HomeMy WebLinkAboutZBA Minutes 1990-07-11 FILED
70WN of ITHACA
Oeia
TOWN OF ITHACA CIO*
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
JULY 11 , 1990
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE APPEALS THAT -WERE HEARD ON JULY 11 , 1990 BY
THE BOARD .
ADJOURNED APPEAL ( FROM MAY 23 AND JUNE 13 , 1990 ) OF CORNELL
UNIVERSITY , APPELLANT , ALBERT L . WRIGHT , ARCHITECTURAL
SERVICES , AGENT , REQUESTING MODIFICATION OF THE SPECIAL
APPROVAL GRANTED FOR MAPLEWOOD RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY BY THE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ON APRIL 19 , 1989 , TO PERMIT THE
RETENTION OF AN EXISTING WAREHOUSE BUILDING ON THE SITE THAT
WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED , AND , TO PERMIT THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ONE LAUNDRY/ COMMON BUILDING AND ONE
PAVILION , WHEREAS TWO NEW LAUNDRY/ COMMON BUILDINGS WERE
ORIGINALLY PROPOSED . THE REQUEST IS MADE UNDER ARTICLE III ,
SECTION 4 , PARAGRAPH 4 , OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING
ORDINANCE . MAPLEWOOD RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY IS LOCATED
BETWEEN MAPLE AVENUE AND MITCHELL STREET ON TOWN OF ITHACA
TAX PARCELS NO . 6 - 63 - 2 - 1 , - 21 - 3 , - 14 , AND - 10 . 2 , RESIDENCE
DISTRICT R- 9 .
ADJOURNED 9 MONTHS/GRANTED
APPEAL OF STEVEN J . AND LINDA R . SCHWAGER , APPELLANTS ,
REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ,
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XII , SECTION 54 , OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING ORDINANCE , FOR THE EXTENSION OF A NON-CONFORMING
BUILDING/ LOT LOCATED AT 110 HOMESTEAD CIRCLE , TOWN OF ITHACA
TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 59 -2 -20 . 7 , RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 15 . THE
EXTENSION PROPOSED IS THE ADDITION OF LIVING SPACE TO THE
EAST SIDE OF AN EXISTING SINGLE -FAMILY HOME . THE SUBJECT
BUILDING/ LOT IS NON-CONFORMING IN THAT THE EXISTING NORTH
SIDE BUILDING SETBACK IS 19 FEET , WHEREAS 25 FEET IS
REQUIRED FOR IRREGULAR SHAPED BUILDING LOTS , AND THE NORTH
SIDE REAR YARD BUILDING SETBACK IS 45 FEET , WHEREAS 50 FEET
IS REQUIRED . THE PROPOSED ADDITION WILL BE 37 . 5 + OR - FEET
FROM THE REAR LOT LINE .
GRANTED
1
RUD
TOWN OF ITHACA
Date
Town of Ithaca 1
Zoning Board of Appeals Gork
July 11 , 1990
TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
JULY 11 , 1990
PRESENT : Vice - chairman Edward Austen , Edward King , Joan Reuning ,
Robert Hines , Building Inspector/ Zoning Enforcement
Officer Andrew Frost , Assistant Town Planner George
Frantz , Town Attorney John Barney .
ABSENT . Henry Aron ,
OTHERS PRESENT : Steve Heslop , Donald C . Ball , William Paleen ,
Albert Wright , John C . Gutenberger , Shirley
Egan , Linda Schwager .
Vice - chairman Austen called the meeting to order at 7 : 15
p . m . and stated that all posting , publication and notification of
the public hearings had been completed and that proper affidavits
of same were in order .
Vice - chairman Austen announced that the third Appeal on the
• Agenda for this evening , which was the Appeal of Steven L . Heslop
for a variance for the construction of a single - family home on a
proposed building lot fronting on Woolf Lane , is being cancelled
because it did not get through the Planning Board on July 10th .
The first Appeal on the Agenda was the following :
ADJOURNED APPEAL ( FROM MAY 23 AND JUNE 13 , 1990 ) OF
CORNELL UNIVERSITY , APPELLANT , ALBERT L . WRIGHT ,
ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES , AGENT , REQUESTING MODIFICATION
OF THE SPECIAL APPROVAL GRANTED FOR MAPLEWOOD
RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ON
APRIL 19 , 1989 , TO PERMIT THE RETENTION OF AN . EXISTING
WAREHOUSE BUILDING ON THE SITE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY
PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED , AND , TO PERMIT THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ONE LAUNDRY/COMMON BUILDING AND ONE
PAVILION , WHEREAS TWO NEW LAUNDRY/COMMON BUILDINGS
WERE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED . THE REQUEST IS MADE UNDER
ARTICLE III , SECTION 4 , PARAGRAPH 4 , OF THE TOWN OF
ITHACA ZONING ORDINANCE , MAPLEWOOD RESIDENTIAL
COMMUNITY IS LOCATED BETWEEN MAPLE AVENUE AND MITCHELL
STREET ON TOWN OF ITHACA TAX PARCELS NO . 6 - 63 -2 - 1 , -2 ,
- 3 , - 14 , AND - 10 . 21 RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 9 ,
Mr . William Paleen , Director of Residence Life for Cornell
® University , addressed the Board . He stated that the project is
on a site that had formerly been used for family housing and with
that site there were two existing buildings that remained . One
was shown on the original site plan that was approved as being
Town of Ithaca 2
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
retained . He had a series ' of photos that he presented to the
Board of the site .
Mr . King stated to Mr . Paleen , for the record , that these
two buildings that he is referring to are two large , formerly for
storage , buildings and they are both in the north central part of
the project , adjacent to each other . He asked Mr . Paleen if the
first one ( the one most northerly ) and which is being retained
for a community center could be referred to as Building # 1 and
the second one ( the quonset hut ) being southerly from that , which
is the building that Cornell is asking be retained , be referred
to as Building # 2 .
Mr . Paleen referred to the photos and stated that what has
changed from the initial plan are a couple of things that he
thinks are important to convey . First , the University did not
know at the outset just how effectively Building # 1 could be
retro - fitted and utilized in support of this community of
graduate students and graduate families . The building now , in
completed form , has proved itself to be an excellent building for
the purpose of supporting the community in terms of recreational
and community building activities , as well as providing a
location for one of the two laundries that they determined were
needed given the size and the configuration of the project .
Mr . Paleen further explained that the other thing that
prompts the change and therefore their request for this appeal ,
is the fact that they became aware ( and he wanted to stress that
both buildings had been under the jurisdiction of another
department in the University ) , that Building # 2 was indeed a
building of excellent quality , in excellent condition and
providing for a number of purposes for the department of
Residence Life that it could serve in excellent fashion ;
primarily in support of the Maplewood Park Community but also to
a lesser degree in support of a need of the residence system of
the University , again under the Department of Residence Life
responsibility . The building includes 7 , 500 square feet and it
is a building that is in excellent condition , as he indicated .
Mr . Paleen stated that there are several concerns that he
has discerned that the Board has from previous meetings and he
wished to provide some information on four items .
First is the concern about how this Building # 2 will be
utilized . It has been characterized and again tonight been
labeled as a warehouse and he thinks that is misleading . It will
• be a building that they will use primarily as a service and
storage facility for the project . About two - thirds or about
5 , 000 square feet , they anticipate , will be a service place and a
place to store both equipment and facilities , appliances for the
Town of Ithaca 3
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
project itself , right on the site . Mr . Paleen thinks that it is
obvious that that will preclude considerable transportation to
and from the site if they are able to do that right on that
location .
Secondly , it will provide for storage for the residents , and
he knows there has been concern expressed about the
appropriateness or the need to provide storage for residents , but
he would simply say that it is the University ' s experience ,
particularly with graduate students and particularly with a high
ratio of international students , which is the case with graduate
population , that storage is a very important service and amenity
to provide . So those are the ways in which the building will be
used . Mr . Paleen stated that the remainder of the space , about
2 , 500 square feet of the 7 , 500 total , they anticipate using in
support of the Department of Residence Life , the student housing
activities of the University and a very low level of activity for
this storage . They have about 6 , 500 furnished student
accommodations that they are responsible for . They have a
continuing program of the need to refurbish furnishings for those
accommodations , and this area they anticipate using as a place
where they would be able to temporarily store furnishings and
then to remove them to where the refurbishing , refinishing ,
reupholstery kinds of activities take place , which is
predominantly at the sheltered workshop in Cortland - - the J . M .
Murray Center . Mr . Paleen said that large vans , over the road ,
trucks are not going to be frequenting this , if at all , and if
they come in , it will be deliveries of items in support of the
project of Maplewood Park itself . He said that their department
has a step -van , that is the vehicle that they expect to be most
commonly in and out , using this facility . So concern for its
use , he hopes is adequately explained and he . thinks it is
certainly a use that is compatible as far as that community is
concerned and the neighborhood is concerned .
Mr . Paleen stated that the second item is the concern for
recreational space and the fact that the retention of this
Building 42 would diminish the availability of open space . He
showed some examples of the kind of space that is part of the
project as it has been , developed . He showed photos 3 , 4 , and 5 ,
which showed the open space areas , the courtyards and the play
areas . Further , with the hope that , they will be able to retain
Building # 2 , it is planned that they will create a volleyball
court in another part of the site that , frankly , is much more
appropriately located , much more supportive in terms of proximity
to more of the residents and it is that kind of active outdoor
• recreation space that the site on -which Building # 2 ' rests was
anticipated . Mr . Paleen went on to say that it is no longer
necessary to have two laundry - common buildings so the second of
those will be a recreational pavilion ( photo # 6 ) . He further
Town of Ithaca 4
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
pointed out that by fully developing Building # 1 as a
predominantly recreational community building kind of area , that
is very well used already , if they were not able to retain
Building # 2 , some of the space presently devoted to recreational
purposes that is indoor and therefore available much of the year ,
would be sacrificed because they have to have service space for
this very substantial student housing development . Mr . Paleen
said that those are considerations that he hopes the Board will
take into account as they look at the issue of recreational
space on this project .
