HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2022-05-03 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room,Town Hall
215 North Tioga Street
Ithaca,New York 14850
Tuesday,May 3,2022
Due to COVID-19 and the NYS Legislation allowing virtual meetings(Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022
signed by Governor Hochul on 4/9/22),the meeting will be held via the Zoom audio/visual application
with no in-person attendance permitted. Members of the public may listen to (call in on cell or landline:
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AGENDA
7:00 P.M. Consideration of a recommendation to the Ithaca Town Board regarding the establishment of an
open development area for 172 Ridgecrest Road,in which a structure exists,but where no street
or highway giving access to the structure has been placed on an official map or plan(NYS
Town Law Section 280-a,Permits for buildings not on improved mapped streets).
2. Persons to be heard.
3. Approval of Minutes: April 5, 2022 and April 19,2022
4. Other Business.
5. Adjournment.
Susan Ritter
Director of Planning
607-273-1747
NOTE:IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD IS UNABLE TO ATTEND,PLEASE NOTIFY
CHRIS BALESTRA AT 607-273-1747 or CBALESTRA((-i),TOWN.ITHACA.NY.US.
(A quorum of four(4)members is necessary to conduct Planning Board business.)
Accessing Meeting Materials Online
Site Plan and Subdivision applications and associated project materials are accessible electronically on the Town's website
under"Planning Board"on the"Meeting Agendas"page(http://www.town.ithaca.nv.us/meeting-agendas).
MEETING OF THE TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
May 3, 2022
Present: Liebe Meier Swain, Chair; Members Fred Wilcox, Greg Lindquist, Cindy Kaufman,
Bill Arms, Yvonne Fogarty, Ariel Casper, and Liz Bageant
Chris Balestra, Planning; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk
Item 1 Consideration of a recommendation to the Ithaca Town Board regarding the
establishment of an open development area for 172 Ridgecrest Road, in which a structure exists,
but where no street or highway giving access to the structure has been placed on an official map
or plan(NYS Town Law Section 280-a, Permits for buildings not on improved mapped streets).
Mr. Thaete gave a brief overview.
Mr. Wilcox asked why there was not public hearing.
Ms. Brock responded that this is a recommendation only and 280A issues do not require a public
hearing here, or at the town board level.
Mr. Arms asked about the permanent roadway.
Ms. Brock responded that the easement is the access, there is no permanent road going in;
nothing is going to change as to the access.
Mr. Thaete responded that the plans for that tank and infrastructure which is separate from this
Planning Board action does involve reinforcing that access route.
Ms. Kaufman asked about the reinforcing using pavement.
Mr. Thaete responded that the apron will be pavement, then crusher run.
Changes were discussed and made to the resolution, with particular attention to listing an
approval date that hasn't happened yet by the Town Board, which was eventually removed from
the draft.
PB Resolution 2022-017: Recommendation to Ithaca Town Board Regarding
Proposed Establishment of an Open Development Area
172 Ridgecrest Road
Whereas:
1. Pursuant to New York Town Law § 280-a(4), on April 25, 2022, the Ithaca Town Board
referred the potential establishment of an open development area for the 172 Ridgecrest
Road parcel to the Ithaca Planning Board for its advice,
Filed 5/20
2. The 172 Ridgecrest Road parcel, which has been improved with a town-owned water
tank that was built many years ago, is landlocked and does not directly abut a street that
is on the Town of Ithaca's Official Map,
1 Access from the 172 Ridgecrest Road parcel to Ridgecrest Road, which is on the Official
Map, is achieved by an easement across an adjoining property,
4. The Town Board recently approved a Ridgecrest Road water improvement project, which
includes installation of a pressure booster station building, Without Town Board
approval of an open development area, the building would not have legal access to
Ridgecrest Road within the meaning of Town Law § 280-a, because access from a street
on the Official Map to a building via an easement does not satisfy Town Law § 280-
a(1). Town Law § 280-a(4) allows such access via an casement if the Town Board
creates an open development area, and
5. The Planning Board has considered maps and other materials regarding this matter; now
therefore be it
Resolved:
That the Planning Board recommends to the Ithaca Town Board that an open development area
be established for 172 Ridgeerest Road, subject to the following conditions:
a. Easements/ rights-of-way from the parcel to Ridgecrest Road shall exist at all times, and
b. The driveway from Ridgecrest Road to the parcel shall at all times be constructed of
gravel or other hard surface and be sufficient to support the passage and weight of
emergency vehicles,
Moved: Greg Lindquist Seconded: Ariel Casper
Vote: ayes - Lindquist, Casper, Wilcox, Fogarty, Kaufman, Meier Swain, and Arms
Item 2 Persons to be heard None
Item 3 Other Business
Ms. Balestra gave an overview and history of the next agenda items.
Meeting was adjourned upon a motion by Fred Wilcox, seconded by Yvonne Fogarty,
unanimous.
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Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk
PB 2022-05-03 (Filed 6113) Page 2 of 2