HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2011-03-08FILE
DATE 3
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
215 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
Board Members Present: Chair: Fred Wilcox; Members: Linda Collins, George Conneman, John
Beach, Ellen Baer, Jon Bosak, Hollis Erb, David Slottje (Alternate Member)
Staff Present: Susan Ritter, Director of Planning; Bruce Bates, Director of Code Enforcement;
Deb DeAugistine, Deputy Town Clerk; Creig Hebdon, Engineer; Christine Balestra, Planner;
Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town
Call to Order
Mr. Wilcox called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m.
AGENDA ITEM
Persons to be heard
No one came forward to address the Board.
AGENDA ITEM
Continuation of consideration of adoption of the Findings Statement for the proposed Holochuck
Homes Subdivision, located between NYS Route 96 (Trumansburg Road) and NYS Route 89
(Taughannock Boulevard), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 24- 3 -3.2, 25- 1 -5.1, 25 -2 -41.2, 26 -4-
37, 26 -4 -38, and 26 -4 -39, Low Density Residential Zone, Medium Density Residential Zone, and
Conservation Zone. The proposal involves the construction of 106 + /- town home type units in a
clustered neighborhood development with two entrances proposed from NYS Route 96
(Trumansburg Road). The development will be concentrated on the west side of the property
closest to NYS Route 96, zoned Low and Medium Residential, with more than half of the eastern
portion of the property, mainly zoned. Conservation, remaining undeveloped. The New York State
Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation proposes to acquire most of the eastern
portion of the property in conjunction with development of the future Black Diamond Trail.
Holochuck Homes LLC, Owner /Applicant; David M. Parks, Esq., Agent.
Closed session
On a motion by Mr. Wilcox and seconded by Ms. Erb, the Board moved into closed session at
5:35 p.m.
Resume regular session
The Board returned from closed session at 5:36 p.m. After receiving legal advice from council, the
Board will temporarily adjourn the meeting for an indeterminate amount of time. The attorney from
the Town and the attorney for Holochuck will converse, and the meeting will reconvene when they
come back.
Adjourn regular session at 5:36 p.m.
Resume regular session
The Board resumed regular session (without the Attorney for the Town) at 6 p.m. to discuss and
vote on minutes.
PB RESOLUTION No. 2011 -020: Minutes of January 18, 2011
Moved by Fred Wilcox; Seconded by Hollis Erb
PB Minutes 03 -08 -2011
Page 2 of 3
WHEREAS, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board has reviewed the draft minutes from the meeting
on January 18, 2011; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Planning Board approves the minutes, with corrections, to
be the final minutes of the meeting on January 18.
Vote:
Ayes: Wilcox, Collins, Beach, Bosak, Baer, Erb, Slottje Abstain: Conneman
PB RESOLUTION No. 2011 -021: Minutes of February 1, 2011
Moved by Fred Wilcox; Seconded by Hollis Erb
WHEREAS, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board has reviewed the draft minutes from the meeting
on February 1, 2011; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Planning Board approves the minutes, with corrections, to
be the final minutes of the meeting on February 1.
Vote:
Ayes: Wilcox, Collins, Beach, Baer, Erb, Slottje Abstain: Conneman, Bosak
Adjourn regular session
At 6:02 p.m., the Board adjourned regular session to wait for counsel.
Resume regular session
At 6:31, the Planning Board resumed regular session.
David Parks stated that his understanding is that the City traffic engineer has reviewed a portion
of the traffic study as it relates to the SYNCHRO analysis on two intersections and has pointed
out two possible mistakes. The applicants have reviewed his assertions and agree that there is a
mistake. The applicants would like the Board to be able to make findings on accurate data. For
that reason, they would like to request or agree to an adjournment of these proceedings for the
limited purpose of correcting the data as it relates to these two intersections. Mr. Parks further
stated that his understanding is that they would need to consent.to the opening of the FEIS only
as it relates to the mistake made that impacts those two intersections. The applicant would have
to provide the Board with updated, accurate information as it relates those two intersections. The
Planning Board would then be able to have a discussion about the new data and adopt those
findings at the March 15th meeting. Thereafter, there would need to be a final adoption of the
FEIS based upon that corrected data and a 10 -day waiting period that would begin after the
March 15th meeting, in which case, the Board would accomplish on April 5th-what they had
planned to accomplish tonight.