Mr . Paleen said that the third item is the question of
compatibility of this kind of facility in the neighborhood . He
said that the neighborhood is really of a mixed character . He
presented photo # 7 , and stated that it is quite clear that on
three sides of what is now the Maplewood Park development , there
are uses that certainly make the neighborhood a mixed character ,
so having a building of the kind that Building # 2 is and
certainly with the consideration on the way in which the
University intends to use it , he doesn ' t think it represents a
serious intrusion or an anomaly in that neighborhood .
Mr . Paleen showed - the Board photo # 8 , which shows the area
immediately to the south of Building # 2 . There is a well -wooded
knoll that is on the south side of Building # 2 and the photo is
immediately to the south of that knoll , 50 yards from the
building itself . He thinks it is quite evident that it is very
effectively screened and over 90 % of the living units in
Maplewood Park development are at that vantage point of this
building . The other side of the building is very effectively
screened from Maple Avenue and again , from the entry perspective ,
it is certainly not a dominant part of the view into the project .
Mr . Paleen said that the last concern that he has discerned
from the Board is the concern for aesthetics and certainly that
is a very legitimate concern and one that the University shares .
But it is their intent to deal with the issue of aesthetics and
they do plan to paint the building and to replace the windows and
to trim the building to make it appear like the community
building or Building # 1 , next to Building # 2 as shown in photo # 9
and further to ensure that there is effective use of landscaping
to enhance the view of that building , photo # 10 . Therefore , in
terms of aesthetics , Mr . Paleen believes terms can be addressed ,
can be mitigated in the ways suggested and it is the University ' s
intent to work closely with the staff of the Town in detailing
planting plans , for example , and ensuring what the University is
• doing is supported by and appreciated by the Town Planners .
• Town of Ithaca 5
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Paleen , in summary , stated that this building represents
a very valuable asset . It is a building of quality . It is a
building that can be treated to be a complementary part of the
site and certainly it is important to understand that it serves
real needs of the community of Maplewood Park itself and then , in
smaller measure , a very low level activity that the Department of
Residence Life , . which he is responsible for , has a very
substantial need to have that available and that will not create
the kind of industrial or commercial sort of level of activity
that a warehouse conjures up . This is not in any manner a
warehouse as they anticipate its use in the future . He urged the
Board to look positively on these factors as they consider the
Appeal .
Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen to review for him what activities
go on in Building # 1 , the community building , and roughly the
percentage of the floor area used for each .
Mr . Paleen stated that there are approximately 5 , 000 square
feet in the - building . The laundry would probably be close to
1 , 000 square feet . There is a service communications desk in
• there , an office - type space , and the balance of the space is
various sized rooms that are used as a television room , a large
multi -purpose room that is used for aerobics , it is used as a
child play area during inclement weather ; there are dance
classes , recreational things of that sort continuously going on
in the multi -purpose area . There are ping - pong tables in another
room , community meetings for residents .
Mr . King asked how this differs from what was originally
laid out in the presentation .
Mr . Paleen stated that as he indicated , when they presented
that as part of the development to be a community facility and
how well and how thoroughly they would be able to develop that
space was not known . They did not have a detailed plan . In
fact , the architectural plans for the retro - fitting of that
building really came along later in the process and he thinks , to
a degree , surprised all of them , how effectively they were able
to develop all of that space . Mr . Paleen stated that the main
difference is that they have this year continued to use the space
in Building # 2 in support of operations and most of that was to
deal with the major repair work that had to be done on the
plumbing system . But the main thing that changed immediately was
siting one of the laundries in Building # 1 .
Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen if the present request is to
eliminate a second free standing laundry building farther south
which was planned for one of the green strips .
• Town of Ithaca 6
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Paleen said that is right . He referred to photo # 11 and
stated that the pavilion is scheduled to go in the location of
the orange fence in that photo .
Mr . King said that there are two green strips through the
project , essentially dividing it into three parts , the northerly
one , which is on the south end of the north section , and the
southerly one . He asked Mr . Paleen if he is planning the open
pavilion in the northern green strip or the southerly .
Mr . Paleen responded that it will be in the northerly green
strip so that the second laundry ( which is under construction
now ) , will be at the south end of the project so that proximity
to laundries will be as convenient as possible to people at
either end of the development .
Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen if the other free - standing laundry
would be in the southerly green strip .
Mr . Paleen answered , yes .
• Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen if the pavilion they are planning
is substantially open .
Mr . Paleen said that it is an open space with a roof cover
and some railing around it . It will be a fair weather facility .
He thinks it will be used more extensively , because in the Spring
and Fall we have nice days and it will be a suitable space for a
variety of outdoor activities .
Mr . King stated that as Mr . Paleen has perceived the Board ' s
concerns , the plan as originally presented to them called for the
removal and the demolition of Building # 2 completely , leaving it
as open green space and that would be immediately adjacent to
Building # 1 , which is the community building , giving them a
substantial lawn area . The distance between the two buildings as
they stand is very small compared to what was planned for the
green space .
Mr . Paleen said that he thinks the picture of the completed
Building # 1 shows that space . He believes it would be in the 60
- 70 foot range . There is a walk down the middle of it which he
believes is an 8 - foot -wide walk and the adjacent space will be
landscaped .
Mr . King stated that it is occupying a 7 , 500 square foot
• footprint so that means 7 , 500 square feet of lawn will not be
there and that lawn area would have been immediately adjacent to
this community building # 1 which is used for so many activities
including children playing in it , and even though there are green
• Town of Ithaca 7
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
strips two - thirds of the way down the project , that is not handy
to the community building , so if the parents have a meeting in
the community building , there is substantially no place which can
take the kids outside and that is the kind of concern the Board
had as well as the fact that the use is quite different from what
open space would be .
In response to that concern , Mr . Paleen stated that at least
in part it important to understand that the family part of the
project is the southerly end and he thinks that when that
laundry/ common building is opened , he is sure that most of the
family activity in terms of that service , at least , will be in
that laundry/ common building . However , he said that he
understands Mr . King ' s point and he does not contest that that
would be nice to have . Really , what he is saying to the Board is
that there are other factors that he thinks are very important
and also very important in terms of the way in which recreation
activity can be successfully provided especially during that time
of the year which is most of the academic year when indoors is
really the only practical way for recreation to occur .
• Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen in what way are family activities
confined more to the southerly part of the project .
Mr . Paleen replied that that is the part of the project
where the family units are located so it is a ' matter of
proximity .
Mr . King asked how many units there are . Mr . Paleen said
there are 167 apartments , 90 of them are family units and the
balance are single students . The family units are on the western
side of the central parking roadway development and are on the
southerly end of that side of the development ( toward Mitchell
Street ) .
Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen if the University had considered
moving this building and would that be feasible .
Mr . Paleen responded that there is no where to move it and
provide the support for the Maplewood Park development . He
stated that he really does not know the reality of whether that
building would be movable or not .
Mr . King asked if there was a possibility that the building
could be cut back by one - third in the westerly end so that it did
not occupy 7 , 500 square feet .
• Mr . Paleen said that he thinks there are two considerations
there . One , certainly the full 7 , 500 square feet can be well
utilized and secondly , they would still have to have some service
• Town of Ithaca 8
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
access to the balance of the building which he thinks to some
degree would frustrate the intent of creating a lawn area because
there would have to be a service drive to successfully use it for
the purposes that it needs to be used .
Mr . King stated that if they cut the building , they could
put the service drive at the southerly end and thereby leave as
much space as possible between that drive and Building # 1 to the
north . They would not have _ to locate it exactly in the center .
Mr . Paleen stated that the southerly side of Building # 2
abuts this rather sharp nose of land and he thinks they would
have to do a good deal of excavation and probably create some
retaining walls . He said that he has not really looked at that
space with that idea in mind but his recall is that there would
be a severe cut - into that bank in order to achieve that kind of
thing . He said that he thinks the access would have to be from
the west and he believes that the land form comes much closer to
the building at the western end .
Mr . Frost stated that it does get pretty steep over there .
Mr . Paleen stated that the point that he wants to re -
emphasize is that the full 7 , 500 square feet that is there really
will . be well used so any diminishment of that would mean that
they would forfeit part of what they . . . . .
Mr . King stated that the University ' s original plan was to
. relinquish 7 , 500 square feet .
Mr . Paleen said , yes , and he does not know how else to say
it except that they really did not perceive how the Building was
going to be able to be developed and secondly because they really
were not involved in using that building , did not fully
appreciate just how good a facility it was and had no vision ,
therefore , of how well they could utilize . it . He said that he
understands the Board ' s concern with the University not being
able to anticipate that but this is a project that has a lot of
dimensions to it and all he can do Js say that they simply have
now clearly understood what is a very valuable asset and he
thinks an asset that can be effectively used in a compatible way
and that is their appeal .
Vice - chairman Austen asked Mr . Paleen if it is correct that
the southerly laundry ( toward Mitchell Street ) has no community
room .
• Mr . Paleen stated that there is laundry space and then there
is available so that people as they are doing their laundry have
the opportunity . . . .
. Town of Ithaca 9
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Frost interjected , with the building permit that is
issued right now , there has been ongoing dialogue over
specifically this issue in terms of the way the building code
would apply to it . He said that he personally needs to know if
the space is going to be solely for the use of users of the
laundry or if that space is going to be opened up to the
community in general , even though they may not be doing laundry
there . Mr . Frost stated that this is an issue that is ultimately
going to hold up his approving that building permit .
Mr . Paleen responded that that is an issue to be resolved .
Mr . Frost stated that he thinks it is somewhat germane to
what the Board members have been asking because he thinks they
are trying to get a sense as to areas other than the main
community building that are available for recreational or social
use .
Mr . Paleen stated that Building # 1 is the building that they
anticipate to be the focus for community activity on site and the
laundry/ common building has space in it which will have vending
machines and small seating area so that people can be there with
their children . He emphasized that the laundry/ common is at the
southernmost open green space so it is really in about the
center of the family housing section which is to the west of that
central drive .
Vice - chairman Austen opened the public hearing . No one
appeared to address the Board . Vice - chairman Austen closed the
public hearing .
Attorney Shirley Egan , University Counsel , stated that she
thinks the presentation at the April 23rd meeting and Mr .
