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Home My WebLink About2020-08 NewsletterTOWN OF ITHACA NEWSLETTER August 2020 Bicentennial! As we gear up for our BiCentennial next year, we are including tidbits about the history of the Town. If you have an interesting or funny story about the history of the Town of Ithaca, please let me know! Town Board Committees Town Board members continue to work at the committee level on items such as: Short Term Rental Registry and Permiting legislation; Ithaca’s Green New Deal recommendations, actions and goals; Parks, Trails and Recreation inventory review and recommendations for the future; the impacts of 5G and updating our current telecommunications law to address issues to the extent allowed under NYS and Federal law and of course, our Bicentennial celebration events. Town Clerks Office Board Meetings Meetings continue to be held via ZOOM. The Governor has extended his Executive Order allowing virtual meetings through September 4th . If you have any issues joining a meeting or would like to comment prior to a meeting, please call or email us and we can assist you. We are also experimenting with a hybrid model where some board members and deparment heads participate in person and others via ZOOM. Moving forward we are planning to offer our regular monthly board meetings via YouTube. Dog Licensing Due to the shutdown and stressful period in the beginning of the year, the Town extended the due date for dog license renewals to remove one little thing from your list of things to worry about. Now that many vets are open and the County has held a rabies clinic, please remember to send your renewal in. If you have lost the form, just send in the proof of rabies and the appropriate fee and we will do the rest. Reminders have been sent, but feel free to call with any questions. Marriage licenses are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3:30 p.m with no appointment necessary. Details of documents you need to bring with you are here: http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/t Paulette Rosa Planning Department New Neighborhood Code 2.0 The second draft version of the New Neighborhood Code (NNC 2.0) is now online. The Town will be holding a public hearing to start the process of adopting the New Neighborhood Code in the very near future. You can find out more about the NNC 2.0 and review the current draft version at http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/newcode The New Neighborhood Code is an alternative to the Town’s current zoning and subdivision regulations, that will guide the development of compact, walkable mixed-use neighborhoods in emerging growth areas. The New Neighborhood Code will be an important part of the toolkit to help make the Town more resilient, sustainable, inclusive, and livable for present and future generations. This second draft includes a new section about redeveloping older commercial areas, more specific standards for street design and outdoor lighting, better graphics, and many other changes to make it even easier to read and use. Susan Ritter and Dan Tasman Finance Department Bonding On August 13, 2020 Moody’s Investors Service assigned an Aa1 rating to the Town’s 2020 Bond Issue. The 2020 bonds consist of the $3.4 million Public Improvement (Serial) Bonds, 2020 Series A, to be used for facility and water infrastructure improvements, and the $1.6 million Public Improvement Refunding (Serial) Bonds, 2020 Series B, to be used in refunding the Town’s outstanding 2009 and 2011 bonds. The Town expects to save an estimated $150,000 over the next 10 years on the refunding. Moody’s also maintains the Aa1 rating on the Town’s existing bonds. In assigning the Aa1 rating, Moody’s noted the rating reflects a moderately-sized tax base supported by above average resident wealth and income, the Town’s strong financial position with manageable debt and pension burdens, management’s history of sound budgeting practices resulting in ample fund balances and strong liquidity position, and the institutional presence of Ithaca College and Cornell University. Mike Solvig Codes Department Digital applications and more available on Town website We are working on updating the Codes Enforcement Department’s information on the Town of Ithaca webpage. Basic information on permit applications, checklists, or other items, are now available with more to come. We encourage you to visit the Code Enforcement page of the Town of Ithaca website: http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/code-enforcement for useful information as you plan your project(s). In addition, we are transitioning to an electronic submission format for our permit applications. This will allow people to apply for a permit without coming into Town Hall, but if you do come here, you can apply for a permit using a computer workstation set up for the public’s use. Not all applications have been updated to allow electronic submission, but we continue to work towards having all applications electronically submitted soon. All applications for permits can be found at: http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/documents/forms Always remember to check and replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. As always, if you have any questions, please call our offices at 607-273-1783 (option #2) or email us at codes@town.ithaca.ny.us Marty Moseley Public Works Department Facility renovation The project is moving along with some delays due to COVID-19 shutdown affecting production and delivery of certain items, but we hope to reopen by late September/early October. Saunders Park Crews continue to work installing drainage and grading work; target completion is Summer of 2021. Paving Projects Crews worked with Seneca Stone Corp. to mill and fill roads in the Northeast; Winthrop and Simsbury Drives, and Sandra Place were a repaved this spring and Town crews worked to restore shoulders and lawns in those areas after the pavment was placed. The Town plans on paving Pennsylvania Ave and Kendall Ave before the end of the paving season. Joe Slater Engineering Department Inlet Vally Sewer Rehabiliation Project The project has been awareded to Equix, Inc., based in Waterbury CT. Equix will use trenchless technologies to analyze and repair sanitary sewer infrastructure along the Route 13 corridor from the 13/13A intersection moving southward, including Seven Mile Dr and Enfield Falls Rd (RT 327). Very few interuptions in sewer service are anticipated, if any. Some periodic lane closures may occur and residents may see crews and equipment accessing existing easments and manholes to conduct the inspections of the infrastructure. New External Plumbing Permit The Engineering Department has taken over the permitting process and approvals for all external plumbing related water/sewer service connections, modifications, repairs and/or replacement(s). The External Plumbing Permit can be obtained here: http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/documents/forms Internal plumbing related permitting and inspections continue to be handled through Bolton Point Water Commission at 607-277-0660. Please do not hesitate to call or email us with any questions; 607-273-1656 or dthaete@town.ithaca.ny.us Dan Thaete Worth the Wait! Hector St/Mecklenburg Rd Sidewalk Complete Deputy Town Supervisor Bill Goodman participated in the ribbon cutting. The Town of Ithaca joined the City of Ithaca’s sidewalk project by requesting a 500’ foot extension of the project to the Lindermann Creek residential area. It was a great example of inter-municipal cooperation in the application and securing of grant monies for the bulk of the project and a fantastic way for us to provide safe passage for our residents down to the City.