HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2022-02-24 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee
Thursday, February 24th, 2022
(1:30 PM via Zoom)
Final Minutes
Committee members: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe, Margaret Johnson
Board/Staff members: Director of Planning, Sue Ritter; Director of Code Enforcement, Marty
Moseley; Planner, Dan Tasman; Sustainability Planner,Nick Goldsmith; Planning Admin. Asst., Abby
Homer
Guests: Bruce Brittain, Doug Brittain
1. Persons to be heard: Guest Bruce Brittan briefly commented on the Community Choice Aggregation
(CCA) draft law scheduled for later in the meeting and questioned why the Town wants to implement it.
He stated that it won't increase the amount of renewable energy being produced and questioned what
benefit there is when you can't choose the actual type of energy you get, only whom you pay. Doug
Brittan added that the goal should be to help take local measures to reduce global warming, such as
reducing energy consumption and making more green energy.
Rich briefly noted that CCA version 3.0 is said to possibly include incentives for locally produced
sources of green energy, along with the version 2.0 buying club. The Town of Ithaca Energy Code
Supplement was referenced as encouraging reduced fossil fuel use by applying conservation methods
and green building practices. Rich noted the draft local law would be discussed later in the meeting and
written comments are always welcomed at any time as well.
2. Committee announcements and concerns: None.
3. Consider approval of January meeting minutes: Rod moved; Margaret seconded. January
2022, Minutes were approved with minor change in the last paragraph of the first page, the word"of'
was added before NYS and the word"provision"was changed to "designation".
4. Continue discussion of the Inlet Valley Overlay Zone proposal: The committee focused on the
proposal's draft use table. Planner Dan Tasman provided staff recommendations for permitted uses in
the existing zoning districts under the corresponding overlay zone. It was noted that the uses within the
overlay area would supersede, not supplement the existing zoning for the area. The tables listed
permitted uses with definitions, conditions, and symbols denoting whether the use was allowed, not
allowed, or allowed with special permit within the two overlays identified as IV-C (Inlet Valley Center)
and IV-T (Inlet Valley Transition). It was mentioned that the attorney revisions from the prior draft
version of the proposal would also need to be revisited by the committee.
The use table was reviewed in detail with the following areas having comments, questions, changes or
further need of investigation:
D. Lodging principal uses:
2) Hotel/Motel- should there be a maximum size threshold? Obtain comparisons with other area
hotel/motels and revisit.
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3) Campground—noted as having health department regulations, as well. The likelihood of
being appropriate for the IV-Center overlay was discussed. The draw would likely be from
overflow from the nearby State Parks. Allow use in the IV-Transition Overlay area only with
special permit. Add a setback of 200 feet from the right-of-way.
E. Commercial principal uses:
3) Farm Stand-may need to add definition in zoning;provisions in the AG and LDR zones are
not consistent. Size thresholds, etc., need to be added.
5)Professional office-the Committee agreed to allow adaptive reuse of historic structures in the
IV-T/LDR as well as in IV-C/LDR with special permit.
6) Restaurant/cafe/bar- the Committee agreed to allow adaptive reuse of historic structures in the
IV-T/LDR as well as in IV-C/LDR with special permit. A size not to exceed 2,500 ft2 feet was
recommended. The Taproom at Ithaca Beer Co. was referenced as a size for comparison.
8) Retail, service and office: Inlet Valley Character- The list was intended to be exhaustive,
therefore the uses "include" should be changed to "are". Other appropriate ideas like ice cream
stand, dog day care and beer store were not opposed to being added to the list. For uses
conditioned with special permit, a gross floor area up to 10,000 ft2 was agreed upon.
11) Retail store: food or grocery & 12) Winery/Distillery/brewery/cidery, all were approved for
floor area limits of up to 10,000 ft2 with special permit, and 5,000 ft2 without.
F. Industrial and semi-industrial principal uses:
1) Industrial use: low impact- all agreed to floor area limits of up to 10,000 ft2 with special
permit. The idea of shrinking the LI(Light Industrial) zone along the corridor and replacing it
with to NC (Neighborhood Commercial) was briefly discussed but determined not necessary at
this time.
Further discission of the use table will begin at the next Planning Committee meeting with section G.
Civic Principal uses.
5. Discuss draft Community Choice Aggregation Local Law proposal. Draft 2 of the proposed local
law to establish a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Energy program in the Town of Ithaca was
distributed to committee members. Rich gave a brief history of the document, work group progress with
the consultant, and outstanding provisions from prior discussions were highlighted in blue. It was noted
that the local law is the first step to establishing a CCA and then work would begin with NYS Public
Service Commission for approvals of elements such as the financial plan, implementation plan, and
other specifics for the program itself. The other municipalities involved in the initial grant would be
brought back in for the implementation of the program. The Town and City of Ithaca were identified as
the initial entities to begin the process and program.
The broad concept of a buying club with bulk purchasing power was explained. Small residential and
small business users would be automatically signed up,but with an option to opt out. Large demand
users would need to choose to opt in to be a part of the program. Given the automatic opt-in element,
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and a potentially sizeable participant pool, the program has the potential to make a significant positive
impact.
Sustainability Planner Nick Goldsmith noted there were additional details to be worked out, such as the
specific roles of the administrator, financing/loan element(Town separate from City) and distributed
energy resources on municipal property. These were among the items needing additional details and
discussions.
Rod followed up stating that there may be elements that the Town, City, and other municipalities focus
differently on, however the basic concept needs overall agreement. The consultant has been asked to
identify the major concept elements to help involved municipalities understand the focus area that best
suits their individual needs. The complexity of the issue was noted and the newness of the CCA concept
to NYS in general.
Rich's questions and concerns were related to equity/shares, opt in/opt out customers distinctions, what
baseline was used for the town fleet emissions reduction level projections, profit/investor, administrator
components and references in the local law (i.e. template used, language related to the Town as
collaborating administer, opaque pricing/rates,performance guarantee up front as cost saving incentive,
and who guarantees these items to the consumers). Many of these items will be detailed further once the
overall concept and law is adopted,but Rich expressed concern that the Town not be locked into
program details before there is further development.
Moving forward with the conceptual piece, with the understanding that program details would be
clarified and worked out, was generally agreed to. The proposed local law was considered an initial
step, providing the impetus to further develop the details of the CCA program for the town. The full
committee will further discuss the proposed local law at the next meeting in March.
Rod and Margaret were excused from the meeting.
Rich proposed an internal meeting with Nick and Rod to identify the areas of greatest concern for the
consultant to specifically address. A mid-March status update meeting with the other interested
municipalities was also noted.
6. Staff updates and reports: Sue reported as having no new information on any pending projects.
There are no updates on the RaNic proposal and nothing new to report concerning the Arrowwood
Dr./Tareyton St. property owned by Cornell. Staff anticipates hearing soon from the consultants
working on the South Hill TND regulating plan.
7. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: next meeting March 17th, 2022. Topics: Draft Inlet
Valley Zoning Overlay to include use table and revised language of all other sections; draft CCA Law.
The Planning Committee meeting concluded at 3:18 pm.
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