Paleen ' s recapping of the project tonight , gives ample basis for
determining that the elements of a Special Approval have been
met . She stated that retention of # 2 Building and its
rehabilitation clearly do not pose any threat to the health ,
safety , or welfare of anyone . The building is a valuable one and
it is in much better condition than was originally supposed . In
fact it is valued at some $ 300 , 000 .
Attorney Egan went on to explain that even if it were
readily visible from outside the project , it is , as some of the
photographs show , no more inconsistent than a number of other
buildings in the area which themselves have been enjoying
adaptive re -use . It has elicited no adverse comments that have
come to the University ' s ears outside of a forum like this4and in
three public hearings , there has been no one who spoke in
opposition to it .
• Town of Ithaca 10
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Attorney Egan stated that she can think of no reason why the
continued use of such a building , particularly improved
significantly visually , in a Town which does not have an
aesthetics ordinance , would devaluate the property of anyone in
the area and it is virtually unseen by anyone who does not
benefit from it . Those who would benefit most directly from it ,
again we have heard nothing from them . She thinks that with its
proposed lower level of use and traffic , it would certainly not
inconvenience anyone . The access and egress are safe and surely
an increase from 20 percent to 21 percent coverage of an area in
a zone which permits 25 percent coverage , would not be considered
detrimental to the health , safety or welfare .
Attorney Egan stated that its retention , in fact , would
permit increased indoor recreation . It would mean that they
would not have to cut back the recreation area in Building # 1 by
roughly a third which they have to have because there are
certain on - site storage that would just have to go in there after
all . The University has been gratified to see the use of the
building by the residents and they think that the general welfare
of the broader community is in fact also promoted by not taking
• down a valuable building and carting she does not know how many
cubic yards to a sanitary landfill . She went on to say that to
the extent that Part II and III of the revised or the June 13th
EAF , point to any different conclusions on this - - the
University does take exception to it , for the record .
Attorney Egan said that these statements may be considered
to be subjective and she is prepared to admit that she might be
biased so , to test herself , she cast about for more objective
standards , one that the Board would be familiar with . She said
that she knows , as does the Board , that this is a Special
Approval but for the moment let us compare this project and this
proposal to keep a non - conforming ' use to the standards that the
Town would have applied to a private developer who had come
forward and developed this project . The zone was R- 9 , presumably
because they were two - family dwelling units formerly on the site .
The zone would have limited the developer to covering 25 % of the
lot area , this proposal even with the retention of the 7 , 500
square foot building , is for 21 % - 20 % without the building . In
such an R- 9 zone no building could have been higher than 30 feet
with accessory buildings limited to 15 feet , this building
happens to split the difference and at its highest point is about
22 feet , in other areas of it , it is actually lower because of
the lay of the land .
Attorney Egan went on to say that the Board would say to
her , but this hypothetical developer would not be in an R- 9 zone ,
this developer would have had to get a zone change to build a
project like this one that has units that have two and three and
• Town of Ithaca 11
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
four and five and six apartments in it . But her little analogy
is still parallel - - Cornell had to get a Special Approval ,
specifically approving multi unit apartment buildings , so she
thinks her analogy holds . In the MR zone that her hypothetical
would have been in , that private developer could have covered 30 %
of the lot area and no structure could have exceeded 2 stories .
The only recreation requirement in a MR zone would be the only
zone that did specifically have a recreation requirement , was
that it be provided in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of
the residents in that remaining 70 % of open space . She stated
that surely no one would suggest to that developer using the
Town ' s standards , that having 80 % or 79 % of open space , instead
of only 70 % , with the volleyball court and the tot lot and the
picnic pavilion and lawns and courtyards and walks and in
addition , on top of that , having 3 , 500 square feet of indoor
space for recreation or aerobic classes or dances or whatever , is
too little open space and too little recreation space .
Attorney Egan stated that she hopes this little analogy
drawn to the Town ' s own objective standards for a similar
situation is as revealing to the Board as it was to her when she
• looked at the overall question of what we are really talking
about in terms of open space .
There was a discussion on the project when it was known as
Vetsburg .
Attorney Egan stated that in her analogy the hypothetical
'
developer who got the approval to build a p ro7ect like the one
Cornell built , had to get a zone change to a MR .
Mr . King stated that we expect a lot more than that from
Cornell . The general community spirit , as you remember the first
hearing , was very opposed to this intensive use of 167
apartments .
Attorney Egan asked if then it is alright for people who
rent apartments from somebody else for them to have 70 % open
space . She said that obviously an analogy like this to a Special
Approval situation may not hold up in all instances but she
frankly found it very revealing to see what the Town ' s own
standards were for a multiple residence project which
functionally she saw as virtually identical .
Town Barney interjected that the last several multiple
residence conversions have had additional conditions imposed in
addition to the Zoning Ordinance .
• Town of Ithaca 12
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Attorney Egan stated to Town Attorney Barney that he is not
denying that it is written in the Town ' s Ordinance that 70 %
percent open is the rule .
Town Attorney Barney responded , if you have a multiple
residence but these came in as dormitories . That is the only
reason for the Special Approval . He said if Cornell wants to go
to that , fine , we had better start the whole process over again
under a multiple occupancy .
Attorney Egan said , of course not . She stated that an
analogy is not going to be perfect in any case but she was
looking for some objective benchmark written down in what the
Town had and she found that very revealing , so . she put that
before the Board on the record .
There was further discussion regarding the Vetsburg project
as it was .
Town Attorney Barney asked Attorney Egan what the basis is
for the value of $ 300 , 000 for the quonset but building ( # 2 ) .
• Attorney Egan stated that basically it is $ 40' . 00 a square
foot .
Town Attorney Barney asked if the property has been assessed
for tax purposes .
Attorney Egan stated she would assume so . Assessed but not
taxed , but she has no idea of what the assessment is .
Mr . Hines asked what it would cost to build this particular
building .
Mr . Frost stated that for this particular building , he does
not know . For residential construction now , it is up to anywhere
between $ 60 and $ 90 per square footage . That is finished
residential construction . He stated that , not that he wants to
persuade the Board in either direction , the only thing he can
say , particularly when the community building was constructed and
they started opening up several things , that both of these
buildings as they were originally constructed were very well
made .
Town Attorney asked Mr . Paleen if what he said earlier was
that of the 7 , 500 square feet , 5 , 000 square feet is committed to
• the Maplewood project . He asked Mr . Paleen to what purpose is
that committed to Maplewood .
• Town of Ithaca 13
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Paleen responded that there are two components to that .
One is service and storage of equipment , replacements , parts ,
appliances , things of that kind . Within the 5 , 000 , he would say
that is probably 3 , 500 and 1 , 500 square feet for storage for
residents use . He said that he thinks the word " warehouse "
implies that there is delivery and removal of goods on an
ongoing basis and that simply is not the way in which this will
function . It is really a storage and service building . It was a
warehouse for the Campus Store but that is not the way in which
they will use it .
Town Attorney Barney stated that he assumes they will taking
these items they are servicing in and out of there . He asked if
there is actually someone working in there to service them .
Mr . Paleen stated that the delivery of the items to the
units would be periodic , maybe annually or less , depending on
what it is we are talking about . The removal of items is for
individual repairs , individual operations that need to take place
within the 161 apartments and that is an ongoing process .
Town Attorney Barney stated that his question is ,
physically , what is going to happen is that there will be water
tanks or water heaters of whatever and they will be delivered en
masse and then taken out piece by piece as needed .
Mr . Paleen responded , yes .
Town Attorney Barney said that Mr . Paleen said something
about servicing and repairs and he asked if that is the other
2 , 500 square feet .
Mr . Paleen said , no . This would be an area that would be
used by the mechanics who work in the area as a place where they
would get their tools , get their parts that they need for
whatever it is in front of them .
Town Attorney Barney asked if they are going to be repairing
water heaters there , for instance .
Attorney Egan stated it will not be a repair shop .
Mr . Paleen stated that it is really a staging area for a
suitable stock level of items so that they are able to respond to
the needs of the residents as those needs present themselves .
Town Attorney Barney asked Mr . Paleen where the staging area
is now .
• Town of Ithaca 14
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Paleen responded that it is in Building # 2 at this point
and it really was used that way much more in terms of this major
replacement of the copper tubing , for example . The people who
were doing that were working out of that building .
Town Attorney Barney said that the 2 , 500 square feet , that
space or so that is being used for non -Maplewood residents
facilities , where was that staging area before or where were
those items kept before ?
Mr . Paleen replied that the University presently rents a
variety of storage facilities and none of them are adequate , in a
variety of locations . One on West Hill , for example . At this
point the University does not have a good solution for that and
what they are doing is spending about $ 12 - $ 151000 a year to rent
a variety of storage spaces for the purpose and all of them are
much less adequate than this space . He said they have , for
example , former chicken coops over in that West Hill location and
it is poor space for the purpose .
Mr . Hines asked Mr . Paleen what they do up in the student
housing at Pleasant Grove . He asked Mr . Paleen if the University
has a similar storage facility there .
Mr . Paleen stated that the Hasbrouck/ Pleasant Grove projects
function jointly . There is a building in the Hasbrouck
development that is dedicated to these very kinds of purposes .
He thinks it is important to understand that the family housing
in Hasbrouck and Pleasant Grove is unfurnished housing . This
need for one - third of this building relates to the furnished
facilities that they provide which is really of the 7 , 000 +
spaces probably over 6 , 500 of them are fully furnished units as
are all the units in Maplewood Park - and that is the source of the
need because they have this continual need to repair , refurbish ,
refurnish and reupholster furnishings .
Mr . Frost stated that from a Building Code standpoint , a
storage building used for housing furniture would be considered a
furniture warehouse but the building in general would be
classified as what is called a C - 4 , which is a storage building .
Mr . Paleen stated that the important issue is the level of
activity .
Town Attorney Barney stated that he thinks it is a concern
that the Planning Board has , in that initially the understanding
was that there would be activity just within Maplewood Park and
then we are talking about 2 , 500 square feet activity that is
going to be related to the balance of the campus .
Town of Ithaca 15
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Paleen again said , but at a very low level . He said
that he would project that we are talking about less than a trip
a week for that purpose .
Town Attorney Barney stated that Mr . Paleen said that there
are 6 , 500 units that have to have furniture refurbished on the
campus and this is now going to be the location where the
University is going to be doing their storage for refurbishing
those units . He said that he would assume that they will be in
and out of there fairly regularly .
