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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2007-11-06FILE DATE REGULAR MEETING TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2007 215 NORTH TIOGA STREET ITHACA, NY 14850 7:00 p.m. PRESENT Chairperson: Fred Wilcox Board Members: Eva Hoffmann, George Conneman, Rod Howe, Larry Thayer, Kevin Talty and Susan Riha. Alternate Board Member: Hollis Erb. STAFF: Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning; Dan Walker, Town Engineer; Susan Ritter, Assistant Director of Planning; Mike Smith, Environmental Planner; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; Paulette Neilsen, Deputy Town Clerk. OTHERS. David Lieb, Cornell University Kathryn Wolf, Trowbridge and Wolf LLP Tim Peer, Cornell University Ed Wilson, Cornell University John Keefe, Cornell University Rick Couture, Ithaca College Bill Ferguson, Ithaca College Doug Brittain, 135 Warren Road Bruce Brittain, 135 Warren Road Trevor Pinch, Forest Home CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Wilcox declares the meeting duly opened at 7:05 p.m., and accepts for the record Secretary's Affidavit of Posting and Publication of the Notice of Public Hearings in Town Hall and the Ithaca Journal on October 30, 2007 and October 29, 2007 together with the properties under discussion, as appropriate, upon the Clerks of the City of Ithaca and the Town of Danby, upon the Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning, upon the Tompkins County Commissioner of Public Works, and upon the applicants and /or agents, as appropriate, on October 30, 2007, Chairperson Wilcox states the Fire Exit Regulations to those assembled, as required by the New York State Department of State, Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Chairperson Wilcox announces the first agenda item at 7.04p.m. PERSONS TO BE HEARD There was no one wishing to address the Board at this time. Chairperson Wilcox announces the next agenda item at 7.05p.m. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 2 TGEIS Presentation and discussion regarding the Cornell Transportation- focused Generic Environmental Impact Statement (T- GEIS), focusing on the internal meetings with Cornell faculty, staff and students regarding possible mitigation strategies. David Lieb, Cornell University and Kathryn Wolf, Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP, Presenters. David Lieb, Cornell University and Kathryn Wolf, Trowbridge and Wolf LLP Presentation given. The entire presentation can be seen at www.TGEISproject.org (Attachment 1) Questions /Comments from the Board Board Member Howe — Can you share what kind of feedback you did get from those meetings. Mr. Lieb — Yeah. We got very positive feedback, we got good questions. I was very impressed with how engaged the Assemblies were and the types of questions they asked. A lot of it was on specifics that were not ... we don't' have yet. We're looking in general directions here and seeing if they're the right ones, but, the fact that the questions were saying 'okay, that's great. Where are you going to go ?' I thought that was a good endorsement as was the fact that the University Assembly has passed a resolution supporting the TIMS strategies as has the GPSA, and the Student Assembly is voting on a resolution this Thursday and I believe the Employee Assembly, at last check, was penning one. Ms. Wolf — And I will just add to that. As David just said, it was an overwhelmingly positive endorsement. I think that we then also got a lot of sort of personal preference kind of requests and in general, however, I think that the message that we got, was that there needs to be a lot of flexibility. Give us as much flexibility as possible because, for one thing, one mode doesn't work all the time. Just for an example, we heard people say, "I like to bike but, I can't bike all year round. Would you consider a half -year bus pass so I wouldn't have to buy..." So, flexibility was definitely a major theme in terms of the programs, design programs that have lots of options. Chairperson Wilcox — I was going to ask what questions the students and graduate students ask, but I think that answered that question. You referred to delivery of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in November ...yes ... Do you want to estimate when Town Staff will receive it? I'll let you pick a month... Ms. Wolf — Well, we are ... boy, it's taken a long time hasn't it ... we are closing in on it ... we are working very hard on it, it's really, it's a lot of work and we had a lot of analysis, a lot of input, a lot of comments from a lot of different groups who are PB 11-6-07 Pg. 3 reviewing it ... It's going to be late in the month, but we hope to have it on your doorstep this month. But it will be late in the month. Chairperson Wilcox— So when I'm on the radio tomorrow morning and they ask me, I'll say December. That way, if it comes in in November, you beat it right. Ms. Wolf.— It will probably be a little pre- Christmas gift... Board Member Conneman — Kathryn has heard me ask this before but I'll ask it for everybody...) believe in bicycles, that's fine, but the question is, the rules of the road. I wish you had been here to see the guy who cut in front of me tonight ... What plan do you have to provide safety for bicycles because cars are always accused of being the person, the people who really do it, but the bicyclists don't stop for stop signs on campus and I invite you to come to work with me some morning and I will show you at the corner of Warren and ... the road that goes through Forest Home and Tower Road, how they go through, bicyclists all the time ... how are you going to get around that because I'm concerned about safety. Ms. Wolf — Yeah, George, as illustrated by this slide, you are not the only one to point this out. This is really, this is a valid concern, it's a real concern. You're absolutely right. We've, it's, it is identified as part of the Comprehensive Bicycle Program that we've outlined and that is a component of it. One of the. things that we have talked about, and we did a lot of research on what's being done on other campus' and something that a lot of other campus' have is something called, they call it different things, but the idea is sort of an ambassador, bicycle ambassadors and these people are like work -study students or people who are really out there visibly and really seeing people who maybe aren't obeying the rules of the road and trying to educate them in a really visible fashion. So that's one example of some of the kinds of things that are being discussed as possibilities. I think we recognize that that's a problem and it's a tough one, no question, but we recognize it and we have made some proposals on how to address that. Board Member Thayer — It seems like our emphasis should be on park- and -ride more than bicycles. Ithaca isn't very bike - friendly. Not only the weather but the hills. So it seems the emphasis really should be placed on park- and -ride. Mr. Lieb — Yeah, I think you're right and a lot of it depends on distance and direction of approach as well. But there are...we have an idea about where would be logical locations for park- and -ride lots in general terms anyway, .to intercept traffic on its way to the urban core. Definitely a vital piece of making this all work. And then finding the right connections to the park- and -ride lots and then from the park- and -ride lots to campus. But a good park- and -ride can have amenities associated that are beneficial to cyclists. It can have amenities with it that are handy for people who had errands to run on the way to and from work. Can be good meeting places for vanpools or carpools. So they really can serve many of the purposes and address many of the issues that we are talking about here. I think what we are talking about is becoming much more multi- (inaudible) Talking about finding ways for people to get efficiently and making the right connections. People don't want to bring a want to get to campus, they want access, they want ease efficiency and they want it to be expeditious. So, if we make competitive in that regard so that it is as good or better when tal for a community. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 4 where they need to go car to campus. They of access, they want changes, it has to be <en as a whole picture Board Member Riha — Did you consider in the Plan, catalyzing more residential growth in the Town and /or at least closer in the County as opposed to the 40% that are outside the County and coming in? Because if most of the growth occurs closer, then it seems like... Ms. Wolf — We certainly talk about, there's a whole section where we look at the link between land -use and transportation. And there's no question that having development occur that is transit - friendly, that is located along transit routes, that's very important. It could be located further out, but if it's along a transit route or in a nodal fashion, that also can me transit friendly. In addition, there is some discussion of having increased housing closer in. The Cornell Master Plan has identified the East Hill Plaza area as a possible location for residential, so I think that is also. one piece of it and certainly the County's Comprehensive Plan really is based on the concept of nodal development and I think that we very much support that and advocate for that as part of this project as well Board Member Howe — Is there a part of the plan that is addressing, not commuters, but, Cornell brings visitors everyday to its campus for meetings, for conferences, and they never know where to park and it's always a challenges. So is that somehow being factored into it, how you communicate to visitors to the campus where they might, how they might easily get access to campus? Is that being factored in at all? Mr. Lieb — I would say that's somewhat tangential to the work that we've done here. We're looking at really mostly looking at the impact on the community. surrounding the campus and most of that happens during peak hour commuting. Ms. Wolf — But we did characterize it. We definitely did, I think, a pretty thorough inventory of who are the major visitor groups, what kinds of activities generate the largest amounts of visitors and then also, what might be some strategies to better manage that. So, David's right. It is not the same level, but it is definitely addressed. Board Member Conneman — It had two objectives, the way that I remember it, when you presented it ... One was, that you would try to reduce, try to get rid of people in their cars. Fewer cars ... The other one was to get cars out of neighborhoods.. Be neighborhood friendly, be a good neighbor. What in the report covers that. I mean, do you do anything that says let's get people out of Forest Home, for example? Ms. Wolf — We do, in fact. Well, I think there is sort of a two -part answer there. The first part is that, I think, first and foremost, the intent is that by strengthening, by creating PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 5 strong alternatives, if people are choosing alternative modes, that means they are not driving through the neighborhoods, okay ... so that ... that's primary method of mitigating impacts to neighborhoods. Let's get them into the Park and Ride lots so that they are leaving their cars outside the urban core and they are not driving into the urban core and if we've got express bus service from the Park and Ride lots to campus and downtown, that becomes attractive and can be really effective. So that's the real emphasis. Let's have really good programs that incentivise people to choose alternatives. In addition to that, we did, in some specific locations, look at some specific mitigation strategies such as possible road reconfigurations that would encourage traffic flow in certain directions and, for example, realigning Pleasant Grove Road so that it has a more direct connection to campus as opposed to a direct connection to Forest Home, that would be a more deliberate turn off of Pleasant Grove to go into Forest Home. So we have also looked at some of those strategies. Chairperson Wilcox — I guess we look forward to the end of November. Chairperson Wilcox announces the next agenda item at 7:49p.m. SEAR Determination Ithaca College Emergency Alarm System, 953 Danby Road Rick Couture, Associate Director for Facilities, 953 Danby Road Bill Ferguson, Associate Director of Public Safety, 953 Danby Road Mr. Couture — We are here tonight to seek permission to install an emergency notification system on our campus, as most, I think everyone in the room is aware that the tragic events down at Virginia Tech have made many colleges and universities across the country look at methods or ways to provide proper communication and notification to its constituencies during emergency times and we have tried to institute a couple of different programs to do that. One is a communication system. We've hired an outside consultant to come in and install a computer program so that we could notify people via their cell phones and emails when an emergency occurs and the other program that we would like to seek permission for is to install a couple of emergency sirens located on our campus. One would be on the top of our campus center building and most of you folks are familiar with that, and the second one would be located off up near our soccer field and College Circle Road. And this system is basically this is a 4- speaker system that is mounted on a pole and it emits a rather loud siren sound, I guess, for lack of a better term to describe it, and our intent is to only use that for extreme emergency situations to let our campus community know that there is a problem or a situation that they need to be made aware of. I would certainly be happy to answer any questions that we can regarding the system and the... basically, the sirens and I think everyone has a packet of information showing what they look like. They are mounted on poles ... the one on top of the campus center PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 6 would be mounted on top of a 10 -foot pole and the one up by the wood field, will actually be mounted on a 60 -foot pole that will be buried 10 feet into the ground, so it will not exceed the height of 50 feet from grade level. And again, I think it's important to emphasize that we only intend to use those under very extreme emergency situations. They will not be like a public address system that we will be using to announce football games or anything. Chairperson Wilcox — Did you see the County's comments on this? The only comment from the County Planning Department was a recommendation that the College should limits its use to emergencies to avoid impact to nearby property owners. Mr. Ferguson — Absolutely. Alternate Member Erb — I am very glad that you are thinking of it only being used in extreme emergency, but, every system that I have ever heard of, always wants to "check" itself a few times a year. So how often do you intend to do that? And what kind of community notification do you expect to do? In other words, the practice siren. Mr. Ferguson — We anticipate testing it at least once per semester. We haven't really devised a plan to notify the community, but once the emergency tone goes of it is followed by a pretext message which describes it as a test, we're testing the emergency system, this is only a test. So that would be done twice a year. We are also looking at an upgrade of the system that would allow us to poll the siren so we don't, actually have to do an audible test to make sure that they are operating. Alternate Member Erb — I understand that your text - messaging system would then tell people it's okay. But I am wondering about prior notification to people about we're going to have a test at 10:00 in the morning on such and such a date that also might reach the few neighbors who are also going to be able to hear this and who won't be tied into your text messaging system. Mr. Ferguson — Right. We have to devise a plan on how to contact those neighbors. Mr. Couture -- But certainly, we would take a look at the best way to do that, absolutely. Board Member Hoffmann — It might also be something that hearing a siren going off like that might also concern people who pass by in cars, or bicycles or walking, and it would be harder to notify them, you can't send out any notice, .So it would be a good idea to think about how to make them less frightened if it happens. Mr. Ferguson — Well the sounds the volunteer fire department sii communities so, we don't want people realize that it's not one library of different tones that are out, that these sirens will make are not much different than -ens that we are all familiar with hearing ir4the various it to sound exactly like a fire department siren so that of the departments, but there are a series... there's a available to use, depending on what we decide to pick PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 7 Board Member Hoffmann — You sent along some very useful information about different noise levels of different activities and I didn't find anywhere how loud the sirens will be or the voice messages would be, in decibels... Mr. Couture — If you have a chance to look at this sheet, that describes the system. It says Whalen 2004 on top of it ... under system features, it indicates that at 100 feet, the sound level is 118 decibels. It's the Whalen 2904, I'm sorry... Board Member Hoffmann — I have one that looks like... (talking over each other. Mr. Ferguson gets everyone on the same page) Mr. Ferguson — On the specifications for each of the sirens, on the bottom of the page is the acoustic performance for each of the sirens and as you get farther away from the siren, the decibel level does drop. For example, the 2904 siren, at 2,800 feet, it's 7 decibel range and then at 5,600 feet, it's 60 decibels. So they do have the specs listed on both the 2903 and the 2904. Board Member Hoffmann — I still don't see it, but I believe you that that's what it says. (Fred shows Eva) Chairperson Wilcox — While Eva is looking at that. A couple of changes I'd like to make to the short environmental assessment form. Number 3 is the tax parcel number, it shows 41 -1-30.2, we need to add 42 -1 -13.2, those are the two parcels referred to in the public hearing notice and I assume those are the two parcels, one out near ( ?). Number 12, Does any aspect of the proposed action have a valid permit? We need to check yes, the text is there, we just need to check it. Those are the only changes, as I said, the copy you have was not signed, and Rick has now signed it. Board Member Hoffmann — That's actually something that I was going to bring up and I will bring it up under Other Business later on ... Very often, both the EAF and the EIS form, the longer form, will have a signature, but it's unreadable and there is no place for people to print their name. This one actually has a place for the applicant or the sponsor to print or type their name, but some of the other forms don't have that. But we can talk about that later. But I think it's important to know who's signature it is if you can't read it, which often happens. Chairperson Wilcox — Any other discussion on the environmental impact? Board Member Howe — I'll move the SEQR. Chairperson Wilcox — So moved by Rod Howe, seconded by Larry Thayer. Susan. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 8 Ms. Brock — I have some clarifications in the first whereas clause. The last sentence states "one pole will be mounted on the roof of the campus center" and then in Parentheses, it says "10 feet above roof' I propose adding to the beginning of the parenthetical, "top of pole" 10 feet above pole. And then it goes on and says "and the second will be mounted on a wooden pole." Well, the second pole won't be mounted on a wooden pole, the second will be mounted on the ground. And then the parenthetical, it should state "top of pole, 50 feet above grade." Chairperson Wilcox — discussion... Acceptable gentlemen? Okay. There being no further ADOPTED RESOLUTION. PB RESOLUTION No. 2007 - 114 SEAR Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit Ithaca College Emergency Alarm System 953 Danby Road Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2 Town of Ithaca Planning Board November 6, 2007 Motion made by Rod Howe, seconded by Larry Thayer. WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed emergency mass notification alarm system on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The proposal involves installing two mass communication poles to deliver emergency warnings and messages to the College campus community. One pole will be mounted on the roof of the Campus Center (top of pole 10 feet above roof) and the second will be mounted on the ground (top of pole 50 feet above grade) between Wood Field and College Circle Road. Ithaca College, Owner /Applicant; Richard Couture, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board is acting as Lead Agency in environmental review with respect to Site Plan Approval and Special Permit, and 3. The Planning Board, on November 6, 2007, has reviewed. and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) Part I, submitted by the applicant, and Part II prepared by Town Planning staff, a campus map illustrating the system locations, specification sheets describing the proposed system, and other application materials, and PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 9 4. The Town Planning staff has recommended a negative determination of environmental significance with respect to the proposed Site Plan Approval and Special Permit; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby makes a negative determination of environmental significance in accordance with Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law and 6 NYCRR Part 617 New York State Environmental. Quality Review for the above referenced actions as proposed, based on the information in the EAF Part I and for the reasons set forth in the EAF Part II, and, therefore, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. A vote on the motion was as follows: AYES: Wilcox, Hoffmann, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, Talty and Riha NAYS: None The motion passed unanimously. Chairperson Wilcox announces the next agenda item at 7:52p.m. PUBLIC HEARING Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed mass notification system on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 =1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The proposal involves installing two mass communication poles to deliver emergency warnings and messages to the College campus community. One pole will be mounted on the roof of the Campus Center (10 feet above roof) and the second will be mounted on a wooden pole (50 feet high) between Wood Field and College Circle Road. Ithaca College, Owner /Applicant, Richard Couture, Agent. Chairperson Wilcox — Ladies and gentlemen, this is your opportunity to address the Planning Board on this particular agenda item. If you wish to address the Board, we ask that you raise your hand, we'll call on you, come up to the microphone, we ask that you provide your name and address and we'll be very interested to hear what you have to say this evening. There being no one. I will close the public hearing at 7:53p.m. Any questions? Board Member Talty — I have a general question. My question is, to the best of your knowledge, is there, is this a proactive measure or is there legislation underway to make this mandatory for college and university campus' across the country? PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 10 Mr. Ferguson — I don't believe that there is any legislation pending on this issue. We looked at what other colleges and universities were doing across the country in response to the particular incident at Virginia Tech and some other institutions and we needed a method by which to notify visitors to the campus, who are not part of our computerized notification system. In the summer we run many camps with children and we have many events on campus with visitors to campus and we needed some way to notify those folks of any pending emergency on campus. Board Member Talty — Thank you. Chairperson Wilcox — With regard to the language, excuse me, with regard to the statement in the Tompkins County Department of Planning's letter, does anybody have any interest in including that language in the resolution? Hollis is nodding her head... Common sense? I am looking at Susan... Ms. Brock — You want to further modify it so that the condition reads "the notification system..." Actually, I think we should say, "The applicant shall limit its use of the loudspeakers to emergencies and routine testing no more than..." ...once per semester or so many times per year...? Chairperson Wilcox — Three times per year... I would say... You've got two semesters plus you've got a summer school? So.. Mr. Couture — That would be great, absolutely. Ms. Brock — Okay. Chairperson Wilcox —'Can you read that one more time. Ms. Brock — Sure. "The applicant shall limit its use of the loudspeakers to .emergencies and routine testing" I'm sorry, let's say "emergencies, and to routine testing not to exceed... Alternate Member Erb — Three routine tests per year. Ms. Brock — I'm sorry let's... "The applicant shall limit its use of the loud speakers to emergencies and up to three routine tests per year." ...to avoid, yeah, we don't need the rest of that sentence, I think it would end right there. And we will put that in the resolution, well, I guess you don't have it on the table yet... Chairperson Wilcox — Nope, I'm about ready to do it. Would someone like to move the resolution as drafted ... moved by George Conneman, seconded by Kevin Talty. Ms. Brock — So we can make it a condition of the Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval, at the end of the language that we have right now, instead of a. period, make PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 11 that a comma, and state, subject to the following condition: The applicant shall limit its use of the loudspeakers to emergencies and up to three routine tests per year. Chairperson Wilcox — Change acceptable George and Kevin. Okay. Any further discussion? Board Member Hoffmann — And the language about the poles is changed as well? Ms. Brock — Right. In the first whereas clause, the same changes that we made for the SEQR resolution, do you want those read again? Board Member Hoffmann — No, as long as we know that we are changing them to be the same as in the SEQR. Chairperson Wilcox — Any further discussion... there being none... ADOPTED RESOLUTION: PB RESOLUTION No. 2007 - 115 Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval & Special Permit Ithaca College Emergency Alarm System 953 Danby Road" Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2 Town of Ithaca Planning Board November 6, 2007 Motion made by George Conneman, seconded by Kevin Talty. WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed emergency mass notification alarm system on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The proposal involves installing two mass, communication poles to deliver emergency warnings and messages. to the College campus community. One pole will be mounted on the roof of the Campus Center (top of pole 10 feet above roof) and the second will be mounted on the ground (top of pole 50 feet above grade) between Wood Field and College Circle Road, Ithaca College, Owner /Applicant; Richard Couture, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, acting as lead agency in environmental review with respect to Site Plan Approval and Special Permit has, on November 6, 2007, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part .I, submitted by the applicant, and a Part 11 prepared by Town Planning staff, and . PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 12 3. The Planning Board, at a Public Hearing held on November 6, 2007, has reviewed and accepted as adequate application. materials for the proposed emergency mass notification alarm system including a campus map illustrating the system locations, specification sheets describing the proposed system, and other application materials. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Planning Board hereby grants Special Permit for the proposed installation of the Ithaca College emergency mass notification alarm system, finding that the standards of Article XXIV Section 270 -200, Subsections A L, of the Town of Ithaca Code, have been met, AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Ithaca College emergency mass notification alarm system located on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone, as shown on a campus map illustrating the system locations, specification sheets describing the proposed system, and other application materials, subject to the following condition: The Applicant shall limit its use of the loudspeakers to emergencies and up to three (3) routine tests per year. A vote on the motion was as follows: YES: Wilcox, Hoffmann, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, Talty and Riha NAYS: None The motion passed unanimously. Chairperson Wilcox announces the next agenda item at 7:59p.m. SEQR Determination East Hill Plaza — Conversion of Former Rite Aid Location, 323 Pine Tree Road. Maria Menard, Ms. Brock Ashley Management, 95 Brown Road Pamela Kingsbury, 202 East State Street Kevin Snyder, Chief Financial Officer, Cayuga Press, 3215 South Main St., Cortland Ms. Menard — So we are all here in consideration of the conversion, as we put it, for the former Rite Aid space. The former Rite Aid space is, as most of us might know here, left the East Hill Plaza and constructed a new facility across the street and it has left us with a 7,000 square foot space in the East Hill Plaza for almost 11 months now. We have secured two suitable tenants and we are here to ask consideration to propose PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 13 splitting up that 7,000 square feet. Some of the changes, mostly to the space, are to the storefront. I believe you have all been presented with plans that separate the Cayuga Press business and operation in the front of the store and Sedgewick Business Furniture in the back. Again, the storefront I think there's some revised drawings there, and also, proposed signage for the Cayuga Press as well and I have brought the architect here, Pamela Kingsbury, for any questions you may have and also, Cayuga Press, as they will be the main tenant occupying 4,445 square feet of the front piece of the Plaza. Chairperson Wilcox — Questions? And we will try to stick to the environmental questions, but I know how that works. Board Member Hoffmann — I'm just curious to know in what ways these two businesses can serve the local community? Ms. Menard — Well, I would like to have that opportunity to ask Cayuga Press to answer that question for you because there is certainly a long history of Cayuga Press in the Ithaca area and I think that he could best represent that answer for you. Mr. Snyder — Due to the need for expansion, Cayuga Press has relocated to Cortland where we operate our printing and production facility. We have a sales office on Hanshaw Road but we are looking to relocate in a closer proximity to Cornell which is one of our larger customers, for that operation. The East Hill opportunity arose an we'd like to maintain a sales office, market our promotional and customized printing of T- shirts and garments and open up a copy center in that facility. We'd also like it to be an opportunity to support the rest of our Ithaca customers as well. The majority of our customers are located in Ithaca. Alternate Member Erb — Excuse me, when you say copy center, do you mean walk in off the street with.. Mr. Snyder — Correct. Alternate Member Erb — Okay. Chairperson Wilcox — Eva, you're pondering. Board Member Hoffmann — I still don't have a good idea of what you sell, other than T- shirts and copy services. Mr. Snyder — Well, we're a printer. We print anything that you can print on. We have a number of customers in the Ithaca area, most notably Cornell, that has files that they send to us and we use these PDF files to print whatever they need to have printed, and Cornell's design team is located in that Plaza. So it makes it much easier for us to exchange these files and have them delivered back to our Cortland facility as well as facilitate delivering of product to Cornell and some of our other local customers. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 14 Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. So I hear that you're, you Ire ... a big job of yours is serving Cornell, but how about the community around there? Mr. Snyder — I guess I don't understand... Board Member Hoffmann — The people who live around that area who use this shopping center. Mr. Snyder — Well, we also recognize the need that that area doesn't have a copy center. A lot of the Cornell community is, specifically graduate students, may not have transportation and it's more difficult for them to get downtown to use the larger box stores ... Kinkos and places like that, so they can have a copy center at their disposal in closer range for walking or riding their bicycle. Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. Thank you. Chairperson Wilcox — If you wonder why the questions are being asked, I will tell you why ... The zoning in this area is community commercial zone and the intent is to have businesses which serve that community, and that is where the questions are coming from, there is a reason they are being asked. Mr. Menard — I think, wasn't the Gnoman Copy Center, was probably the closest copy center, that was on Eddy Street in Cornell, which has then since relocated so there is a need, I think, for a copy center in the area. Again, very close not only for the student access but there's many professionals as well that like to have a copy center to access rather than going to the downtown district. Board Member Hoffmann — You also had a copy center when there were several businesses in the former bowling facility. There was a Mail and More Store, and they had copying services too and we lost that. Chairperson Wilcox — Having a consumer oriented walk -in area to serve the needs, whether it's a copy center, possibly buying paper, I am not saying that you have to do that, is important. It is much more important than deciding to locate a sales office here that doesn't serve the community other than Cornell. Ms. Brock — Fred, in the community commercial zone, printer is listed as one of the permitted uses. It doesn't say printer as long as it serves the community, it says printer. (laughter) So I think the questions are fair to some extent, but the Board can not take this that far. It's a permitted use. Board Member Hoffmann — Well I am wondering and I'm thinking about the effects on trying to plan for this area. Planning for transportation, planning for all kinds of things that's gong on right now and... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 15 Ms. Brock — The Town Board has made the determination that this is an appropriate use and... Board Member Hoffmann — Yes, and I am aware of that, and I am still asking for it to be a use which is useful for the community. Board Member Talty — Is there a whole litany of different uses? Board Member Hoffmann — They can have a use but they can slant it so that it's useful for the community. Alternate Member Erb — Including office... Chairperson Wilcox — Thought we can't require it. Board Member Hoffmann — No. But we can suggest. Chairperson Wilcox — Kevin has the floor... Board Member Talty — My question was, is there a whole litany of different businesses that have been determined by the Town Board that are acceptable to go into that particular center? Ms. Brock — Yes. To go into that type of zone. Into the community commercial zone. Board Member Talty — I'm not asking you to read those off, I'm just asking if there are a lot of them. Alternate Member Erb — Well, I'll ask. Does it include a Sedwick Furniture store that isn't selling furniture there? Ms. Brock — One of the things on the list is furniture and appliance sales and service... Mr. Kanter — One of the others is offices, so yes. Alternate Member Erb — Okay. I actually had the same question about it in my head too, and pulled out my map to double check. Mr. Kanter — Can I give a little commentary here. I know, I agree with the question line that Eva was taking because we have seen East Hill Plaza change from primarily a retail oriented shopping center to now 50% of it is occupied by Cornell office space and administration and at some point, the viability of it as a shopping center is going to disappear if Cornell keeps using it for office space, so I think there is a legitimate concern about the viability of it as a community oriented chopping center. On the other hand, Cornell is now proposing a huge conversion of that area into something PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 16 completely different. The East Hill Village Concept in the Master Plan, that's likely that someday in the future that whole shopping center is going to be totally different. Board Member Hoffmann — Right, but as I have understood the presentations of that, for that area and the Master Plan, it was still to contain a component of businesses to serve that area as well as the one that already exists. So it wasn't, as I understood it anyway, I hope somebody will tell me if I am wrong, it is not going to change to a campus community without any businesses or businesses that serve the local community. Mr. Kanter — I think we will be ... we have scheduled a presentation for Cornell to come in at our late November meeting to talk about the Master Plan so I think we will be able to hear a lot more about that then. Chairperson Wilcox — Do you want to raise a question Susan? Board Member Riha — This is still the SEQR right? Chairperson Wilcox — I know, but there is a visual aspect. Board Member Riha — So I had a question; because I drove over there this morning, about the facade and the changing of the facade because it looked like, from this plan where you have existing and then proposed storefront drawing A202, that the bottom part of the fagade is still going to be very much as it was and when I looked at the rest of that whole group of stores, they had the fagade that was similar to the Laundromat on the left and so it seemed like it would be awfully nice, if you were redoing the front fagade, to match that whole area, because then you would get that whole kind of cohesive look. Ms. Kingsbury —There is an intent to match it to the best of our ability given certain parameters. What we're going to do, we are going to enlarge the windows vertically and we are going to enlarge them towards the concrete sidewalk so that the sills line up with the adjacent lines. We've asked to maintain the original window opening rather than widening it simply because there is a telephone there that we don't want to relocate and that also gives us an opportunity to move an existing mailbox that would be in front of the windows over to wall space, so that would be beneficial for us. The, we're going to be using the similar aluminum window frame materials that you have in the adjacent laundromat, we're going to be painting the existing brick white so it emulates the existing brick that's on the adjacent store front... Board Member Riha — But there's no way that you can lower that existing brick to be at the same level as the rest of the existing brick? You know, I like the idea of having a window at that (inaudible) but then this, the rest of this brick rises up ... (Susan Riha shows the architect what she is talking about) Ms. Kingsbury This is existing brick over concrete block backup so it would be costly to reconstruct that whole fagade to bring that level down. We think that, since this is a PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 17 red brick now and this is an off -white stucco and this is white brick that if we paint this white it will blend in more with the existing. Board Member Riha — I agree that it will blend in better, it just seems like all of the rest of the stores have gone with that similar ... the rest of the buildings have gone with that similar fagade... Chairperson Wilcox — Just to make sure that I am clear, I am looking at this photograph as touched up by the applicant and it does in fact show the telephone booth and it does show the mailbox. Is this the issue Susan, where this red color sort of stops ... Can we see it on here? Board Member Riha - Well what I was thinking is, (inaudible) ... M &T Bank fagade, I admit, is a little weird right, but all the rest over here have the same fagade as this store here, along that and so it just seemed, oh, if you lowered this across the whole thing, I agree, they said they are going to paint it, which will certainly make it look better and the window will come down and be at more of that same level, but then it seemed like, oh, if they could keep that line going straight across, then it would blend in with the whole set of buildings going out to ... but you're saying that it just would cost too much money... Ms. Kingsbury — It would, we would have to reconstruct the whole storefront to do that. As I say, it's brick on concrete block backup and it's also got some (inaudible) so it's an 11 inch thick wall, it's a pretty substantial wall... Alternate Member Erb — I was concerned about what paint color it was going to be and I am happy that it's going to be a color that blends in. Although it is of course, one of the ugliest strip buildings around. Board Member Riha — But it's not like the fagade is that great. Chairperson Wilcox — Is this about lipstick on a pig sort of thing... Alternate Member Erb — Yeah it's a little bit: I have a question in that we have been told about the Cayuga Press sign but we haven't been told anything about signage on the back of the building for the furniture store. Ms. Menard — The only proposed signage on the back of the Sedgwick is they're, again, there is an elevations plan here that shows you the door, that will have a hollow door with the (inaudible, papers rustling) and as well as lighting and there will be a sign for their entrance back there., probably very near to the same color of the fagade. But you are correct, it is not present on the drawing. Alternate Member Erb — I would want to know about the sign. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. Details on the sign would be important, size, color, etc. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 18 Board Member Talty — Illumination. Board Member Hoffmann — Or not. Ms. Menard — I think that there would not be any illumination on the sign itself, outside of the light fixture above the door. The sign, again, probably near something like your nametags here, with the black and then white lettering. Bronze in color, probably preferred.. . Chairperson Wilcox — Roughly that size? Roughly Ms. Menard — I am going to say the size of a normal no- parking sign that you would find, what is it.... Chairperson Wilcox — I glanced over at Susan and asked her to draft some language... Board Member Howe — I'll move the SEQR resolution. Chairperson Wilcox — So moved by Rod Howe, seconded by Kevin Talty. Any other discussion with regard to the environmental review? Susan, any changes? Okay. There being no further discussion... ADOPTED RESOLUTION: PB RESOLUTION No. 2007 - 1.16 SEAR Preliminary and Final Site Plan East Hill Plaza Conversion of Former Rite Aid Space 323 Pine Tree Road Tax Parcel No. 62 -2 -1.121 Town of Ithaca Planning Board, November 6, 2007 Motion made by Rod Howe, seconded by Kevin Talty. WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid space in the East Hill Plaza located at 323 Pine Tree Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 62 -2- 1.121, Community Commercial Zone. The proposal involves splitting the former Rite Aid space into two new rental units for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgwick Furniture. Cornell University Real Estate Department, Owner /Applicant; Maria B. Maynard, Property Manager, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board is acting as Lead Agency in an uncoordinated environmental review with respect to this project, and PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 19 3. The Planning Board, on November 6, 2007, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) Part I, submitted by the applicant, and Part II prepared by Town Planning staff, drawings titled "Site Plan" (0714 T100), "Floor Plan" (0714 A100), "Existing Storefront Conditions" (0714 A200), "North Elevation" (0714 A203), dated 10/3/07, "Proposed Storefront Elevation Scheme" (0714 A202), revised 10/29/07, prepared by Kingsbury Architecture LLC, and other application materials, and 4. The Town Planning staff has recommended a negative determination of environmental significance with respect to the proposed project; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby makes of environmental significance in accordance with Article Conservation Law and 6 NYCRR Part 617 New York Sta Review for the above referenced actions as proposed, based EAF Part I and for the reasons set forth in the EAF Part I Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. A vote on the motion resulted as follows: a 8 to 0 I, negative determination of the Environmental Environmental Quality n the information in the and, therefore, a Draft AYES: Wilcox, Hoffmann, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, Talty, and Riha. NAYS: None The motion passed unanimously. Chairperson Wilcox announced the next agenda item at 8:15p.m. PUBLIC HEARING Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid location in the East Hill Plaza located at 323 Pine Tree Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 62 -2- 1.121, Community Commercial Zone. The proposal involves splitting the former Rite Aid space into two new rental units for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgwick Furniture. Cornell University Real Estate Department, Owner /Applicant; Maria B. Maynard, Property Manager, Agent. Chairperson Wilcox — Ladies and Gentlemen, any questions with regard to Site Plan? There being none, I will give the public a chance to speak. Once again, this is a public hearing this evening. If you wish to address the Planning Board on this particular agenda item, we invite up to the microphone, have a seat, give us your name and address and we'll be very interested to hear what you have to say PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 20 this evening. As I look around the room, I do not see any hands raised. There being no one, I will close the public hearing at 8:17p.m. and bring the matter back to the Board. Do we have any questions with regard to site plan at this point? There being... Board Member Hoffmann — I just want to be sure that we do get somebody to look over the signs, both the one indicated on the front fagade, which we don't know anything about other than what we see in the picture, and the one in the back. Chairperson Wilcox — So you would like more details on the Cayuga Press sign in the front? Board Member Hoffmann — Yes. For instance, what color it is going to be....it could be the same kind of bright pink that the P &C put up... Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah, yeah, obviously our preference for signage is that is consistent with the laundromat and the M &T bank and ... Alternate Member Erb — And I would like to know for sure that the paint that was going to be applied is not going to be something garish. That it was going to be a blending in paint. Chairperson Wilcox — I think they have actually stated that it would be... Board Member Hoffmann — Right, but we want that in the resolution too. Chairperson Wilcox — Alright, that the paint not be garish... laughter ... I will let Susan try and come up with something there.... Alright, will someone like to move the motion as drafted? Board Member Thayer — I'll move the motion... Chairperson Wilcox — So moved by Larry Thayer, seconded by George... Board Member Hoffmann — It looks, on the second page of the resolution, as if there was an intent to add something else ... it says permit, and ... do you have some suggestions? Mr. Smith — No, it was just copy and pasting, carried the and over... Chairperson Wilcox — Welcome Michael... Mr. Kanter — We heard from the Code Enforcement Officer that there is a likelihood that a sprinkler would need to be installed in the rear office space because of the change of use classification and there's a possibility that the applicant may apply for a sprinkler PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 21 variance. That's a, this is a sprinkler requirement in the Town's own sprinkler code, versus the state building code and so we understand that the applicant may be applying for a variance from the sprinkler law. So it would probably be good to include, in the conditions... Chairperson Wilcox — Standard language ... our approval subject to the granting of any necessary variances... Ms. Menard — We did ask that question to the Planning Board in our initial planning, to apply for a variance for the sprinkler system. We have since changed our mind, realizing again that any expansion or other conversions from the Plaza is to protect it for code, sprinkler code. There has been and will be a sprinkler system in there and one that is actually going to be large enough to expand to protect the rest of the Plaza that is non- sprinklered at this time. And that is actually in the works at this time. Mr. Kanter — So I don't think you have relayed that to our Code Enforcement Officer yet. Ms. Menard — We will convey that to Kristie, yes. Chairperson Wilcox — We have nothing in the plans in front of us that says there is a sprinkler system to be installed. Mr. Walker — The building permit will require it because of the occupancy so as long as you say they meet all the other requirements of other permits from the Town, you're covered. Mr. Kanter — So I think now that we have heard that and it's on public record, and if they change their minds and decide that they can't do the sprinkler system, they won't get a building permit until they apply for a variance... Chairperson Wilcox — We are driving the Attorney for the Town crazy... Mr. Kanter — Hey, it's fine tuning on the spot stuff here... Board Member Hoffmann — I can't see that it hurts anything to put it in the resolution anyway. Chairperson Wilcox — What, specifically? Board Member Hoffmann — To put something about sprinklers being required ... if they are going to do it anyway... Mr. Kanter — I wouldn't know how to word that, because it's a building code issue... Chairperson Wilcox — As opposed to a Planning Board issue... