HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 1970-12-15 � .i TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
�\ December 15 , 1970
The regular meeting of the Town of Ithaca Planni }ng . Board
was held Tuesday , December - 15 , 1970 , i -n the Town of Ithaca
offices , 108 E . Green Street , Ithaca , New York .
Present : Chairman Barbara Holcomb , Robert Scannell , Sam
Slack , Fred SCott , Robert Christian- son , Reg Collins .;; Dan B. akcer - ,
Peter Francese ( Planning Consultant ) , and David Cowan ( Zoni. ng
Officer ) .
Also present were about 15 community., members .
Approval of Minutes : The following amendments were .: made
to the minutes of the November 24 , 1970 meeting :
Paragraph five of pag,e 1 was changed -. to read " The minutes
of - the - , October 20 , 1970 meeting were were - approv,ed ; as corrected . "
The last sentence of paragraph six of page l was changed to
read " There remains a question about this since the developers
may have changed their plans and now might intend to also - coh -
struct multiple residences . "
Paragraph seven , page 1 , should read " It was decided that .
.the Board would like an engineer ' s statement. . that sufficient '.
water will be available and also an approval ; in writing from
the Health Board . Barbara Holcomb recommended that Kennilworth
obtain a definite statement . . . . "
Paragraph nine , page 1 , should read " It was pointed out
that when the Planning - Board recommends changing zoning -, that
the pu,bl . ic assumes that - it � is on the basis of plans . that were
presented to -the Board . Therefore , when . these plans are not
adhered to ; the public feels there has been a breach of - faith .
It was suggested that in the future , detailed plans and .- renderi -ngs .
should not be presented when a zoning change is req 'uestedoto
avoid future misunderstandings . "
Paragraph one of page 2 changed to read " Barbara Holcomb
volunteered to go through all the old minutes of- the Planning
Board and Town Board to see - what procedur.- es .were: fol l owed on
the Kenn "ilworth project .
Page 2 , paragraph headed Cowan , . change from Ideman property
to P & C property .
The last line of page . two. was changed to read " Therefore ,
multiple residences cannot be built in this area . "
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� - Page 3 , paragraph one , should read " 1 . 5 spaces pe-r unit
will be required . "
Paragraph five of page 3 should read " Peter France.se will
request that before any action is taken , by the Town Board on
this matter they refer it to the Planning.- Board - for our� reco.m �
mendat-ion .
The second paragraph of page 4 should read " Peter. Francese .
reported on the new ruling that the co.un .ty . . planner must: approve
any new zoning changes in a 500 ' strip bordering all sides -of
. s, tate and county roads , state parks and institutions and
boundaries of other municipalities . . . "
Robert Christianson made amotim that the minutes Jo 'r the
November 24 , 1970 meeting be approved as corrected . The motion
was seconded by Reg Collins and ` unanaimously passed .
Snowmobile Use : Robert McFall , a community snowmobil -.e
operator , reported that railroad track right - of - ways a :nd
Ithaca College trails could be used for riding snowmobiles
and therefore he felt it was not necessary to have to ri- de on
town roads . and highways .
Roger Sovocool presented a plan for the development of
a portion of the Roy M . Compton property on - 'South Hill. Sewer
and . water is available on these lots that he proposes to develop .
Thej and is presently zoned R - 30 , and he requests the : . Planning
Board to grant a variance on lot size within the R - 30_' zone: �
A motion was . . made by Reg Collins that a public- heari ng :..:. be held
onx' Comp _ton ' s proposed eight lot subdivision at the January
meeting of : the Planning Board . Sam Slack seconded the motion ,
and it was unanimously passed .
Robert ' Scannell suggested that the property lines on the
subdivision proposal of Compton ' s should be - perpendicular to
the road .
_. Sam Slack recommended that frontage requirements on this
and other similar property developments should be made .14rge
enough to take into account expansion in roads and bullding of
sidewalks .
. Kenni lworth A public hearing scheduled on the Kenn :i .lworth
development . was c '` a public discussion was held for
the purpose of clarifying the actions o'f the Planning - Bo.ard 1 .n-
this development .
Barbara Holcomb reported that she and Peter Frandese ' ha=d
presentedthe county planner with a. , proposal to temporarily
,• correct the traffic hazard presented by the road situation of t�h;e
Kennilworth development . ` It was reported that the Town Board
feels it is the responsibility of the county to correct -;a:ny su. c:=h:
road situations .
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It °was reported that although it is conceivabl ' e . to control
`- use of land by --setting up an architectural review board made up
of Aead-.i ng citizens of a community , it is generally considered
untonstitutional in most court cases .
Mrs . Holcomb stated that all . . legal , action hats been taken
in this development . The property has . :been rezoned and final
ap .prov. aT was>v:,given for. .this phase of th° e Kennilworth development :
Therefore -, the Planning Board has no jurisd. ietiom over such
complaints concerning aesthetics of the ,. delvelnopment .
A que, stion was raised concerning the Barnes property . It
was reported that Kennilworth does not plan totkeep theoBarnes
property for an historic site . The Planning Board cannot con -
trol this use of land . . either . T. he:refore , it was� , recommend-ed , ,
that interested citizens should research the idea of . buyi . ng.
this property and turning it into an historic site .
I _t .was reported that there w::ill be =, � no . ` . further public .
hearings on Kennilworth . Even th:o;ugh they have changed th4e
source of water , the plan has not been changed and no new
public hearing will be required .
Robert Christianson made a motion .- to cancel-.. , the public
hearing on Kennilworth that was scheduled forl.this meeting
( Decemberl5 , 1970 ) . Sam Slack seconded tie motion and it was
unanimously passed .
It s•ras . recommended that area residents contact county
supervis_o,rs Bob Bruce . and>�>=Sam McNeil concerning the road
situation crested by the ennilwort- h de'VelopmentL.
snowmobile Ordinan.,ce! Discussion was held concerning
snowmobi :� e legislation- : It was reported that the county does
not... :plan to .open any of its: . roads ' ,for snowmobile:-._ use . Several
quest ons were raised ° :concerning . Fprobl
-- pis that will° be created
if toirn : roads are opined for. sno.l:rraobile operation such as . the
lia.bi�l'ity of the toVRIkT. if 'roads are not properly signed , and -
1he question of detemining if a snowmobile is registered and -
carries , liability insurance . It was decided that , since no one
has come to the Planning Board to . promote 'having roads open :
for snowmobile operation ,- , the . Planning_ Boardywould recommend
to the, Tol.Am Board that no further action be ta'�: en for . opening
toiTn roads. for snovpmbbile operation . Bob - Christianson so moved .
Tlpe -motion was seconded- ' by'. - Robert Scannen and una;imously passed .
Vacancies on Planning -Boards` Discussion was held concerning.
replacements for Robert Scannell wand Sam Slack whose=; to°rms are `
expiring . Fred Scott made a motion that we recommend Maurice
Harris to the Town Board to . be appointed to . . . the Planning Board
as a replacement for Robert°'' Scann.ell . . Dan Baker seconded the.
motion , and it was unanimously passed ,
Discussion was then held concerning a replacement for . Sam
Slack . It was decided - to try to recommend. someone from t'he
Pirie Tree area . Mr . Slack volunteered to inquire about a re -
placement ,
report , a suggestion of someone who Asnter..e:sted
to Mrs . Holcomb . She will then poll the Planning='- Board by phone
in order to make a recommendation to the . Town Board by the: end
of this month .
The meeting was adjourned att.10030 p . m .
Respectfully- submitted ,
Charlene Lawson , Secretary
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