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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2014-11-04TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Tuesday. November 4. 2014 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. SEQR Determination: Suwinski 2-Lot Subdivision, 1440 Mecklenburg Road. 7:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2-lot subdivision located at 1440 Mecklenburg Road (NYS Route 79), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27.-1-20.2, Agricultural Zone. The proposal involves subdividing the 55.9 +/- acre property into a 2.717 +/- acre lot, containing the existing residence at 1440 Mecklenburg Road, and a 53.18 +/- acre vacant parcel. Jan H. & Susan J. Suwinski, Owners/Applicants. 7:20 P.M. Introduction to Form-Based Codes and the City/Town Form-Based Code Project. 4. Persons to be heard 5. Approval of Minutes: September 2, 2014 and October 7, 2014. 6. Other Business 7. 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 or SPOLCE(g TOWN.l rHACA.NV.US. (A quorum of four (4) members is necessary to conduct Planning Board business.) Accessing Meeting Materials Online Site Plan and Subdivision applications and associated project materials are accessible electronically on the Town's website under "Planning Board" on the "Meeting Agendas" page fhttD:/Avwu.town.ithaca.nv.us/nu'etin«;-aacndas). TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MEETING Tuesday, November 4, 2014 215 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 Board Members Present: Hollis Erb (Vice Chair), Linda Collins, Joseph Haefeli, John Beach, Yvonne Fogarty,Jon Bosak Staff Present: Susan Ritter, Director of Planning; Mike Smith, Planner; Bruce Bates, Director of Code Enforcement; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; Deb DeAugistine, Deputy Town Clerk Call to Order Ms. Erb called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and accepted the secretary's posting of the public hearing notice. AGENDA ITEM SEQR Determination: Suwinski 2-Lot Subdivision, 1440 Mecklenburg Road Mr. Suwinski stated that he and his wife bought a farm on West Hill in 1969. Over a series of years, they have bought adjacent properties and currently have 425 acres of horse farm. They also raise and sell hay. He bought the property at 1440 Mecklenburg Road in 2002; it is a house with 56 acres. This parcel was interesting to him because it is surrounded on three sides by his property. The house was rented when he bought it and he continued to rent it for several years, but does not enjoy being a landlord. He put it on the market in 2009, but because of the financial crisis, it didn't sell. This summer, his neighbor approached him, asking if he would be interested in selling it. They reached an agreement, and the neighbor has secured financing.Although he realizes that a 2.7-acre subdivision exceeds the rule of 2, the east and west boundaries are existing, and on the north side, in the back, they're following the tree line, so it's a natural division of the property. Mike Smith informed them that they would have to agree that because they'll exceed the 2-acre limit, they would be restricted in terms of the lots they'd be able to put on the remaining 53 acres. That's perfectly acceptable to him. His wife is on the board of the Nature Conservancy, and he is on the board of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. They are land lovers. Their intent is that this land will stay natural forever. He's been in discussion with the Land Trust to put a conservation easement on the entire property, and they have deeded the land over to the Land Trust in their will. Mr. Bosak commented that it's being mowed now, so he didn't understand what Mr. Suwinski meant by stay natural. He asked whether their intention is to keep it as pasture until they're gone, then let it revert to succsession. Mr. Suwinski responded that it will be undeveloped. He has been talking to the Land Trust about leaving them an endowment so they can keep it mowed and trimmed; it's what they call a nature preserve. It's four miles from Ithaca and is great for birding, hiking, cross country skiing, etc. Ms. Brock pointed out that sometimes they want to mow because there are field-nesting birds, such as bobolinks. Ms. Fogarty disclosed that Mr. Suwinski is a neighbor of hers. Planning Board Minutes 11-04.2014 Page 2 of 5 PB Resolution No. 2014.055: SEQR, Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval, Suwinski 2-Lot Subdivision, 1440 Mecklenburg Road, Tax Parcel No. 27.-1-20.2 Moved by John Beach; seconded by Yvonne Fogarty WHEREAS: 1. This is consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2-lot subdivision located at 1440 Mecklenburg Road (NYS Route 79), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27.-l-20.2, Agricultural Zone. The proposal involves subdividing the 55.9 +/-acre property into a 2.717 +/-acre lot, containing the existing residence at 1440 Mecklenburg Road, and a 53.18 +/- acre vacant parcel. Jan H. &Susan J. Suwinski, Owners/Applicants; and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board is the lead agency in the environmental review with respect to Subdivision Approval; and 3. The Planning Board on November 4, 2014, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Parts 2 and 3 prepared by the Town Planning staff, a survey map entitled "Survey Map, No. 1440 Mecklenburg Road," prepared by T.G. Miller, P.C., dated 8/27/2014 and revised 9/23/2014, and other application materials; and 4. Town planning staff has recommended a negative determination of environmental significance with respect to the proposed Subdivision Approval; 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 action as proposed, based on the information in the EAF Part 1 and for the reasons set forth in the EAF Parts 2 and 3, and, therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. Vote Ayes: Erb, Collins, Haefeli, Beach, Fogarty, Bosak AGENDA ITEM Public Hearing: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 24ot subdivision located at 1440 Mecklenburg Road (NYS Route 79), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27.