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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1973-11-12TOWN OP ITHACA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING November 12, 1973 At a Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca, Tomp* kins County, New York, held at the Town of Ithaca Offices at 108 East Green Street, Ithaca, New York, on the 12th day of November, 1973, at 5:00 p.m., there were PRESENT: ABSENT: ALSO PRESENT Walter J. Schwan, Supervisor Andrew W. McElwee, Councilman NOel Desch, Councilman Robert N. Powers, Councilman Victor Del RosSo, Councilman James V. Buyoucos, Town Attorney Barbara Holcomb, Chairman, Planning Board Kenneth KroOhs, Town Plaiiner-Engineer Reynolds Metz, Assistant Zoning Officer James Dunlap, Lozier Engineers, Inc. Arthur L. Berkey, 128 Christopher Circle David Bouldin, 208 Forest Home Drive Liese Btbnfenbrenner, 116 Mclntyre Place Mrs. Arthur L. Emerson, 505 Elm Street John Hertel, 127 Warren Road Kay Likens, 112 Crest LUne Pete Loucks, 116 Crest Lane Herbert Mahr, 103 Judd Falls Road Isabel Peard, 214 Forest Home Drive Arthur Prince, 734 Five Mile Drive Elsie Root, 336 Forest Home Drive Raymond Saatman, 1585 Slaterville Road R. W. Shaw, 105 Halcyon Hill Stephen J. Shippos, Lake Ridge C. Hadley Smith, 543 Elm Street Extension David Stoller, 210 Forest Home Drive Kathleen Stoller, 210 Forest Home Drive John Swan, 103 Crest Lane Go R. Talandis, Ithaca Isabella M. Thomas, 332 Forest Home Drive Peg Tyler, Cornell University Cathy Zappolo, Cornell University Radio, TV, and Press PUBLIC HEARING - SEWERING OF FOREST HOME AREA, CODDINGTON ROAD AREA, SLATERVILLE ROAD AREA, GLENSIDE ROAD AREA AND ELM STREET EXTENSION AREA Supervisor Schwan opened the public hearing at 5:30 p.m. He reported that proof of posting €uid publication of the notice of public hearing had been presented by the Town Clerk indicating that the notice of the hearing was posted on the Town sign board on October 29, 1973 and published in the Ithaca Journal on October 29, 1973, in accordance with the requirements of law. Supervisor Schwan read several letters, one from Arthur L. Emerson of 505 Elm Street, Ithaca, New York, favoring the installation of a sewer line along Elm Street; another from Mr. Emerson indicating that he had advice that his septic system is in such bad condition that it will have to be replaced; a letter dated November 7, 1973 from Gene Likens of 112 Crest Lane, registering strong support for the proposed sewering project; a letter from Percy L. Watros, dated October 26, 1973 (1584 Slaterville Road, requesting that his tri angular lot (Parcel 56-3-17) be included in the proposed sewering project. - 2 - November 12, 1973 The Supervisor explained that the basic proposal is to sewer all of the Hamlet of Forest Home (estimated at $390,250); Slaterville Road Area, 6 houses (estimated at $46,220); Coddington Road Area, nine houses (estimated at!$37,735); Glenside Road Area, involving about 35 parcels (estimated at $73,825); and Elm Street Extension Area (estimated at $103,510); rock excavation, $24,245; overhead, legal and bond counsel, engineering, inspection, financing, and administra tion, $134,215; project and construction contingencies, $80,000, making the total project $890,000. The Supervisor said the engineers' plans and report were available for inspection. The meeting was then thrown open to public question and comment. Gerald R. Talandis, Triphammer Road. Mr. Talandis asked the Board to entertain the possibility of extending the sewer to an area beyond the extension of iElm Street, some 19 acres on which he has an. option with the idea in mind of his building residential housing. He had in mind building about 40 units. There was some discussion as to whether this should be included in the present project or done as a separate project which would be subject to all the usual procedural requirements (public hearing, eta. The possibility of Mr. Talandi^ doing it himself and then having the Town reiinburse him was raised. The Town Attdrney was ndt prepared at this time to render an opinion on this possibility. Mr. Talandis said it would be preferable, as far as he was concerned; to have it included in the present project. The Board said it would give con sideration to Mr. Talandis' proposal, but gave no commitment to him. Stephen Shippos, Lake Ridge. Mr. Shippos asked if the line could be extended to include his Parcel 31-2-2. The Board agreed