HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 1975-09-16 i
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
t
SEPTEMBER 16 , 1975
A Meeting of the Planning Board of the Town of Ithaca was held
in the Town Hall , 126 East Seneca Street ( second floor ) , Ithaca , N . Y . ,
on Tuesday , September 16 , 1975 , at 7 : 30 p . m .
PRESENT : Chairwoman Barbara Holcomb , Maurice Harris , Robert
Scannell , Richard Black , Sam Slack , Lawrence Fabbroni ( Planning
Engineer/Building Inspector ) .
ABSENT : Daniel Baker , Liese Bronfenbrenner , Robert Christianson
ALSO PRESENT : Robert Julian , 203 Salem Dr . ; Nan Julian , 203
Salem Dr . ; Margaret Oaksford , 203 Muriel St . ; Robert Corradino , 206
Muriel St . p Nancy Brotman , 134 Muriel St . ; Harris Brotman , 134 Muriel
St . ; Edward Ostrander , 1460 Hanshaw Rd . ; Paul Wilcynski , 416 Warren
Rd0
of Elizabeth Packer , 507 Warren Rd . ; Luciano Lama , 114 Salem Dr
Edward Trethaway , 116 Salem Dr . ; J . William Reece , 311 Salem Dr . o
Randy Diamond , WCIC-TV News ; Gary Papa , WTKO ; Alan Goodman , Ithaca
Journal .
The Meeting was called to order by the Chair at 7 : 45 p . m .
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mrs . Holcomb announced that Mr . Robert Scannell has taken a
new position in St . Petersburg , Florida , where he will be Chief of
Planning and Design for Parks and Recreation of the City of St ®
Petersburg , Mr . Scannell will be leaving Ithaca on September 18 , 1975 .
The Planning Board members all wished him well in his new endeavors .
Mrs . Holcomb stated that a person to fill Mr . Scannell ' s unexpired
term on the Planning Board is still being sought .
Mrs . Holcomb announced that a Crossing Guard is needed for
Northeast School , the person who had been hired having resigned due to
schedule conflicts . Persons interested may call the Town Clerk ' s
Office ,
NORTHEAST CIVIC ASSOCIATION INVITED FOR OPEN DISCUSSION
Mrs . Holcomb welcomed the several representatives of the North
east Civic Association and stated that tonight ' s meeting would be an
informal give and take between the Planning Board and the people from
the Northeast neighborhood of the Town . She stated that she hoped
the people would delineate their problems , their concerns , solutions
that may be available and suggestions for Town action . Mrs . Holcomb
then asked Mr . Fabbroni to start off the discussion by presenting a
report of his Northeast Traffic Study .
Mr . Fabbroni stated that he would give a preliminary synopsis
of the traffic study he conducted in the Northeast area of the Town in
March and April of 1975 when Cornell University , Ithaca College and
TC- 3 were in session . He stated that 24 -hour counts were made with a
pneumatic counting tube ( see attached map for locations ) and also
manual counts were made for 2 hours in the morning from 7 : 00 a . m . to
9 : 00 a . m . and 2 hours in the afternoon from 4 : 00 p . m . to 6 : 00 p . m .
mr . Fabbroni said that he picked out the A . M . Peak Hour Intersection
Town of Ithaca Planning Board ® 2425k September 16 , 1975
Directional counts and the P . M . Peak Hour Intersection Directional
' counts . Mr . Fabbroni distributed sheets showing these peak hours
and showing the total movement of cars at these hours . As a summary ,
Mr . Fabbroni stated that in general there is not too much of a traffic
problem . He pointed out though that a problem that will develop more
and more as the area up by the Airport grows and in Lansing and the
Village of Lansing is the Hanshaw Road and Warren Road intersection .
He noted that the figures presented are biased to a certain extent
because of the Triphammer Road-Route 13 overpass construction ongoing
at the time of counts . Mr . Fabbroni said that it was his preliminary
feeling that a four -way stop is very well justified . A second stage
would be the addition of a lane on the north leg for right turning
vehicles going west on Hanshaw Road and the addition of a left turning
leg for those who want to go north on Warren . Mr . Fabbroni felt that
delays at the intersection would increase with the construction of a
traffic light there .