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 22 Ms. Brock — I think I have some language... Chairperson Wilcox — Okay, alright... Mr. Walker — I think the only language you need is that any... Ms. Brock — I've got-it... Chairperson Wilcox — Shhh, she trumped you on this one... Mr. Walker — Maybe... Chairperson Wilcox — Susan, what do you have Susan... Ms. Brock — One of the conditions can be "receipt of any necessary sprinkler variances for the Cayuga Press Inc., space if sprinklers meeting the New York State Building Code are not installed." Mr. Kanter — It's actually not Cayuga Press space that's really... Mr. Walker — It's for the other space and it's not NYS Building Code, it's Town Sprinkler Law requires. it. Ms. Menard — The sprinkler system will be installed in both locations, just so you know, and again, to a size, it will be able to expand off into... Mr. Walker — I think that the only language we would need there is that "any construction done to do these office spaces shall meet Town requirements, Zoning requirements and Building Code requirements. Ms. Brock — But that's required for every project... Chairperson Wilcox — and we don't put that in there... Ms. Brock -- ...and we never say that... Mr. Walker — Right, but Eva asked for it, so... Chairperson Wilcox — Right, but the point is, the plans don't show anything about the sprinkler system, that's why... Mr. Walker — You're not approving the construction plans... Mr. Kanter — And usually you wouldn't see a sprinkler plan... Chairperson Wilcox — You're right, we would simply discuss the fact that... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 23 Mr. Kanter — This simply came up because I had a discussion with the Code Officer indicating that as of today, her knowledge was that a sprinkler would be required and that the applicant was not prepared to build one. We now hear from the applicant that that has changed, so I don't think the resolution needs to address it. Chairperson Wilcox — Okay. Good. What do you have Susan? Ms. Brock — Add to the resolved on page 2, paragraph 2, we have paragraph a, which is the first condition, add another condition, paragraph b, "submission of details of the proposed signs for Cayuga Press Signs and Sedgewick Furniture, including location, sizes, colors and appearance, that demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning that the signs comply with Town of Ithaca Sign Law and are consistent with other similar signs in East Hill Plaza. Chairperson Wilcox — Who moved it and seconded it ... I lost track... satisfactory gentlemen? ... all right ... any other changes? Board Member Hoffmann — What about the change on the facade? Chairperson Wilcox — Oh yeah, we want something that the colors... they' re not garish... Board Member Hoffmann — Well that the colors... Alternate Member Erb — There was a suggestion that the color, the brick be painted a color to blend with the neighboring walls. Chairperson Wilcox — With the walls of the rented units on either side. Alternate Member Erb — Because I looked through it and I had that as a written down question to ask, I mean, I don't see that they stated what color it's going to be, in writing. Ms. Brock — Could you say that again. Alternate Member Erb — Bricks to be painted a color to match the fronts of the adjacent businesses. Ms. Menard — Can I just interject there, because I...one of the neighboring tenants is the M &T Bank and that is a gray stone color. Our intention is to blend in with the brick, which is consistent throughout the Plaza below the store front windows, and that is white, so it is our intention there to blend that in and will be as close to that white in color as possible. But again, when you say the adjacent, M &T Bank is a different color. Alternate Member Erb — Just say paint it white. Board Member Riha — Well, it's not exactly... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 24 Chairperson Wilcox — They have to pick an off -white that matches the faded white ...no ... laughter. .. Ms. Brock — So you want, bricks to be painted white to match the painted bricks in the rest of the Plaza? Ms. Menard — Just for clarification, again, I'm sorry, but the bricks aren't actually painted white, it's a veneer of the brick style that is white in color. Ms. Brock — So they're not painted? It's veneer? Ms. Menard — They are not painted. We are going to paint the existing storefront brick of the East Hill, of the Rite Aid, to match the white brick that's below the rest of the storefronts. Chairperson Wilcox — Let's try to get away from being too specific. We want the facade... Alternate Member Erb — To blend... Chairperson Wilcox — To blend with the fagade of the units to the west. Ms. Menard — the brick type face... Chairperson Wilcox — the units to the west are the ... is the laundromat, right, and the Judd Falls Wine, that's what we want, we want the fagade to blend with the facades to the west. Board Member Hoffmann — But it sounds as if we are saying that we want the fagade to be identical in color to the ones to the west, but I would also hope that it would blend and harmonize with the fagade to the east. Board Member Riha — It will, it's just the immediate fagade to the east is this weird little hunk of M &T Bank and then all the rest are similar to the fagade to the west... Chairperson Wilcox -- I also want to avoid the use of the work "identical ". It can not be identical. Board Member Hoffmann — Right. I think that is what we are asking is closer to that than something that blends. Blends is very, what does it mean really... Board Member Thayer — Not garish.... laughter... Chairperson Wilcox — touche. Board Member Hoffmann — That's true, that's what we want right... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 25 Ms. Brock — Is there only one color on the fagade? Ms. Menard —That is correct, until you get to the Wings Over Ithaca, which is a barn - face board, and they you have the M &T Bank which is the only other storefront that has a different style. Ms. Brock — The fagade color shall blend wit the... Ms. Menard — Brick face type, I would say, because it is, a brick -face type. Ms. Brock — So, shall blend with the brick -face type of the fagade to the west? Ms. Menard — Yes. Chairperson Wilcox — Yes. You alright with that George? Ms. Brock — So that would be condition c. Chairperson Wilcox — Any further discussion? There being none... ADOPTED RESOLUTION: PB RESOLUTION No. 2007 - 117 Preliminary and Final Site Plan East Hill Plaza Conversion of Former Rite Aid Space 323 Pine Tree Road Tax Parcel No. 62 -2 -1.121 Town of Ithaca Planning Board, November 6, 2007 Motion made by Larry Thayer, seconded by George Conneman. WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid space in the East Hill Plaza located at 323 Pine Tree Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 62 -2- 1.121, Community Commercial Zone. The proposal involves splitting the former Rite Aid space into two new rental units for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgwick Furniture. Cornell University Real Estate Department, Owner /Applicant; Maria B. Maynard, Property Manager, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted. Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, acting as lead agency in an uncoordinated environmental review with respect to the project has, on November 6, 2007, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part I, submitted by the applicant, and a Part II prepared by Town Planning staff, and PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 26 The Planning Board, at a Public Hearing held on November 6, 2007, has reviewed and accepted as adequate, drawings titled "Site Plan" (0714 T100), "Floor Plan" (0714 A100), "Existing Storefront Conditions" (0714 A200), "North Elevation" (0714 A203), dated 10/3/07, "Proposed Storefront Elevation Scheme" (0714 A202), revised 10/29/07, prepared by Kingsbury Architecture LLC, and other application materials, and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby waives certain requirements for Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval, as shown on the Preliminary and Final Site Plan Checklists, having determined from the materials presented that such waiver will result in neither a significant alteration of the purpose of site plan control nor the policies enunciated or implied by the Town Board, and That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid space in the East Hill Plaza as described on drawings titled "Site Plan" (0714 T100), "Floor Plan" (0714 A100)1 "Existing Storefront Conditions" (0714 A200), "North Elevation" (0714 A203),. dated 10/3/07, "Proposed Storefront Elevation Scheme" (0714 A202), revised 10/29/07, prepared by Kingsbury Architecture LLC, subject to the following conditions: a. submission of one set of the final site plan drawings on mylar; vellum, or paper, signed and sealed by the registered land surveyor, engineer,. architect, or landscape architect who prepared the site plan materials, prior to issuance of a building permit, and b. submission of details of the proposed signs for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgewick Furniture, including location, sizes, colors and appearance, that demonstrate to the. satisfaction of the Director of Planning that' the signs comply with the Town of Ithaca Sign Law and are consistent with other similar signs in East Hill Plaza, and c. facade color to blend with the brick -face type of facade to the west. A vote on the motion was as follows: AYES: Wilcox, Hoffmann, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, Talty and Riha NAYS: None The motion passed unanimously. Chairperson Wilcox announced the next agenda item at 8:31p.m. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 27 PUBLIC HEARING Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center located off Caldwell Road in the northeast corner of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 67 =1 -10.2 and 67 -1 -10.4, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal includes the demolition of several small cinder block buildings for the construction of a new +/= 126,000 square foot, +/- 70 foot tall, facility to include laboratories (rated with Biological Safety Levels of 2 and 3) and office space. The primary use of the facility will be for veterinary disease diagnostic programs associated with necropsy and histopathology, and will also include teaching programs and other research and support activities. The building will be physically connected to the existing Schurman Hall, associated with the Veterinary College. The project will consolidate 70 existing parking spaces currently scattered throughout the site, and add approximately 8 new spaces (4 handicapped spaces and 4 short -term drop -off spaces). The project will also include development of new stormwater management facilities. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; John M. Keefe, Agent. Chairperson Wilcox — Hollis, anything you'd like to say at this point... Alternate Member Erb — Well we discussed a few meetings ago that we have worked out that I do not have a conflict of interest regarding this project because I have no, I will not gain from it. Chairperson Wilcox — You are a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Alternate Member Erb — I am a Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and in fact, am a member of the same Department as the employees of the AHDC. Chairperson Wilcox — Hollis is the alternate tonight. She does not have the right to vote, since we are all here, but she does have the right to ask questions. Ms. Brock — Well, she will be able to vote if any other member does not. Chairperson Wilcox — That's correct, if some other member does not vote or abstains, Hollis will be able to vote. The floor is yours gentlemen, name and address please. John Keefe, Humphreys Service Building, Cornell Bruce Akey, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Upper Tower Road, Cornell Mr: Keefe — Since it's been a few months since we were here with the Preliminary Review and the SEAR, we would like to take a few minutes and review what the facility does as well as the location and some of the elevations. I will also have the final elevations here, you have those in your packet also. I'll identify any changes since the PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 28 Site Plan Review and I would like to take a few minutes and go through those conditions that were placed during the Site Plan Review and how we have remediated any of those questions. And I will be followed by Dr. Akey. Dr. Akey — Thank you. As John said, I will try to be brief about this because you have heard most of this before, but, just to remind you what the function of the building is, we are an Animal Health Diagnostic Center, a laboratory. Our function is to provide diagnostic testing services for all species of animals except one, which is the one sitting around the tables up here and out in the audience. Other than that, there is no creature too big or too small or too onerous for us to test, and we do about 100, about 900,000 tests a year. Everything ranging from your pets, and you know, horses to whatever you might have to insects, I mean, you name it, it's amazing the stuff that comes in. Why do we do this, well, because we are trying to protect the animal health and by extension, human health in the State of New York because some 60% or better of the diseases that animals have, can be human diseases as well. We are a founding member of a national network of laboratories that do testing for these types of diseases and we are the only such facility in the entire State of New York and actually, many of the State in the Northeast have no such equipment facilities and instead rely on our facility to provide testing to protect their animals as well. We have over 5,000 veterinary practices throughout the country as our clients, but the majority of our clients are here in New York State and as I said, we provide these comprehensive diagnostic, veterinary diagnostic testing, as well as some educational activities, as John mentioned, for veterinary students, outreach to producers and veterinaries throughout the State. Why do we need a new building? The current facility dates back to approximately the mid70's, At the time we had far fewer people working the Diagnostic Center than we do now, and in some of our laboratories at the time that that facility was built, had about 9 total people in that part of the laboratory. The same facilities now house about 25/26 people in the same facility. The facilities are outdated, they are very cramped and crowded, you know, we are forced to put refrigerators and freezers anywhere we can find a space for them anymore ... So, we are just physically running out of room and running out of the capabilities we need to do the work that we need to do there. We currently are spread out among 11 or so different locations, not only within the College of Veterinary Medicine but we have facilities out near the airport, facilities up near Snyder Hill on campus and this new building will allow us to consolidate those people all together in that building. And we also have a critical need because of developments over the past 5 -10 years for more bio- safety level 3 space. Bio- safety level 3 space allows us to work safely with organisms that ... we never know what may come through the door for us. Those organisms are things that can surprise us sometimes, show up unexpectedly and we need to be able to work with them safely when they do show up unexpectedly as well as provide some research space for the PB I1 -6 -07 Pg. 29 University as a whole to work with those types of organisms and this new facility will allow us to do that as well. And with that, I think I will turn it back over to John. Mr. Keefe — This is actually the exact same slide we had the last time. The building has not changed, it remains about 126,000 square feet. It's a 3 -story structure with a mechanical penthouse over a portion of that 3- stories. Just a quick orientation to where the building is being proposed and that's in the northeast corner of the veterinary complex... that's Caldwell Road running here, Route 366 and then Campus Road down here. That's the entire Vet School Complex right there. In this slide, we superimposed the proposed building on top of the existing buildings. As you can see, there are a number of existing buildings, six in fact, they are 1956, 1954 cinder block buildings which the State will demolish prior to our project coming on board. Things we positively note is the building is being pulled back from the wooded tree -line. We are going to open this area up into vegetative area and also, this area down here, which is currently a dirt field, will be grass and planted with trees. These three trailers that are rather unsightly in this area will be removed at the end of the project and the unimproved parking lot in this are will be improved and paved. This just sort of gives you a quick sketch of what the site plan looks like. One of the key aspects of the building is a connector, an all- weather connector to Shurman Hall because three departments within the Health Diagnostic Center will remain in Shurman Hall and this will provide an all- weather connector between the other departments as well as those three there. We will develop, as I said, the parking lot in this area, we are increasing the green areas in here with some spaces for drop -off and some spaces for handicap parking. This shows both the south, the east elevations. The only change that we have made to this facade since the preliminary site plan review is that we've eliminated two of the stacks in this location, and when I show you the roof plan you'll see where that is, and we've reduced all stack heights to 10 foot above the top of the roof level and that was a result, as we completed our wind /wake analysis, it told us we did not have to go, remember, I mentioned 18 feet at the time, we did not have to do that, we can hold them down to 10 feet. Since the coloration of this did not come out exactly like we liked, I brought the exact colorations over here (sample board with actual pieces of each component) I brought the exact colorations over here for you to take a look at. Chairperson Wilcox — Kudos, on the record. Kudos. Mr. Keefe — What we have here is, this then this is the coloration of the darker coping on the building. This is the metal at the top here and the screening around is the color you asked for the last time, nimbus gray and hopefully that blends we PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 30 is the coloration of the lighter color brick and colored. brick. This would be the cast stone panel which you see a little bit up in this area some of the fans up here. And this right here That is the color of the stacks itself. It is a I into the environment. Chairperson Wilcox — Nimbus gray? As in clouds? Mr. Keefe — I didn't pick the color... Alternate Member Erb — And that appears non - reflective, both.of those. Mr. Keefe — That's correct. And then again, the other elevations from the north and south. Since there was some discussion on the roof plan last time, I got the roof plan. We ended up with now, like I said, we dropped the two stacks that were right here. The two that remain are approximately 24- inches in diameter. The ones over here are about 3 foot 4 inches diameter. These are 2 foot diameter and the two stacks here are only 18 inches in diameter. And that's the extent of the stacks on the building. These are some of the conditions from the preliminary site plan review. and some of them are, obviously, will remain in the final site plan review, should we get approved this evening. We did receive the height variance from the ZBA on October 22"d Submission of necessary permits, certainly, again, will most likely be a condition. We had three lights on the, original submission in preliminary site plan review which were non - compliant with the Town Code. We have since replaced those three lights, having 100% cut -offs on all three lights. I provided those details in the packet. The Operation and Maintenance Plan for the stormwater facilities . are also in your packet and that was developed by our Environmental Compliance Office and that's for the underground retention storage facilities we have indicated on the plans. Now, the Operation and Maintenance Agreement, which was a condition before occupancy of the building, I am unsure at this time exactly where that is. It's been written and presented to the Town and I don't know if its been signed at this time. Construction traffic routing, that was a restriction on us to prevent any traffic going north on Caldwell Road and we will certainly require our contractors to abide by that. Demolition permits for the buildings. Any demolition, certainly, that we do as part of this project will be permitted through the Town. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 31 Erosion and sediment control plan. We provided that in the preliminary review. After further discussion, the plan seemed to be adequate enough and I provided that for you again for you to take a look at. The noise modeling that we had at the preliminary site plan review indicated that the generator would not be compliant with NYS Department of Environmental Compliance requirements of not increasing over 6 decibels. So we ran that model again using both attenuation on the muffler of the, on the exhaust of the generator as well as the containment around the generator itself, and those results have been provided and all those are under 6 decibels, are 6 decibels or under. And finally, the color of the roofstacks, that's the color I brought over there to give you an idea what that's going to look like. Finally, again, the plan is to, hopefully, after approvals, to go out for bid in the January to march time frame and begin construction, probably March, most likely April 2008 with the approximately 26 month completion of the building. Chairperson Wilcox — Questions? Board Member Hoffmann — I apologize if these are questions that have been answered before, I missed a meeting, but, I was wondering about the traffic, taking away debris from the demolition and other construction traffic. It says it's suppose to go out to Route 366 and not go north on Caldwell Road, but where does it go once it gets out to Route 366? Mr. Keefe — That depends upon ... we would not be able to answer that, it would be on State routes, because we don't have an exact plan or pattern of that traffic leaving from Route 366. Depending on where the fill site is going to be. There's actually, we did a revised calculation on that and there's approximately only 1,500 cubic yards that we feel will be removed from the site. Board Member Hoffmann — Is that for the buildings that are covered by the Town permits, or does it also include the demolition that will happen under the State's auspices? Mr. Keefe —That does include the demolition under the State auspices. A lot of that material will actually be used as structural fill under the building itself. Chairperson Wilcox — The Board's concern, when they were here for preliminary approval was where the trucks go and the bottom line is, you don't go into Forest Home. That's the bottom line. Board Member Hoffmann — Right, but there are also other parts of town where we don't want a lot of that traffic... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 32 Chairperson Wilcox — Well, you're right, but we got them out onto the state highway, that was the key, to get them onto the state highway. Board Member Hoffmann — And the other question that I have, unless someone else wants to follow -up on what I just talked about ... was, it talks about a final windwake analysis. Could you tell me a little bit more about the results of that? Mr. Keefe — Yes. What we do is we do a numerical analysis of the exhaust first and that basically tells you how high your exhaust should be relative to the top of the building. Then we take the, basically we had our consultants, RWDI, they build a scale model of the building as well as, I believe, it's up to 10 square miles around, they then use smoke and wind direction analysis to determine where and how high your stacks should be and in actuality, the biggest reason they do that is they want to make sure that any of our exhaust is reintrained into our building itself or that those exhausts are going to be reintrained into an adjoining building. And that's one of the primary reasons we do that. Board Member Hoffmann — I missed how far of an area you covered. How far from the chimney did you say the analysis was done? Mr. Keefe — Actually they look out about 10 square miles. Board Member Hoffmann — Ten square miles? Mr. Keefe — Yes. Alternate Member Erb — You said there would be something like 1,500 cubic yards of debris that might be removed? Mr. Keefe — That's correct and that's less than we presented at the preliminary. Alternate Member Erb — That's good. Just translate that into truck loads.for me. Mr. Keefe — I would imagine most trucks carry 20 cubic yards so... Chairperson Wilcox — How about 10... Mr. Walker — Well, 10 -15 depending on... Chairperson Wilcox — We use 10. Ten's been our normal rule of thumb. Mr. Walker — Depending on the weight of the materials. Mr. Keefe — So it's 150 trips. Chairperson Wilcox — Let's say 150 max. Dan, any comments you want to make on the erosion and sedimentation control? PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 33 Mr. Walker — No, the plan looks good and we will be monitoring it closely as construction begins. Chairperson Wilcox — Susan, any comments? Nothing additional? Anything over here? If not, I will give the public a chance to speak. Trevor Pinch, 112 Crest Lane I am also here representing the Forest Home Improvement Association of which I'm the Vice - President and I have a little statement from the Forest Home Improvement Association I'd like to read out at some point, but I'd like to preface my comments just by telling you a little bit about what we are concerned about with this application and... I've lived in Forest Home for 15 years and over that period of time, our peaceful hamlet has become more and more noisy and some of the sources of the noise are rather mysterious. For instance, last night, just to show you how concerned we are about this, there was sort of a noise that sounded like a jet aircraft from Ithaca Airport but coming from the Cornell direction. We have heard this noise several times over the summer, it's been disturbing a number of us and I actually went out a 5:00 in the morning in my dressing gown in my car and drove around and it's very hard to pin down the source of this noise because it's, coming here at ground level, you have to be higher up, but I have guesses where it is, but I don't want to go into that, I just wanted to raise the issue of noise. And what we are most concerned about, then, is the noise that this new facility will be producing because Forest Home is directly across the valley from where this new facility will be located, so, I will just read our little statement and this will get you the flavor of our comment. "While we appreciate Cornell's reaching out to us last spring about plans for the AHDC, we are still not satisfied that we know enough about the noise that the building will produce in our neighborhood to be comfortable with a final site plan approval. Our understanding of the noise impact report issued by consultants engaged by Cornell, and of the response given to us by project leader John Keefe when we asked for an assurance that Cornell would incorporate the consultants' recommended mitigation measures, is that the steady state noise emitted by the building would be greater than all other noise sources combined. Moreover, the consultants' readings were taken on Fairway Drive and Forest Home Drive, and we are concerned that the noise may be even greater on Crest Lane and Halcyon Hill which are directly opposite the proposed site. Until we can be satisfied that the building will not in fact become the dominant noise producer in our neighborhood we ask the Planning Board to delay or condition final site plan approval." So that's our statement, and let me just say a couple of things about the tests that were done on the noise. I've read the report and I myself, I also, I should declare am a Professor.at Cornell and actually teach a course on sound studies to do with noise and noise abatement and the tests were done at two sites and one of the sites is on Fairview Drive, which not at the crest of the hill. Our street Crest Lane is right on the crest of the hill and that's where you would expect most noise to be, across the valley. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 34 So, I am puzzled as to why the tests were done at not the best location for picking up the noise. And also, another comment about the tests is that they were done in the summer and the noise is much, you hear noise much more in the winter period, partly because many of the trees don't have leaves on. So this made me worried about the particular tests that were done in this case as well. So that's basically our statement. Thank you very much indeed. Chairperson Wilcox — Before you leave, will you be replacing Darcy as the President soon? Mr. Pinch — Yes, I, well, that depends on elections, so... Chairperson Wilcox —Thank you. Bruce Brittain, 135 Warren Road First, I'd like to say that I support the mission of the proposed Animal Health Diagnostic Center. Second, there aren't quite enough handouts to go around. And third, I do have some concerns about the visual and noise impacts of this facility. As far as visual impacts go, Doug and I were unable to attend the, your public hearing on August 21St, but did send the top photograph and a memo, so I'm not sure if you've seen that photograph before or not. But in any case, I also took this to the ZBA meeting and presented that to them and if memory serves me correctly, Mr. Keefe told the ZBA that the existing building in the center of this photograph is 2- stories tall. It's actually a 1 -story building. So, I'm not sure how much that would have influenced the ZBA's decision, but I, just for the record, I wanted to clarify that is in fact a 1 -story building and not a 2 -story building. Chairperson Wilcox — Before oyou go on. How tall is the building? Can you ... what I don't want to get into is it 10 foot 20 foot, 1 -story, 2- story... the question is how tall is that building. Mr. Brittain — Fifteen eight. Chairperson Wilcox — That's more precision than I expected. Mr. Bruce Brittain — Well, let me ask Doug, he has a better... Mr. Doug Brittain — Sixteen eight. Mr. Bruce Brittain — The second photograph there represents Doug's and my's best guess as to the visual mass of that building based on scaling the height off of Schurman Hall and off of the existing building there and trying to line it up with what we understand to be the front facade of that building, which will be set back considerably further than the existing building there. We had hoped that there could be some balloons floated to PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 35 actually determine that, but absent that, this is our best guess of the visual impact of that structure, which we give you as a "for your information." On to noise. Noise impacts. Doug and I did look through the noise impact assessment that was conducted by Erwin, Williams, Davies and Erwin dated July 25, 2007. 1 also read through the minutes of the August 21s' Planning Board and I believe that Mr. Keefe said a 6db increase in noise level was "very, very small" and that the building would not have any noise problems at all and I think it needs to be pointed out that that's Mr. Keefe's conclusion. Nothing that I have found in the RWDI report supports that assertion. I should also point out that I used to teach a course at Cornell titled 'The Ambient Environment' about half of which dealt with acoustics and Doug used to work at the sound lab at Chrysler, so we do know a little bit about acoustics. So I am not going to bore you to tears teaching you about acoustics. Sound is measured on log scale which makes addition difficult. It's not straightforward and that may be where some of the confusion came from. One person talking is 60 — 65dba and if you look at figure 4, that shows that conversation face -to -face, 65dba. Two people talking, doubles the sound energy, so if you go up to figure 3, doubling sound energy is a 3db difference and it's a just perceptible difference. It does, it's not a linear addition, so 60 — 65 doubled does not become 120 — 130 which is the threshold of pain, on figure 4. Well, depends who is talking,... Board Member Riha — Fred, I just say, at some point, we need clarification, because my recollection was, from the original discussion, we're only talking about the noise that comes from the generators that would only be on in emergency cases when the power fails. Right. So this is not noise that you would normally be having at all. So that was my understanding, that it would only happen when there's power failure in the area. Mr. Bruce Brittain — If you give me a second, I'll get to that. Thank you. The, my review of the minutes of the August 21St meeting also indicated there was confusion between a sound that is 6db and an increase in sound that is 6db and there's a big difference between the two. If we go to 5db because it's easier, it's on these charts, a 5db, if you look at figure 4, a 5db increase is a noticeable increase but a 5db sound, looking at figure 4, 5db sound is very quiet, that's were the rustling of leaves came from. But a 5db increase is clearly noticeable. So the analogy that Doug came up with, we all drive 15 mph, which is relatively slow, but a 15mph increase is a big increase. So if traffic is going 35 and you blast by at 50 which is a 15mph increase, that's a big increase and that's enough to get you a speeding ticket. Now if you look at the report, now I am getting back to what you were talking about. The steady noise state noise in the facility and it's measured in R1 and R2. So now we're on to figure 5. The steady state of the sound of the facility, so figure 5, if you look in the nighttime column, predicted facility dba, it's 49 and 41 depending on the two receptor locations. This is quite loud. Forty -nine or forty -one, you look back to figure 4, that's inside an office, that's not rustling of leaves. So you were told before that the PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 36 sound of this facility or the sound of the facility with the generator would be no louder than the rustling of leaves. It will be, it will be a noticeable increase in Forest Home. If you look at the existing nighttime sound level, so, again, in the nighttime column, ambient dba, R1 and R2 is 45 and 37. So this predicted facility, so let's just look at R1. The predicted facility noise is going to be 49, existing is 45. So that's louder. This facility will be louder than all existing, all other sounds combined, in Forest Home. This one building. That's a big increase. Now, together, these two, the 45 plus the 49 add to 50, it's not, addition is not linear, these are log scales remember, but the change, so now the last column, Figure 5, the change is 5dba increase. So this is without the generator, just the sound of the building, a 5dba increase. Now, if you go back to Figure 3, 5dba increase change in sound level is clearly noticeable. So this building will be clearly noticeable at night in Forest Home. In fact, it's, given that it's louder, this building will be the dominant sound. Five dba is clearly noticeable, also, if you look at figure 3, 5dba increase, that's a tripling of sound energy. So 2/3 of the sound energy in Forest Home will be from this one building without the generator, if you add the generator, you're up to 6db, that's quadrupling... So 3/ , when the generator is running, 3/ of the sound in Forest Home at this receptor site will be from that building. Cornell's Master Plan indicates further construction at this site and in fact this building is designed to be expanded. The concern is not only, will this building triple the sound level there, that will become the new baseline. So, if they say, five years from now, let's build a new building, our old baseline was existing sound level, it will now be 3 -times the sound energy, they will be able to come in again with the 5db increase, it will now be 9 -times the sound level, I'm sorry, 9 -times the sound energy in Forest Home from that school. I also wanted to follow up with what Trevor said about Fairway Drive. Crest Lane and (inaudible) are both closer to the Vet School than Fairway Drive is and Fairway has a higher ambient noise level. Part of it is the construction that's been going on this summer during the day, part of it is the golf course maintenance. The driving range is directly adjacent to Fairway Drive and that gets mowed during the night so as not to interfere with patrons' use of the golf course. So I think, had the consultants chosen a receptor location on either Halcyon or Crest there would have been a lower existing ambient level as well as a greater increase, just due to the proximity of the building. So, just to make a long story short ... it looks like the University, yes, they're going to be able to, with the generator running, to bring the increase down to 6dba, which is the States requirement and, but it looks like they are doing the minimum, legally, that they have to and it, it would seem to me that, we would prefer to have a good neighbor policy to do more than the absolute minimum. Further noise mitigation options are well worth pursuing. It should be possible to somehow silence that fan noise from the exhaust stacks and we ask that the Board, that you do stipulate that the University do more to reduce the sound of this building. And that's where I will stop and I thank you. Chairperson Wilcox — Bruce, can I ask you a question. Help me understand one thing. There's the change in energy level, and then there's the change in apparent loudness. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 37 Is there a correlation between them? Because I am looking at Figure 3, and even you, think, misspoke a couple times when you meant to say change in energy level and... Mr. Bruce Brittain - Sound is a log scale ... it is ... acousticians have regretted the way that they chose to record it, but, you can measure the energy level, which is the first column there, you can measure the sound level in db or dba, and then you can talk about, you know, what does it sound like; does it sound like it's doubled, does it sound like it's tripled, is it barely noticeable. This table was trying to tie together all of the, three of the different ways of measuring sound. Chairperson Wilcox — Is this a table you took from a standard text? Mr. Bruce Brittain — This is from my text book. Chairperson Wilcox — Your own? Mr. Bruce Brittain — Well, the text book I taught out of. So it's a bit dated now, sadly, but, yes. Chairperson Wilcox — I, ummmm .... I care about the change in apparent loudness because I can hear that, right? Do I care about the change in energy level necessarily? Mr. Bruce Brittain — Being humans we would care about the change in apparent loudness, but the change in energy level is also important and I think Doug was going to talk more about that. Chairperson Wilcox — Okay. Anybody else? Questions with this? Doug you go next. Doug Brittain, 135 Warren Road Nice to see you all again. Nice to see some new faces. I wondered why you weren't voting, but now I know why. Okay. Yeah, Bruce mentioned that I used to work for Chrysler at the sound lab. It was actually the Sound and Vibration Department, but, to any of you who own 4- cylinder Chryslers back in the loccoca era, I would like to apologize. One thing we learned though, in the lab, is that engineers can routinely, predictably, repeatedly, judge a 3db difference subjectively. If it's 3db and it gets worse, . we all rate it, oh, it's a half point worse than it was, or it's a half point better, or, which is our smallest objective division, but 3db, you can hear. Sixteen db even management can hear. So, yes, sound is a little bit awkward and even people who have worked with it, so I think sound energy, as you were saying, why does it matter ... I will show you. (Mr. Brittain brought a number of empty quart containers to use as a demonstration.) Display number one. Let us pretend that this represents the amount of noise that we currently have in Forest Home at night, because that's When the problem is worst. So we have 1 quart of low -fat noise in Forest Home now. This is all the noise, that includes all the rustling of leaves, all the dogs barking, all the golf courses being mowed, all the airplanes that come over between 7am and 7pm, and there are several of them, it PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 38 includes the traffic, it includes the creek, it includes the noise that already washes over Forest Home from Cornell, this is everything. This is it. This is all the noise. The sound of the new facility, the ventilation fans, etc., that operate 24/7/365, is this much sound. So that's what we will end up with. (Added 1 1 believe) It's an emergency, and the generator comes on, this is what we have, (added 3 more I believe) quadrupling the amount of sound energy, that's a 6db increase, that's what they were aiming for, that's why they mitigated the generator, because, without the muffler, without the enclosure, the generator was doing that (adds more cartons). Now you're over 6db's. So what they did was they put a muffler and an enclosure on the diesel generator, boom, half the noise energy gone. That's nice. This runs sometimes, sometimes it doesn't. But this is, now, the new noise that we will have in Forest Home. Chairperson Wilcox — I'm sorry ... wait... that will be the new amount of noise energy... Mr. Doug Brittain — New amount of noise energy. Chairperson Wilcox — Not necessarily the new amount of loudness. Mr. Doug Brittain — Right. The loudness will be 6db, it'll be a couple of clicks louder, you will hear it, you will be able to hear the difference. But, what will the dominant noise be. Will it.be the birds, and the dogs, and the traffic, and the golf course and the airplanes? No. It will be the building. The building will be, depending on whether the generator is running, 2 or 3 times as loud as everything else combined. So, this one building becomes THE dominant noise in Forest Home. Even if this were gone, you might not be able to tell the difference, but Forest Home will sound like the ADHC, that's Forest Home, so, at night, during the daytime we have more traffic, so this becomes a lower percentage of the increase, but this is sort of to let you know where the sound energy. in Forest Home is coming from. So, what I think everyone would like to do is not run the generator much. That sounds good. It might be nice if they would do with the ventilation fans what they already did with the diesel generator, which is try to mitigate the noise, to make it quieter, and then the building, potentially, could be only double the amount of sound energy that is in Forest Home and you would be able to hear the difference, you would be able to hear the building, but it wouldn't drown out everything else quote as much. Now, as Bruce said, if this is considered the acceptable new 6db baseline, and then, because Cornell, in 5 years say, oops, we need another building. What they're going to do is say, hey, we can do 6db again, and that's quadrupling. And so they are going to start....we are going to put all of these ... and the new sound in. Forest. Home, which they will tell you, this isn't too bad, it's within State requirements, and this will be the amount of sound in Forest Home when the next building goes up. And this is what we have now, and in 5 or 10 years, they will come along and they will want to do this. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 39 So, I think part of the purpose of a Planning Board is to sort of look ahead and I think, if this gets in, there are long -term consequences. Not just this noise, but what it means for the next step. I don't know if you can legally say, this is the baseline for the Vet School from now on. But, the more noise they add now, the more noise they will be able to add later and still be only 6db at a time. So, this is a concern. The suggestion would be, of course, to add a few, a few of these we could get away with, but they can do more, and I think all we have to do is ask them. Just as they did with the generator, I think it would be a good neighbor policy to try and keep Forest Home from getting too bad and I would hope and suggest that you would consider doing that. And I think that's pretty much it. So thank you for your attention, and if anybody wants some empty milk bottles, I'd be happy to oblige. Chairperson Wilcox — Questions for Doug? Board Member Riha — No, no, l guess my question is more for... Jonathan... Chairperson Wilcox—. For us ... okay.... Board Member Riha — So, I am trying to get this straight, about this 6 decibels ... is there some law that says you can increase the noise by 6 decibels, of what? So even if it's screaming loud, you can build a building that goes 6 more decibels? That's the part I didn't understand. I mean, presumably you have to keep ... the Whole thing has to stay under a certain decibel rating, or not? Chairperson Wilcox — We can ask the applicant. Board Member Riha — I'm confused. Board Member Thayer — I can hear sound, but can I hear sound energy? Board. Member Riha —Well, I mean, it looks like these decibels are still going to be under 60 decibels. At your location... Board Member Thayer — I'm confused. Mr. Keefe — Okay. Do you want me to explain in a little more detail the study we did and explain how we came up with some of the... Board Member Riha — Well I think I understand that. What I don't understand is what are the regulations. What are you required to do. I mean, obviously you couldn't generate 130 decibels. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 40 Mr. Keefe – With a lack of regulations, I had the, our consultants, base their findings on what the NYS Department of Environmental Compliance says. Board Member Riha – Yeah, what's that? Mr. Keefe – Yeah, it's anything with an increase of 6 decibels or less, is not considered perceptible. It's right in the handbook and the handbook is quoted in their study here. And that's what we used as the bottom line guideline. Board Member Riha – Okay, yeah, so I can see their point. It's like, if you keep saying ... if you keep doing six more decibels and six more decibels, it's going to add up to perceptible. Mr. Keefe – The study we did was a worst -case study, obviously and the study includes running the generator to get the 6- decibel increase and you pointed out that the generator will only be run during emergency situations so that's correct in that response. Board Member Riha – So then is Table 2 saying that's without the generator? The first part of Summary of Noise, the impact will be ... that's .what I don't exactly get here. It says the generator is off and the ambient is 52, the predicted facility's 49 during the daytime, so then when you add those two together... Mr. Keefe –This is actually including the generator unmitigated, so it didn't have a muffler on the generator exhaust and we did not have an enclosure on it. Board Member Riha – But that's the generator off. Mr. Keefe – Maybe I am looking at a different Table 2... Board Member Riha –That very first... Alternate Member Erb – The first two rows are generator off, the second two rows are unmitigated but on. Board Member Riha – But so it says, right now you're hearing 52 decibels at _your test site, well 52 or 43 and that the predicted facility is going to generate 49 and 41 at those two sites? Mr. Keefe — That's correct. Board Member Riha – And so then, when you add the two together.... Mr. Keefe – You get 54... Board Member Riha – Right, so there is going to be a 2- decibel increase during the daytime and potentially 5 during the night. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 41 Mr. Keefe — And also at night we had them do again, worst case, with all the fans running but in actuality, we will turn all our fans at half speed because of unoccupied modes. Board Member Riha — Right. So the issue then, to me, it comes down to, although they have a point about what's going to happen in the future, but the issue comes down to whether these 54 and 45, 50 and 42, are really bothersome, relative to the 49 and 40 ... what is there now, right. Alternate Member Erb — Do you have any modeling work that includes fans at half speed on an ordinary night? Mr. Keefe — No we don't. Board Member Talty — Do you concur with their presentation? Mr. Keefe — i have to rely on what our consuitants advise because i am not an acoustical engineer and not clearly understanding the change in energy level and versus change in sound level, so I can't comment on that. Board Member Riha —The guidelines seem weird, because I see their point. Every time you go back, it's six more decibels. It seems like there should be some absolute decibel level. Mr. Keefe It is also not including the fact that we are going to be shutting down a lot of fans when the diagnostic lab shuts down itself, too. Board Member Riha — That's a good point. have some old kind of buildings there... I was wondering about that. Because you Mr. Keefe — Yes and they are some older type fans there that are noisier than the newer fans that we will be installing because the diagnostic lab itself will cease to function as that.... Board Member. Riha — So you can potentially reduce the ambient. Mr. Keefe — That's correct. Board Member Hoffmann — I have a slightly different question. What you have in your report seems to me deals mainly with generators in the building with exhaust fans and things like that and I wanted to ask you if this building is going to be air-conditioned? Mr. Keefe —The building itself, yes, will have temperature controls to cool in the summer and then to hear in the winter, certainly, but I wouldn't call it air conditioned. I guess it is because air handling does condition the air as it enters the building. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 42 Board Member Hoffmann — I have a little trouble hearing you. Can you try to speak a little more slowly. Mr. Keefe — The building will have a series of what we call air - handling units and these are units that are inside the mechanical penthouse. They draw air in and they condition that air inside the building before it is distributed into the building. So it's not like an external air conditioner on the building itself, it's a unit that's within the penthouse of the building. Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. The reason I ask that question is, just a few years ago, the Baker Laboratory, as part of the Veterinary School, on Hungerford Hill, was renovated and added to, and in the process of doing that, I think they must have added a new air conditioning and venting system. I live very close, and in the summer, ever since they started using that building, I have heard this very irritating high pitch noise and it is on hot days, more noticeable, more often. So I am wondering if there's going to be something similar here that will add to the noise level, above and beyond what you have reported from your mechanical systems. Mr. Keefe —The noise survey itself did include the noise that would come from the air handling units, 1,2,3, and 4, were included in the noise modeling. Board Member Hoffmann — Could you say that again for me... Mr. Keefe — The noise modeling not only included the ... it included the generators, all the exhaust, it also included the sound of the air handling unit itself, which you referred to, you called an air conditioner. Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. So that was included here, that would not be an added and there wouldn't be any additional other noises like this very high pitched noise that I hear from the Baker Laboratory, Mr. Keefe — I certainly can't answer that because I don't know what you're hearing from the Baker Lab. Board Member Hoffmann — Yeah, well it's something new since that building was renovated and added to. I've lived there since 1969 and it's just happened in the past years since that was done and I am concerned that something else like that might happen in this building too, that's why I asked. Chairperson Wilcox — Why is everyone looking at me....laughter....l will tell you that wrote down two words... compelling or confusing... Board Member Thayer — That's what I said... Chairperson Wilcox — Compelling or confusing... PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 43 Board Member Thayer — We're still in the public hearing, right... Chairperson Wilcox — The public hearing is still open, yes it is. Board Member Howe — Certainly I think that if there is further mitigation for the noise, it's worth asking that question, but I agree, I think you've described it accurately. Chairperson Wilcox — It's up to the applicant to address the questions, and if they can't address them tonight, which I don't expect that they could address them'tonight, I mean, we're still trying to digest this and I'm not sure ... at least I'm still trying to digest it, there may be people here smarter than me ... there likely are ... I'm still trying to digest this and I'm not sure that I can. I probably need someone who can ... and thank you for the quart bottles, but, again, that's energy not how I hear it, so I think it exaggerates the impact, which is unfortunate, but, I know what you're trying to measure. I like the idea of potentially mitigating sound for the exhaust stacks ... I know, it will cost you money right ... is coming up with a way to mitigate the sounds of the exhaust stacks similar to the way they were able to mitigate the sound of the emergency generators. Which, in fact, they cut the increase in sound by roughly half. Board Member Riha — Those are two different things. Chairperson Wilcox — They are two different things? Board Member Riha — Generators and exhaust fans, yeah. Chairperson Wilcox — But the exhaust fans contribute to the noise... Frankly, I'm not concerned about the emergency generators and the noise. Pardon me, I'm not concerned. They're purpose is to come on only when necessary and if they're on, we have a black -out condition, we have something else going on and I'm not sure the concern is noise, the concern at that point is we don't have electricity, the food in the refrigerator, the street lights don't work, my phone does work but other things might not work. And hopefully the emergency generator only comes on when necessary and that doesn't happen very often. I'm more concerned about the increase in the noise that the building generates just from the exhaust stacks which is the primary source of noise, and if the information that Bruce and Doug have provided and the charts that they provided, and the information we have from the applicant, a 6db increase, is going to be heard. It's marked as noticeable and is the fact that it's noticeable, is that an issue, number one, and number two, the issue of it raises the ambient level that much higher so that then the next building comes along and you have a new baseline. Your point about exhaust fans in that vicinity that will no longer operate because they will be in buildings that will be demolished, is a point well taken and may well have an impact of lowering the, I don't want to say noise increase, the increase in apparent loudness. Because that to me is the key. So maybe we want some more information and put this off to another busy meeting. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 44 Board Member Talty — I was concerned that was brought up about leaves on the trees versus leaves not on the trees, because there is no question that there are mitigating circumstances given data in the summer and data in the winter that we should take under advisement. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah, but do we start listing them... I mean if there are no leaves on the trees, I assume that' travels more easily from one place to another because it doesn't have leaves on the trees. On the other hand, when you don't have the leaves on the trees, you're not running your air conditioning systems, as often, and do the air conditioning systems make more noise than the heating systems. Board Member Talty — But air conditioning system wasn't part of the play here. Board Member Riha — It's the Lake Source Cooling... they're venting part of the... Board Member Talty — This isn't part of the play, Fred, I mean, it's... Alternate Member Erb — It's piped chilled water... Chairperson Wilcox — And no noise? Mr. Keefe — The modeling was done irrespective of vegetation. So it didn't really bring vegetation into it, whether it was there or not there. But, it models what that sound would be based on elevation changes and topography but not vegetation. Alternate Member Erb — You know, then Cornell was asking to put the playing fields behind the Reese Tennis Courts and some of the neighbors on Honness Lane and I were asking about the potential to put in a new tree line, we were told emphatically that a tree line would not buffer any noise so it was irrelevant. Board Member Talty — That is true. Board Member Hoffmann — I was just going to make that point. And the other thing is, I am irritated by the noise coming from the Baker Lab in the.summer, when I am out, when I have my windows open so that I hear the noise more, and in the winter, they probably don't operate that system and I don't hear it and my windows are closed, I'm not out there so much. Board Member Talty — That's true, but we don't know if this particular system is going to be anywhere near that particular system. And let's face it, there's plenty ... when the system is 90% active is three - quarters of the year. It may not be the .summertime when we are active outside, but it's still three - quarters of the year. Board Member Riha — I guess what I would ... the only information I'm missing, maybe you have it, what would be the general noise level around the Town. I mean, Forest Home might be a wonderfully quiet place and I'm sure everybody wants it to stay that PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 45 way, but we live in a society where there's businesses and traffic and so on, so we all have to put up with a fair amount of noise. I mean, I live less than a mile from the airport, you know, and so, are my noise levels a lot less than this or is this an unusual noise level? Mr. Kanter — Well, I can't speak to the actual levels, but I can comment a little bit about types of noise. I mean, for instance, when a jet plane goes by, it's a very loud noise. It starts off quiet, gets very loud and then goes away and then it's gone for a while. A building which has a ventilation system is going to be pretty much constant. So you're going to have, whatever the level is, it's going to be there pretty much whenever the system is running. Board Member Riha — Yeah, I work on the top floor of Bradfield so ... I hear noise continuously, and I am sure it is above this decibel level, all day while working, so is this like unusual of, if you are inside a building, that kind of noise... Mr. Kanter — Actually that's a good question. Whether the noise levels, the noise levels are probably going to be louder from this building from outside of it than inside, so... Board Member Talty — What's the median speed of the fans and the stacks? You said that sometimes they are going to be on full blast, sometimes they are going to be on half speed, what's the median speed, year round? Mr. Keefe — I can't comment on the exact speed. They are designed to run at a certain speed. There are different size fans. But, what the speed if the fan is, depends on how many changes per hour we are doing inside the building. When we're operating during the daytime, we run about 6 -8 air changes an hour. So, you are completely changing the air in the room 6 -8 times. At night, we turn that back to half that capacity, which is about 3 -4 air changes per hour. So you can imagine, whatever speed that fan is running at, it's running at half the speed during the nighttime. Board Member Talty — Okay, that's 6 -8 times during the day. What is the capacity that is being utilized at that time? Is it 100 %? Mr. Keefe — No, it will not be 100% of the fans... Board Member Talty — Is it 80 %? Because then I can, if you say it's half that, at night then if it goes at 80 %, now it's 40 % ... If it's 60 it goes to 30...that's a big difference... Mr. Keefe — And it depends on the fan. Each of the fans works a different system so it wouldn't, might not be operating all the time and in certain cases, the main, the three main fans are designed with an n +1 redundancy, so they are actually designed, that you could, if you lost one fan, you could run two at full speed, to do that same at three, so you are assuming they are running at 66% of the actual speed. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 46 Alternate Member Erb — Are these fans the primary source of an increase in the background noise level from outside the building? Mr. Keefe — Other than the generator, that's correct. Alternate Member Erb — yeah, generator off... Board Member Conneman — Can you run the fans slower? Mr. Keefe — We are running them slower than their maximum capacity, on a normal basis. We do that to have, redundancy in case we have a critical failure in one, we can still operate two. So they are, as you said, we're running at 66 %. Board Member Talty — I know but you're ... what is the standardization of it .... what's the standard speed, not if one fails and the other one has to kick on... Mr. Keefe — 60 %...60% of maximum. Board Member Talty — Okay, that's what I'm asking... Chairperson Wilcox — I think he was thinking you were asking RPM's... Board Member Talty — I just want to know what's the standard. So you're telling me that at nighttime, or downtime, it can run as slow as 30 %? Mr. Keefe — That's correct. Board Member Riha — And this noise modeling was done at running at 100 %? Mr. Keefe — That's correct. Board Member Talty — That's big information. Board Member Conneman — A long time ago, when I was Associate Dean in charge of classrooms in the College of Agriculture /Life Sciences, in new Comstock, we. had a noisy classroom and everybody complained about it, and I went down there and you know, you looked at this place ... you know, if you had more carpeting on the floor it would help. But what they did was, they slowed the fan down and what a difference it made. Now, I'm not an engineer and the people that slowed it down weren't engineers, it was some kid who came and solved the problem, so, I mean ... you can run things slower and get some results. I don't' know what. It seems to me we need a lot more information about this. Dr. Akey — One of the things that keeps being asked is, you know, how noisy is it out there anyway and this actually, these charts actually show the ambient decibel levels that were measured at those two locations, where they were measured. That's what the PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 47 ambient dba is with the generator off at location R1, location R2, so, it's 52 and 43 during the daytime and it's 45 and 37 at night, with no generator involved, so those are the actual, as I understand it, those are the actual measurements of the existing level of noise at those locations. Board Member Conneman — But is that really measured or is that modeled? Dr. Akey — No sir. Those are the actual measurements, correct me if I am wrong John, they actually took measuring devices out to the two locations and measured the current ambient noise level at those... Board Member Conneman — It says modeling on the ... if I am reading the same table that you are... Chairperson Wilcox — I think the modeling refers to the impact... Dr. Akey — The modeling is for the predicted facility and the, for the predictions. Board Member Talty — Is there a way to disseminate what the current noise level is and how much the current building is putting in to that? Because I think you had a valid point before, that once you eliminate your current facility, I mean, you should almost back that out ... is there a way to back that out of the current data that you have given us? Alternate Member Erb — May I point out that that would assume that the current facility is going to be taken out of operation. Board Member Talty — Well, that's what we've been hearing, that's what I thought we have been hearing all along. Board Member Thayer — They are taking those buildings down... Alternate Member Erb — Well, there are nasty old barn type buildings that are going to be taken down. But, the existing Diagnostic Lab facility would probably have more ventilation on it than these cinder block buildings that are the ones that are going to be leveled. Dr. Akey — Well, I don't know that that's a correct assumption, and we don't know what the existing building is going to use, to be used for, once we move out. Alternate Member Erb — That's true. Dr. Akey — We don't know if it's going to be converted to classrooms and offices or it's going to be lab space ... we don't know what's going to be done with it: So, yes, the only correct assumption is that the buildings to be demolished, whatever sound they create is certainly going to be gone, and we can't say, at this point, hcvVI much sound is going PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 48 to be changed form the existing diagnostic lab because we don't know what's going to happen to that building. Alternate Member Erb — But it is true that there must be some ventilation on those buildings because some of them have animals in them right now, as well as people. Dr. Akey — Absolutely, the ones that are going to be knocked down... Alternate Member Erb -- ...so there has to be at least a little... Mr. Keefe — And they are all external type of units that are providing... Alternate Member Erb — Right, the nastier units. Mr. Keefe — Right, they are on top of the building, you can see them. Board Member Talty — So I just want to know, do we now have more questions now than when we started about an hour ago? Chairperson Wilcox — Would one ... would one of you like to take 2 or 3 minutes and expand upon, or make some general ... or add some comments? I am looking at Doug and Bruce ... I've watched your body ... I have watched your reaction, physically to the discussion, is there anything you would like to just state, because I haven't closed the public hearing quite yet, I want to give you one more chance to ... in fact, what I will do is I will just ask you to take the microphone, that way I don't have to shuffle people around, if you don't mind... Chairperson Wilcox -Your reaction to what's been said or anything else you would like to add to what you provided before... Mr. Brittain — Okay. The modeling was done, I believe, normal full operational mode, which is the fans at 67% not the fans at 100 %. So if we run the fans at half of that, it's running at half of what they modeled, not a third of what they modeled.. Sound is not going to be strictly proportional to the speed of the fan. The frequency of the noise, because of lot of this is the blades going around, if they go around half as fast, it will drop an octave, the pitch, so, reducing the sound level and lowering the air flow are not, I mean, obviously, if you turn off the fans, they are related, but you can reduce the noise without reducing the air flow and so that's, I think, what I would like to see explored. Not to interfere with their facility, but to make it more neighbor friendly. What did I forget? I think that's mostly it ... thank you. Chairperson Wilcox — All right. Thank you. I will close the public hearing at 9:38p.m. All right ... what Is our pleasure ... let me try to get a consensus here. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 49 Alternate Member Erb — It seems to me that a lot of what our concern is, is what happens in the future when we establish a new baseline because in fact, what's being presented to us falls within the guidelines that we would ordinarily work with. And what we have hasn't taken into consideration that set of nasty small buildings that are going to be taken out of operation, which are going to have to contribute in some positive way to lowering the ambient noise. Board Member Hoffmann — But that's what we are assuming. I am surprised actually, that the applicants consultants didn't take that into account. Chairperson Wilcox — We have no evidence that they did... Board Member Hoffmann — We don't know whether they did or not and I think it's safer not to make assumptions. Chairperson Wilcox — Well wait a minute, let's step back ... they measured the ambient noise, right, they measured, the modeled the noise from the building, and, I hate to say added the two together, you can't add them together, I understand that, but that, it's those two measurements which they used, which formed the basis of the work that they needed to do to get the total change as measured by dba, to be 6 or less. Board Member Hoffmann — Anyway, I prefer not to sit here and have us make assumptions, but have the applicants come back to us with the actual explanation of what was done. Chairperson Wilcox —Well they've given us an explanation of what was done. The question is, what else might we need if the consensus is we need more information, or the consensus is we want them to do more, or the consensus is we want them to test then when the leaves are not on the trees, or we want them to come back and tell us how many fans are they getting rid of in the. demolished buildings and therefore, how many, what is the, bear with me here, what is the change in energy level or the negative change in energy level and how does that translate into the apparent loudness. You know, do we, we have the applicant saying, I believe I heard the applicant say, that the noise levels are modeled with the fans operating at 60 %, 1 believe that's what they said... Board Member Talty — that's not what I thought I heard... Mr. Keefe —The fans were modeled, if you look at... Chairperson Wilcox — Oh, I'm sorry, you said the fans are modeled at 100 % ... right ... we have one or more of the ... I think we had Doug say that the noise Was modeled using the fans at 60% 1 believe he said ... 67 % ... so we have worst case ... the numbers that we were provided represent worst case, which is the fans operating at 100% speed, will there be less, I'm sorry, back over here, will there be less energy, sound energy, with the fans running at 60% or 67% or 60% which is the normal operating level. I agree that PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 50 there will be a definite difference in pitch, but will there be less sound energy, and what is that, and how much less energy... okay ... that's.where I am going... Board Member Hoffmann — Yeah, I understand all you are saying but I just wanted to clarify that the only thing I was referring to when I was talking about just making assumptions, had to do with whether the consultants had considered the loss of noise from the buildings that were going to be removed and it sounded as if the applicants hadn't really thought about that or the consultants hadn't talked about that.. Chairperson Wilcox —Let's ask the applicants directly. Dr. Akey — Well, the modeling figures are meant to represent what it would be with the new building in place, so, if the new building is in place, then the old buildings that are being demolished are gone, so, the model ... I infer from that, not assume, that the model numbers say this is the sound level with the new building in place and therefore, the old buildings that were demolished are no longer there so their sound has essentially been subtracted out and now what the model numbers say are this is how much noise you can expect with a new building in place, replacing all those old nasty buildings. Board Member Talty — Before you are 100% of that assertion, do you want time to check that to make sure that that is indeed correct. Mr. Keefe —That is correct. Predicated (inaudible) is just this building itself... Board Member Conneman — But it seems to me if we had a case like this that dealt with traffic, we would say to you, go out, come back and get us another report that covers the questions that have been raised tonight: That's what I think we would say, and we probably understand traffic, so we can make that statement more precisely, but I don't think you have proved or unproved anything. If all of these things are sort of muddled in my opinion. Dr. Akey = I guess we are struggling with what else we would do because, again, if the modeling numbers are for the new building in place and therefore the old buildings are gone, I think that answers the question that you were asking before. So I guess we need clarification on what else we are required to do. Board Member Riha — Because then we would have to say, oh, these aren't acceptable noise levels... Chairperson Wilcox— I should point ... it may be possible, if 4 members of this Board are in favor of approving what you have presented now and going ahead, so I am still trying to get a consensus from this Board. Board Member Riha — And I am trying to clarify well, is this an acceptable noise level. It seems to fall within the 6 decibel guideline, but can we just say no, we want less noise? PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 51 Board Member Thayer — It says the change is 5dba at night, and then, you come down to the chart, and it says 5 is clearly noticeable... Well, if it's quiet and a bird chirps, that's clearly noticeable, you know. I mean, it doesn't mean anything, it really doesn't bean anything, and only 2 -dba's change in the daytime. I mean, I am certainly comfortable with that. Board Member Hoffmann —But there is a difference between constant noise. Have you all noticed that there is a noise coming from some of the lamps up here? Board Member Talty — Sure, it's a hum... Board Member Hoffmann — A steady background noise... Board Member Thayer — Occasionally... Board Member Hoffmann — And it can be very annoying... Board Member Riha — I've worked in Bradfield Hall for 30 years and I am sure the decibel level there must be a lot bigger than this... probably 80 decibels... Board Member Hoffmann — Well, I feel sorry for you, having to work under those conditions... Board Member Riha — Yeah, but I am sure a lot of people at Cornell do, so that's what I am trying to get to, what are acceptable noise levels ... I am sure, in a perfect world, we would all want it to be quiet, but that's what I don't understand. What's, it seems like we are saying, oh, the only regulations are that you can't build a building that is 6 decibels higher, but that seems a little strange that there's no cut off limit... Chairperson Wilcox — Right because if you keep compounding that... Board Member Riha — That's true. So that's what I don't grasp. Is there any guidance that says...or is it up to every Planning Board to decide, this is okay or not... Ms. Brock — Your Town Code has considerations that you are supposed to look at when you are considering site plan approval, and it's a qualitative standard rather than a quantitative standard, in this regard. One of the considerations is compatibility of the...: (tape change) ... One of the considerations is compatibility of the project with the surrounding neighborhood, including protection of adjacent properties in the general public against noise. Board Member Riha — Yes. So that's why it would be nice to have a little information on what's ... take 10 neighborhoods in Ithaca, what would it be a lot less noisier than this? Mr. Kanter— Everyone would be different. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 52 Board Member Riha — Yeah, and would this fall within the mean or the median. Some would be higher than this, right? Chairperson Wilcox — With a standard deviation... Board Member Riha — I mean so that's where I ... I'm mean ... that's where I ... as I said in an ideal world we would all like to not have. Mr. Kanter — There is no standard, really that we ever have used or that I know of that we could use. Ms. Brock — I do have to question rregarding the existing facilities that will be destroyed, whether the noise from those facilities was taken out because in the table in the consultant's report, you see the ambient noise and it says that comes from actual measurements and its there constant throughout the entire analysis they do. It doesn't indicate ambient noise, which we measure and then subtracted out the ambient noise that comes from the facilities that will be demolished. To me that indicates that's that and then they added the noise from the predicted facility unless there's. -..and they don't say we subtracted the existing.., maybe it said it somewhere in the text. Board Member Talty — On the coattails of that, you would have given us a measurement of what the current facility's output is. Mr. Keefe — You've got to remember four of those buildings are barns. There's nothing currently there. Board Member Talty — Either way. Either by themselves or accumulatively that documentation or data has not been presented. Henceforth it might be in everyone's best interest to place that phone call tomorrow to see if indeed the people who did this data or study has indeed measured the current facilities. Mr. Keefe — When they did the ambient testing of the noise levels, those facilities were there so they were up and running. Board Member Talty — I understand what you are saying. Alternate Member Erb — The point is, has the building been added on top of that or have they in fact added the new building and at the same time already taken away what might have come from... Mr. Keefe — It's not an additive or subtractive thing. What is there right now is the ambient that they measured. What is predicted to be there when they build a new building and demolish the old building is what is in the model. So you are not adding or subtracting. You're saying this is what's there now and the predictive model says this is the level that will be there with the new building replaced and the old buildings gone. Board Member Talty — Okay. something in writing from the the ambient current noise is. What has not been collected. Ms. Brock -- We have that. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg, 53 Then I'm going to make it very clear then. I would like person who conducted that study indicating exactly what Exactly what that constitutes. What has been collected. That is what I want. Chairperson Wilcox — Don't we know that? Board Member Talty — It actually says the old facility is included? Chairperson Wilcox — Ambience is measured. Board Member Talty — I understand that. I want to know if all of that noise, which you are telling me yes, including the old facility, if the old facility or "ties" have been measured? Has that been subtracted out in the studies going forward of the current documentation that exist for the current ambient noise. Did I make that clear? Here is the total noise package. This little corner is your current facilities. I want to know what that measurement is. Is there a way to do that? Mr. Keefe — No. We could model it. That would be about it because you can't isolate that one little block and try to find out what the decibels of that one little block ... (not audible). Mr. Kanter — You see, those two monitoring points were remote points. And so they are not picking up this building was this and this was this. It is a collective. Board Member Talty — That's. correct. So if I tear down the facility and I take this piece of paper and I go like this (tearing paper), right? Now that piece of paper now looks like this (holding up paper), right? Okay, now you are going to build something new, right? Okay. I don't know how much more visual I can get, but that's what I want. I want to know what chunk is going to be missing when you tear down the facility or facilities. Chairperson Wilcox — Which would have to be modeled. Board Member Talty — Okay. Chairperson Wilcox — Now, let's suppose you know that. Board Member Talty —Okay, Chairperson Wilcox — Is that what you need to make a decision? Board Member Talty - Yes. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg, 54 Board Member Riha — So what are you looking for? Less than 2 decibels or less than 5? That's what I don't understand. What are we.... Board Member Talty — I want to know what the new data is going to be. I want to know what the new data is going to be. Board Member Howe — But I think what they really need is that ... (not audible)... Board Member Riha - ...some criteria... Board Member Howe - ...because they may be able to mitigate to some extent this. Board Member Riha — But we don't even know what it is we should be asking for: Board Member Howe — Right. Dr. Akey - Well, there is essentially a mitigation in here because the model, as John said, was run supposing all the fans were running at 100% capacity and we will not be running them at 100% capacity. We will already be mitigating what you see in this model because normally the 3 main fans will operate at 67 %. Board Member Talty — Is there going to be a governor on those units? Mr. Keefe — What they'll use is what they call a variable- frequency drive so they only run as fast as they need to be run depending upon... Board Member Talty — I understand. So what you are telling me, they could operate at 90% if the need is there. Right? Dr. Akey — Yes, but there is an entire building control system to control the air exchanges that we program in and say we want 6 exchanges an hour or 8 exchanges an hour and that system, as I understand it, governs what is going on with that. Board Member Talty — That's correct. So at any time you can override that based upon the demand. So it could go from say a constant 67 if the need is there it may kick up to a 90. That's what you are telling me. It's all based upon need. Mr. Keefe — And the design need is the 67% level so to want to run it faster to waste energy would be something we wouldn't want to do. Board Member Riha — It looks to me like they've already got the worst -case scenario here because they are running full speed. They say they haven't used...haven't included sound attenuation from ducts...(not audible)...so they probably didn't account for the fans they are going to take out. So this looks like to me the worst, the most sound that you are ever going to get from these fans. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 55 Board Member Thayer — Was Cornell in session June 11 cn? Mr. Keefe — No. Board Member Thayer — So when Cornell is in session I would think that there would be quite a bit more ambient noise. Mr. Keefe — More ambient noise. That's correct. Mr. Walker — And it was very dry so the waterfall wasn't running very hard. Chairperson Wilcox — Is that fact or speculation? Mr. Walker — May and June are very dry months so the stream flow is very low. Chairperson Wilcox — Generally May and June are dry, not specifically to that date. You just happened to pull that out of your head. Okay. Mr. Walker — I don't know the water flow for that date, but I know that we were getting close to drought conditions at that point. Board Member Riha —Yeah. It was a very dry.'.. Mr. Walker — And those all make differences in ambient noise. Board Member Talty — Sure. Mr. Walker — Now, if you look at the different frequencies and different people hear at different frequencies. There is a whole lot of... and I'm not an acoustical engineer, some of these frequencies cancel each other out. Sometimes the noises cancel each other out. The diameter of the exhaust cancel things out. How many fans are going to be running? Did you run this with all the fans running? Mr. Keefe — That's correct. Mr. Walker — But you are not going to be running... you've got one fan that is not even there yet. It won't even be there that medical digester. Mr. Keefe — That was actually one of the things that we eliminated. The diameter of the stack is more critical for noise attenuation than the fans because the fans are mounted low and its really the air movement that is generating the noise. So if you use larger diameter stacks, you are going to reduce, I'm assuming, some of the noise, too. I'm getting outside my,.Yrn civil engineer, too, so I'm getting outside the range. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 56 Board Member Thayer — So you said two fans come on when one is shut off or down? So we are including those two fans in this figure, also. But it is never run unless the other one isn't run. Mr. Keefe — Right. Mr. Walker — Its fairly relative because... we've got a decibel meter some place in the building. We could have it in here. We are probably around 60 or 70 decibels all the time in here when we are talking. So if you're uncomfortable with the noise that is in here ... I mean when Hollis speaks we're all uncomfortable [laughing]. Alternate Member Erb — Oh, I'm so sorry. Mr. Walker — That's 90 decibels and when George speaks we're down to 30 decibels. So, you know. Board Member Talty — At times. Mr. Walker — At times. Its all relative. Is 50 decibels unreasonable to have in a neighborhood? That is all related. The kid next door with the electric guitar and he cranks it up all the way and... Chairperson Wilcox — And at nighttime when you have mitigation measures such as closing your windows. In fact people generate noise at nighttime by running their air conditioners and... Mr. Walker — In fact, if you took all the noise away, you would probably. be uncomfortable. Board Member Talty — That's probably true. Chairperson Wilcox - I don't know about that. Each to his own. d Board Member Talty - If you take someone from the city and put them in the country... Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. You might miss it. We need to make a decision, don't we. Yeah. Are you comfortable with where we are right now? I'm in favor of where we are right now. Board Member Talty — I'm not real comfortable. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. I sense that. Board Member Conneman — I'm not either. Board Member Thayer — What more can we ask? That's the question. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 57 Chairperson Wilcox — I have 3 -3 right now. Board Member Howe — Is there any way to say after the building is completed there be a 6 -month check in? I don't know. Some way to say we want to...we can't make them change anything, but I think for future use it would be good to somehow track this because of that compounding issue. I'm basically in favor of moving forward, but I think this is an important issue and I don't want to lose the discussion we just had and learn from it and somehow factor it in to something moving forward. Chairperson Wilcox — You would want to know the ambient sound level once they finish? Board Member Riha — Right. Board Member Thayer — Then what are you going to do? Tear it down. Board Member Riha — No. Board Member Howe — No, but we have now data to compare it to... Board Member Riha — To what they predicted. Board Member Thayer — Well, that's true. Board Member Howe — I don't know that it changes anything because there is already regulations that anything in the future that gets built you still have to keep within that 6 decibel. Chairperson Wilcox — As its been said, we can't continue to allow 6- decibel increases. Can we commit them? I mean, the idea of having the ambient sound level re- measured when they are completed, which could be two years down the road, roughly, again not as a means to say you are one decibel too loud, tear down the building or you need to put some sort of baffles or something to mitigate the noise. But its ... to compare what we wound up with in terms of the change in ambient noise versus what was predicted. It would be useful both for us and for the applicant. Mr. Walker — Fred? Chairperson Wilcox — Yes, sir. Mr. Walker — Just a question. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. Mr. Walker — Isn't this kind of a SEQR question? Isn't this an environmental review question? Mr. Kanter — Well it would have started out as that, but as site -plan consideration that the Board has to consider. I that you have new information now and reopen SEQR, where we are because this is such a subjective area tha say that. Its like with visual and aesthetics. Beauty is in noise. Sound is in the ear of the beholder. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 58 Susan mentioned, it is also a mean one could always say but I don't know that that is I don't know that you could the eye of the beholder with Mr. Walker — Based on the professional evaluation that we have from these sound people, it is within State guidelines for allowable... Chairperson Wilcox — And as I said, their modeling was worse case. You would still like something? Board Member Howe — If it seems reasonable. If it seems too farfetched to just request that there be an ambient level testing once the building is completed. I just think it would be useful information ... (not audible)... Alternate Member Erb — ...explicitly. ..that information... Chairperson Wilcox — Say yes. Mr. Keefe — Yes. Chairperson Wilcox — Very good. Alternate Member Erb — And brought back to us in a presentation that includes the... Chairperson Wilcox — Oh, we don't need a presentation. Do you want a presentation? Alternate Member Erb — No, but I mean, I'm not going to hold onto this, but I would like to see the new ambient... Chairperson Wilcox — The old ambient, the new ambient, the predicted, what we wound up with. Alternate Member Erb — Yes. Side by side. Board Member Hoffmann — Yeah. And I agree with you, Rod, it would be useful for when other projects come in and we get this kind of situation again, then we know and with the experience of some of you who live in that area and knowing what you subjectively hear as a difference if one can in fact hear a difference fairly easily with a change from 3 to 6 decibel then that would be useful, I think. Chairperson Wilcox — Would someone like to move the motion? Board Member Thayer— I will. P$ 11 -5 -07 Pg. 59 Chairperson Wilcox — So moved by Larry. Seconded by Susan. We have a change. Ms. Brock — So do you want this particular change? Chairperson Wilcox — Absolutely and they've agreed to it, which was crucial. I'm not sure we could legally ask you to do it, but thank you for agreeing to do it. Mr. Keefe — I think it is an interesting point and I would like to do it. Chairperson Wilcox — As a project manager, you would want to know. I understand that. Board Member Thayer — Its kind of like lake source measuring continuing. [laughing] Chairperson Wilcox — How did we get to lake source? Board Member Conneman — Don't go there. Board Member Talty — That was funny. That was good. Chairperson Wilcox — What we have asked for is when the building gets completed and in operation that the ambient sound levels be measured at the same two locations and that... Alternate Member Erb — At the same time of year, excuse me. Board Member Talty — Same month. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. Same month. Same location and that the Town be provided with a report, which shows the ambient condition as initially measured, the new ambient condition with the facility operating and a comparison with what was modeled. And that could be just columns. I don't know...l'm not sure we need descriptive text. Did you get that? Board Member Riha — Yeah. That works. Ms. Brock — And I didn't see anything in the submission that actually stated Cornell would be implanting the mitigations for the emergency generator. There were recommendations made by the consultant, but I didn't see anything that actually said Cornell will be doing this. So I had actually previously drafted a condition that addresses that, which would be "g. An acoustical enclosure and combustion exhaust silencer as described in the September 28th, 2007 final report by the applicant's consultants shall be installed for the emergency generator." PB 11 -6 -07 Pg, 60 Chairperson Wilcox — Acceptable Larry and Susan? Yes. Okay. All right. Any further discussion? You had your hand up before when I stopped you. Alternate Member Erb — I would like to make a comment that although I think the applicant did a good job in showing us how to mitigate below the guide ... to the guidelines or below with the worst -case scenario. It became evident during this discussion that actually being able to present also the model of what typical operation would do might have enhanced this discussion. Because if we had found out that it was considerably below the 6 decibel change, it might have changed the tenor of this discussion and I just wanted to state that. Chairperson Wilcox — For the record we have a letter from the fire department dated November 5th and they are very comfortable with the design. All right. I have a motion and second. Any further discussion? All those in favor please raise your hand. Okay. I have 1, 2, 3, 41 51 6 in favor. Opposed? One opposed. That's Kevin. There are no abstentions. The motion is passed. We thank everybody. Thank you all. PB RESOLUTION No. 2007 — 118:_Final Site Plan Approval, Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Caldwell Road, Tax Parcel No.'s 67 -1 -10.2 and 67 -1 -10.4 Motion made by Larry Thayer and seconded by Susan Riha. WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center located off Caldwell Road in the northeast corner of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 67 -1 -10.2 and 67 -1 -10.4, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal .includes the demolition of several small cinder block buildings for the construction of a new +/- 126,000 square foot, +/- 70 foot tall, facility to include laboratories and office space. The primary use of the facility will be for veterinary disease diagnostic programs associated with necropsy and histopathology, and will also include teaching programs and other research and support activities. The building will be physically connected to the existing Schurman Hall, associated with the Veterinary College. The project will consolidate 70 existing parking spaces, and add approximately 8 new spaces (4 handicapped spaces and 4 short term drop off spaces). The project will also include development of new stormwater management facilities. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; John M. Keefe, Agent, and 2. The proposed actions, which include site plan approval and special permit by the Planning Board and a height variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals, are Type I actions pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, 6 NYCRR Part 617, and Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 148, Environmental Quality Review, for PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 61 which the Planning Board at its August 21, 2007 meeting issued a negative determination of environmental significance, and 3. The Planning Board, at a meeting on August 21, 2007, granted Preliminary Site Plan Approval and Special Permit with conditions for the proposal, and 4. The Zoning Board of Appeals, on October 22, 2007, did issue a height variance for the proposed project, and 5. The Planning Board, at a Public Hearing held on November 6, 2007, has reviewed and accepted as adequate, a document containing plans, details, and other information, titled "Animal Health Diagnostic Center — Town of Ithaca Final Site Plan Review" date stamped October 12, 2007, submitted by Cornell University, and other application materials, and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby grants Final Site Plan Approval for the construction of the proposed Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center located off Caldwell Road in the northeast corner of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex, as shown on the plans and details contained in the document titled "Animal Health Diagnostic Center — Town of Ithaca Final Site Plan Review" date stamped October 12, 2007, submitted by Cornell University, subject to the following conditions: a. Submission of one set of the final site plan drawings on mylar, vellum, or paper, signed and sealed by the registered land surveyor, engineer, architect, or landscape architect who prepared the site plan materials, prior to issuance of a building permit, and b. Submission of record of application for and approval status of all necessary permits from any county, state, and /or federal agencies with receipt of all necessary permits required before issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, and c. Submission of a stormwater "Operation, Maintenance, and Reporting Agreement" between the property owner and the Town of Ithaca, either as a specific agreement for this project or included in a broad agreement to cover all campus stormwater facilities, satisfactory to the Attorney for the Town and the Town Engineer, prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy, and d. All demolition and construction traffic shall access the site from Caldwell Road by way of NYS Route 366 (Dryden Road), and shall not travel northwest of the project site on Caldwell Road, and PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 62 e. Structures demolished as part of this project will be required to obtain individual demolition permits from the Town of Ithaca Building Department, and f. That the ambient sound levels be measured after the facility is constructed and in use at the same two locations and in the same month and that the Town be provided with a report that shows the ambient condition as initially measured, the new ambient condition with the facility operating and a comparison with what was modeled, and g. An acoustical enclosure and an exhaust silencer as described in the September 28, 2007 final report by the applicant's consultants shall be installed for the emergency generator. A vote on the motion was as follows: AYES: Wilcox, Hoffmann, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, and Riha NAYS: Talty The motion passed 6 to 1. Chairperson Wilcox — Do we want to give 15, 20 minutes to...? Board Member Talty — How do we know? Chairperson Wilcox — Because we are going to give them 15 minutes. Board Member Talty � That works. Well, ask them if that works. Chairperson Wilcox — I know that they have been waiting patiently, but can we give them 15 minutes. Board Member Talty — Is it going to take you longer than 15 minutes? Male voice — We can try... Board Member Talty — Because in 15 minutes there is going to be a little bell that goes off. Chairperson Wilcox — Yeah. I'm going to cut you off in 15 minutes. Board Member Talty — All right. I'm all right then, Fred. Chairperson Wilcox — Ladies and gentlemen, at 10:08 p.m... (reads agenda item) PB 11 -6 -a7 Pg. 63 SKETCH PLAN Review of a sketch plan for the proposed Cornell University Combined Heat and Power Plant project located to the south of the Central Heating Plant on Dryden Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 63 -1 -5, 63 -1 -8.1 and 63- 1 -8.2, City of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 65 -3 -1.2 and 65- 3 -1.1, Light Industrial and Low Density Residential Zones. The proposed addition will occupy a footprint of approximately 17,000 square feet and includes two partial levels plus a mechanical penthouse. The addition will house two combustion turbine generators which will be matched with a dual- pressure heat recovery steam generator. The project will also include new emergency diesel generators, an aqueous ammonia storage facility, and other site improvements. The project site is split between the City and Town of Ithaca. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; Tim Peer, P.E., Agent. Chairperson Wilcox — Gentlemen, name and address please. The floor is yours. Ed Wilson, Cornell University Tim Peer, Cornell University, Humphrey Service Building Chairperson Wilcox — Thank you for being patient. Thank you for waiting. Mr. Wilson — We appreciate your time. Good evening. We are here for sketch plan review and we are here to get your comments and feedback on our plan for renewal of Cornell's central heating plant. I think you are aware in your discussion packet that due to the approval processes, we are working a parallel path with both the City and the Town. For our diagram you can see here the City /Town line exactly kind of cuts through both the existing heating plant and our addition. More of the addition is in the Town than in the City, but we had the sketch plan review with the City on the 23`d of October. We here now will be proceeding through the next steps. We started, initiated the SEQR to review the environmental impact. NYS DEC has taken on as lead agency role, which you have been notified of and we are pleased to say that even though they have a complicated process in here, ..(not audible)... permit. We did get a negative declaration from NYS DEC today. How does combined heat and power work? We will give you a brief discussion, kind of like how I talked to you earlier this year. What we are planning to install are two combustion,. .