Mr . Paleen said . that the ratio that is done in any given
year is really very small . He thinks the life expectancy on most
of their furniture is in excess of 10 years .
Mr . King asked Mr . Paleen how much work they would have to
do to the interior of this Building # 2 in order to use it in the
way they are asking the Board to grant permission for .
Mr . Paleen responded , virtually none .
Mr . Frantz , for a point of information , referred to the
aerial photo ' and stated that Mr . Paleen mentioned the fact that
as far as industrial uses the Maplewood complex is surrounded on
three sides by existing industrial uses . That situation is
changing . In the Northwest corner of the project the lot between
Fairview Heights Apartments and Maplewood ( the former Coal Yard ) ,
has been given site plan approval for a new residential apartment
complex . ( That is in the City ) . So that site is being converted
to residential use . He went on to say at the old Kopper ' s site ,
which is west of it on the southern end , the Town has had contact
with both the real estate agents and the owner of that site and
they are interested in developing it for residential use also .
Mr . Frantz stated that another part of his concern from an
open space perspective , is that the loss is significant . If you
look at the site plan , there are four small open court site areas
which are relatively level . These range in size from 4 , 000 to
5 , 000 square feet . where the warehouse sits there is
approximately 9 , 500 and 10 , 000 square feet in one contiguous
area , so altogether , loss of this is really a loss of about a
third of the relatively flat area , what he considers to be usable
for recreational type activities such as frisbee or ball playing .
Town of Ithaca 16
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Frantz said that another thing is if you look at the
location of " these " and the location of " this " , with this being
retained as open space , the people have to walk approximately 300
to 400 feet from any location in the project to reach one of five
courtyard type areas . Loss of this eliminates that amenity for
the lower 15 or 20 percent of the units . He said that he thinks
distance is an important factor in terms of convenience .
Attorney Egan stated that there is certainly a whole campus
with plenty of gyms and weight rooms and basketball and baseball
diamonds , etc . which the students use without cost . She does not
think the students lack opportunities for recreation .
Mr . King stated that amenities where you live are certainly
as valuable or even more valuable than having the gyms and so on .
Mr . Paleen explained that those broad green areas that are
illustrated in some of the photos that were presented to the
Board , are either immediately adjacent to the majority of the
housing units or they are one bay removed . He said that if you
look at the site plans , the adjacency is really very excellent in
• relationship to those spaces . The ten percent of the units that
are immediately west of buildings 1 and 2 , do have to come into
the site some distance , but 'he certainly does not think it is
prohibitive in anyway in terms of the residents utilizing that
space .
Further discussion followed on the green areas and
courtyards .
Mr . Hines asked Mr . Paleen the reason for the laundry being
put in Building # 1 .
Mr . Paleen stated that they were not able to build the
laundry/ common buildings because of the delays due to weather ,
primarily , and they needed to deliver that service on the site as
quickly as they could and in retrospect , frankly , having that
laundry in the community building served some real positive ends
but it was done as a matter of necessity .
Mr . Wright stated that he thinks it is important to remember
that when they came before this Board originally for the site
plan review and approval , what has become the community building ,
they had anticipated remodeling only half of that building as a
community facility because that was all they felt they were going
to be able to afford and it would not have had a laundry in it .
The entire building has now been renovated and turned over to the
community with a laundry in it . He said that out of that half ,
they would have taken the office that is necessary to manage
this facility plus the storage capacity for the students and so
• Town of Ithaca 17
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
forth , and the other half was going to be left vacant until funds
could be identified for it to be remodeled , but the proposal that
the University had before the Planning Board and this Board , two
years ago now , was for only half of Building # 1 to be renovated .
Mr . King asked if it is correct that the question before the
Board is that the second laundry/ common building need not be
built but instead they would build an open pavilion there . And
the second thing is whether the University may retain and use
Building # 2 and the third question is for a volleyball area in
the northeast part of the southerly part of the project .
Attorney Egan responded , yes .
Town Attorney Barney said that the volleyball question was
not in the original site plan . However , it appears that the
Planning Board has no problems with it . Mr . Paleen said that the
Planning Board did support it .
Vice - chairman Austen read from the adopted resolution of the
Planning Board on May 1 , 1990 , pages 3 and 4 . The resolution is
attached hereto as Exhibit # 1 .
Vice - chairman Austen read from the adopted SEQR findings of .
the Planning Board , of May 1 , 1990 , attached hereto as Exhibit
# 2 .
Mrs . Reuning stated that her biggest concern is that
Building # 2 would be more of a Cornell building rather than a
Maplewood Residential Community Building .
Mr . King agreed with her and stated that he also wonders how
the residents would vote for this if they knew that the original
plan was to supply green space for them in the location of
Building # 2 . He said that he can understand Cornell ' s concern
about a valuable building but he cannot help but conclude that
they must have known how valuable the building was .
Mr . King wondered if since it would not take any interior
work at all to let the University continue to use the quonset but
until sometime into the late Fall or early Spring and the Board
could hold a public hearing at which time there would be students
and residents and area people who might show up for the hearing .
Mr . King asked Town Attorney Barney what he thinks on the
SEQR point of the Planning Board that they said no determination
• of environmental significance , either positive or negative , is
being made with respect to the proposal .
Town of Ithaca 18
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Town Attorney Barney responded that the Planning Board was
concerned about aesthetics , traffic and open space with respect
to that building and they felt , generally , that there was
significant impact on the environment . If they made a positive
declaration , in effect , it would preclude them from doing
anything further but if they made no determination at all but
proceeded to make their recommendation against the removal of
that building ( and during the course of discussion it became
clear that was what the consensus of the Planning Board was ) . As
he reads SEQR requirements , you don ' t have to make a finding .
SEQR only applies if you were going to approve or fund an
activity . So rather than put Cornell through the process of
having them come up with an environmental impact statement , only
to have the whole thing voted down , which is a waste of time ,
the feeling of the Planning Board was just not make an
environmental determination at all because they . were going to
recommend against the approval .
Mr . King asked Town Attorney Barney what he thinks of this
Board requiring a referendum among the residents in the Fall .
• Town Attorney Barney responded that he thinks the Board
could probably consider adjourning the hearing and then re -
advertise it in the Fall .
Mr . King asked how the University would feel about .
presenting this question to the residents and having them vote on
it by returning the questionnaire to the Building Commissioner
sometime in the Fall .
Attorney Egan pointed out that the first of these hearings
was held in April and graduate students are here year round .
She said that at other public hearings that have been held at
various times of the year , the graduate student organization has
represented itself very ably .
Town Attorney Barney stated that he has been present at
every hearing on this matter and he does not recall students
appearing on this matter , although they did appear at the
hearings regarding undergraduate students being housed at this
project .
Town Attorney Barney asked Attorney Egan if it would be a
problem for the University giving these students a voice in this
matter . Attorney Egan responded that they have had an
opportunity . Town Attorney Barney asked Attorney Egan if they
have sent notices to the residents or to the graduate
representatives that this matter would be coming up .
Town of Ithaca 19
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Discussion followed on whether or not there is a need to ask
the students their opinion on this . Mr . Hines stated that it is
the Board ' s function to act in a public capacity to evaluate this
project and solicit input through publicity and he doesn ' t want
to delegate responsibility to students to vote on what he should
be doing . He said that he would oppose a referendum because he
thinks it would be difficult to implement in a meaningful way and
it would really sap some of the authority of this Board .
Further discussion followed on the matter of a referendum .
Mr . Hines asked what the building is being used for right
now .
Mr . Paleen responded that at this point it is being used not
at all because the major work is done .
Mrs . Reuning stated that she thinks the Board ' s concern is
broader than necessarily limiting it to the students and the
families there but a broader feeling of the whole environment in
the neighborhood as well . She said that the Board needs to know
if this building is going to affect the neighborhood around there
as far as the impact and so forth .
Mr . Frost asked if the University is storing residents '
items or furniture elsewhere at the current time .
Mr . Paleen stated that there is limited storage in the
living units themselves which is being used and if students have
needs beyond that , they go to commercial facilities . He said
that the University has not been in the position to offer them
this type of service .
Vice - chairman Austen asked if this space would be rented to
the students .
Mr . Paleen said no , it is provided without charge and that
is a standard University policy .
Mr . King asked the other Board members how they feel about
the idea of permitting this use temporarily and deferring a final
decision for 9 months or so .
Mr . Hines stated that , to be honest , it is not the most
attractive building in the world and he is not sure that the
comments are not correct that it is essentially an outside use
• that the University intends to make it . He said that it is a lot
easier to wait than to tear it down and decide later that maybe
it didn ' t need to be torn down . He does not know what more
information is going to come to his attention in the next 9
Town of Ithaca 20
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
months but he thinks it would probably be safer to wait a while
than to tear it down and then find a use for it later . The
equities weigh in favor of Cornell in terms of just waiting
a while .
Mr . King suggested that the Board could schedule a hearing 9
months , from now , with the requirement that notice be given to
residents in this project . In the meantime , Cornell would have
the use of the building and could possibly investigate ways to
move the building . There are lands to the north in a more
industrial area which are not that far from this project . Mr .
King stated that the sense of the Planning Board and his own
feeling and other members here is to say no , take it down and
that would be a costly decision .
Mrs . Reuning stated that she agrees with Mr . King .
Vice - chairman Austen asked Mr . Paleen if this building is
left standing , would they have the University clean it up any for
the 9 months .
Town Attorney Barney stated that he thinks the Board is
treading on ground here that is legally untilled . He thinks that
if the Board is going to do this , it should be positive to the
University that it be done with their consent , and he doesn ' t
think any conditions should be imposed upon them until the final
decision is made one way or the other .
Town Attorney Barney stated that he thinks the choice of
this Board is really ( a ) take action tonight or within a
reasonable period of time because they have an application before
them and they have to respond to that or ( b ) adjourn the matter ,
but with the consent of the applicant , for a defined period of
time , and in the interim if the Board wanted to instruct the
Building Inspector not to enforce or limit the use of the
building as long as the use is as presented here and not to bring
any action , he is quite sure the Building Inspector has other
things to do with his time .
Attorney Egan asked the Board if they absolutely had to vote
tonight on the proposal before them , who would vote against it .
