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Home My WebLink AboutPB Minutes 2015-04-21TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Tuesday. April 21. 2015 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit from the Town of Ithaca Planning Board for the proposed Ithaca College Friends Hall Elevator Addition project, located on the Ithaca College campus at 145 Textor Drive, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 41-1-30.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The project involves the construction of a building addition to house a new elevator on the east side of Friends Hall. The addition is proposed to be constructed adjacent to the existing connection between Friends and Textor Halls and will extend from the existing grade to the top of the existing building. Ithaca College, Owner/Applicant; Steve Dayton, Director of Planning, Design and Construction, Agent. 2. Persons to be heard 3. Approval of Minutes: April 7, 2015 4. Other Business - Stormwater Update, Creig Hebdon, Town Engineer 5. 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 SP01.CE@TOWN.ITHACA.NY.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 (httD://www.town.ithaca.nv.us/meeting-auendas). TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MEETING Tuesday, April 21, 2015 215 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 Town Planning Board Members Present: Fred Wilcox(Chair), Linda Collins,John Beach, Yvonne Fogarty, Liebe Meier Swain,Jon Bosak, Hollis Erb Town Staff Present: Susan Ritter, Director of Planning; Mike Smith, Planner; Bruce Bates, Director of Code Enforcement; Creig Hebdon, Town Engineer; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; Deb DeAugistine, Deputy Town Clerk Call to Order Mr. Wilcox called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. and accepted the secretary's posting and publication of the public hearing notice. AGENDA ITEM Public Hearing: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit from the Town of Ithaca Planning Board for the proposed Ithaca College Friends Hall Elevator Addition project, located on the Ithaca College campus at 145 Textor Drive, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 41- 1-30.2, Medium Density Residential Zone. The project involves the construction of a building addition to house a new elevator on the east side of Friends Hall. The addition is proposed to be constructed adjacent to the existing connection between Friends and Textor Halls and will extend from the existing grade to the top of the existing building. Ithaca College, Owner/Applicant; Steve Dayton, Director of Planning, Design and Construction,Agent Mr. Wilcox opened the public hearing at 7:03 p.m. He asked why they need an elevator. Mr. Dayton responded that they don't have an elevator and they need one to access all the floors. Mr. Bosak asked why this project needed to go before the planning board. Ms. Brock responded that any change to a site plan that costs over $20,000 needs to be approved by the board. Mr. Wilcox closed the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. PB Resolution No. 2015-012:Preliminary and Final Site Plan and Special Permit, Ithaca College - Friends Hall Elevator Addition, Tax Parcel No. 41.1.30.2 Moved by Hollis Erb; seconded by John Beach WHEREAS: 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed Ithaca College Friends Hall Elevator Addition project, located on the Ithaca College campus at 145 Textor Drive, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 41-1-30.2, Medium Density Residen- Planning Board Meeting 04-21-2015 Page 2 of 4 tial Zone. The project involves the construction of a building addition to house a new elevator on the east side of Friends Hall. The addition is proposed to be constructed adjacent to the existing connection between Friends and Textor Halls and will extend from the existing grade to the top of the existing building. Ithaca College, Owner/Applicant; Steve Dayton, Director of Planning, Design and Construction,Agent, and 2. This is a Type II Action pursuant to 6 NYCRR Section 617.5(c)(8) of the regulations of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation promulgated pursuant to the State Envi- ronmental Quality Review Act, because the Action constitutes "routine activities of educational institutions, including expansion of existing facilities by less than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area and school closings, but not changes in use related to such closings," and thus approval of the site plan and special permit is not subject to review under SEQR, and 3. The Planning Board, at a Public Hearing held on April 21, 2015, has reviewed and accepted as adequate, drawings titled "Partial Survey Plan" (L0.1), "Site Plan" (L1.1), "Elevator Addition Floor Plans" (Al.1), "Elevations &Sections" W.1), all dated March 13, 2015 and prepared by HUNT Engineers Architects Surveyors, and other application materials; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby finds that the Special Permit standards of Article XXIV Section 270-200, Subsections A- L, of the Town of Ithaca Code, have been met, specifically that: a. the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community in harmony with the general purpose of Town Code Chapter 270, Zoning are being promoted, because for all public buildings and educational buildings wherein the principal use is