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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 2023-04-24MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD April 24, 2023 AGENDA iIttDS:// lsO6web.zoo�-n.Lls/u/88680828447 YouTu be Lhik 1. Ithaca City Fire Department - Fire Chief s Report — Introduction of Chief Covert (Attachment 1) 2. Joint Youth Commission (JYC) Annual Report 3. West Hill Park design concepts presented by Cornell University Landscape Architecture students 4. Consider approval of the Access Oversight Committee's Budget 5. Consider setting a Public Hearing regarding a local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270, "Zoning" Article XXVI "Special Regulations" increasing the maximum allowed footprint in defined locations and other requirements 6. Public hearing regarding noise permit applications for Weekly Music and the Summer Music Series at Ithaca Beer (Attachment 2) a.D etermination — Weekly Music Series b. Determination — Summer Music Series 7. Committee Reports a) Budget b) Codes & Ordinances c)P ersonnel and Organization/ERC d) Planning e)P ublic Works f) Others o Economic Development o Parks, Trails, Preserves & Recreation 8. Consent Agenda a.A pproval of Town Board Minutes b. Approval of Town of Ithaca Abstract c.A pproval of Standard Work Day for elected officials 9. Review of Correspondence MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD April 24, 2023 Minutes Board Members Present: Rod Howe, Supervisor; Members Margaret Johnson, Rich DePaolo, Bill Goodman, Pamela Bleiwas and Eric Levine (remote). Absent: Rob Rosen Present: Judy Drake, Marty Moseley, CJ Randall, Becky Jordan, Joe Slater, Donna Shaw, and Dan Thaete Mr. Howe opened the meeting at 4:30 p.m. 1. Ithaca City Fire Department - Fire Chiefs Report — Introduction of Chief Covert (Attachment 1) Chief Covert introduced himself, saying that he has been with the Department over 30 years and was appointed Fire Chief in March of this year, adding that although the department has lost a lot of institutional knowledge through retirements, they have gained some energetic, young firefighters who are anxious to learn the trade. Staffing: Going well, with some new firefighters already on shift due to having previous experience and training; two are at the Fire Academy and there were two internal promotions to the Assistant Chief and Lieutenant positions. Budget: On track with one unusual decrease in that the building maintenance is already showing a -7% below budget percentage. He said this has do to the Central, South Hill and West Hill stations deferring maintenance as we work through the process of awarding the Capital Improvement Project which includes evaluation of options while keeping the City's Green New Deal goals in mind, which will necessitate the ability to house and maintain more electric vehicles and apparatus as the Municipal policymakers make decisions on the path forward. Administration: A big effort is going into onboarding a new records management system with robust pre -planning software. This will create greater efficiency across the Department as well as our inter -agency communications and responsibilities. Public Education: We put a lot of effort into media campaigns and public education in the spring regarding: gorge safety, risks of outdoor/brush fires caused by improperly discarded smoking materials and other scenarios. Mr. Howe told Chief Covert that the Town sends out a monthly newsletter if he was interested in sending articles for that and asked about the status of the bidding process for the new station. TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 1 Chief Covert responded that they are ready to award the remediation portion of the project, and once that is completed, the next step would be developing the bid documents and going out to bid. Mr. DePaolo said the Board used to get reports with incidents broken out between the Town and the City and some detail on the type of incident and asked for that to continue. 2. Joint Youth Commission (JYC) Annual Report (Attachment 2) Chelsea Benson, Town of Ithaca Representative and Evie Karnes, Cayuga Heights Representative thanked the Board for their continued support of the Commission. Ms. Karnes went through a presentation highlighting the mission and efforts of 2022. * Multi municipality board serving the Towns of Caroline, Ithaca, and Villages of Cayuga Heights and Lansing focused primarily on youth employment and enrichment. *Funded 5 youth employment and development programs; 2 through the Learning Web — Community Service and a Career Exploration; Camp Coddington Counselor in Training; Ithaca Youth Bureau Youth Employment, Youth Entrepreneur Program that runs markets and help students explore how to start a business and market their ideas and the Cooperative Extension Rural Youth Services which includes a lot of different after -school programs such as photography, birding, Dungeons and Dragons — these focus on getting youth used to interacting and socializing with both adults and other youths. *Participation stats presented showing that well over 159 Town of Ithaca youths participated in the various programs, the highest participation of the involved municipalities, although some other municipalities have programs similar to ours that are specific to that municipality and funded separately. *Outcomes are evaluated by asking the different program participants to come to our monthly meetings; it is hard to quantify but we continue to look at ways to do that. Ms. Johnson asked if there is information on socio-economic demographic participation and Mr. Karnes responded that she could get that for the Board. The Board thanked them for their volunteering efforts. 3. West Hill Park design concepts presented by Cornell University Landscape Architecture students (Attachment 3) Professor Mitch Glass, Cornell University, Department of Landscape Architecture and City and Regional Planning introduced Students Jordi Prieto and Minnue Uhm TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 2 Mr. Prieto and Mr. Uhm presented their concept of improvements for West Hill preserves, focused on integrating the characteristics of the land and uses by the public while using the topography and hydrology to develop better access and destination spots showcasing the abundant views, wildlife, birds and enhance the ecosystems in the natural water -pooling areas. Ideas also included natural walking paths, possible infrastructure to complement the community garden, signage for wayfaring and explaining the destination details. The estimated walking of the loop is about 1.4 minutes, and the perimeter would be about 25-30 minutes. The Students thought there was a lot of educational field trips for local schools, colleges and the Ornithology Lab. The Board was very impressed with the concept and the visuals presented. Mr. Glass added that there are other submissions for both the Saponi Meadows and the West Hill property along with estimated costs and phasing plans and invited members to come and take a look at those. 4. Consider approval of the Access Oversight Committee's Budget Mr. DePaolo stated that over the past few years, the Committee has been recommending a contingency budget with this budget focused on the retrofit of the small studio, which allows producers to come in and produce their own shows. He added that this is funded through the franchise agreement and a surcharge on the subscribers. TB Resolution 2023 - 071: Adopt 2024 PEG Access Studio Capital Budget Whereas the 2003 Franchise Agreement between Charter Communications and the City of Ithaca authorizes Charter Communications to collect $0.15 per subscriber per month to be used for the purchase of equipment for the PEG Access Studio; and Whereas the Franchise Agreement outlines the creation of an Access Oversight Committee which shall be responsible for approving the timing, use and amount of PEG access equipment acquired each year over the term of the agreement; and Whereas, in anticipation of equipment upgrades, to be reviewed in greater detail upon receipt from Charter Communications of a line -item proposal, the Access Oversight Committee has approved a 2024 contingency capital budget not to exceed $29,000; and Whereas the Franchise Agreement states that participating municipalities, including the Town of Ithaca, must adopt the annual PEG Access Studio budget by June 30 of the preceding year; now therefore be it TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 3 Resolved that the Town Board adopts the 2024 PEG Access Studio budget as recommended by the Access Oversight Committee. Moved: Rich DePaolo Seconded: Rod Howe Vote: ayes — DePaolo, Howe, Levine, Johnson, Goodman and Bleiwas 5. Consider setting a Public Hearing regarding a local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270, "Zoning" Article XXVI "Special Regulations" increasing the maximum allowed footprint in defined locations and other requirements Mr. Howe noted that this has gone through the Planning Committee and the final draft will be sent out by the end of the week. TB Resolution 2023 - 072: Setting a public hearing regarding a local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270 "Zoning: Article XXVH "Special Regulations" regarding increasing maximum allowed footprint in certain locations and other requirements associated with solar installations Resolved that the Town Board will hold a public hearing at their meeting on Monday, May 8, 2023, which begins at 5:30 p.m., at Town Hall, 215 N Tioga St., and broadcast via ZOOM and YouTubeLive for your convenience, to hear all interested parties regarding a local law amending Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 270 "Zoning," Article XXVII "Special