The next problem area , Mr . Fabbroni felt , is along Warren Road
for left turns into Christopher Lane , Winthrop Drive , Uptown Road and
to the driveways into major generators . He suggested the addition of
another 10 ' to 12 ' of pavement for a continuous through lane . He
noted that Triphammer Road with two lanes has handled up to 12 , 000 cars
The third issue raised by people , Mr . Fabbroni commented , is
through traffic between Triphammer Road and Warren Road . He stated
that there is a certain amount of through movement but the total
movement is very minimal . There are from 30 to 35 cars that come in
from Lansing and go down Burleigh Drive and out to Triphammer . He
stated that most of the cars are locally generated ® He suggested
another lane for turning at Triphammer and Winthrop ,
Mr . Trethaway , 116 Salem Drive , stated that he would be in
favor of postponing traffic lights as long as possible . He said that
additional lams is a good idea and would help in traffic movement .
He stated that at Warren Road and Hanshaw Road visibility is the big
issue . He stated that he opposes a four -way stop . He commented that
it is a planner ' s dream that four -way stops work . Mr . Fabbroni
stated that the alternative is to cut down all the pine trees in the
vicinity .
Mr . Bill Reece , 311 Salem Dr . , referred to the 50 ° right of way
on Hanshaw Road . He said that the tree plantings there prevent
drivers from seeing either right or left . He said that another lane
should be put in . He noted that there is a similar sight problem
along Hanshaw at Muriel Street where as you approach the intersection
from Muriel the down grade increases . He urged safety -- - please -- -
there on the northeast corner because of the bank and the hedge the
visibility is zero ,
A gentleman asked if an accident count has been taken at the
Hanshaw-Warren intersection and the Muriel Street intersection . He
stated that he would be in favor of a light system there because of
the school .
Mr . Robert Julian , 203 Salem Dr . , stated that Hanshaw and
Warren intersection is bad . It was his opinion that the traffic
count there is not the danger - - it is the physical layout of the
corner .
Town of Ithaca Planning Board - 3 - September 16 , 1975
Mr . Fabbroni commented that at first there is confusion but he
has found that people do respect a four-way stop . He said that
presently impatient people do pull out when they are backed up at the
Warren Road stop ,
Mr . Paul Wilcynski , 416 Warren Road , said that he has lived on
Warren Road for 20 years four houses from this corner . He stated that
the biggest problem there is speed - everybody goes 50 m . p . h . He
stated that anything that is going to enhance the speed is not going
to enhance the street ,
Mrs . Oaksford , 203 Muriel St . , stated that on Warren Road the
speed limit is 40 m . p . h . She stated that people do not see stop signs
as easily as traffic lights . It was her opinion that people will not
stop for four -way stop signs . She said that speed is a very big pro-
blem . She asked what about law enforcement ? She stated that we do
not have enough law enforcement officers . She said that Muriel Street
is a raceway . Mr . Fabbroni commented that the trees and shrubs in the
northeast quadrant of the Warren-Hanshaw intersection are all in the
right of way .
Mr . Robert Scannell commented that speed is certainly a problem
in the northeast area . He said that everybody speeds , but offered the
suggestion that the stop signs at Warren Road and Hanshaw Road be
reversed , i . e . , changed from Warren Road to Hanshaw Road .
• Mrs . Oaksford now presented and read to the Board a paper
outlining the concerns of the Northeast Civic Association of which she
is President . The major problems in the Northeast area appear to fall
under three headings : 1 . Planned development of neighborhoods both
in and outside the Town . 2 . Traffic and transportation . 3 . Law
enforcement . In addition to these three , there are numerous " other
concerns " delineated inihe paper . ( See attachment to the official
Minutes of this Meetir:g . ) Mrs . Oaksford noted that the items presen-
ted are those that have been picked up from the people in the communi -
ty and are bits and pieces of several conversations ,
At the close of Mrs . Oaksford ° s presentation , Mrs . Holcomb
commented with reference to traffic , speed , lights , etc . , that Hanshaw
Road and Warren Road are County roads and not Town roads and that we
may only suggest improvements to the County . The Town may in coopera-
tion with the County put up stop signs . The Town cannot put up traffic
lights without the permission of the State Department of Transportation _
Nor can we put up lower speed limits without the permission of the
D . O . T . She noted that these are all facts which we have to recognize ®
Mr . Reece noted that in the fall there is an increase in
speeders and what can we do ? He suggested that the Sheriff be requestec
to put in more hours in that area and get the speeders . He also
suggested that it would be helpful if there were a direct connection
from Winston Court area around B . O . C . E . S . to Marren Road . Tareyton
Drive could be continued or else one of the East-West roads in Winston
Court could be continued out to Warren Road . He commented though that
people will say that this cut through will increase traffic .