to consider it. Arthur L. Berkey, 128 Christopher Circle. Mr. Berkey asked how many units the proposal would add and what it would cost annual ly to retire the bonds, and whether the bonds would be for 30 or 40 years. The Supervisor said about 200 units would be added and that based on a 30-year amortization at 6% the first year's payment would be $75,400. The proposal states "not to exceed 40 years" only to give the Town flexibility. rir. Berkey noted that an additional 200 units would produce $10,000 at $50.00 per unit leaving some $65,000 to be raised. He asked if the additional amount would come from the total Town. The Supervisor said since the project benefits the total Town the amount re<^ired would be a charge on the entire Town. Mr. Berkey asked what this would do to the sewer rate. The Supervisor said it will remain at $50,00. He said with the Groff Associates elderly and moderate income housing project, the Eastwood Commons (Schickel) Development, the Beacon Hills Development, and the 200 units projected under the current proposal, there will be by 1976 about 620 additional units which will produce $31,000 at $50 per unit. (Some 220 of these units will be built along existing sewer lines and will not cost the Town any additional money.) Mr. Berkey said to produce $75,000 would re quire 1,500 units. The Supervisor said there was a surplus in the sewer fund accumulated over the last several years which can be used. He said as units are added the amounts required from surplus will be less, and by 1977, in all probability, the system would be self-sup- porting. Mr. Berkey said the surplus would take care of the first and second years, but after that it would be necessary to make up the difference between 1,500 units and 620 units — almost 900 units and would there be 900 additional units after the first and second years. The Supervisor noted that the figures in the Engineering Report are based on 6% interest, and are, therefore, very conserva tive, considering that the Town has in the past enjoyed an interest rate under 4% on Bond Anticipation Notes. Mr. Berkey insisted that even at 5% the Town would need substantially more units to support the system and suggested that the Supervisor's statement that the $50.00 sewer rate could be maintained was a calculated risk. The n - 3 - November 12, 1973 Supervisor said he felt there would be sufficient growth in the Town to produce the projected units, but agreed that it was a calculated risko Should the units projected not materialize it might be neces sary to raise the rate $2.00 for a year or so, but he felt it was worth the risk since the purpose of the proposal is to provide sewer service for people who are in dire need of it; that it would be a bene^ fit to the whole community, that all Town residents already pay common taxes for Town and Cdunty services, and under the proposal the people of the Town would be paying common charges for water and sewer ser vices. Mr. Schwan cited the known pollution of Cayuga Lake and Beebe Lake and the needs of the people in the Slaterville Road, Glenside Road, Coddington Road, and Elm Street Extension area for sewer ser vices, and that the Board by this proposal is trying to respond to the needs of the people. Mr. Berkey said he was not opposed to the project, but merely ttying to get the facts. Supervisor Schwan read a letter to the Town dated October 3, 1973 from Stephen F. Herman, Sr. Publid Health Engineer, Tompkins Codnty Depart ment of Health, in which he indicated that the following areas should be considered in any study Of possible sewer extensions; i lo Forest Home - Problems With ground water and rock near the surface. This is close to Fall Creek. 2. Slaterville Road - Several failed systems in tight soil area. This is near the City of Ithaca watershed. 3. Elm Street - Several possible failed systems. 4. Glenside - Difficult and highly variable soil. Several possible failed systems. 