(not audible) ... they are basically a stationary engine, fire and natural gas. There is an article from Tompkins Weekly. It is connected to a generator and generates electricity. We utilize the waste heat in what is called a heat- recover steam generator. It generates steam using the waste heat. No additional fuel is fired. That steam is taken off into some existing steam turbines to generate some additional electricity and a low grade is then sent through a distribution network to heat buildings on campus. As that heat is removed, it condenses back to water and comes back into the cycle and goes through that. Now there are two of those units so it will be generating about 30 megawatts for those two units. There are also a couple of emergency diesel generators that will be used for emergency start up if we were to lose all of our power. There will PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 64 also be some additional equipment for both emission controls and for using some steam. We don't have quite the capacity to use it all. We generally will only generate enough steam to basically provide the heating needs for campus. The benefits it provides is it basically does renew our heating plant. We see the building expansions on campus even though we have an aggressive energy - conservation program. We are going to need some additional steam capacity over what we presently do. This should meet our steam needs for the next 10 to 20 years of expected growth on campus. It provides fuel flexibility. We will continue to use coal as one of our fuels, but our coal use will drop at about half and then we will primarily be burning natural gas with fuel oil as a back up fuel if some way our gas supply were interrupted. The coal -truck traffic should be reduced. Right now we receive about 2500 truck loads of coal annually, about 65,000 tons. And we expect with this project our coal use will drop to about half, cutting about 12 or 13 trucks of coal from coming into the area. We will also be able to provide emergency power from campus. So with these units in service if we had a regional electric grid outage again, we would be able with our emergency generators to start our facility up, put the larger units on. Re- electrify campus and at the same time provide enough steam for all of campus. So we become somewhat of an island of our own. It also does provide for emissions reductions, saying that we will be burning less coal and we will be producing more of our electricity ourselves, 85% instead 'of the existing 15% that we do. We will be generating all of that energy at about a 75% efficiency rate. Now generally electricity that you buy off the grid for your homes, as we do presently, is probably generated at about 33% efficiency. So overall if you look at all the numbers in New York State, about 1/3 less energy will have to be consumed to make the energy that we presently use today. So due to less fuel being combusted, there are significantly less emissions being put into the atmosphere. So let me turn it over to Tim Peer, our project manager. He will go over some of the details and the site layouts and then we will be free to answer any questions you may have. Tim Peer, Project Manager Just really quickly, we talked about this before. This is the site that has been historically used for utility and essential physical plant operations for the university. So certainly this addition is within the nature of the existing facilities there. It's fairly well hidden from the standpoint of between the grades and the other structures. It's not visible except for a few small windows and it is in an area that is generally not accessible to the general community at large because there are security issues associated with this operation. The building addition itself has what I would call 2 primary elements. There is the main building that will hold the primary equipment for this process and then there will be a small building addition on the corner of that shown here on this elevation that will be used for new office space and locker rooms and such for the staff in this building. Okay? The footprint for the process part of the building is about 1500 to 1600 square feet. Then the footprint for the office portion of it is about 2500 square foot, 2- stories tall. The general look of it is utilitarian in nature. There's sort of a mixed bag of different sidings PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 65 and textures there, but we are working to make it look as good as we can. A couple of the other features on this site are, of course, it will have stacks that come with it. I would like to point out that relative to the elevation of this parking lot on Route 366, those new stacks will be about 185 feet above that elevation. The existing stacks are 225 so they are quite tall. The height of the stacks is actually designed to optimize dispersion associated with the emissions that come from that stack. So the stack height in particular is modeled and approved by the DEC in the air - permit application. Okay? So it will be made of carbon steel, painted. There is a fairly limited color selection because it is a specialized paint for high temperature applications, but we are looking at a light gray -type color to sort of minimize the... Chairperson Wilcox — I'm sorry. You said 185 feet versus 225 for the existing? Mr. Peer — Yes. Here somewhere in the back of the facility there will be a pair of emergency diesel generators. These are the outdoor enclosures shown there. One of the other components is there will be an aqueous ammonia storage and off - loading facility that will be an area here behind this little facility. The aqueous ammonia storage will be, actually it will be 19% aqueous ammonia. It will be about a 12,000- gallon storage tank and the aqueous ammonia is required for the emission controls that on this for the...for a process called select catalytic reduction, which reduces oxides of nitrogen. Chairperson Wilcox — How does the ammonia get from the storage tank to the where it's needed? With a bucket or what? Mr. Peer— It will be piped directly. Inside containment. Chairperson Wilcox — I assume through underground? Mr. Peer — And the whole area will comply with New York State regulations for bulk chemical storage. And we have been talking to the fire department about this. Chairperson Wilcox — And clearly the City is concerned about that because it happens to be. within the City, but I'm sure we in the Town would be concerned about the ammonia stored there. Mr. Peer — Yes. [pause] There is a small...over here is the existing oil unloading dock, which you may remember from the site plan approval that we did for the yard project. We moved that. We have a new one. So that little building is still standing there, but we are going to tear it down and there we will locate an air cool condenser. So its just a way for us to reject some heat in the steam system to help deal with transients with the starting and stopping of this new equipment because the steam that is generated from the heat recovery steam generators comes on and off in big chunks. So we need a system to help us smooth that out. Okay? PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 66 Just a few quick statements about noise. I'm sure you are very excited to hear about noise. Chairperson Wilcox — You're fine. Mr. Peer — The project does include. a number of noise abatement features, including enclosures and silencers and we have a fairly complete noise study that was part of our LEAF (long environmental assessment form). So if you have any questions on noise, will try to answer them, but...okay: So from a visual and a site vegetation impact, I probably don't need to talk. more about the visual impacts, but there will be a number of existing trees there that will have to be removed in this area and we will certainly quantify that in our site plan package and tell you exactly what the trees are, you know, if there is anything there of significance. And we do intent to restore a small green areas, but it's a fairly limited area to do any sort of significant landscaping just because of the nature of the work that goes on there. Chairperson Wilcox — Speaking for the board, do what you can to try to mitigate the loss of greenery in that area. Do what you can. We will push you hard to do as much as you can to mitigate the loss. We agree. You are going to lose some trees. Okay? Do what you can to try to plant some trees in the vicinity. Some place close. Okay? Am clear here? Are we okay? Rod? [several talking at once] Chairperson Wilcox -- I agree it's an odd area, but it is also not a particularly nice area. We don't expect it to look like some of the other areas that we deal with, but you can't come in and say we have taken down these trees, tough. At least let us know that you have tried to do something to mitigate. Okay? That's all I'm saying. Board Member Thayer — You can't see it from the road, actually. Right? Mr. Peer — Very limited viewpoints from the road. As you go down Maple Ave area you can get a quick shot up through the parking lot, but only if you are rubbernecking. Alternate Member Erb - ...(not audible) ... that the tree consumes for us doesn't depend on whether we can see it. Mr. Peer — Hollis, it is interesting to point out that the emissions reductions associated with this project adds up to many, many, many trees. I think that's... Alternate Member Erb — May I ask if you are committing to the stacks on the generator being no taller...on the two generators being no taller than that? Mr. Peer — Yes. That is what was modeled in our air impact quality analysis. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 67 Alternate Member Erb — Okay because in your LEAF you only committed to them being less than 100 feet tall. Mr. Wilson — That might have been the emergency diesel generators. Alternate Member Erb — Yeah, two stacks on the emergency generator. Mr. Wilson — These two right here. They're in here. Alternate Member Erb — And less than 100 feet means 99 and a half until you show me something else. Mr. Peer — It will not be higher than what's shown on that drawing. That is what we modeled with the DEC. Mr. Wilson — There was a question about where the Town and City line is. That is shown in your packet of drawings. Mr. Kanter — I was just wondering if you could again point to where the Town /City line is. Mr. Wilson — It goes right along the back side of these parking spaces, straight line right up through and across the road. Chairperson Wilcox — Most of the building is in the Town. Mr. Wilson = That is correct. Mr. Kanter — The ammonia facility is in the City. Chairperson Wilcox — Ammonia facility is in the City. Some of the building is in the City. Alternate Member Erb — The ammonia pipeline is in the Town. Mr. Wilson — The ammonia pipeline's pretty much, l believe, in the City. Alternate Member Erb — Oh. Chairperson Wilcox — Eva? Board Member Hoffmann — I have a question about the towers, too. Why is it that these towers don't need to be as tall as the other ones? Mr. Wilson — We actually try to make the towers sized such that you get the right velocity to help the dispersion of the gases. The volume of gases ... (not audible) ... are smaller than the volume that would be leaving our existing older stacks and they are sized such that you disperse the emissions so there is no level of significant impact PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 68 achieved in any of the surrounding land areas. So they have to look at the topography of the area and then get the stack heights such that you get the proper dispersion. And at that height... Board Member Hoffmann — I guess I still don't understand why the other ones have to be so much higher to disperse properly than these are. Mr. Peer — It's the gas velocity. The velocity coming out of these stacks is much higher. Board Member Hoffmann — Oh. I see. Chairperson Wilcox — Smaller volume? Mr. Wilson — It's a smaller diameter. The existing stacks are roughly 12 feet in diameter and these are 6. Board Member Hoffmann — And that is regardless of the wind speeds around? Mr. Wilson — That is correct. Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. Interesting. Chairperson Wilcox — When were the original stacks built? Mr. Wilson — Original stacks ... the plant was built in 1922 and I believe the one stack was part of the original installation as far as I know. Chairperson Wilcox — So the question is, how good was the modeling back then? don't think you need to answer it, but... Mr. Wilson — It was probably (not audible). We have modeled the facility in the past for other permit reasons so the existing stacks have been modeled in the past. Chairperson Wilcox — I wanted to get in that you are doing a presentation Thursday night at the Best Western between 6 and 8 if anybody wants to go. I don't know whether everybody got a copy of this or not. Mr. Kanter — It's on the natural gas pipeline. Chairperson Wilcox— Yup, which is an important element of this. Yes? Board Member Hoffmann — Okay. I also have a question about the ammonia. Could you repeat again how this aqueous ammonia is needed and how it will be used? Mr. Wilson — Basically there is an environmental control that is called a electric catalytic reduction process where you have a gridwork of catalysts and you spray ... you take PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 69 liquid ammonia, you vaporize it, and put an ammonia gas in and along with the nitrogen oxides, it reacts in the catalysts material and causes ... (not audible) ... to come out. It takes the nox out of our emissions so that we come from ... we get about a 90% removal in nox emissions. So it is a chemical process. The catalyst makes the process work, but is not consumed and it needs the ammonia to make that process happen. So and as we said, 19% aqueous ammonia, we've found it ... some of the industrial- strength ammonia products that you buy for cleaning purposes are as high as 30% ammonia. So is relatively strong ammonia. Its stronger than your standard ammonia that you buy down at the grocery store, but it's a liquid ammonia. It would have odor. Otherwise it will be contained and follow all of the proper chemical bulk storage guidelines. Board Member Riha — So the nox would contribute to both greenhouses gases and ...(not audible)...so that is why they have to get it out, but I'm wondering if it would be any stronger than what would be used in agriculture. Mr. Wilson — I believe it is about the same strength as...l believe it is commercial grade instead of agriculture grade. So I think its more pure .... (not audible) ... basically then nitrogen oxides come into the catalyst and out comes nitrogen, which is a common component of air and water. Board Member Hoffmann And are there such large amounts of this ammonia needed that you need to have this big storage capacity there? Mr. Wilson — We basically size the tank so that you can go weeks in between getting deliveries and when you do get a delivery you can receive the whole volume. Typically you probably get a 6- or 7,000- gallon load of ammonia. You would want a tank large enough so you could go down to 2, 31 4,000 gallons left and still be able to take a full load of ammonia when it was to be delivered. So it's kind of the sizing of the tank. Board Member Riha — At least my experience in Ag Counts is the issue is when they deliver. If there is any leakage then if you are in the vicinity then ... (not audible)... Board Member Hoffmann — Now I understand that ammonia in a gas form is more damaging, more dangerous than in a liquid form. So you are changing it from a liquid form to a gas in order to have this process happen. Are there safeguards to make sure. that nothing goes wrong? Mr. Wilson — You basically take the liquid ammonia, aqueous ammonia, into the facility into a heater and a gas of fire. Then it is a short length of pipe from there to actually going in just before the catalyst and the hersig. So we minimize the length of which gaseous ammonia will exist. And there are facilities that you can buy gaseous ammonia and do that, but this is a safer way to have the product do what you are intending to have it do by getting it delivered in an aqueous form, low strength. You have a spill, a concern that you have of course, but you can contain that, as opposed to having a storage device that is holding a lot gaseous ammonia. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 70 Board Member Riha — So this is the kind of thing that would be required for any new power facility? Mr. Wilson — Pretty much so to control... basically all combustion has some. Nitrogen oxide emissions and pretty much the law now and the regulations require a percentage reduction. And through a process like this you can get close to 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides. Chairperson Wilcox — 20 minutes are up since they started. Any other questions? Hollis? Alternate Member Erb — Can I just point out that if a 5 decibel matters in one neighborhood does is matter in another neighborhood? Chairperson Wilcox — Is that a rhetorical question? Board Member Riha — Well, they said there was going to be no increase. Alternate Member Erb — No. They said there would be 5 decibels. Mr. Kanter — It kind of depends on the location and what is around it. So this plant doesn't have much in the way of a neighborhood around it. Board Member Hoffmann — But there might be more of a neighborhood around it in the future if Cornell goes ahead with this East Hill Village or whatever they call it. Chairperson Wilcox — We're not going there tonight. Board Member Thayer — That is for sure. Chairperson Wilcox — I thank you for waiting. I thank you for your patience. Is there anything else you want to bring to our attention tonight? Mr. Kanter — Do you want to point out the memo we got from Joann over at the City that indicated some concerns? Chairperson Wilcox — Jonathan did get something from Joann Cornish, which was essentially... summarize the concerns that the City expressed to you when you were presenting before them two weeks ago. And visual simulations, the aqueous ammonia, materials, view. I can't see that those also wouldn't be concerns for this board as well. Mr. Kanter — And actually Tom Parsons from the fire department indicated and has been in discussion with Cornell about what he would like to see in terms of the ammonia transport and storage and containment. Chairperson Wilcox — We all set. Thank you very much. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 71 Board Member Thayer — Thanks for your patience. We appreciate it. Chairperson Wilcox — We have to do minutes. I'll move minutes of October 2 "d. Do I have a second? Kevin. Calls for vote. Board Member Hoffmann abstains. Alternate Member Erb substitute voted for Board Member Hoffmann. PB RESOLUTION NO. 2007 — 119: Adoption of Minutes - October 2, 2007, Town of Ithaca Planning Board MOTION made by Fred Wilcox, seconded by Kevin Talty. WHEREAS: The Town of Ithaca Planning Board has reviewed the draft minutes from October 2, 2007, and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The Town of Ithaca Planning Board approves the minutes, with corrections, to be the final minutes of the meeting on October 2, 2007. A vote on the motion resulted as follows: AYES: Wilcox, Conneman, Thayer, Howe, Talty, Riha and Erb. NAYS: None ABSTENTIONS: Hoffmann The Motion passed. Chairperson Wilcox — Our next meeting is the 27th. It was moved from the 20th. We are not going to go over the agenda. Thank you very much. Mr. Kanter — Correct. Chairperson Wilcox — I wanted to talk about the Henry subdivision, which we approved . two weeks ago. That's coming back and is getting interesting, but I'm not going to talk about it tonight. Eva, you wanted to talk about the SEQR-form. You mentioned that a the beginning. We are going to push that off. No [to Paulette]. I don't have the minutes from October 16th. I have not seen them. Did anybody see them? I didn't get them in my packet. I only got the 2 "d. So I crossed it off. Did anybody see the minutes of October 16th? Alternate Member Erb — You mean the ones also labeled October 2"d? Chairperson Wilcox — I only got October 2nd in my packet. PB 11 -6 -07 Pg. 72 Ms. Neilsen — Oh, is it a typo. Alternate Member Erb — I have two labeled October 2"d, but they are different. Chairperson Wilcox — Oh, I didn't get two Board Member Thayer — Me, too. I only got one set labeled October 2nd Ms. Neilsen — Well, I know I have them done. Chairperson Wilcox — So we will deal with them at the next meeting. Do I a motion to adjourn? So moved by Kevin. We are adjourned at 10:33 p.m. Thank you. Paulette Neilsen Deputy Town Clerk Attachment 1 Sustainable Transportation: Managing Cornell's Impact on Our Community Thanks for the chance to meet with you today, and to share a preview of a couple of documents that are about to "go public," so to speak, from a project that will affect every one of us who works and studies at Cornell. r ansportation -Fo entaldlmpact ,eneric Environm _statement (OEiS) travel Survey Results xECUTNE SUMNOV erect f;n neR �.r11�4�- f11 !C' -YEAR TIMS These two documents, the Transportation- Focused Generic Environmental Impact Statement (or t- LEIS)... ...and the Ten -Year Transportation Impact Mitigation Strategies or TIMS document, come at a critical time for the Cornell community. Beginning now, we need to move more people with fewer vehicles. These documents are based on data that you and I supplied about our travel habits and preferences through a travel survey that was completed by faculty, staff, and students in 2005. They look ahead to a time of potential population growth at Cornell University —when an institution with a national reputation for making smart transportation choices will be challenged to do even more in the context of Cornell's commitment to sustainability. 2 We share transportation space with surrounding communities. There are important choices to be made about how we travel, and how our transportation needs and patterns impact the Cornell campus and surrounding communities. I hope you'll take the next few minutes to study our analysis of the survey findings. Tell us if we heard you right, and if the strategies and actions we propose are the best possible ways to make sustainable transportation a part of Cornell's future. People in the surrounding communities are anxious to know how we intend to manage our transportation impacts. And whether all of us —the students, faculty, and staff of the university —are in agreement on our strategies and actions. Q What's the problem? We're all commuters Before we talk about the survey — and the generic environmental impact statement and the mitigation strategies — and where we go from here, let's try to remember why all this was necessary. Except for those who live on campus —we're all commuters. All that movement requires transportation— whether by car or bus, foot, bicycle or skateboard. And that's the problem: all that commuting has significant impacts on the environment and on the communities we pass through on the way to campus. That's what the whole process has been about; we weren't looking at transportation within the bounds of campus. rd Every year there are more of us To make things even more interesting, the numbers of "us" who are commuting is increasing — probably not the number of undergraduate students, which is projected to stay relatively stable —but more likely graduate students, researchers, and employees who will work and study at a dynamic Cornell University. How can we change our commuting habits? r rt For the past 17 years, Transportation Demand Management programs have taken Cornell's responsibility to reduce the impact of its transportation needs very seriously. As Cornell continues to grow and the number of commuters increases, that responsibility becomes an imperative —for a socially and environmentally responsible and sustainable institution, for you, and for every member of the Cornell community. 11 I r" Overall Strategy: Move more people with fewer vehicles That brings us back to the first document that we are in the midst of preparing: The Transportation- Focused Generic Environmental Impact Statement, which includes the Cornell travel survey results, as well as some predicted scenarios of what traffic to the campus and through the surrounding communities might be like in the future as Cornell's population grows. 7 Baseline of current travel habits and patterns The 2005 travel survey that provided data to the t -LEIS about what it might take for Cornell community members to change their commuting habits was a good baseline. One finding from the travel survey is especially encouraging: Forty -five percent of Cornell employees do not drive to work alone —in single- occupancy vehicles, or SOVs. Gauge interest and preference for transportation options So, we know already that 45 percent of employees come to campus in other ways— compared to a national average of only 25 percent. However, if the university continues to grow —as good as this is —it isn't good enough. If 55% of new people drive SOVs to campus, the impacts could be serious. 9 The survey gave us the clearest picture yet of how far and from where commuters travel to get to the Cornell campus. This series of maps illustrates just how many and how far. The red line surrounds what we call the "destination area" this encompasses the campus which is reached through the surrounding communities. ...this is the border of the City of Ithaca ...surrounded by the the town ...which is in turn surrounded by the county and its 13 municipalities. 10 ,5 ... you see that approximately 25 percent of Cornell employees live and commute from outside of Tompkins County. 11 25"'. ... Approximately 40 percent live withii County, but outside of the City and To 12 25% ... About 20 percent live within the Town of Ithaca. 13 1111, �� ... and about 15 percent live within the City of Ithaca itself. Already 40 percent of all employees who live in the city use alternate methods of transportation. We need to be creative to enable that type of participation from those who live in rural areas. 14 55 percent of Cornell employees drive alone to campus 17 percent carpool or share a ride 14 percent use public transit 9 percent walk 3 percent of employees bike to work Employees are great at joining carpools and ride - shares, they're frequent users of public transit, and about 12 percent of employees bike or walk to work. For many they are responding to incentives that have made Cornell University a national leader in alternative transportation— incentives like the OmniRide program. They have learned that although they aren't paying parking fees, those fees may have been the smallest expense associated with SOV commuting. 15 Only 19 percent of grad students drive alone to campus i - 37 percent ride the bus t 31 percent walk and 4 percent bike And about those bus - riding, walking, bike - riding graduate students —fewer than a fifth of them drive alone to campus. Our graduate and professional students have different commuting patterns, depending on when they're teaching classes or taking classes, conducting research, or working in the library. So a good transportation plan has to broaden in scope to accommodate their needs and expectations, as well. 16 The vast majority of commuting undergrads walk to campus. And through transit incentives, are discovering the convenience of taking the bus. 17 75 percent of all single- occupancy vehicle trips are made by Cornell employees The significant finding from the survey is that 75 percent of the drivers of single- occupancy vehicles to campus are employees. This is the same constituency that is likely to be growing as Cornell University grows. So we asked you: What will it take to keep more single- occupancy vehicles away from campus and the surrounding communities? I Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) drivers say they might: walk if they lived closer bike to campus under "right conditions" take the bus if it stopped near home and had more frequent service join a carpool or vanpool And you told us, in very specific terms but also with some rather big "ifs ". For instance, those of you who live close enough say you would consider walking, if there were more sidewalks. Others would walk if there were a more affordable range of housing available, closer to campus. The same goes for bicycling under the "right conditions." Cyclists told us what they need to ride safely. You told us, too, that transit would be more appealing if it was connected to convenient park and ride lots, and if it ran close to where you live, more frequently, and longer hours. And that you would join car or vanpools, if it was convenient and cost effective. 