HomeMy WebLinkAboutLL 03 of 1998 Rezone Mecklenburg Heights Apts to MRTB Mtg.3/30/98
Agenda #3
TOWN OF ITHACA
LOCAL LAW NO.3 FOR THE YEAR 1998
A LOCAL LAW AMENDING THE TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING MAP REZONING A
PORTION OF TAX PARCEL NO.27-01-13.12 LOCATED ON N.Y.S.ROUTE 79 FROM
RESIDENCE DISTRICT R-15 TO MULTIPLE RESIDENCE DISTRICT.
(Mecklenburg Heights Apartments)
Be it enacted by the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca as follows:
Section 1.Amendment to Zoning Ordinance.TheZoning Ordinance of the Town of
Ithaca as adopted,amendedandrevised effective Febmary 26,1968,and subsequently amended,
is further amended as follows:
1.Rezoning.The zoning map dated April 11,1988,as amended to date, is hereby
further amended by rezoning the lands described on Schedule A incorporated into this
local law from Residence District R-15 to Multiple Residence District.
2. AdditionalConditions.The area beingso rezoned to MultipleResidence is subject,
in addition to the conditions,restrictions,and limitations set forth in the zoning law
relating to Multiple Residence Districts generally and any other limitations and
restrictions,to the following additional conditions:
a.Maximum Number of Units.A maximum of 56 dwelling units shall be located
in the district to be contained in no more than seven buildings.
b.Conformance to Plan.The construction in the rezoned area shall be substantially
in accordance with the plan entitled "Mecklenburg Heights Apartments,
Preliminary Layout and Planting Plan L-2" dated 3 Febraary 1998 with only such
changes therein as may be approved by the Planning Board, such construction to
consist essentially of the construction of seven buildings containing in the
aggregate approximately 16 one-bedroom apartments, 32 two bedroom
apartments,and 8 three-bedroom apartments.
c. Low Income Housing.In accordancewiththeapplicationseeking rezoning of the
property,the proposed dwelling units will be limited in the amount of rent
charged for same in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) Income Restrictions and Duration. For a period of fifteen years from the
date a permanent certificateof occupancy is issuedfor the last building in
the project all of the units shall be made available solely to low income
tenants in accordance with the terms of this local law.This restriction
shall terminate at the end of such fifteen year period.
(ii)Definition.For the purpose of thislocallaw a "low income tenant"shall
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be a tenant (either individualor family as thecase may be) whose income
is notmore than 60%of the median family income in Tompkins County
at the time of rental. The determination of60%of medianfamily income
shall be based upon incomes published by the United States Department
of Housing and Urban Development for the area in whichthe project is
located, or if not publishedby said Department,shall bebased upon other
similarly recognized sources of median income information as determined
by the Town.
(iii)Maximum Rent.The maximumrent to be charged for the units shall not
exceed the lesser of:
(A)The maximum rents authorized by the Low Income Tax Credit
Program applicable to the project and as administered by the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
and/or the New York State Division of Housing and Community
Renewal;or
(B)On an annualized basis (determined at the time of execution of
a lease or upon occupancy,whichever is earlier), 35%of 60% of
the applicable median family income in Tompkins Coimty
published as set forth above (e.g. if the medianfamily income for
a family of two in Tompkins Countyis $36,600.00,the maximum
annual rental chargeable totwo people shall be $7686,or $640.50
per month ($36,600.00 times 60%times 35%)). The maximum
rent set forth above shall include costs of heat,water,gas,
electricity,and sewer, if any.Theownershallhave the option of
requiring tenants to pay directly totheprovider thecosts of any or
all of such utilities provided that the basic annual rent charge is
reduced by the reasonably anticipated annualized costs of such
utilities (e.g. if the maximum annual rent is $7,686.00, and if the
tenant is required to pay New YorkState Electric & Gas Corp.or
other public utility directly for hisor her own gas and electricity,
and if the reasonably anticipated annual cost of gas and electricity
so payable is $1,200.00,the basic annual rent shall be no more
than 36,486.00 or $540.50 per month).
