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Home My WebLink AboutPB Minutes 2023-01-17 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca,New York 14850 Tuesday, January 17, 2023 7:00 P.M. Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall or virtually via Zoom. The public will have an opportunity to see and hear the meeting live and provide comments in-person or through Zoom at httos://us06web.zoom.us/i/83643764382. If the public would like to attend the meeting for viewing purposes only,it is recommended to watch the livestream video on YouTube (httos://www.youtube.com/channeFUCC9vvcXkJ6klVlibihCv7No /Iive . AGENDA 1. Consideration of a recommendation to the Town of Ithaca Town Board regarding a proposed local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270 establishing an Inlet Valley Overlay District. 2. Nomination and Election of Vice-Chair for 2023 3. Persons to be heard. 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(a),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 at https://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/meeting-calendar-agendas/under the calendar meeting date. TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD January 17, 2023 MINUTES Present: Greg Lindquist, Chair; Members Fred Wilcox, Ariel Casper, Liz Bageant, Yvonne Fogarty, Cindy Kaufman, and Bill Arms Sue Ritter, CJ Randall, Dan Tasman and Chris Balestra, Planning; Marty Moseley, Codes; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; John Little, IT; David O'Shea, Engineering and Becky Jordan, Deputy Town Clerk Mr. Greg Lindquist called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with an introduction and welcome to CJ Randall, new Planning Director. Agenda Item I Consideration of a recommendation to the Town of Ithaca Town Board regarding a proposed local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270 establishing an Inlet Valley Overlay District (Attachment 1) Overview Ms. Ritter provided an Inlet Valley introduction. [Audio failed to capture the beginning of Ms. Ritter's statement]. We want to keep the city urban feel from entering the area. We have two premier state parks, Treman and Buttermilk as bookends, agriculture in the area including Eddy Dale Farms and other farmland, and tourism with Motels. We want to encourage tourism, agriculture, recreation,possibly some art. This is the vision that helped produce some of the uses in the law. Mr. Tasman gave a presentation on the Inlet Valley District Overlay zoning code. Permitted uses, sighting of structures, physical design requirements that go beyond setback and building height and include architectural design and general sight planning. Pedestrian and vehicle circulation. Landscaping screening, sight lighting, and sign requirements. The two district overlays are Light Industrial which will all be in the Inlet Valley Center(IV-C) and Inlet Valley Transition Overlay (IV-T). Special Use Permit required. Discussion Ms. Bageant asked what the difference is between the two references to solar use. Mr. Tasman replied that as a principal use solar energy is not allowed such as a solar farm but, as an accessory use you can have solar panels on your building. Ms. Bageant recalled conversation about the Town identifying appropriate solar farm locations. PB 2023-01-17 (Filed 3/17) Pg. 1 Ms. Ritter replied that the Town has a draft solar law that would allow larger facilities but that locations have not yet been identified. Ms. Kaufman expressed her support. We need to consider how the desired businesses will be attracted and thrive on this busy, loud stretch of route 13. Businesses such as a Bed and Breakfast situated right on route 13 may not get the desired business. The idea of a laneway behind the building(s) and the front of the building(s) facing opposite route 13 may make for a safer, more successful project. Shared parking could be a design idea. Ms. Bageant, acknowledging route 13 is a state road, inquired of safety concerns for future development. Ms. Ritter responded that the Town, years ago, asked DOT if a traffic light could be installed at Elmira Road and Seven Mile Drive and they said no at that time. If development starts happening in the corridor there may be more opportunities for traffic calming measures. There has been talk of route 13 upgrades. Pedestrians and cyclists will have the Black Diamond Trail on the eastern side and possibly a laneway on the western side. Ms. Fogarty commented that she loves the fact that the electrical lines will be underground. When the Planning Board was reviewing the plans for the hotel in that area, I went to the property and when I tried to exit left I had to wait for over 200 vehicles. I have serious questions about putting a lot of businesses or anything there unless we can find a way to calm the traffic