Vice - chairman Austen responded that he thinks the consensus
is that it would be voted down .
Attorney Egan asked the Board if they had to vote tonight
and the motion before them were to say that the University would
be permitted a 5 , 000 square foot building cut back on the west
side so there was an open yard area in front of Building # 11s
entrance and a drive as feasibly as it could be to reach the
Town of Ithaca 21
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
remaining eastern 5 , 000 square feet of the building so as not to
intrude on there as much as possible and of course , by doing
that you would eliminate the . one - third on the building that would
have served anything outside of the Maplewood community ; the
remaining two - thirds always would have been used strictly for
Maplewood , how many Board members would vote for that .
Mr . King stated that he would have to look at it again and
see how much yard that would make , etc .
Mr . Hines stated that he thinks hacking up the building
makes a bad decision .
Attorney Egan asked if the proposal were that it remain for
the same size but the use were limited to the Maplewood community
rather than doing any use which would serve any other portion of
the Residence Life , would the Board still vote against it .
Vice - chairman Austen responded that , speaking for himself ,
he thinks the Board is still looking for some green area there .
Town Attorney Barney stated to Attorney Egan that he gets
the sense that the Board is probably willing to wait to make a
decision and in the interim to give the University , practically
speaking , permission to use the Building as they . have requested
for a period of time and then make a decision at a later point in
time . He said that the University may find if they use that
building in that way and get the students there that are
interested enough to pay attention to what is going on and they
come before the Board and say that given their druthers , they
would rather have the extra storage space than the 7 , 500 feet of
green space there . At that point , this Board ' s decision might be
to leave the building there but he thinks the Board is acting a
little bit in a vacuum here and that is probably our own fault .
We probably should have sent notices to all the residents to come
to the meeting .
Attorney Egan stated that if there were an adjournment of a
few months or even 9 months , it kind of buys them the worst of
everything . They would start utilizing the building and don ' t
feel justified in doing landscaping , replacing the windows ,
painting it and so on and it would still be an ugly building , and
not shown to its best advantage . Would the Board consider a much
longer period of time ; for instance , 3 years .
Further discussion followed regarding the time period that
might be allowed .
Town of Ithaca 22
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Wright stated that he is very sympathetic to Mr . Hines
point of not letting the students be too persuasive because not
only have there been three public hearings before this Board ,
there were two public hearings before the Planning Board . There
has not been a single person speak in opposition to this from the
broader community . It seems to him that there has been an
incredible opportunity for the public to come forward and speak
up about this issue and they have not done it .
Mr . Reuning stated that tonight was the first time that it
came to her mind that it is not just a Maplewood thing and she is
thinking what if the residents knew that this was a Cornell
building .
Attorney Egan emphasized that one - third of the square
footage that they have proposed would be in support of other than
Maplewood .
Attorney Egan asked the Board to permit the Cornell people
to caucus for a few moments and the Board agreed . At this point
the Cornell people left the meeting .
Vice - chairman Austen called for the second Appeal on the
Agenda . It was as follows :
APPEAL OF STEVEN J . AND LINDA R . . SCHWAGER , APPELLANTS ,
REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ,
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XII , SECTION 54 , OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA
ZONING ORDINANCE , FOR THE EXTENSION OF A NON-CONFORMING
BUILDING/ LOT LOCATED AT 110 HOMESTEAD CIRCLE , TOWN OF ITHACA
TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 59 - 2 - 20 . 7 , RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 15 . THE
EXTENSION PROPOSED IS THE ADDITION OF LIVING SPACE TO THE
EAST SIDE OF AN EXISTING SINGLE -FAMILY HOME . THE SUBJECT
BUILDING/ LOT IS NON-CONFORMING IN THAT THE EXISTING NORTH
SIDE BUILDING SETBACK IS 19 FEET , WHEREAS 25 FEET IS
REQUIRED FOR IRREGULAR SHAPED BUILDING LOTS , AND THE NORTH
SIDE REAR YARD BUILDING SETBACK IS 45 FEET , WHEREAS 50 FEET
IS REQUIRED . THE PROPOSED ADDITION WILL BE 37 . 5 + OR - FEET
FROM THE REAR LOT LINE .
Mrs . Linda Schwager appeared before the Board and explained
the proposal to the Board . The addition would be a 14 ' x 16 '
room that would be to the back of their home and used as a family
area and den .
Mrs . Schwager stated that Cornell owns the lot that faces on
• their backyard . That lot is not in use and has not been in use
since this area was developed so she does not think they would be
impinging on anyone ' s privacyor affecting anyone ' s view in
any way if they were allowed to put on this addition .
a
• Town of Ithaca 23
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
Mr . Frost referred to the elevation drawings of the house
and explained .
Vice - chairman Austen opened the public hearing . No one
appeared to address the Board . Vice - chairman Austen closed the
public hearing .
After further discussion , Town Attorney Barney stated that
if this were on a regular shaped lot , this addition could be
built without any variance and he added that there is discussion
in the Codes and Ordinances Committee to repeal this section
which requires the additional setbacks where there are irregular
lots .
MOTION
By Mrs -. Joan Reuning ,, seconded by Mr . Robert Hines :
RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
approves the addition as proposed by Mr . and Mrs . Schwager ,
with the following findings and condition .
10 it is in conformance with Section 77 . 7 , items a - f ;
2e no one appeared in opposition to the proposal and there
were two letters received approving this addition ;
3 * the highest impact of this addition would impact
Cornell ' s vacant lot to the rear of the house ;
4 * the addition would aesthetically improve the house and
the environment in the neighborhood ;
5 * the location of the addition would be well within the
normal setback requirements if this were a regular
sized lot ,
6 * that construction be substantially in accordance with
the plans as submitted to the Board .
The voting on the Motion was as follows .
Ayes - Reuning , Hines , King , Austen .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
Town of Ithaca 24
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
The Cornell matter was reconvened at 9 : 25 p . m .
Attorney Egan stated that the Board has tempted the
University beyond their powers to resist but she would like it on
the record that they are not waiving anything important or
anything like that .
Town Attorney Barney stated that all the University is
waiving is their right to have a speedy decision .
MOTION
By Mrs . Joan Reuning ; seconded by Mr . Robert Hines :
RESOLVED , that the Zoning Board of Appeals adjourn the
matter of the Special Approval in regard to the. Quonset Hut
at the Maplewood Community , subject to rescheduling
approximately 9 months from tonight , with the acknowledged
consent of the Applicant , and during this period of time
that the Applicant not be prohibited from occupying the
building in the manner which they have suggested they want
to occupy it in their application , and
FURTHER RESOLVED , that it is understood that if the
ultimate decision of this Board is not to grant the Special
Approval , the occupancy will cease subject to whatever
rights the Applicant may have to challenge that decision of
this Board .
The voting on the motion was as follows :
Ayes - Reuning , King , Hines , Austen .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
Mr . Hines stated that if the Board is requiring a
particular type of input or solicitation of the same , that Mr .
Frost so ' advise the University what it should be in an
appropriate time so that 9 months from now , when the matter is
before the Board again , people will be present for input and
information .
MOTION
By Mr . Edward King ; seconded by Mrs . Joan Reuning :
• RESOLVED , that this Board adopt a SEQR resolution , making a
negative determination of environmental significance as to
the remaining two aspects of the project , namely the
® Town of Ithaca 25
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
construction of a volleyball court to the east of the
southeast parking lot area and for the construction of an
open pavilion in the northerly green strip , and
FURTHER RESOLVED , that for any future development
activities on Cornell lands in southeast Ithaca , this
particular. determination shall not preclude either this
Board or the Planning Board from considering whether the
possible impacts of these projects when taken together with
the possible environmental impacts of such future projects
would create cumulatively significant envirnmental impacts
which might require ( 1 ) additional environmental review , ( 2 )
possible preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement ,
and/ or ( 3 ) mitigation of any impacts that may then be
identified .
The voting on the motion was as follows .
Ayes - King , Austen , Hines , Reuning .
Nays - None .
• The motion was carried unanimously .
MOTION
By Mr . Edward King . Seconded by Mr . Robert Hines :
RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
grants the Special Approval that is necessary for the
construction of a volleyball court and the open pavilion as
proposed by the Applicant , the construction to be
substantially in conformity with the plans submitted , with
the following findings and conditions .
10 that there is a need for the proposed use in the
proposed location as demonstrated by the applicants ;
2e that these two features would not adversely affect the
project or the neighborhood ;
30 that the proposal is in conformance with Section 77 . 7 ,
subdivisions a - f .
4 * that plant material be supplied to screen the existing
fencing at the southern entrance of the East Ithaca
Recreation Way , such plantings to be subject to the
approval of the Town Planner ;
5a that such plantings and construction be completed
by September 1 , 1991 .
® Town of Ithaca 26
Zoning Board of Appeals
July 11 , 1990
The voting on the motion was as follows :
Ayes - King , Reuning , Hines , Austen .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9 : 36 p . m .
Connie J . Holcomb
Recording Secretary
APPROVED :
• Edward Austen , Vice-chair
•
Maplewood Residential Community , Cornell University - 3 -
Recommendation to Zoning Board of Appeals in re
Special Approval granted April 19 , 1989
Planning Board , May 1 , 1990
laundry / lounge buildings ( one laundry facility having been
located in the existing Community Building ) , and , to permit the
construction of one volleyball court in the eastern part of the
site . Maplewood Residential Community is located between Maple
Avenue and Mitchell Street on Town of Ithaca Tax Parcels No .
6 - 63 - 2 - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 14 , and - 10 . 2 , Residence District R- 9 ,
2 . This is the modification of a Type I action for which the Town of
Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals is legislatively determined to act
as Lead Agency in environmental review .- - The Town of Ithaca
Planning Board and the Tompkins County Planning Department are
involved agencies in coordinated review .
3 . Cornell University has indicated that the warehouse building is
to be used not only for the Maplewood Residential Community but
also for other facilities on the Cornell Campus .
4 . The Planning Board , at Public Hearing on May 1 , 1990 , has
reviewed the application materials , including environmental
assessment forms , for this action .
5 . The Town Planner initially recommended . a negative determination
of environmental significance for this action based upon the
initial understanding that the quonset but was intended solely
for use by only the Maplewood Community .
