thought about that
too and she stated that she felt if we proceed much further with
this she was going to ask that we have a moritorium on these
clusters because what this cluster has turned out to be in too many
cases is a kind of way to have multiple housing without rezoning ,
with a little bit more land . She went on to say , we talked about
what you can do in a two family house on 150 by 250 foot lot , what
kind of occupancy you can have , the intent of the zoning ordinance
is clear as to what kind of occupancy we think is appropriate in
residential areas . Somehow or another cluster seems to be excaping
this completely and she stated that she objected to this .
Mr . Mazza replied you have a chance to look back and see what we
have done up there . He stated that if the Board had gone to the
project and taken a look at it you would realize that it would not
be an economical way for us to build multiple residence housing , we
have built these things for sale to individuals . They may ,
however , have a situation that we think to be a potential and that
is a father buying a unit for his son while he attends Cornell or
Ithaca College . He went on to say that he did not see why this
should be precluded . Once again , you didn ' t preclude it at Deerun
and I don ' t think you precluded it at Eastwood Commons .
Town Board 51 May 11 , 1987
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied , Eastwood Commons is multiple ,
it ' s zone multiple , we don ' t have the right to do that .
Supervisor Desch asked , if I am the son , how many other people ,
with your definition , would be allowed to reside there ?
Mr . Mazza replied , two other than the son .
Supervisor Desch replied , a total of three .
Mr . Mazza replied , yes that would be the occupancy limitation . He
went on to say that he just did not believe that the owner
occupancy is the appropriate thing . If you are afraid of us
• building multiple residence housing , he stated that he did not
think if the Board would look at the place they would feel that
way . We did not build these as multiple residence houses , we would
not have put the things in them that we did . We would not have
spent the money on them that we did .
Supervisor Desch asked if it would be possible for the Board to
look at one of the units ?
Mr . Mazza replied yes , anytime that you want .
Councilman Bartholf stated that he had looked at them already and
he could see where they do not have the space to jam a bunch of
people in there .
Mr . Mazza went on to say that , we have already had , even though we
had to stop all communication on it as it ' s against the law to do
it with the Offering Plan not filed yet , there has been a father
who wants to buy one for his son to live there . If you are worried
about these being rental units and having this fellow come in an
destroy the place when his father owns it or if you think somebody
is going to pay the price we are asking for these just to rent them
out , I don ' t think they are going to do that . Believe me , it ' s
just not economical to do that .
Councilwoman Raffensperger stated that she would like to clarify ,
in the Declarations there are not restrictions as to occupancy ,
none whatsoever . And there are no restrictions as to rental , it ' s
this combination of none and none that really concerns me .
Mr . Mazza replied , if it ' s not in there it ' s intended to be there
and I can show Mr . Barney my Offering Plan .
Town Attorney Barney replied that the definition of a family is the
tradition definition and doesn ' t allow anything more than that but
looking at the dommnt he noted that he did not see anything that
limits it to anything other than our normal zoning Ordinance .
Mr . Mazza replied that it was intended that it be in there .
Supervisor Desch asked Mr . Mazza why he did not cane back with the
wording .
• Mr . Mazza replied that he would like to say something on the
timing . We would like to meet to have this thing filed by June
1st . There is a 30 day review period after that and then on July
1st we could offer these for sale . We have to wait until June 1st
because they are occupied at this point and to file under Part 20
of the Offering Plan Procedures they have to be vacant for a time .
They will be vacant at the end of this month .
Supervisor Desch asked the Board members if they would like to meet
UP there and then cane back to Town Hall for a meeting?
Town Board 52 May 11 , 1987
Mr . Mazza remarked , all he had to do was arrange this with one of
the tenants .
Councilwoman Raffensperger asked Mr . Mazza if it was true that he
did not intend to put in any kind of restriction as to rental of
units by the developer , the number of units and the period of time
which was in the last recommendation that she saw? Did you mean to
delete that?
Mr . Mazza replied that he thought that was all part of the same
thing , but if you want some restriction as to our ability to rent
them for a period of five years then I suppose . 0000 . we had no
intention of doing it , it doesn ' t make sense for us to rent them .
We rented the first building out because we had to otherwise it
would have sat empty . We have two tenants in there that want to
stay and we can ' t let them stay . In order to offer these we cannot
do that , they have to get out and they are upset about that .
Councilwanan Raffensperger stated that she had a memo that
summarizes what our last position was , this was one of the elements
of it and she stated that she just wanted to know if you had
inadvertently left that out as you did the occupancy .
Mr . Mazza replied that he did not know if he inadvertently left
that out . He stated that he was not sure that it was left out . He
went on to say that he had just shown the Town Attorney where it ' s
contained elsewhere in our Offering Plan and he stated that he
could show the Board as well . He stated that he was not sure it
was left out and that he would have to look again .
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied , it ' s left out of what she had .
Schedule 0 and Schedule M .
RESOLUTION N0 , 114
Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilman McPeak ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca will meet at
4 : 45 P . M . , on May 19 , 1987 , at Cayuga Vista to review the project
and then to reconvene at the Town Hall at 5 : 30 P .M . , following the
tour to consider the Covenants for Cayuga Vista .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
Councilwoman Raffensperger noted that at the time of the concept of
the plan , there were discussions about parking and at that time ,
Peter Lovi outlined the parking requirement that would have to be
different if the major project changed . She stated that she was
concerned about this .