19 The Good News: We have a high level of interest in alternative modes. 80 percent of SOV employees would consider the bus. 50 percent might carpool, and 1/3 would consider vanpools. 40 percent of SOV employees might bike. Given the high level of interest in our area for using alternatives, the question before us is: What changes or incentives could motivate a shift toward sustainable transportation at Cornell? We have a highly motivated constituency. You're not afraid to tell us what you need and what we ought to do about it. The communities surrounding the Cornell campus never hesitate to express their feelings, either. This brings us to the TIMS —the Ten -year Transportation Impact Mitigation Strategies. We've responded with some innovative strategies and action plans that can make a growing Cornell University a low- impact neighbor. There's never been a better time to get behind this draft action plan you helped create —and to tell the greater Ithaca community: This is what a sustainable Cornell University needs to do. 20 TIMS = cohesive set of program strategies to reduce the number of single- occupancy vehicles traveling through residential neighborhoods around the Cornell campus pA��S qa 10 -YEAR TIMS X41 4 The Ten -Year Transportation Impact Mitigation Strategies or TIMS is being produced —based on the t -GEIS findings —and, when complete, will serve as an operational plan for Cornell Transportation Services over the next five to ten years, directing these ongoing enhancements and incentives. But, it's important to note that Cornell will continue to provide parking and to accommodate SOV commuters —this is an effort to encourage, not force, transportation alternatives by expanding and improving these options. 21 Bike Center The TIMS will include a kind of transportation planners' wish list. But we plagiarized a bit. This really is your wish list too —your needs and expectations for greater sustainability at Cornell and in the neighborhoods that surround it, expanded and developed by some of the best transportation planners in the business. 22 Community Park - and -Ride Free parking Express service to Cornell and downtown Additional incentives for Co z611 co mm uters Encourage other employers to do the same Peripheral park- and -ride lots are great places for single - occupancy vehicles to stay while we're at Cornell. With more of these lots in strategic locations, there is an opportunity to intercept Cornell -bound commuter traffic outside the urban core and reduce traffic impacts on the adjacent neighborhoods, while reducing the demand for parking on campus. As I'm sure you'd remind us, park- and -ride lots need frequent, direct, and extended public transit to be effective. 23 Improve pedestrian network in areas adjacent t6_4 h and leading to campus— for example, by ... r• �I More of us might join all the undergraduate walkers if improvements to the pedestrian network were implemented. Despite all the hills, Ithaca really is a marvelous place to walk. Nevertheless, a few things could be better. We need more sidewalks and safer pedestrian crossings. And through t -LEIS community open houses, we have a better idea of where. E ... providing pedestrian linkages to transit. Ideally, between our buses and our feet, there ought to be practically no place in Ithaca we can't reach. When it's time to take a load off your feet and take a seat on the bus —we need easier ways to make that transition, linking sidewalks, neighborhoods, and facilities to transit. 25 q 11r 1- Multi -use Trails It ~ V 1 i� K_ i Besides sidewalks, multi -use trails can increase pedestrian and bicycle access. For example, the old railroad bed between the East Ithaca Recreation Way and Varna could be developed to link that community and the campus. 26 develop more bike lanes, and dedicated bike routes. . . educate cyclists, pedestrians and drivers about "rules of the road." We can do more to encourage cycling, too. One approach to a more robust bicycle culture on campus and in the community is to educate cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians about their rights and their responsibilities to each other. 27 Create a strong "cycling culture" both on and off campus, for example: by enhancing the on- campus bicycle network and amenities... Building a strong cycling culture can be aided, too, by the creation of full- featured bike centers or bike stairs. A staircase, like the one on the right, enables cyclists to roll, rather than carry their bikes up and down the steps. Strengthen public transit for the Cornell community and the greater Ithaca area —for example: improve frequency and coverage; increase visibility and functionality of primary stops; encourage other employers to coordinate with TCAT. Cornell University has long been a partner and a friend in public transit on campus and in the greater Ithaca area. If nearly 14 percent of Cornell employees and 40 percent of graduate students regularly use transit for their commute now, then it follows that with improved transit there's potential for a substantial increase in those numbers. 29 Improve and expand existing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs —for example: vanpool, carshare, and telecommuting programs ... comprehensive set of incentives ... alternative transportation. A good TDM program has allowed us to provide information and incentives to commuters, to encourage them to choose alternatives to single- occupancy vehicles. However, the TIMS identifies strategies to improve and expand our TDM programs for example by examining telecommuting, paying people to leave their cars at home, and by adding vanpooling and carsharing to the mix. IN Upgrade safety and capacity of multiple forms of travel work with local and state agencies ... improve near - campus intersections. Our initial efforts can be policy changes and program enhancements, but there may be changes in the roadway systems surrounding and leading to campus that will help as well. Cornell owns most of the streets on the central campus, and can have a direct effect on them. However, all those roads and intersections we use the way to work, or from campus to the mall, or from the residence halls to the lake —are in areas where Cornell's neighbors take traffic rather seriously. This is another opportunity for Cornell University to be a good neighbor and a partner —by participating in improvements to intersections and roadways in the surrounding communities. 31 Ongoing monitoring will measure effectiveness of new program efforts In the TIMS we have some strategies —or at least a working draft of the strategies —to mitigate the impact of our growth, and to make Cornell University the sustainable endeavor we all hope it can be. And which President Skorton through the Presidents' Climate Commitment has committed us to be. Although t -LEIS far predated this agreement —the benefits gained through the TIMS will directly accrue to this commitment to sustainability. And it doesn't stop with this process. The TIMS is designed to be a living document, with regular updates, likely at five - year intervals, to be certain we are meeting our goals, or to revise our strategies to meet or exceed them. 32 Opportunities for t -GEIS and TIMS Involvement Sept. 1S ............University Neighborhood Council Sept. 19 ....... .......................Employee Assembly Sept. 20 ......... ........................Student Assembly Sept. 24 .. .......................Graduate & Professional Students Assembly Sept. 26 ......... .....................University Assembly Oct.- Nov ..............Draft t -GEIS to Town of Ithaca Clearly, we have some challenging work ahead of us. So far, with your help we've learned a lot about the travel patterns and behaviors of the Cornell community. So how can you, individually, and as a leader at Cornell, support this sustainable transportation effort? As an individual, you can do your part for sustainability by participating in the programs that are growing out of this process. As an assembly, you need to tell the administration and local community that sustainable transportation options are important to Cornellians and that you endorse this plan of action. 33 PL-1 WA The Ultimate Goal for Sustainability: Reduce single- occupancy vehicle trips— Move people not cars to campus. For more information and to give us feedback visit: www.tGEISproject.org The ultimate goal is to get ep ople, not cars, to campus. Then to help every one of us move about campus, conveniently and expeditiously. And to get us safely home at the end of the day, with minimal impact on the communities we pass through. That is the transportation part of Cornell's commitment to sustainability. It starts with you and me and the choices we make, beginning today. Before you get behind the t -GETS and the Transportation Impact Mitigation Strategies, I know you must have some questions. Please, feel free to ask them now! My colleagues are here to take note of your comments, questions, and suggestions. Also, if there are questions you think of later, or want to share in a less public forum, please visit our website tgeisproject.org and drop us an email. 34 I- ; 'I X , NZ4 ;rM -rill , ri, ARNOW. All "Now u e f: 1( 3 TABLE 2 Subjective Effect of Changes in Sound Characteristics Change in Change in Change in Energy Level Sound Level Apparent Loudness 26% 1 dB Insignificant Doubling 3 dB Just perceptible Tripling 5 dB Clearly noticeable Ten Times 10 dB Twice as loud (or i ) 100 Times 20 dB Much louder (or quieter) FIt4eL)QF o4 TABLE 3 Comparison of Intensity, Sound Pressure Level, and Common Sounds Relative Energy Intensity (units) Decibels' Loudness 1003000,0000000,000 140 Jet aircraft and artillery fire 10,0007000,0009000 130 Threshold of pain 12000,00020002000 120 1007000,0003000 110 Near elevated train 10,000,000,000 100 Inside propellor plane 1,000,0002000 90 Full symphony or band 10010001000 80 Inside auto at high speed 10200%000 70 1,000,000 60 Conversation, face - to-face 1009000 50 Inside general office 102000 40 Inside private office 1,000 30 Inside bedroom 100 20 Inside empty theater 10 10 I 0 Threshold of hearing aSPL as measured on A- weighted network of standard sound level meter. FPi OM : �e E R4E 5J 1.. F 60u r�4 b, rJ c(S� Ar4 � v I SJZAN-171 a rte! cor ll`90" . v.�r -J t�l�sTR�.,.l� Rr=10* rP-- OWbop I `h7b T.4 hip 2! Snmmary of Noise impact Modeline Results (Unmitigated) CA MlDG rt-D.. F!l4ujZE & Table 4: Summary of Noise Impact Modelimm Results (with generator mitigation in place) Daytimet't Nighttimetlt Receptor Ambient Predicted Total Change Ambient Predicted Tom Night - Change Generator On - Combustion Exhaust Stack 10 ft Above Grade [21 (dBA)121 Facility Daytime (dBA) 131 (dBA) t2l FdBAty time (dBAY31 6 R2 dBA) 42 46 3 37 (dBA) 43 Generator Off R1 52 49 54 2 45 49 50 5 R2 43 41 45 2 37 41 42 5 F!l4ujZE & Table 4: Summary of Noise Impact Modelimm Results (with generator mitigation in place) Notes: I') Ambient data measured at receptor locations during the week of June 11, 2007. PI Results assume that the emergency generator may be operated during both daytime and nighttime hours. This assumption will be confirmed with the University. r'3 The measurement and analysis results assume that daytime hours are between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm, and that nighttime hours are between 7:00 pm and 7:00 am. MOM : F'1r1A.i_ ZED moor NOISEs.. /MPAcrr ^4t: �SMEj%JT A N MA j. pWAb.,7;L4 D t ^c of Odfsrlcs Grw%%i -r1cF2� TZDw4A,r4 VJ /1.L1 AMS 'DAB l t�.�t �•-1 Jv&.*l Z 6 Zoo? Daytime 131 Nighttime [3) Receptor Ambient (dBA)t11 Predicted Facility (dBA) Total Daytime (dBA) Change (dBA) Ambient (dBA)III Predicted Faty (dBA) Total Night - time (dBA) Change (dBA) Generator On - Combustion Exhaust Stack 10 ft Above Grade [21 R1 52 50 54 2 45 50 51 6 R2 43 42 46 3 37 42 43 6 Generator On - Combustion Exhaust Stack 10 ft Above Roott-t R1 52 49 54 2 45 49 51 6 R2 43 42 46 3 37 42 43 6 Notes: I') Ambient data measured at receptor locations during the week of June 11, 2007. PI Results assume that the emergency generator may be operated during both daytime and nighttime hours. This assumption will be confirmed with the University. r'3 The measurement and analysis results assume that daytime hours are between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm, and that nighttime hours are between 7:00 pm and 7:00 am. MOM : F'1r1A.i_ ZED moor NOISEs.. /MPAcrr ^4t: �SMEj%JT A N MA j. pWAb.,7;L4 D t ^c of Odfsrlcs Grw%%i -r1cF2� TZDw4A,r4 VJ /1.L1 AMS 'DAB l t�.�t �•-1 Jv&.*l Z 6 Zoo? TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Tuesday, November 6, 2007 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. Persons to be heard (no more than five minutes). 7:05 P.M. Presentation and discussion regarding the Cornell Transportation- focused Generic Environmental Impact Statement (T- GEIS), focusing on the internal meetings with Cornell faculty, staff and students regarding possible mitigation strategies. David Lieb, Cornell University and Kathryn Wolf, Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP, Presenters. 7:30 P.M. SEQR Determination: Ithaca College Emergency Alarm System, 953 Danby Road. 7:30 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed mass notification system on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The proposal involves installing two mass communication poles to deliver emergency warnings and messages to the College campus community. One pole will be mounted on the roof of the Campus Center (10 feet above roof) and the second will be mounted on a wooden pole (50 feet high) between Wood Field and College Circle Road. Ithaca College, Owner /Applicant; Richard Couture, Agent. 7:45 P.M. SEQR Determination: East Hill Plaza — Conversion of Former Rite Aid Location, 323 Pine Tree Road. 7:45 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid location in the East Hill Plaza located at 323 Pine Tree Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 62- 2- 1.121, Community Commercial Zone. The proposal involves splitting the former Rite Aid space into two new rental units for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgwick Furniture. Cornell University Real Estate Department, Owner /Applicant; Maria B. Maynard, Property Manager, Agent. 8:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center located off Caldwell Road in the northeast corner of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 67- 1 -10.2 and 67 -1 -10.4, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal includes the demolition of several small cinder block buildings for the construction of a new +/- 126,000 square foot, +/- 70 foot tall, facility to include laboratories (rated with Biological Safety Levels of 2 and 3) and office space. The primary use of the facility will be for veterinary disease diagnostic programs associated with necropsy and histopathology, and will also include teaching programs and other research and support activities. The building will be physically connected to the existing Schuman Hall, associated with the Veterinary College. The project will consolidate 70 existing parking spaces currently scattered throughout the site, and add approximately 8 new spaces (4 handicapped spaces and 4 short term drop off spaces). The project will also include development of new stormwater management facilities. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; John M. Keefe, Agent. 8:15 P.M. Review of a sketch plan for the proposed Cornell University Combined Heat and Power Plant project located to the south of the Central Heating Plant on Dryden Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 63 -1 -5, 63 -1 -8.1 and 63- 1 -8.2, City of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 65 -3- 1.2 and 65- 3 -1.1, Light Industrial and Low Density Residential Zones. The proposed addition will occupy a footprint of approximately 17,000 square feet and includes two partial levels plus a mechanical penthouse. The addition will house two combustion turbine generators which will be matched with a dual - pressure heat recovery steam generator. The project will also include new emergency diesel generators, an aqueous ammonia storage facility, and other site improvements. The project site is split between the City and Town of Ithaca. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; Tim Peer, P.E., Agent. 9. Persons to be heard (continued from beginning of meeting if necessary). 10. Approval of Minutes: October 2, 2007 and October 16, 2007. 11. Other Business: 12. Adjournment. Jonathan Kanter, AICP Director of Planning 273 -1747 NOTE: IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD IS UNABLE TO ATTEND, PLEASE NOTIFY SANDY POLCE AT 273 -1747. (A quorum of four (4) members is necessary to conduct Planning Board business.) TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday, November 6, 2007 By direction of the Chairperson of the Planning Board, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Public Hearings will be held by the Planning Board of the Town of Ithaca on Tuesday, November 6, 2007, at 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, N.Y., at the following times and on the following matters: 7:30 P.M. Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed mass notification system on the Ithaca College Campus, 953 Danby Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and 42 -1 -13.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The proposal involves installing two mass communication poles to deliver emergency warnings and messages to the College campus community. One pole will be mounted on the roof of the Campus Center (10 feet above roof) and the second will be mounted on a wooden pole (50 feet high) between Wood Field and College Circle Road. Ithaca College, Owner /Applicant; Richard Couture, Agent. 7:45 P.M. Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of the former Rite Aid location in the East Hill Plaza located at 323 Pine Tree Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 62 -2- 1.121, Community Commercial Zone. The proposal involves splitting the former Rite Aid space into two new rental units for Cayuga Press, Inc. and Sedgwick Furniture. Cornell University Real Estate Department, Owner /Applicant; Maria B. Maynard, Property Manager, Agent. 8:00 P.M. Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center located off Caldwell Road in the northeast corner of the College of Veterinary Medicine Complex, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 67 -1 -10.2 and 67 -1 -10.4, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal includes the demolition of several small cinder block buildings for the construction of a new +/- 126,000 square foot, +/- 70 foot tall, facility to include laboratories (rated with Biological Safety Levels of 2 and 3) and office space. The primary use of the facility will be for veterinary disease diagnostic programs associated with necropsy and histopathology, and will also include teaching programs and other research and support activities. The building will be physically connected to the existing Schuman Hall, associated with the Veterinary College. The project will consolidate 70 existing parking spaces currently scattered throughout the site, and add approximately 8 new spaces (4 handicapped spaces and 4 short term drop off spaces). The project will also include development of new stormwater management facilities. Cornell University, Owner /Applicant; John M. Keefe, Agent. Said Planning Board will at said time and said place hear all persons in support of such matter or objections thereto. Persons may appear by agent or in person. Individuals with visual impairments, hearing impairments or other special needs, will be provided with assistance as necessary, upon request. Persons desiring assistance must make such a request not less than 48 hours prior to the time of the public hearing. Jonathan Kanter, AICP Director of Planning 273 -1747 Dated: Monday, October 29, 2007 Publish: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 ;Wednesday, October,31, 2007 f THE ITHACA JOURNAL TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD ' NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Tuesday," November 6,'2007 By direction of the Chair- i Person . of the Planning t board, NOTICE IS HEREBY 1 GIVEN that Public Hearings '___ _ will be held byy the Planning ! 8:00 P M. Consideration Board of the•Town'of Ithaca 'I of Final Site Plan Approval on Tuesdayy November 6; :j for -the proposed Cornell 2007; at 215 North Tiogo University Animal Health Di Street, Ithaca, N.Y. at the ' agnostic Center located off 1 following times -and on the I Caldwell Road in the north -! following matters: east corner of the College 7:30 P.M. Consideration , Of' Veterinary Medicine i of Preliminary and Final Complex, Town of Ithaca! Site 'Plan Approval and Tax Parcel No.'s 67 -1 -10.21 Special Permit for the pro- and 67.1 -10.4, Low Density' posed mass notification sys- Residential Zone. The pro- tern on the Ithaca College ; pasaI includes the demoli.' Campus 953 Danby Road, I tion of several 'small cinder' Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel block buildings for the -con No.'s 41 -1 -30.2 and'42 -1 struction of a new +/ :13.2, Medium Density Resi -S 126 000 square foot, +/ dential Zone. The'proposoli 70 foot tall; facility to, in involves installing two mass r elude laboratories (rated;, communication poles to de-r with Biological Safety Lev -i sliver emergency warningels of 2 and 3 and office I sE j ;and messages to ,the Col space.' The primary use of ;lege campus community. {'the facility will be for ve.teri- i 'One pole will be mounted( nary disease diagnostic! on the roof of the Campus programs associated with 'Center (10 feet above roof) f necropsy and! and the second will be histopathology, and will al-' mounted on a wooden pole) so. include teaching pro- 9 (50 feet, high) between( grams and other research, Wood Field and College' and support activities. The - ;Circle Road. Ithaca Col- building- will be physically' lege, Owner /Applicant; Ri. connected to the existing I chard Couture, Agent. - Schuman Hall, associated' 7:45 P.M. Consideration I with the Veterinary College. i of Preliminary. and Final" The project will consolidate) Site Plan Approval for the ` 70 existing parking spaces' pproposed conversion of the ! currently scattered through - p !former. Rite Aid location in out, the site, and add ap- "I the East Hill Plaza located proximately 8 new spaces I at. 323 Pine 'Tree Road, ' 4 handicapped spaces , Town of 'Ithaca Tax Parcel ( and 4 .short term drop off I 'No. 62:2- 1:121, Communi-: )spaces l- The project will,ol ty Commercial Zone.' The so include development of ! proposal involves splitting new stormwater manage the former Rite Aid space ment facilities. Cornell Uni- , into two new rental units for ;versify, Owner /Applicant; Cayyuga Press, Inc: and John M. Keefe, Agent. Sedgwick Furniture.+ Car- Said Rlannin Board will nell Universiy Real - Estate g Department, Owner/ Appli -'at said time and said place; cant; Maria B. Maynard, hear all persons in support' Property Manager, Agent. __- Of m Personrsobrjae�tioanps j Pear by agent or in person. ndividuals with visual im. pairments,,hearing impair- ments or other special needs; will be provided with assistance as necesso- ry upon request. Persons desiring assistance must make such a request not less than 48 hours. prior to ; the time of the ,public hearing. Jonathan Kanter, AICP 1 Director of Planning I 273 -1747 Dated: Monday, i October 29, 2007 , Publish: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Town of Ithaca Planning Board 215 North Tioga Street November 6, 2007 7:00 p.m. PLEASE SIGN4N Please Print Clearly, Thank You Name �LLLL�� vi 11LLTC s0 N M n\rA A M O S-0i ,�)Mq Gt ►' r IN1 c�-�, ►,�n�v I ~ i( it Address l) e i4 {1 C.L') TOWN OF ITHACA AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING AND PUBLICATION I, Sandra Polce, being duly sworn, depose and say that I am a Senior Typist for the Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York; that the following Notice has been duly posted on the sign board of the Town of Ithaca and that said Notice has been duly published in the local newspaper, The Ithaca Journal. Notice of Public Hearings to be held by the Town of Ithaca Planning Board in the Town of Ithaca Town Hall, 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 commencing at 7:00 P.M., as per attached. Location of Sign Board used for Posting: Town Clerk Sign Board — 215 North Tio a Street. Date of Posting: Date of Publication October 29, 2007 October 31, 2007 Sandra Polce, Senior Typist Town of Ithaca STATE OF NEW YORK) SS: COUNTY OF TOMPKINS) Sworn to and subscribed before me this 31 S` day of October 2007. Notary Public CONNIE F. CLARK Notary Public, State of New York No. 01 CL6052878 Qualified in Tompkins County Commission Expires December 26, 20 f