6 . The proposed extended use of the warehouse in what is essentially
a residential use is incompatible with residential use .
7 . The original approval of this project assumed the open space
obtained by demolition of the . quonset but would be available to
the residents of the Community .
8 . The Planning Board , at Public Hearing on May 1 , 1990 , has
reviewed the application materials for this action , and has
recommended a negative determination of environmental
significance for portions of the proposed action .
THEREFORE , IT IS RESOLVED :
1 . That the Planning Board , in making recommendation to ' the Zoning
Board of Appeals , determine and hereby does determine the
following :
a . there may be a need for the proposed use in the proposed
location , as demonstrated by the applicant ,
bo however , the existing and probable future character of the
neighborhood will be adversely affected as a result of this
• project , as to the retention of the quonset hut ,
ce the specific proposedchange in land use as a result of this
project may not be in accordance with a comprehensive plan
•
Maplewood Residential Community , Cornell University - 4 -
Recommendation to Zoning Board of Appeals in re
Special Approval granted April 19 , 1989
Planning Board , May 1 , 1990
of development of the Town , given that it mixes potentially
incompatible land uses insofar as it relates to the
retention of the quonset hut .
2 . That the Planning Board report and hereby does report to the
Zoning Board of Appeals its recommendation that the
aforementioned request for Special Approval be denied , except for
the construction of one laundry / lounge building and one -pavilion
instead of two new laundry / lounge buildings , and to permit the
construction of one volleyball court in the eastern part of the
site , subject to the following condition :
a . the completion of all site and building improvements
excluding the volleyball court , by September 1 , 1990 , and to
include further the addition of plant material to screen the
c existing fencing at the southern entrance to the East Ithaca
Recreation Way , such planting . to be subject to approval by
the Town Planner .
Aye - Grigorov , Kenerson , Langhans , Lesser , Smith , Hoffmann .
Nay - Miller .
CARRIED .
Nan y M . euller , Secretary ,
Town of Ithaca Planning Board .
May 4 , 1990 .
��h , h ; +- i �,� , , D►-1
Maplewood Residential Community , Cornell University - 2 -
Recommendation to Zoning Board of Appeals in re
Special Approval granted April 19 , 1989
Planning Board , May 1 , 1990
THEREFORE , IT IS RESOLVED :
1 . That the Planning Board , as an involved agency in coordinated
review of this action , recommend and hereby does recommend to the
Zoning Board of Appeals that a negative determination of
environmental significance be made for the proposed Maplewood
modifications , except for the retention of the quonset hut , as to
which no determination of environmental significance is being
made .
2 . That the Planning Board report and recommend and hereby does
report and recommend to the Zoning -Board of Appeals that , should
any future development activities on Cornell lands in Southeast
Ithaca be considered by the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of
Appeals , the finding of no significant environmental impact of
portions of this particular project at this time shall not
preclude either Board from considering whether the possible
impacts of this project , when taken together with the possible
environmental impacts of such future projects , create
cumulatively significant environmental impacts that may require :
is additional environmental review ;
ii , possible preparation of environmental impact statements ,
® and / or
iii . mitigation of any impacts that may then be identified .
Aye - Grigorov , Kenerson , Langhans, Lesser , Miller , Smith , Hoffmann .
Nay - None .
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY .
ADOPTED RESOLUTION : Maplewood Residential Community ,
Cornell University
Recommendation to Zoning Board of Appeals in re
Special Approval granted April 19 , 1989
Planning Board , May 1 , 1990
MOTION _ by Mrs . Virginia Langhans , seconded by Mr . William Lesser :
WHEREAS :
1 . This action is the Consideration of a Recommendation to the
Zoning Board of Appeals with respect to a request for
modification of the Special Approval granted for Maplewood
Residential Community , Cornell University , by said Zoning Board
of Appeals on April 19 , 1989 , to permit the retention of an
• existing warehouse building on the site for storage support of
the Maplewood residential uses ; to permit the construction of one
laundry / lounge building and one pavilion instead of two new
A ATT4 IDA V)1 r1 ` OF PUBLICA TION
TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING
BOARD OF APPEALS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 , 1990
7:00 P. M.
B direction of the Chairman
of the Zoning Board of Ap-
AC J "URNAL peals NOTICE IS HEREBY
IT-11GIVEN that Public Hearings
will be held by the Zoning
Board of Appeals of the Town once from the re
of Ithaca on Wednesday, July I Article V, Sectionuiremeni;oi
11 , 1990, in Town Hall , 126of
State of New Toric , Toinpk- ins County , ss . : East Seneca Street, (FIRST I Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordi-�
Floor, REAR Entrance, WEST nonce for the proposed con- :
9 Side ), Ithaca, N. Y. , COM- I struction of a single-family !
Gall Sullins MENCING AT 7:00 P. M. , on � home on a proposed building '
btln �� duly Sw'( > rtl , deposes and lot fronting )
the following matters. i g on Woolf Lanel
ADJOURNED APPEAL (from with a lot width at the street
says , that she/ he resides in Ithaca , County and state ahlresald and that May 23 and June 13, 1990) of line proposed to be 43.73 feet,
Cornell University, Appellant, whereas 100 feet is required. ?
l
she/he Is Clerk k Albert L. Wright, Architectural The subject lot is proposed to-•
Services, Agent, requesting be subd ivided from Town of
of The Ithaca Journal a ublic newspaper rinted and Published in modification of the Special Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 6-23-1 -
{) }� p Approval granted for Maple- 16, with portions of the lot for.
woodResidential Community merly known as Tax Parcel
Ithaca aforesaid . and that a notice , of which the annexed Is a true by the Zoning Board of Ap- No. 6-23- 1 -11 . 111 , Residence
peals on April 19, 1989; to per- District R-30.
copy . was published in said paper mit the retention of an exist- Said Zoning Board of Appeals
ing warehouse building on will at said time, 7:00 P. m. , '
A the site that was originally and said place, hear .4.,-
sons� I
996-
proposed to be removed , and, or objectionsrthereto. Persons
i to permit the construction of
one laundry/common build- may appear by agent or in
ing and one pavilion , where- person.
two new laundry/cam- Andrew S. Frost
m
m m o n buildings were Building Inspector/Zoning En-
originally proposed. The re- forcement Officer
quest is made under Article III , Town of Ithaca
Section 4, Paragraph 4, of the 273- 1747-,`
and that tile Res
e first publication of said notice was on the Town of Ithaca Zoning i- July 6, 1990
�� Hance . Maplewood Resi - 1
dential Community is located
day of 19 �� between Maple Avenue and
Mitchell Street on Town of
Ithaca Tax Parcels No. 6-63-2-
10 -20 -3, - 14, and - 10. 2, Resi- '
dente District R-9.
APPEAL of Steven J . and Linda
R. Schwager, Appellants, re- '.
questing authorization by the
pur-
Subn4� JAA
' ed and sworn to before me , this 54,
day Zoning Board of Appeals,
suant to Article XII , Section 54,
19 of the Town of Ithaca Zoning
Of `�/�% , ordinance, for the extension
of a non-conforming building-
/lot located at 110 Homestead
Circle, Town of Ithaca Tax Par-
JJ � cel No. 6-59-2-20. 7, Residence
District R- 15. The extension
proposed is the addition of liv-
Notary PUNIC . ing space to the east side of
an existing single -family
home. The subject building-
/lot is non-conforming in that
JEAN FORD the existing north side build
ing setback is 19 feet, where.
Notary Public, State of New `fork as 25 feet is required for irreg-
ular shaped building lots, and
NO. 4654410 the north side rear yard build-
ing setback is 45 feet, where-
Qualified in Tompkins Count as 50 feet is required. The pro-
posed addition will be 37. 5
Commission expires May 31, 19 % / lus/minus feet from the rear
Pot line.
APPEAL of Steven L. Heslop,
Appellant, requesting a vari-
FM
TOWN Of ITHACA
Date
TOWN OF ITHACA Clerk
® ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
JUNE 27 , 1990
PRESENT : Vice - chairman Edward Austen , Edward King , Robert Hines ,
Joan Reuning , Building Inspector/ Zoning Enforcement
Officer Andrew Frost , Town Attorney John Barney .
ABSENT : Henry Aron .
OTHERS PRESENT : Robert Fay , Carol Fay , Jeffrey Boronkay , Jody
Boronkay , Barry Wixsom , Jim Hilker .
Vice - chairman Austen called the meeting to order at 7 : 10
p . m . and stated that all posting , notification and publication of
the public hearings had been completed and that proper affidavits
of same were in order .
The first Appeal on the Agenda was the following :
APPEAL OF ROBERT AND CAROL FAY , APPELLANTS , REQUESTING
AUTHORIZATION BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS , PURSUANT TO ARTICLE
XII , SECTION 54 , OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING ORDINANCE , FOR
THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A GARAGE AND ADDITIONAL LIVING
® SPACE , AT AN EXISTING NON-CONFORMING BUILDING/ LOT LOCATED AT
318 EASTWOOD AVENUE , TOWN OF ITHACA TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 60 - 1 -
35 , RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 15 . SAID BUILDING/ LOT IS NON-
CONFORMING , IN PART , BECAUSE SUBJECT PARCEL IS NOT 60 FEET
WIDE AT THE STREET LINE OF A TOWN , COUNTY , OR STATE HIGHWAY .
Vice - chairman Austen read the Appeal into the record .
Mr . Robert Fay addressed the Board and explained the
proposed addition . He stated that they have a large lot at the
very end of Eastwood Avenue , which dead ends at their property
line . When they bought the property 20 years ago , the then owner
Mr . William Coggshall had plans to develop the 3 to 4 acres
behind them and to see Eastwood Avenue extended up into that
property . That property of Coggshalls has not been developed and
Eastwood Avenue has been extended so they are still connected to
Eastwood Avenue by the same gravel driveway which they have had
since the land was purchased .
Vice - chairman Austen asked if anyone else uses that
driveway .
Mr . Fay responded , yes . The driveway is used by his family
and by the neighbors ( the Finlays ) across on the side of the
driveway and to the east . He explained that both the Finlays and
• he have a 50 - foot right - of -way over that driveway .