-1- 20.2,Agricultural Zone. The proposal involves subdividing the 55.9 +/-acre property into a 2.717 +/- acre lot, containing the existing residence at 1440 Mecklenburg Road, and a 53.18 +/-acre vacant parcel. Jan H. &Susan J. Suwinski, Owners/Applicants Ms. Erb opened the public hearing at 7:13 p.m. and closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. Planning Board Minutes 11-04.2014 Page 3 of 5 Mr. Bosak said the applicant's logic makes perfect sense to him and he would rather see it follow the tree line than be exactly two acres. Ms. Fogarty said she is very happy to see what they plan to do with the land. PB Resolution No. 2015.056: Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval, Suwinski 2-Lot Subdivision, 1440 Mecklenburg Road, Tax Parcel No. 27.-1-20.2 Moved by Linda Collins; seconded by Joseph Haefeli WHEREAS: 1. This is consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2-lot subdivision located at 1440 Mecklenburg Road (NYS Route 79), Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27.4-20.2, Agricultural Zone. The proposal involves subdividing the 55.9 +/-acre property into a 2.717 +/-acre lot, containing the existing residence at 1440 Mecklenburg Road, and a 53.18 +/- acre vacant parcel. Jan H. & Susan J. Suwinski, Owners/Applicants; and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, acting as lead agency with respect to Subdivision Approval, has on November 4, 2014, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environ- mental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Parts 2 and 3 prepared by the Town Planning staff, and 3. The Planning Board on November 4, 2014, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a survey map entitled "Survey Map, No. 1440 Mecklenburg Road," prepared by T.G. Miller, P.C., dated 8/27/2014 and revised 9/23/2014, and other application materials; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED- That since the applicant has requested a larger lot(maximum of 2 acres allowed, 2.717 +/-acres proposed) and fewer dwellings than would be normally permitted pursuant to Town Code Section 270-35, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby determines, according to Section 270-34.A(1) (b) of the Town Code, that with the restriction below on the maximum number of lots, the amount of land dedicated to having a larger lot does not exceed the amount of land that would have been dedicated to residential purposes had the number of dwellings and sizes of lots been in full compli- ance with Section 270-35, AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed subdivision located at 1440 Mecklenburg Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27.4-20.2, as shown on the survey map entitled "Survey Map, No. 1440 Mecklenburg Road," subject to the following conditions: a. submission of a revised subdivision map with a note stating in essence that pursuant to the Planning Board's November 4, 2014 Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the Suwin- ski 2-Lot Subdivision, no more than four (4) additional lots may be subdivided off of Parcel A, Planning Board Minutes 11-04.2014 Page 4 of 5 which together with Parcel B and the remainder of Parcel A will result in a maximum of six(6) lots, with the note language subject to review and approval by the Attorney for the Town, prior to signing of the plat by the Chairperson of the Planning Board, and b. submission for signing by the Chairperson of the Planning Board of an original and three dark lined prints of the final revised subdivision plat, prior to filing with the Tompkins County Clerk's Office, and submission of a receipt of filing to the Town of Ithaca Planning Department, and c. submission of a letter signed by the property owners containing the same language as that in the subdivision map note described in paragraph a above, with the letter's language subject to review and approval by the Attorney for the Town, to be filed concurrently with the signed subdivision plat in the Tompkins County Clerk's Office, and submission of a receipt of the letter's filing to the Town of Ithaca Planning Department. Vote Ayes: Erb, Collins, Haefeli, Beach, Fogarty, Bosak AGENDA ITEM Introduction to Form-Based Codes and the City/Town Form-Based Code Project Ms. Ritter introduced the presenters: Rob Steuteville, executive director of Better Cities and Towns, and David West, who runs a planning firm called Randall+West and teaches at Cornell's planning department. Mr. Steuteville and Mr.West gave a short presentation on the form-based code project, and then took questions from the board members. AGENDA ITEM Persons to be heard - Nobody came forward to address the board. AGENDA ITEM Minutes PB Resolution No. 2014-057: Minutes of October 7, 2014 Moved by Jon Bosak; seconded by Yvonne Fogarty WHEREAS, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board has reviewed the draft minutes from the meeting on October 7; now therefore be it RESOLVED, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board approves the minutes, as amended, to be the final minutes of the meeting on October 7. Vote Ayes: Erb, Collins, Haefeli, Beach, Fogarty, Bosak Planning Board Minutes 11-04-2014 Page 5 of 5 AGENDA ITEM Other business Ms. Collins asked whether the board members should start a file on the Chain Works project. Ms. Ritter responded that it would be a good idea, certainly for the parts they will participate in. It's up to the board how they want to participate. The town is the involved agency, and she would hope that the board would weigh in. This is the scoping for the EIS; everyone needs to be thinking about how detailed it should get, and the more pairs of eyes on it the better. Mr. Bosak pointed out that the planning board's official scoping is at the December 2nd meeting. Ms. Ritter said that the Troy Road project sketch plan is on the agenda for the November 18th meeting and that it might take some time, but she asked whether the board would like an initial discussion about the Chain Works scoping. She suggested that it might be worthwhile for planning board members to chat amongst themselves before the joint meeting with the city on December 2nd. The deadline for submitting comments is December lOth. Ms. Erb thought that since there's already a draft outline, it would be useful to set a little time aside. Ms. Ritter said the board should get into the list of changes they want to make so they'll be prepared on December 2nd. Board members agreed. AGENDA ITEM Adjournment Upon a motion by Mr. Bosak, the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dgbra DeAugistine, Deputy T^wrvvClerk