1 Councilman Desch noted that a delay in moving forward with the pro ject would escalate the cost of the project considerably. Herbert Mahr, 103 Judd Falls Road. Mr. Mahr said he favored the project, but was concerned that too much attention was given to sewer rates, numbers of units that might be acquired, and budget mat ters. He suggested a lot of people would be willing to pay $2.00 more per unit on the sewer charge so that more care might be given to how the Town is developed; that the Town should not rush into developments just to add units. He said there was a need to give thought to green areas and parks, and not just to equalizing two sides of a budget. The Supervisor said he had only cited developments already under way in making the projections. That, plus normal growth, with out accepting development just for development's sake, would appear to carry the system. He said even if the rate were $55.00 a unit, it would still be a worthwhile project. Raymond Saatman, 1585 Slaterville Road. Mr. Saatman said he favored the project. He said his parcel is at the corner of Burns Road and Slaterville Road. The Supervisor noted that, unfortunately, Mr. Saatman was at the end of a line in an area where the people surveyed by postcard had said they did not want sewer service. Mr. Saatman said he thought the people were not too familiar with the situation at the time of the survey, and might feel differently now. The Supervisor said possibly, with a new type of grinder pump, that service could be hydraulic rammed under the road to serve Mr. Saatman's parcel. Mr. Dunlap, Lozier Engineers, agreed it might possibly be done. The Board agreed to give consideration to this possibility. John Swan, 103 Crest Lane. Mr. Swan said he had been a resi dent of the Forest Home area over 15 years and had "enjoyed" the odors over the yeaors and sometimes contributed to them. He said he was strongly in favor of the plan. He saw no alternative to it. He noted the cost goes up as time goes on. The Supervisor agreed it is economi cally feasible to build it now. Ten years from now the Town might not be able to afford it. n n✓. - 4 - November 12, 1973 There was brief discussion as to whether Federal grants were available to help finance the project» It did not appear so. Appli cation for money had been made in 1970, but the Town of Ithaca was not eligible because it was not classified as "rural". It was suggested that FHA has since become more liberal and it might be a good idea to check with them again. The Board agreed to look into this, John Po Hertel, 127 Warren Road. Mr, Hertel said he agreed with Mr. Swan and favored the project. He noted that as far back as 1930 the State Health Department tested wells in Forest Home and found nearly all of them polluted, and made a report that concluded, "It is also desirable that a comprehensive sanitary sewage collection and disposal system be provided for the district." Liese Bronfenbrenner, 116 Mclntyre Place. Mrs. Bronfenbrenner voiced her support for the project, and said ^Ir. Swan, Mr. Hertel, and others had said basically what needed to be said. Isabella M. Thomas, 332 Forest Home Drive. Mrs, Thomas said she supported the project and asked if Forest Home was included in the post-card survey. Supervisor Sbhwan said Forest Home was not polled since there was not much question about the need there. David Stoller, 210 Forest Home Drive. Mr. Stoller was con cerned over the fact that the trunk line goes through his property and would adversely affect his trees. Mr. Dunlap, Lozier Engineers, Inc., said this would be carefully looked at when the final location of the sanitary sewer is laid out, and that he thought it could be worked out without taking out any large trees. Mr, Stoller said he would prefer to have the line elsewhere. No other persons wished to be heard. Town Attorney Buyoucos suggested that if changes were going to be made the hearing be adjourned, and another hearing be held. If another hearing were to be held to consider amending the proposal, it would have to be held not less than 15 nor more than 25 days from date. The Board agreed that Lozier Engineers, Inc. should prepare an amended plan, map, and report (taking into account the requests for additional extensions made at this meeting) with new cost figures. The hearing was, therefore, adjourned to December 3, 1973 at 5s30 p.m. Supervisor Schwan thanked all for coming and said that if the project is finally approved it is hoped that it may be bid in March or April of 1974 and under construction by the first of June, 1974. TRANSFER OF FUNDS Motion by Supervisor Schwan; seconded by Councilman Powers, RESOLVED, that $525.00 be transferred from the Contingency Fund into Traffic Control to cover survey of Campbell Avenue, Contingency Fund A-1940.4 to Traffic Control A-3310. Unanimously carried. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6s30 p.m. to November 19, 1973. 'td'ToucJ Edward L. Bergen Town Clerk