® Town of Ithaca 2
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
Mr . King noted that on the upper part of the map , Mr . Fay
indicated two parcels " A " and he sees from the Tax Map that Mr .
Fay ' s main parcel , No . 60 - 1 - 35 is the rectangular parcel on which
the house is now situated . The triangular parcel is indicated to
be Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No . 60 - 1 - 34 . 1 . He asked Mr . Fay if
there is a reason why he has those in two separate tax parcels .
Mr . Fay stated that they actually have three tax parcels .
They have , in addition , one to the west which is , in fact , in the
City of Ithaca . He stated that he believes the City of Ithaca
boundary now runs along the brook on the map .
Mr . King said that he has a vague recollection that the City
line was shifted in that area .
Mr . King asked Mr . Fay if he has any thoughts of sub -
dividing his property .
Mr . Fay responded , no .
• In answer to Mrs . Reuning ' s question , Mr . Frost showed
sketches of the proposed addition and stated that the addition
will be 36 feet long by 24 feet deep . It will be one large room
over a 3 - car garage . The height will be 21 feet at the peak .
There will be a deck on the northside ( backside ) of the addition .
Mr . Frost , for the record , stated that Mr . Fay has clarified
it for him , but since there is a discrepancy of some information
on the Building Permit application , he has a distance shown of 15
feet from what he would consider the back of the house to the
back property line , which would be deficient in terms of what
would be required . He stated that Mr . Fay has done some
measuring and feels that he actually has 30 feet , which would be
the minimum rear yard set back requirement for the building .
Mr . Fay said that if you , in fact , look at that yard , there
is just one big lawn , no fences , no divisions ; in fact , without
going to the pipes and working with a transit , you would not be
able to tell where it was dashed , where the 227 - foot property line
is , it appears that this entire area is one backyard . He stated
that his calculation was based on the plot plan and explained
that the 15 feet is wrong and the 30 - foot figure is correct .
Mr . Frost agreed .
• Vice - chairman Austen opened the public hearing . No one
appeared to speak to the Board . Vice - chairman Austen closed the
public hearing .
® Town of Ithaca 3
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
Mrs . Reuning asked if Mrs . Coggshall still owns that land .
Mr . Fay responded no , it is owned by Pamela Clermont .
Mr . Frost stated that Mrs . Clermont called him and the only
question she had was whether or not the addition would be
encroaching upon any part of the right - of -way and other than that
she has no objection to the proposed addition .
Mr . King noted that the Board has an indication in the
record that the southwesterly corner of Mr . Fay ' s proposed
addition would be about 45 feet north of the front line of the
right - of -way and that the southwesterly corner of the existing
main house is also about 45 feet north of the north line of the
right - of -way . He said that would mean that the nearest point of
both the existing house and the addition would not be closer than
45 feet to the right - of -way .
Mr . Fay said that he believes that to be approximately true .
He showed the existing house more like 38 - 39 feet and the
addition , something in excess of 40 to the right - of -way .
Further discussion followed regarding consolidating the
parcels .
MOTION
By Mr . Robert Hines ; seconded by Mrs . Joan Reuning :
RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
authorizes the issuance of a Building Permit for the
construction of the garage and additional living space at 318
Eastwood Avenue as submitted to the Zoning Officer , subject the
following condition and upon the following findings :
16 that the occupants file a document suitable for
recording , to be reviewed by Town Attorney Barney ,
indicating the adoption of the perimeter boundaries of
the two parcels as constituting one building lot for
future purposes and that the document be recorded in
the Tompkins County Clerk ' s office ;
29 that the addition is compatible with Section 77 . 7 ,
paragraphs a - f ;
• 3o that there was correspondence from the closest neighbor
approving of the proposed addition and no one appeared
before the Board in opposition .
Town of Ithaca 4
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
A vote on the motion resulted as follows .
Ayes - King , Hines , Austen , Reuning .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
The second Appeal on the Agenda was the following .
APPEAL OF JEFFREY AND JODY BORONKAY , APPELLANTS ,
REQUESTING SPECIAL APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF APPEALS ,
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE V , SECTION 18 , PARAGRAPH 18 , FOR
THE OPERATION OF A GROUP FAMILY DAY CARE HOME FOR UP TO
12 CHILDREN PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED AT3 EVERGREEN LANE ,
BEING A PORTION OF TOWN OF ITHACA TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 22 -
1 - 1 . 2 , RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 30 .
Mr . and Mrs . Jeffrey Boronkay appeared before the Board and
Mr . Boronkay explained the project . Mr . Boronkay stated that
they are having a new home built at 3 Evergreen Lane in the Poyer
Subdivision . It is a two - story residential home with a walk- out
basement to the backyard area . It is on one and one -half acres ,
mostly of a rectangular nature . The walk - out portion of the
basement , which is at the end of the house , is going to have 600
square feet finished with heat and that is the designated area
for the family day care which Mrs . Boronkay will be operating .
Mr . Boronkay explained that it is an operation which will
run from 9 : 00 a . m . to 12 noon , 3 mornings a week , Tuesday ,
Wednesday and Thursday , for a total of 9 hours with a maximum
number of 12 children . The children will be supervised at all
times by Mrs . Boronkay and an assistant and playground activities
will be in the backyard , which is approximately an acre of land .
Mr . Boronkay went on to explain that the 600 - square - foot
portion has two separate means of egress and five windows . Mrs .
Boronkay stated that there is also a 4 -head sprinkler installed
for the 600 - square - foot portion of the house .
Mrs . Boronkay stated that the property is all bordered with
evergreens on both sides and the back side that are tall so the
play area won ' t be seen from the other properties .
Vice - chairman Austen read into the record a letter signed by
11 neighbors of the Boronkays , which is attached hereto as
• Exhibit # 1 .
Vice - chairman Austen asked Mrs . Boronkay what ages the
children that would be attending her day care are .
® Town of Ithaca 5
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
Mrs . Boronkay responded that they are pre - schoolers , 2 1/ 2
to 4 years old and they would only be there nine hours per week .
Mrs . Boronkay stated that there would be no sign on the
property advertising the day care .
Vice - chairman Austen read a letter from David J . Stotz ,
dated 6/ 7 / 90 , attached hereto as Exhibit # 2 .
Vice - chairman Austen opened the public hearing . No one
appeared to address the Board . Vice - chairman Austen closed the
public hearing .
Vice - chairman Austen read Part III of the Environmental
Assessment Form , dated 6/ 21/ 90 and signed by George Frantz ,
Assistant Town Planner . That portion of the EAF is attached
hereto as Exhibit # 3 .
Environmental Assessment
MOTION By Mrs . Joan Reuning ; seconded by Mr . Robert Hines :
RESOLVED , that in the matter of the request by Jeffrey and
Jody Boronkay for the operation of a Group Family Day Care
Home for up to 12 children proposed to be located at 3
Evergreen Lane , being a portion of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel
No . 6 - 22 - 1 - 1 . 2 , Residence district R- 30 , the Town of Ithaca
Zoning Board of Appeals make and hereby does make a
negative declaration of environmental significance .
The voting on the Environmental Assessment was as follows :
Ayes - Reuning , Hines , Austen , King .
Nays - None .
The Motion was carried unanimously .
Mr . King asked the Boronkays about the area where the
children will be dropped off and picked up .
Mrs . Boronkay responded that they have a turn - around and
also Evergreen Lane is a cul - de - sac .
•
® Town of Ithaca 6
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
MOTION
By Mrs . Joan Reuning ; seconded by Mr . Edward King .
RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
grant and hereby does grant Special Approval to Jeffrey and
Jody Boronkay for the operation of a Group Family Day Care
Home for up to 12 children , proposed to be located at 3
Evergreen Lane , with the following findings and conditions :
16 there is a real need for this type of facility in the
area of Evergreen Lane ;
29 no one appeared in opposition to the proposal and there
were letters presented in favor of the Group Family Day
Care Home ;
39 the proposal is in conformance with the requirements of
Section 77 . 7 , paragraphs a - f ;
4 * that the home not be operated for more than 12 children
and that it be operated in the basement of the home and
in the play area ,
5 * that the home may be operated for 3 undesignated week
days for a period of 3 hours per day .
The voting on the Motion was as follows :
Ayes - Reuning , King , Austen , Hines .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
The third Appeal on the Agenda was the following :
APPEAL OF BARRY WIXSON , APPELLANT , REQUESTING VARIANCE
FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLE IV , SECTION 14 , OF THE
TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING ORDINANCE , TO PERMIT THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A SINGLE -FAMILY HOME WITH A PROPOSED
NORTH SIDEYARD BUILDING SETBACK OF 17 FEET AND A SOUTH
SIDEYARD BUILDING SETBACK OF 17 FEET , WHEREAS A 25 -FOOT
SIDEYARD BUILDING SETBACK IS REQUIRED FOR LOTS UPON
WHICH A 100 - FOOT BY 150 FOOT RECTANGLE CANNOT BE
INSCRIBED . SAID HOME IS PROPOSED FOR LOCATION AT 122
PARK LANE , TOWN OF ITHACA TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 56 - 3 - 13 . 4 ,
RESIDENCE DISTRICT R- 15 .
Mr . Barry Wixson appeared before the Board .
• Town Attorney Barney asked Mr . Wixson what the length of the
proposed house is .
® Town of Ithaca 7
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
Mr . Wixson stated that the house is to be 68 feet long . He
explained that there will be a garage with living space on top of
the garage .
Town Attorney Barney asked if the house could be oriented so
that it would run the long way , front to back .
Mr . Wixson explained that that would really be hard because
he is using the basement for the living area .
Mr . Frost stated that the lot is going up hill so if the
house were not running parallel to the road , then one half of the
house would be deep within the ground and from a construction
standpoint that would not be practicable .
Town Attorney Barney stated that the hardship here appears
to be the topography .
Mr . Wixson explained that he was unaware of the change in
the Ordinance when he bought the land 2 years ago .
® Mr . Frost stated that the recent change is where the Town
built in this rectangle requirement that if you couldn ' t inscribe
the rectangle , then you had to increase your setbacks . He said
the Codes and Ordinance Committee is proposing to modify that law
to amend the Ordinance .
Mrs . Reuning asked Mr . Wixson if there is a house to the
west of his land .
Mr . Wixson stated that no , it is only a lot at this time but
it is going to be a building lot .