Mr . Scannell commented that he liked Mr . Reece ® s idea of an
East -West road . He noted that several years ago the Planning Board
Town of Ithaca Planning Board m40= September 16 , 1975
suggested extending Muriel Street to connect to Warren and ran into a
lot of opposition .
A gentleman stated that the cross -town road proposed by the
County was not well . received by the residents of the area . He sugges -
ted , however , that the Planning Board should look further at the idea
of a cross -town road because it is needed - - but not between Muriel
Street and Warren Road . He said it was his opinion that Warren Road
was not ever designed as a through road for people in the Lansing area ,
Mr , Richard Black suggested that a road farther to the east
would help if development goes that way , otherwise traffic will remain
internal .
Mr . Fabbroni stated that as a follow-up to this study the Town
looked farther east . In the 20 -year future there could be an outer
loop possibly out about where Hanshaw Road hits Route 13 . He said
that there seems to be two ways to look at the problem . How can you
upgrade Warren Road to preserve the residential integrity of the
houses that front on it and serve the growth also ? On the other hand
in ten years if the demands become so linear and great increased tran -
sit should be considered .
Mrs . Holcomb said that the following is her own personal view
of what she thinks is happening and is going to happen , In looking at
the long range problems it seems obvious to her that traffic that is
coming down Pleasant Grove and Warren is going to Cornell University .
If one lived in the northeast and wanted to go gowntown one would
probably go down Hanshaw or Route 13 . If people are heading for South
Hill they would go through downtown . She perceived that a cross - town
road that is going to do something within this area is soemthing that
is going to move people from Cornell and back .
A gentleman commented that with Morse Chain going up there in
their new offices n3ar the Airport people will be coming from South
Hill and other areas . Then you get away from the Cornell hub , Mrs .
Holcomb asked if it could be agreed that the connection with Morse
Chain on South Hill and Morse Chain by the Airport would be made by
travelling up Route 13 ,
Mr . Reece said he would want an outer loop farther east - -
South Hill to East Hill to Northeast .
Mrs . Holcomb noted that there is a work force at NCR , Morse
Chain , Therm and Ithaca College . She said we need analyses of where
they want to go , It was her opinion in considering a possible Loop
road from South Hill that the bridge over Six Mile Creek is the real
problem financially ®
A gentleman referred again to the Muriel Street speeding pro-
blems and asked if law enforcement is the only way to control it other
than a road modification . Mrs . Holcomb suggested that the people talk
L:o their County Board Representatives ( Roger Morse , Beverly Livesay ,
Hugh ' Sam " MacNeil ) in connection with the Sheriff ' s request for
eight additional men in his department for next year . She also sugges -
'.-ed that the people make their opinions known to the Town Board of
the Town of Ithaca if they feel that it is time for the Town to have
Town of Ithaca Planning Board - 5 - September 16 , 1975
its own law enforcement .
Mrs . Oaksford wondered if the Cayuga Heights Police Department
could be enlarged by payment from the Town in order to have enough men
to cover the Northeast area . Plr . Scannell stated that he has been
urging for years and years that the Town , the Village and the City
should just get together and pool all those facilities . Mrs . Holcomb
was not sure of the legalities of contracting with another municipality
to cover just one area of another municipality .
A gentleman stated that there is one other c -ncern in the area
and that is parks . He said that there is one park serving the area
and that is the park at the Northeast School . He suggested looking
into funds for parks in the whole Town .