research, administration, or instruction, the same is presumed to exist, and b. the premises are reasonably adapted to the proposed use, and such use will fill a neighborhood or community need, because all publicly owned or educational buildings are deemed to be adapted to the proposed use and are deemed to fill a neighborhood or community need, and c. the proposed use and the location and design of the addition is consistent with the character of the district in which it is located, since it is attached to the existing building, is located in the middle of the campus, and will have similar exterior finish as the existing building, and d. the proposed use will not be detrimental to the general amenity or neighborhood character in amounts sufficient to devalue neighboring property or seriously inconvenience neighboring in- habitants, since the addition is located in the middle of the campus and is not visible from any public road or adjacent landowner, and e. the presumed benefit of such a use is not outweighed by the objectionable impacts of such use on nearby properties, for the reasons noted above, and Planning Board Meeting 04-21-2015 Page 3 of 4 f. community infrastructure and services, including but not limited to protective services, roadways, garbage collection, schools, and water and sewer facilities are currently, or will be, of adequate capacity to accommodate the proposed use, and g. the proposed use, building design, and site layout comply with all the provisions of Town Code Chapter 270, Zoning and, to the extent considered by the Planning Board, with other regulations and ordinances of the Town, with the Building Code and all other state and federal laws, rules and regulations, and with the Town's Comprehensive Plan, except for the height of the proposed addition which will require a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and h. the proposed access and egress for all structures and uses are safely designed and the site layout provides adequate access for emergency vehicles, and this project will improve ADA access to the existing building, and i. the presumed benefit of such a use is not outweighed by the detrimental effect of the proposed use upon the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, for reasons noted above, and j. the lot area, access, parking, and loading facilities are sufficient for the proposed use and access, parking and loading facilities are adequately buffered to minimize their visual impact, for the reasons noted above, and k. natural surface water drainage is adequately managed in accordance with good engineering practices and in accordance with any applicable Town local laws and ordinances, and existing drainageways are not altered in a manner that adversely affects other properties, for the reasons noted above, and 1. the proposed use and structure comply with all the criteria applicable to site plan review set forth in Town Code Chapter 270, Zoning; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: 1. 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 a significant alteration of neither the purpose of site plan control nor the policies enunciated or implied by the Town Board, and 2. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Ithaca College Friends Hall Elevator Addition project, located at 145 Textor Drive, as described on the drawings listed above, subject to the following conditions: a. submission of one original large-size set of the final site plan drawings on mylar,vellum, or paper, signed and sealed by the registered land surveyor, engineer, architect, or landscape ar- chitect who prepared the site plan material, prior to the issuance of a building permit, and b. granting by the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals of the necessary height variance, prior to the issuance of a building permit. Planning Board Meeting 04-21-2015 Page 4 of 4 Vote Ayes: Wilcox, Collins, Beach, Fogarty, Meier Swain, Bosak, Erb AGENDAITEM Persons to be heard - Nobody came forward to address the board. AGENDAITEM Stormwater Update, Creig Hebdon, Town Engineer Mr. Hebdon gave a presentation about stormwater management and the new 2015 regulations. Mr. Wilcox determined that the presentation qualified as one hour of training for planning board members who were present. Other Business Mr. Wilcox noted that he is resigning from the codes and ordinances committee, so there will be an opening for a member from the planning board. Ms. Fogarty has expressed interest. He also noted that he is back on the board of directors for Region 6 of the Planning Federation for a three- year term. He also brought up the topic of planning board members expressing opinions about projects in forums such as chat rooms or in emails to one another. While there are differing opinions about the acceptability of this practice, Mr. Wilcox reminded board members that the our board's policy is to discuss upcoming projects only in open planning board meetings to which the public is invited. Ms. Erb said she has been holding all emails regarding projects in a special folder and wondered how long she needs to retain them. Ms. Ritter pointed out that all pertinent project information, including emails, are retained by the town. She suggested calling the town clerk with questions. AGENDAITEM Adjournment Upon a motion by Jon Bosak, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ebra DeAugistmsr-Deputy Towir^lerk