(iv)Income Information.The owner of the units shall obtain,at the time of
rental,such information as the owner may reasonably determine to be
necessary to establish the total income ofthepersonor persons occupying
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the rentalunits. At a minimum,such information shall include copies of
the tenant's most recent income taxremmincluding copies of W-2 forms;
if the tenant is working,copies of the tenant'sfour mostrecentpay stubs;
and an affidavit sworn to by the tenant under the penalties of peijury
stating the total amount of tenant's income and the sources thereof
including names and addresses of payees of such income.The tenant shall
also provide a signed authorizationallowingboth the owner and the Town
of Ithaca to verify Tenant's income with the payees of such income and
shall also sign a written agreement agreeing to notify the owner of any
increases in tenant's income occurring after submission of the foregoing
affidavit.Such records,authorization andagreement shall be kept by the
owner with any leases and shall be disclosed to the Town's zoning
enforcement officer and other officials of the Town of Ithaca at any time
upon request for the purposes of confirming that the units have been
rented to low income tenants.
(v) Loss of Eligibilitv.Subject to any other provisions regulating the
occupancy of the project,any personwho is an eligible low income tenant
at the time of rental but who becomes ineligible by reason of increased
income after assuming possession ofa rentalunit may be permitted to stay
for the duration of such tenant's lease. Leases shall be limited to one year
in duration, and may be renewed upon demonstration that the tenant
continues to meet the income limitations.
(vi) Certificationto Town.Every three years andmore frequently if requested
by theTown, for so longas the project is requiredto provide housing for
low income tenants, the owner shall provide to the Towna certification
of compliance with the requirements of this local law,which certification
shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Town and
whichmay include arentroll indicating foreach apartment name(s) of the
tenant(s),duration of lease,period of occupancy,tenant's income, utility
cost and rent paid.
(vii) Audit. For so long as the project is required to provide housing for low
income tenants,the Town shall have authority (but not the obligation)to
audit the cenifications of the owner to determine compliance with the
provisions of this local law.Such audit may be conducted by Town
personnel or by consultants or others selected by the Town.If the audit
discloses a material breach of the provisions of this local law, without
limiting any other remedies available to theTown, the reasonable expense
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of the audit shall be paid by the owner to the Town within ten days of
demand for same by the Town.
d. Subdivision Prohibited.The area being rezoned to multiple residence shall be
owned, in its entirety,by the same individual or entity and shall not be
subdivided or convened to condominium units, cooperative units,or any other
form of multiple ownership without approval of theTown Boardand approval of
any related site plan by the Town PlanningBoard.
e.Retention Area Maintenance.The ownerof the project shall maintain at its own
expense any drainage and/or storm waterretention area shown on any final site
plan approved by the Planning Board. Suchmaintenance shall be in accordance
with generally accepted standards for such maintenance and shall be to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Town Engineer.
f.Incorporation into Deed Restrictions. The provisions in this local law set forth
above and such additional covenants andrestrictions as the Town may reasonably
require shallbe incorporated into restrictive covenants which shallbe in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Town Board and the attorney for the
Town which restrictive covenants shall be recorded in the Tompkins County
Clerk's Officeand shall specifically cover the premises being rezoned to Multiple
Residence District pursuant to this local law.Such recording shall occur prior
to the issuanceof any building permitfor any building constructionin the project.
g.Final Site Plan.After adoption of this local law,andpriortotheissuance of any
building permits, a final site plan shall be submitted to and approved by the
Planning Board,such plan to include appropriate planting plans,buffering to
adjoining properties,and other items required by the site plan sections of the
Zoning Ordinance and by the Planning Board regarding site plan approval.
h.Revisions to Site Plan.Any significant revisions to the preliminary site plan
submitted to the Town Board in connection with the adoption of this local law
shall be submitted to and be approved by the TownBoard before issuance of any
building permits for the Multiple Residence District are issued.
Section 2.Reversion.Unless work has materially commenced in accordance with a
final site plan within one year from the issuance of the building permit authorizing such work,
or within thirty-six months of the date the Planning Board gave final site plan approval, or
within four years of the effective dateof this local law.whichever is earlier,any building permit
shall lapse,the site plan approval (both final and preliminary,if any)shall expire,and the
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zoning change effected by this local law shall terminate and the zoning shall revert to that in
effect prior to the adoption of this local law,unless in the interim there has been a general
rezoning of the area surrounding the area being rezoned by this local law, in which event the
zoningshall revert to the same zoning as then in effect along a majority of the perimeter of the
land being rezoned as a Multiple Residence District by this local law. The Planning Board,
upon request of the applicant,after a public hearing, andupon a finding that the imposition of
the time limits set forth above would create an undue hardship on the applicant, may extend the
time limits for such additional periods as the PlanningBoard may reasonably determine.An
application for such extension may be made at the timeof filing of the original application for
site plan approval or at any time thereafter up to, but no later than, six months after the
expiration of the time limits set forth above.