Mr . Fabbroni said that the Planning Board has recognized this
need . He said that the Planning Board does require land from the
developers to be set aside . Mr . Fabbroni referred to the summer pro -
ject under the direction of Ms . Susan Blumenthal which was the writing
of a comprehensive plan for parks in the Town . He said that this plan
will be a vehicle through which to come up with site plans for the
areas that are developing and in the greatest need . Every funding
program requires the added knowledge of where the facility fits into
the overall plan . There are 50 % - 50o matching funds available through
the Finger Lakes State Parks and Recreation Commission , The Town is
seriously considering setting up a capital reserve fund for parks - �
neighborhood parks and open spaces .
Mr . Edward Ostrander , 1460 Hanshaw Rd . , wondered what would
happen if Rocco Lucente does not set aside this park in the Sharonwood-
Pinewood area or he does not do what he is supposed to do . Mr .
Fabbroni stated that the Deed and the Agreement have been filed with
the Town .
Mr . Ostrander vvondered if bike ways come under the matching
funds program . Mr . Fabbroni said that this is different because funds
for bikeways have to be tied to Federal Road improvement . Mrs . Holcomb
distributed copies of the Bikeway Study prepared by Cornell University
Department of Landscape Architecture in conjunction with the City of
Ithaca and the Town of Ithaca .
There was a brief discussion of the Lucente problem with regard
to occupancy .
ADJOURNMENT
Upon Motion , the Meeting was adjourned at 10 ° 10 p . m .
Respectfully submitted ,
• Nancy M . Fuller ,
Secretary .
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PM - PEAK /OUR i WfRSECTION
DIRECTIONAL COONTS
s j
September 16 , 1975
T0 : The Town of Ithaca Planning Board j
FROM : The Northeast Civic Association
The residents of Northeast Ithaca appreciate the fact that
the Town Planning Board is making this effort to learn what
problems are perceived by residents in the various areas in the
Town of Ithaca .
The major problems in the Northeast area appear to fall
under three headings :
1 . Planned development of neighborhoods both in and outside
of the Town .
2 . Traffic and transportation .
3 . Law enforcement .
The - apparent underlying cause of many of the problems we
) LANNED are experiencing is the overdevelopment to some extent of the
) EV'ELOP - northeast section of the Town of Ithaca , but to a much greater
MENT
extent in the Town ( now Village ) of Lansing . This traffic - genera -
ting overdevelopment has taken the form of hundreds of apartments
i ( often with more than one car owner to an apartment ) , and the
constant on - going development of shopping centers clustered
around the intersection of Triphammer Road and Route 13 . All of
these factors contribute to the population density which in turn
contributes to the traffic problems which in its turn contributes
to the problems of law enforcement . We cannot turn back the
calendar , but we can plan for the future .
It is incumbent upon all planning boards in Tompkins County
to be in constant communication with each other especially con -
cerning those areas where overdevelopment on one town periphery
creates serious problems for the neighboring town . In the case
of the Town of Lansing development , it is the Town of Lansing
which has benefited and the residents of the Town of Ithaca who
have suffered as a result of this overdevelopment .
We have all recognized too late that neighborhoods tend to
be developed ahead of traffic planning ; the end result being that
land which would have provided suitable corridors for highway
v
2 . Northeast Civic Association
development has already been too heavily committed to residential
use for further consideration . To back track at this point and
FFV destroy large segments of the neighborhood has already proved
ND to be unacceptable to hundreds of town residents . Still the
NSPOR - need for a cross town highway remains not only for the use of i
ATION the residents of the northeast , but also to provide relief
from the traffic generated by the overdeveloped corner of the
Town of Lansing . Residents living on Warren Road have found that
they are experiencing more and more problems as the result of
ever increasing traffic . Such hazards as backed - up traffic
blocking driveways during rush hours , drivers traveling at speeds
well over the 40 mph limit , besides such nuisances as traffic j
noise and aut + xhaust fumes all contribute to the deterioration and
the desirability of the neighborhood . There have been some
studies of the traffic at the Warren Road / Hanshaw Road intersection ,
but the information is not in the writer ' s hand at the moment .
Residents and commuters have repeatedly asked for a traffic
• signal light at this intersection , but none is forthcoming that
we are aware of . The Northeast Civic Association plansto have
a future program meeting with Professor Arnim Meyburg , but he
is on sabbatic this semester and will not be available until
later this year , or early next year . ( The meeting was to be
in connection with his studies of traffic on Warren Road ..