because it will be very dangerous. I voted no on the hotel because I don't think it's safe right there. Mr. Lindquist replied that he thinks once this is adopted it could be the impetus for putting it forward to the state DOT. The state DOT is becoming more progressive with an acceptance of different ideas. I see this as a multi-year project, it is not going to happen overnight and not without a number of tweaks. I think this is 1000%better than what we have now. There has been a lot of work that has gone into this. PB Resolution 2023-01: Recommendation to the Town Board Regarding a Proposed Local Law Amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270, Establishing an Inlet Valley Overlay District Town of Ithaca Planning Board January 17, 2023 Whereas: In 2017, after adoption of the Town Comprehensive Plan, the Town of Ithaca commissioned an economic development feasibility study and strategic plan for the Inlet Valley area(the"Inlet Valley Ithaca Plan") to explore ideas for shaping the corridor's development future, and for fostering its distinctive semi-rural/agricultural character and the setting for two premier NYS Parks, Whereas: A key recommendation of the Plan was to revise the zoning regulations to encourage desired types of uses and a character of development that would make the corridor an appealing PB 2023-01-17 (Filed 3/17) Pg. 2 and distinctive destination, Whereas: The proposed Inlet Valley Zoning Overlay District was initiated under the direction of the Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee subsequent to their completion of the Inlet Valley Ithaca Plan (2018) and later transferred to the Planning Committee for more in-depth work and refinement, Whereas: The Planning Committee recommended the Inlet Valley Zoning Overlay District to the Town Board at their meeting in October 2022, Whereas: The Town Board, at their meeting on December 28, 2022, discussed the proposed local law and referred it to the Planning Board for review and recommendations, and Whereas: The Town of Ithaca Planning Board has reviewed and discussed the proposed local law at its meeting on January 17, 2023; now, therefore be it Resolved: That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby recommends that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca adopt the proposed local law amending the Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270, Establishing an Inlet Valley Overlay District. Moved: Fred Wilcox Seconded: Ariel Casper Vote: ayes—Casper, Kaufman, Wilcox, Fogarty, Lindquist, Bageant and Arms PB Resolution 2023-02: Nomination and Election Planning Board Vice Chairperson 2023 Town of Ithaca Planning Board January 17, 2023 Resolved, that the Town of Ithaca Planning Board does hereby nominate and elect Fred Wilcox as Vice Chairperson of the Planning Board for the year 2023, and be it further Resolved, that said election shall be reported to the Town Board. Moved: Yvonne Fogarty Seconded: Cindy Kaufman Ayes: Casper, Bageant, Kaufman, Arms, Fogarty, and Lindquist Abstained: Wilcox Item 2 Persons to be heard—None Item 3 Other Business Mr. Lindquist gave a reminder of Sue Ritter's retirement celebration on Friday, January 27th. Also, the New York Planning Federation seeks solicitations for nominations for their awards. I'm thinking about submitting an application for the Heissenbuttel award for planning excellence for the New Neighborhood Code (NNC). Nomination applications are due by February 15, 2023. PB 2023-01-17 (Filed 3/17) Pg. 3 Mr. Wilcox advised, as past Planning Federation board member and President, there is a paperwork requirement to support the nornination so there is sonic work involved and fie is happy to help. Ms. Ritter provided a project update on North Campus Residential that the Planning Board approved in 2019. As part of that project, there was included as proposal to realign Pleasant Grove Road as a main thoroughfare to Cradit Fann Road which is not going forward. flus is as a, result of recent traffic counts for this and those traffic counts made it clear there was no big difference to traffic due to tile North campus residential project and it was clear that a much smaller percentage of vehicles are going down Cradit Farm Road than what' is goingF to crest Horric Drive. Instead, Cornell has proposed an improved signage plan with "wayfinding" signage oil pleasant Grove Road and elsewhere as well as a nionument "You have arrived on campus" sign. 'Me hope is to have less travel into Forest, Home not meaning to be there. Ms. Ritter thanked the board and stated that it has been great working with all of thern, they're a terrific planning board. Meeting adjourned at 8:36 pill upon motion by Fred Wilcox, seconded by oriel Casper. Submitted by >41 - Becky Jordan, Deputy Town Clerk PB 2023-01-17 (Filed 3/17) Pg 4