Further discussion followed regarding the shape of the lot
and the requirements of the Town Ordinance .
Vice - chairman Austen opened the public hearing . No one
appeared before the Board . Vice - chairman Austen closed the
public hearing .
Vice - chairman Austen read into the record a note from Mr .
William Frandsen , attached hereto as Exhibit # 4 .
Vice - chairman Austen asked Mr . Wixson if this house is being
built for re - sale .
• Mr . Wixson responded , yes .
® Town of Ithaca 8
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
MOTION
By Mr . Edward King ; seconded by Mrs . Joan Reuning :
RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals
grant and hereby does grant a variance to permit the
construction of a single family home on Town of Ithaca Tax
Parcel No . 56 - 3 - 13 . 4 , known as 122 Park Lane , and that the
Board further grant a variance , if it should be deemed
required , as to the size of the lot being somewhat under
15 , 000 sq . feet , with the following findings and condition :
1 . there are practical difficulties in that it would
cause unnecessary hardship to require conformance to
Section 14 of the Ordinance in regard to the size of
this lot insofar as that requires that a rectangle 100
feet in width and 150 feet in depth be inscribed
within the boundaries of the lot ,
2 * no one appeared before the Board in opposition to the
® proposal and there was written indication from the
owner of the substantial undeveloped land adjacent east
and south approving of the proposed construction ;
3o the topography of the lot extending at a considerable
elevation up to the road to the west would not permit a
re - orientation of the proposed structure with the main
access east and west inasmuch as that would require
that a substantial part of the house be built into the
side hill , that being part of the practical
difficulty ;
49 that the house shall be constructed no closer than 17
feet to either the north or south side yard lot lines .
The voting on the motion resulted as follows :
Ayes - King , Reuning , Hines , Austen .
Nays - None .
The motion was carried unanimously .
The meeting adjourned at 8 : 35 p . m .
•
® Town of Ithaca 9
Zoning Board of Appeals
June 27 , 1990
Connie J . Holcomb
Recording Secretary
APPROVED :
EXward
Vice-chairman
•
® To : Town of Ithaca , Zoning Board of Appeals
We the undersigned acknowledge that Jody D . Boronkay
and Jeffrey J . Boronkay are requesting Special Approval to
operate a small nursery school from their home at 3 Evergreen
Lane , Ithaca , NY 14850 . The nursery school will be operated
by Jody D . Boronkay on Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday from
9 : 00 a . m . to 12 : 00 noon and that all activities from the school
will be confined to their property at 3 Evergreen Lane and will
be supervised by qualified teachers at all times .
We further acknowledge that the proposed nursery school
at 3 Evergreen Lane will be in proximity to our property and
that we believe that it will not have any adverse impact on the
• neighborhood or quality of life .
Name Address Phone
t sq
2
3 * NX-CL neo . 7 3 7
50
6e V,4,d 7,z C(
7 9,
72
17 Z, ZJzl
• �/, �' �Zd� o� u �e 73
EXHIBIT #1
6 / 7 / 90
4 Evergreen Lane
Ithaca , N . Y . 14850
To whom it may concern .
Mrs . Boronkay recently contacted us concerning her plans to
operate a nursery school on Evergreen Lane . She indicated that
the school would have approximately 18 children enrolled and
would operate from 9AM till Noon , three days a week . She also
indicated that all of the children would be adequately
supervised at all times , and that all play areas , activities , and
equipment would be located behind the house .
We would like to be consulted should plans be considered to
change the hours of operation , or substantially increase
enrollment ; our concerns being evening or weekend operation , or
an excessive number of persons given the residential character of
the neighborhood . We also would object to the placement of signs
on the house or on the property .
Provided these conditions are met we have absolutely no objection
to the operation of this nursery school . Quite the contrary ; we
applaud the positive contribution such a facility will make to
the Ithaca community .
Very truly yours ,
David tot
•
EXHIBIT # 2
C6 Lona term , short term , cumulative , or other
effects not identified in C1 - 05 ?
® None anticipated .
C7 Other impacts ( including changes in use of either
quantity or type of energy ) ?
None anticipated .
Do Is there , or is there likely to be , controversy related
to potential adverse environmental impacts ?
No controversy related to potential adverse environmental
impacts is anticipated .
PART III
Based on review of the materials submitted for the proposed
action , the small scale of it , and the information above , a
negative determination of environmental significance is
recommended .
Reviewer : George R . Frantz , Asst . . Town Planner
Review Date : June 21 , 1990
I •
EXHIBIT # 3
&LA h , ' L a
TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
- ;
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
r
it WEDNESDAY , JUNE 27 , 1990
! : 7 : 00 P . M .
By * direction of the Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals . NOTICE I
HEREBY , GIVEN that Public Hearings will be held by the Zoning Board . of . Appeal
.. . of . . the : Town . of Ithaca on Wednesday , June 27 , 1990 , in Town . Hall , . 126 Ear.
Seneca ' Street , ( FIRST Floor , REAR Entrance , WEST Side ) , Ithaca, N . Y .
COMMENCING AT 7 : 00 P . M . , on the following matters .
-- APPEAL- -of- -Robert- - and Carol - Fay , Appellants , requesting - authorization--by-the—
Board of Appeals , pursuant to Article XII , Section 54 , . of the - Town c
Ithaca Zoning Ordinance , for the proposed construction of a garage ar-
additional living space , at an existing non - conforming building / lc
located at 318 Eastwood Avenue , Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No . 6 - 60 - 1 - 3 `
Residence District R- 15 . Said building / lot is non - conforming , in . part
because subject parcel - is not 60 feet wide at the street line of a Town
County., or State highway .
APPEAL of Jeffrey and Jody Boronkay , Appellants , requesting Special Approval
of the Board of Appeals , . pursuant to -Article V , Section 18 , Paragraph 1E
o for the operation of a Group Family Day Care Home for up to 12 childre
proposed to be located at 3 Evergreen Lane , being a portion of Town c
Parcell No . 6 - 22 1 =1 : 2 ; Residence District R- 30 - : :
APPEAL of Barr Wixson Appellant ,ppellant , requesting variance from the requirements
of Article IV , Section 14 , of the Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance , to
` permit - the construction of a sin le - famil home with a
y g y proposed north
sideyard building setback of 17 feet and a south sideyard building
setback of 17 feet , whereas a 25 - foot sideyard building setback is
1 required for lots upon which a 100 - foot by 150 - foot rectangle cannot b�
inscribed . Said home is proposed for location at 122 Park Lane , Town off,
Ithaca Tax Parcel No . 6 - 56 - 3 - 13 . 4 , Residence District R- 15 .
Said Zoning Board of Appeals will at said time , 7 : 00 p . m : , and sai
place , hear all persons in support of such matters or objections theretc
' Persons may appear by agent or in person .
- Andrew S . Frost
Building Inspector / Zoning Enforcement Officer
Town of Ithaca
273 - 1747
_ 9 d
Dated : June 19 1990 v /
Publish : June 22 , 1990
a�s �� ' 1571n 7
fN
TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING
BOARD .OF APPEALS, NOTICE
OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ,
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990,
7:00 P. M.
By direction of the Chairman
of the Zoning Board of Ap:
ALr1E IT peals NOTICE IS _ HEREBY
GIVEN that Public Hearingst
will be held by the Zoning
Board of Appeals of the Town
of Ithaca on Wednesday, June
27, 1990, in Town Hall , 126
State of New Fork , Tompkiiiis >✓ e iukty . ss . : East Seneca Street (FIRST
Floor, - REAR Entrance, WEST._
Gall SWIMS Side ), Ithaca, N . Y. , COM- -
being duly sworn . deposes and MENCING AT 7 ;00 . P. M. , on .,
the following matters.
sa s , that she/he resides in Ithaca , county and state aforesaid and that APPEAL of Robert and Carol
y Fay, Appellants, requesting
� D ��.i , authorization by the Board of ,
1 H�
she/ he is IIIPSection54,uof theant oTownc
XIof a
of The Ithaca Journal a public newspaper printed and published in Ithaca Zoning Ordinance, for
the proposed construction of a 11
Ithaca aforesaid , and that a notice , of which the annexed k a true garage and additional living '
space, at an existing non-con- •
copy , was published in said paper forming building/lot located
at 318 Eastwood Avenue,
' Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.
6- 15. Said
Residence District
`� -c' � � � R- 15. Said building/lot is non-
conforming, in part, because
subject parcel is not 60 feet 1
wide at the street line of 'a
Town, County, or State high-
way.
qW APPEAL of Jeffrey and Jody
Boronkoy, Appellants, re-
Gvesting Special Approval of
and that the first publication of said notice was on the the Board of Appeals, put;
suant to Article V, Section 18,
day of Paragraph 18, for the opera-
�y ;n 1 9 d tion of a Group Family Day
Care Home for up to 12 chil-
dren proposed to be located at
3 Evergreen Lane, being a `
portion of Town of Ithaca Tdzt
Parcel No . 6-22- 1 - 1 . 2, Resi-
dence District R-30. "
APPEAL of Barry Wixson , Ap- ;
Subscribed and sworn to before me , this J cia , pellant, requesting variance
from the requirements of Arti-
cleIV, Section 14, of the Town
Of 19 . of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance, '
to permit the construction of a ,
single-family home with a .
proposed north sideyard ,'. 4
building setback of 17 feet .
and a south sideyard building ;
setback of 17 feet, whereas a
Notary Public . 25-foot sideyard building set-
back is required for lots upon '
JEAN FORD which a 100-foot by 150-foot
rectangle cannot be inscribed.
PUbkc, State of New York Said home is Proposed for to- `
faN cation at 122 Park Lane, Town
of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 6-56- :
No. `+ 65s " 10 3- 13. 4, Residence District R- .
cunt 15.
ualiiied in Tomokln5 31t 19 � Said Zoning Board of Appeals
ices N�aX will at said time, 7 :00 . m. ,
Comm 15510n exp. and said place, hear allpper=
sons in support of such matters
or objections thereto. Persons ,.I
may appear by agent or in '
person.
Andrew S. Frost, Building In- i
Spector/Zoning Enforcement
• Officer, Town of Ithaca, 1
273- 1747.
June 22, 1990
I / �