All of us who live in the area know that Warren Road south
ends abruptlq
at the end of a dangerously steep curve and exits
t s=Ra' ,!-jrrz i
on to a narrow , two lane road . We . have seen too many truck
drivers who had no idea of the terrain of lower Warren Road or
the slipperiness of the pavement . Forest Home residents would
probably agree that truck traffic should be rerouted from Warren
and Hanshaw , with only trucks making deliveries to Forest Home
being allowed in . There should be signs to warn drivers of the
hazardous intersection of Forest Home Drive and Warren Road , in
any case .
i
The present speed limits of 40 mph on Warren and Hanshaw Roads
and 30 mph on Muriel Street and Salem Drive is felt by the residents
to be too fast for a thickly settled area which lacks sidewalks .
But whatever the declared speed limit is , without adequate law
enforcement , it might as well not exist ; which brings us into
p , 3 Northeast Civic Association
• another topic of concern , law enforcement and protection .
In the early stages of development of Northeast Ithaca , it
.AW must have seemed obvious that the Sheriff ' s Department would be
IRCE - able to adequately handle the area . At the present time , the
: NT population density is such that the relatively infrequent Sheriff ' s
SND patrols are inadequate . Muriel Street has become a raceway
- EC - q
) N ever since it was paved in 1965 - 66 . With the increase of popu -
lation and the opening of the DeWitt Junior High School , incidents
of vandelism have increased , according to a number of residents .
iER Until recently , residents of the Northeast area were required
ERNS to have their own means of transportation with many families
owning more than one car . The buses which now serve the Lucente
developments and the Lansing areas appear to be well received by
members of the Cornell Community who live in the northeast area .
However , everyone does not go to Cornell daily and those who
• work downtown , Ithaca College etc . lack service . The writer is
not aware of any recent canvass to discover the number of
people who would want extended bus service . Such bus service ,
however , should be organized by a municipality or private carrier
rather than a developer ( s ) .
Bicycling is increasing in popularity as a viable means of
transportation particularly where short distances are involved .
Present highways are only sufficient for two - way automobile
traffic , and bicycles are rapidly becoming a hazard on narrow
K roads and blind corners . Whenever and wherever possible , the
Planning Board should begin to consider creation of bike paths ,
especially along heavily traveled routes .
Present zoning laws should be reviewed and changes made with
an eye toward long range planning .
Area parks are another item of interest to northeast residents .
This and zoning will probably be items discussed from the floor .
p . 4 Northeast Civic Association
. This statement was prepared by Margaret J . Oaksford ,
President of the Northeast Civic Association . The opinions
expressed in this paper are those of a number of individuals
in the Northeast Civic Association , and the President . Since
individual opinions vary so greatly , the writer does not offer
this as a true concensus , but simply an expression of concerns
gathered informally .
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. Dear Myst oaksford : I. . .
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This is ] oust to.t remind , 'you of the meettnc we .
- : scheduled . If the : Northeast , Civic Associat ;on .. with ')the
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:,'town :off 'Ithacarlot Planning Apard` to ° discusirobleins you
1 . I "It erce .z.ve for `.your' afea ani hear' any 11 f suggesti ons `` you
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IS ' ' ,too The ' meetiI. ng iIr ' s I'jscheduI.led ' fox Tuesday , . 'Sentemb�
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6 'ITHACA JOURNAL Wednesday , Sept . 17 , 1975 j
To Town . Planners j
J I
iiz .ens lir �om ' ants
By ALAN .GOODMAN currently defunct cross-town road pro- residents traveling through the town to
Traffic and law. enforcement are major posal . get to and from work.
problems in the northeast area of the • • .• Mrs. Oaksford said neighborhoods are
Town of Ithaca. ' Margaret . Oaksford, president of the developed in advance of traffic planning.
Such was . the message of the Northeast civic association, opened the lengthy dis- She said this has resulted in proposals like
Civic Association .Tuesday night � in the cussion by reading a summary of con• the cross-town road, which would "de-
latest in a series of meetings of town cern she said was not intended to repre- stroy large segments of the - neighbor-
neighborhood bodies with , the town plan- sent a consensus. hood, " and is thus unacceptable to the
ning board. These included what she called "the residents.