For the purposes of this section,work will not have "materially commenced"unless,at a
minimum, (i) a building permit,if required,has been obtamed; (ii)construction equipment and
tools consistent with the size of the proposed work have been brought to and been used on the
site; and (iii)substantial excavation (where excavation is required)or significant framing,
erection, or construction (where excavation is not required)has been started and is being
diligently pursued.
Section 3.Violations.Any violations of the terms of this local law shall constitute a
violation of the Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance and shall be punishable as set forth in said
Ordinance and in Section 268 of the Town Law of the State of New York.Each week's
continuedviolation shall constitute a separate offense.Notwithstanding the foregoing,the Town
reserves for itself, its agencies and all other persons having an interest, all remedies and rights
to enforce the provisions of this law,including,without limitation,actions for any injunction or
other equitable remedy,or action and damages,in the event the ownerof the parcels covered
by this law fails to comply with any of the provisions hereof.
Section 4.Partial Invalidity.In the event that any portion of this law is declared
invalid by a courtof competent jurisdiction,the validity of the remaining portions shall notbe
affected by such declaration.
Section 5.Effective Date.Pursuant to Section 265 of the Town Law this local law shall
take effect ten days after its publication (or publication ofa summary or abstract as permitted
by law)in the Ithaca Journal or upon its filing with the Secretary of State,whichever is later.
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SCHEDULE A
DESCRIPTION OF LANDS TO BE ZONED MULTIPLE RESIDENCE
(Mecklenburg Heights Apartments)
ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LANDS situated in the Town of Ithaca,
Tompkins County, New York,being a portion of TownofIthacaTax Map No.27-01-13.12 and
beingmore particularly described as follows:
COMMENCING in the northwesterly line of New York State Route 79 where it
intersects the westerly line of the City of Ithaca;running thence substantially westerly along the
northwesterly line of Route 79 on a slight curve to the right with a radius of 300.72 feet a
distanceof 158.48 feet to a point;running thence north79 degrees 32 minutes 57 seconds west
along said highway north line a distance of 62.83 feet to a point; running thence north 75
degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds west continuing along thenortherlyline of Route 79 a distance of
351.76 feet to a point in an easterly line of lands now or formerly of Edward M.Murray
(Tompkins County Clerk's Office Book 571 of Deeds at Page 563);running thence north 14
degrees 54minutes 53 seconds east passing throughanironpipeat 8 feet a totaldistance of 297
feetto a point .3 feet east of an iron pipe;running thence north75 degrees5 minutes 7 seconds
west along the north line of Murray's premises a total distance of 460 feet to a point,which
point is a northwesterly comer of said Murray premises;running thence south 14 degrees 54
minutes 53 seconds west along a westerly line of said Murray premises a distance of 297 feet
to thenorth line of Route 79;running thence westerly along the north line of Route 79 a distance
of 100 feetto a point;running thence north 14 degrees 54 minutes,53 seconds east a distance
of 397 feet to a point;running thence south 75 degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds east a distanceof
415 feet to a point;running thence north 14 degrees 54 minutes 53 seconds east a distance of
265.49 feet to a pointin the centerlineof a creek;running thence easterly along the center of
the creek as it bends and turns approximately 536 feetto the northwest comer of lands now or
formerly ofW. G. andJ. L. Hansen (Book 505 of Deeds at Page 789)which point is located
south 87 degrees 9 minutes 49 seconds east a distance of 507.96 feet from the immediately
preceding point;mnning thence south 14 degrees 5 minutes 7 seconds west along the west line
of said Hansen premises and premises now or formerly of Marta Weiner (Book 732 of Deeds
at Page 202)a distance of approximately 240.79 feet to the southwest comer of said Weiner
premises;running thence south 74 degrees 47 minutes 53 seconds east along the south line of
said Weiner premises 200 feet to an iron pipe which pipe is located inthe boundary line between
theTownof Ithaca and theCity of Ithaca;running thence south 14degrees5 minutes 7 seconds
west along said boundary line a distance of 469.71 feet to the point or place of beginning.
The above description is based upon a map entitled "Preliminary Plan Mecklenburg
Heights Lands Now or Formerly Anthony Ceracche Pan of Military Lot 56"prepared byC.T.
Male Associates,P.C. dated 12/31/1997,a copyof which is file in theTownof Ithaca Planning
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Department.The above described premises are shown on said map as "Phase 1 Area =9.818
+/-Acres"plus a 100 foot wide strip leading from the westerly side of the Phase 1 area
westerly and then southerly along the north and westerly perimeters of the Murray property to
Route 79.