Supervisor Desch asked Mr . Mazza how many spaces he was providing
per unit ?
Mr . Mazza replied , they each have a garage . He stated that he did
not have the plan with him but there are other spaces provided . He
went on to say that he thought they had met the requirements but
they could always add more . We tried to keep as much grassy area
but there is ample roan put in other parking , if we need to .
Councilman Bartholf asked if there would be the same amount of
parking as there was on the first unit?
Mr . Mazza replied yes . Nothing changes . He went on to say that
you say there have been substantial changes in this project from
Town Board 53 May 11 , 1987
the start to now and he stated that he did not know what the
changes are ,
Councilwoman Raffensperger replied that she had just read Peter
Lovi ' s recommendations all the way back then about whether or not
there were going to be rentals and what kind of occupancy there was
going to be and if there were changes in that , he had concerns
about the parking . She stated that she would check with Town
Planner Susan Beeners ,
EXECUTIVE SESSION
• RESOLUTION NO . 115
Motion by Supervisor Desch , seconded by Councilwoman Raffensperger ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby adjourns
into Executive Session to discuss possible legal action on certain
unsafe properties in the Town of Ithaca and possible litigation .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none) .
RESOLUTION N0 , 116
Motion by Supervisor Desch ; seconded by Councilwoman Howell ,
RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby returns
into open session .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
RESOLUTION NO . 117
Motion by Councilman Cramer ; seconded by Councilman Bartholf ,
WHEREAS , the owner of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No . 6- 18-2-9 , has
failed to seal off , post , and prohibit access to the dangerous and
unsafe buildings at 910 East Shore Drive , by March 15 , 1987 , and
WHEREAS , the owner was served Notice under the Ordinance Regulating
Unsafe Buildings and Collapsed Structures of the Town of Ithaca and
under the related regulations of the New York State Uniform Fire
Prevention and Building Code , with no removal or repair of the
buildings or structures in question having been begun within the
required sixty day of Notice ,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca that , in view of the neglect of the owner to comply with the
Notice , a survey of premises shall be made by Andrew S . Frost , Town
Building Inspector and a Registered Architect to be retained by the
Town and a practical builder , engineer , or architect appointed by
the owner , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that in the event of refusal or neglect of
the owner to appoint his " surveyor " , the two Town " surveyors " shall
make the survey and report within forty-five ( 45 ) days , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that in the event the buildings shall be
reported unsafe or dangerous under such survey , an application will
be made at a special term of the Supreme Court for an order
determining the buildings to be a public nuisance and directing
Town Board 54 May 11 , 1987
that they shall be repaired and secured or taken down and removed ,
and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that a signed copy of the report shall be
posted on the premises upon completion of the report of survey on
the buildings , and such notice shall state the compensation of the
surveyors , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that all costs and expenses incurred by the
Town in connection with the proceedings to remove or secure ,
including the cost of actually removing said buildings , shall be
assessed against the land on which said buildings are located , and
• FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca staff is authorized
to retain a licensed architect , at a cost not to exceed $ 2 , 000 , to
perform the survey hereinabove mentioned .
1
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger ,. Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
RESOLUTION NO . 118
Motion by Councilwoman Raffensperger , seconded by Councilman
Bartholf ,
WHEREAS , the owner of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No . 6-43-14 , has
failed to seal off , post , and prohibit access to the dangerous and
unsafe building at 1033 Danby Read , by February 20 , 1987 , and
WHEREAS , the owner was served Notice under the Ordinance Regulating
Unsafe Buildings and Collapsed Structures of the Town of Ithaca and
under the related regulations of the New York State Uniform Fire
Prevention and Building Code , with no removal or repair of the
building or structure in question having been begun within the
required sixty days of Notice ,
NOW THM70RE BE IT RESOLVED , by the Town Board of the Town of
Ithaca that , in view of the neglect of the owner to comply with the
Notice , a survey of premises shall be made by Andrew S . Frost_ , Town
Building Inspector and a Registered Architect to be retained by the
Town and a practical builder , engineer , or architect appointed by
the owner ,
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that in the event of refusal or neglect of
the owner to appoint his " surveyor " , the two Town " surveyors " shall
make the survey and report within forty-five ( 45 ) days , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that in the event the building shall be
reported unsafe or dangerous under such survey , an application will
be made at a special term of the Supreme Court for an order
determining the building to be a public nuisance and directing that
it shall be repaired and secured or taken down and removed , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that a signed copy of the report shall be
Posted on the premises upon completion of the report of survey on
the building , and such notice shall state the compensation of the
surveyors , and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that all costs and expenses incurred by the
Town in connection with the proceedings to remove or secure ,
including the cost of actually removing said building , shall be
assessed against the land on which said building is located , and
Town Board 55 May 11 , 1987
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca staff is authorized
to retain a licensed architect , at a cost not to exceed $ 2 , 000 , to
perform the survey hereinabove mentioned .
(Desch , McPeak , Raffensperger , Cramer , Howell , Bartholf and Leary
voting Aye . Nays - none ) .
ADJOUIZIENT
The meeting was duly adjourned .
•
Clerk