Ms. Brock made a correction to Mr. Parks' statement: once the updated and accurate information
is provided, the Planning Board will discuss the new data at the March 15th meeting, discuss
findings, and adopt the revised FEIS; the Board would consider adopting findings and preliminary
subdivision approval on April 5th. Therefore, the applicant would be consenting to the reopening
of the FEIS for this limited purpose and an extension of the timeframe in Town Law Section 276
regarding preliminary subdivision approval, and when that has to happen in relation to the
adoption of the FEIS.
PB Minutes 03 -08 -2011
Page 3of3
Mr. Parks agreed. He also noted that the applicants will need to have a discussion with Tim
Logue at the City so they can understand his modeling, which was different from the model used
by Tim Miller Associates.
Mr. Wilcox verified that the two intersections are Fulton St. / Buffalo St. and Taughannock Blvd. /
Buffalo St. (Cliff St.).
Mr. Parks stated that the intersection between Fulton and Cliff has an eastbound lane on Cliff
Street. It is a single lane going through Fulton that ends up as a single lane on the other side. It
also has a turning lane on the right -hand side — it is a turning -only lane. In the FEIS, it is referred
to as a dual lane, going through Fulton Street, across Fulton Street to the other side; in other
words, one of those lanes is a turning lane only and is referred to as a through plus turning lane.
The reason why that affects the intersection prior to it (Taughannock Blvd. / Cliff Street) is,
because there is only a single lane going through, it can be argued that the traffic might back up a
little into the Taughannock Blvd. intersection. Those are the two intersections the applicants are
consenting to.
Mr. Wilcox pointed out that there are three weeks between March 15th and April 5th, so if this has
to slide to March 22nd, the outcome is the same — it still allows two weeks before April 5th.
The Board discussed how they would like the tables to be modified to be more readable. Mr.
Parks agreed to a new format, but stated that only the tables whose data are changing will be
updated with a new format.
Mr. Wilcox moved and Ms. Erb seconded a motion for the Planning Board to hold a special
meeting on March 22 at 7 p.m. should it be necessary. All members voted in favor.
The attorneys will confirm the extensions in writing.
Adjournment
Upon motion by Jon Bosak, the meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
D bra DeAugisti e, Deputy Tow rk
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
215 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
(Special Meeting — Note Earlier Start Time)
AGENDA
5:00 P.M. Persons to be heard (no more than five minutes).
5:00 P.M. Continuation of consideration of adoption of the Findings Statement for the proposed
Holochuck Homes Subdivision, located between NYS Route 96 (Trumansburg Road) and NYS
Route 89 (Taughannock Boulevard), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 24- 3 -3.2, 25- 1 -5.1, 25 -2-
41.2, 26 -4 -37, 26 -4 -38, and 26 -4 -39, Low Density Residential Zone, Medium Density
Residential Zone, and Conservation Zone. The proposal involves the construction of 106+/ -
town home type units in a clustered neighborhood development with two entrances proposed
from NYS Route 96 (Trumansburg Road). The development will be concentrated on the west
side of the property closest to NYS Route 96, zoned Low and Medium Density Residential,
with more than half of the eastern portion of the property, mainly zoned Conservation,
remaining undeveloped. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic
Preservation proposes to acquire most of the eastern portion of the property in conjunction with
development of the future Black Diamond Trail. Holochuck Homes LLC, Owner /Applicant;
David M. Parks, Esq., Agent.
5:30 P.M. Consideration of Preliminary Subdivision Approval for the proposed Holochuck Homes
Subdivision, located between NYS Route 96 (Trumansburg Road) and NYS Route 89
(Taughannock Boulevard), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 24- 3 -3.2, 25- 1 -5.1, 25 -2 -41.2, 26-
4-37, 26 -4 -38, and 26 -4 -39, Low Density Residential Zone, Medium Density Residential Zone,
and Conservation Zone. The proposal involves the construction of 106 + /- town home type units
in a clustered neighborhood development with two entrances proposed from NYS Route 96
(Trumansburg Road). The development will be concentrated on the west side of the property
closest to NYS Route 96, zoned Low and Medium Density Residential, with more than half of
the eastern portion of the property, mainly zoned Conservation, remaining undeveloped. The
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation proposes to acquire most
of the eastern portion of the property in conjunction with development of the future Black
Diamond Trail. Holochuck Homes LLC, Owner /Applicant; David M. Parks, Esq., Agent.
4. Approval of Minutes: January 18, 2011, February 1, 2011, February 15, 2011, and March 1,
2010.
Other Business:
- Consideration of canceling the March 15, 2011 Planning Board meeting.
6. Adjournment
Susan Ritter
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
215 North Tioga Street
March 8, 20117:00 p.m.
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