Civic association members also aired major problems' ; in the Northeast— de- However, she told the planning board,
their concerns about.' matters of "over- ' velopment both in 'and outside the Town of there' is still a need for an acceptable
development" and the need for more Ithaca, traffic and transportation, and cross-town highway, not only for the use
parks and bicycle paths. law enforcement . of the residents of the Northeast, " but
But the dozen residents attending She criticized the "overdevelopment" also to provide. relief ' from the traffic
focused their` coitu ' nts on two long- m what is now the Village of Lansing, with coming from Lansing.
. its concentration of apartments and shop. Mrs. Oaksford also urged that truck
standing and related problems—too, much
traffic and insufficient law enforcement. pig centers. traffic . be rerouted from Warren and
She said . this• cyclically "dontributes to Hanhaw roads, and that the speed limits
Similar criticisms were made last the population density which in turn con- on these roads and on Muriel Street and
spring to the planning board by the East tributes to the traffic problems which in Salem Drive be reduced. -
Ithaca and Forest Home civic associa- turn contribute to the problems of law She said, though, regardless of the
tions. . enforcement. ' speed limits, " without adequate law en-
The -Northeast
n-The;Northeast group suggested a range Mrs. Oaksford, of 203 Muriel St. , urged forcement, it might as well not exist."
of- solution to these problems, including all planning boards in the county to work Mrs. Oaksford said the & &rel'atively in-
the . extension of roads as alternative together to prevent this "overdevelop- frequent" patrols in the dense area by the
routes to heavily traveled roads. and the ment"—which has resulted in Lansing Sheriff's Department are inadequate.
— — After the presentation, she suggested
the possibility of the Northeast contract-
17i„g with the Village of Cayuga Heights for
additional police protection. The Town of
Ithaca does not have its own police force.
-�� Mrs. -Oaksford also suggested either the
town or a private carrier increase bus
service between ,the Northeast and both
downtown and Ithaca College. She also
Town Planning Engineer Larry . Fab- Fabbroni said the town might be able to urged the planning board to consider
broni said expanded public transportation creating bike paths, especially along
is an option if traffic becomes too great on get federal• matching funds for the de heavily traveled roads.
velopment of parks . The town is also
roads that pass through the northeast. • • •
i considering the establishment of a capital
Planning Board Chairman ' Barbara , reserve fund for park acquisition and . Concerning the cross-town highwayp ro-
. Holcomb said a problem with any pro- development, he said. l posal , the group, opposed it because it
posed loop road is that it would have to In other business. Fabbroni presented would . run through densely populated
cross Six Mile Creek, "and the problem is the results of a Northeast traffic survey neighborhoods.
getting the to build a bridge over he conducted last spring. However, Robert Julian of 203 Salem
money
the creek. " Also, : Mrs . Holcomb announced plan- Drive said the town board should consider
Another solution to the traffic problem ning . board member Robert Scannell is a road farther to the east of the old plan,
was offered by William Reece of 311 leaving the board' to assume the position which would not go through neighbor-
Salem , Drive. He . suggested Tareyton of chief of planning and design in St. hoods. "I don' t think Warren Road was
Drive be extended to Warren Road to originally designed as a cross-town road
alleviate ,� traffic on'� heavily traveled Petersburg. Fla. The town board will for residents of Lansing, " he said.
appoint a replacement .
Muriel ' Street . Planning Board member Richard Black
.Northeast residents also+discussed the , said that when the idea of a road further
hazardous intersection ofj Warren and ' east was proposed, board members were
Hanshaw roads. They opposed a four-way concerned residents might not want to go
stop at the intersection for fear it would very far east to use the cross-town road.
hinder traffic. Some in the audience sug ® ® •
gested a traffic light be installed. How- '
ever, Mrs. Holcomb said this would re-
quire the - approval of the State Depart-
ment of Transportation, .. which she said
could take a long time.
Residents also said- the park that now
serves the area at Northeast School is
inadequate, and urged greater park de-
velopment . ,
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