Regulations," to increase the maximum allowed footprint in certain locations and other requirements associated with solar installations. Moved: Bill Goodman Seconded: Pamela Bleiwas Vote: ayes — Goodman, Bleiwas, DePaolo, Howe, Levine and Johnson 6. Public hearing regarding noise permit applications for Weekly Music and the Summer Music Series at Ithaca Beer (Attachment 4) Mr. Howe opened the public hearing for both comments on either or both requests, noting that there is a memo from Mr. Mitchell and comments have been received via email and distributed to the Board. Mr. Sallinger spoke, saying the Wednesday events and noise control have not been addressed. The hay bales being used look more like additional seating than noise mitigations. He said that last year, Mr. Goodman stated that his support for continued waivers would be contingent on additional mitigation plans and the application does not indicate any additional methods. For the other request, the inability to be exact on dates and content, that is a big ask by Ithaca Beer as they want these events to be 6-hours on Sundays and the Board should ask for more information before granting a waiver and consider noise mitigation efforts be increased. TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 4 Mr. Geizler spoke saying the weekly series is fine, as long as the noise is contained within the property, adding that he wanted to be very clear that he is not trying to shut down the concerts entirely, but wants to make sure the noise is contained. He said he is looking for serious deployment of the hay bales and noted that he sent in comments with pictures of adequate hay bale placement. He said in some ways, what is more frustrating, as an attorney, the Code says you should not hear noise more than 25' feet and if this an occasional thing, ok, fine, but we are getting up to the vicinity of a hundred times that a waiver has been granted. If I want to run my chainsaw every day, are you going to give me a waiver for that? The idea is to keep the Town quiet and to afford residents to have quiet enjoyment of their property. He closed by saying that he would like to see the Board enforce the law and do it aggressively. He did ad that last year wasn't too bad, and he doesn't want the job members have, but wants members to do their job. There was no one else wishing to speak and the hearing was closed. Board discussion. Mr. DePaolo thanked the speakers and said his understanding of the provisions of the law is that there is a prohibition on noise beyond 25' feet, but that is what the waiver is for, to permit noise be heard beyond. That is the process. Having said that, he said he does understand and thinks that Ithaca Beer has been avoiding certain costs that would allow ongoing entertainment and we should do something that encourages or compels a more permanent solution. He addressed the application, saying that the description says "acoustic" bands, which if that were true, you would not need a waiver as no amplification is used. He addressed what constitutes an application for a waiver, which allows a request for similar in type and scope, and he didn't have a problem with the number of events requested, but he did have an issue with the ask of a blanket request on dates because neighbors should be able to anticipate when an event is happening and make their own decisions on what to do that day. Mr. DePaolo also noted Mr. Mitchell's highlighting of the Planned Development Zone anticipating this type of activity, but that does not negate the responsibility of doing so in a way that is harmonious with the neighborhood. Mr. Howe responded, saying that there are specific dates, but not specific band descriptions and flexibility requested in dates if needed. Mr. DePaolo said dates are needed. TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 5 Mr. Goodman said that it might be time to talk to Ithaca Beer about something more than hay bales and something more substantial. The PDZ discussion involved the anticipation of these types of events, but we also envisioned a type of bandshell and although he was comfortable granting waivers when the business was new, now we are over 10 years down the road and it is time to revisit a more permanent solution that will mitigate, although not completely remove, the noise. He said the weekly series he is comfortable with; he has attended before, and the noise is not intrusive and only for 2 hours, but with substantial hay bales. Mr. Goodman talked to the special events, which he thought began with only three events and going up to six events which are longer and more intense than the weekly music is concerning and the statement about the contingent nature of the dates of the events as he would like to know the specific dates if he were a neighbor. He suggested approving the Lawnch event but also reach out to Mr. Mitchell for discussion on mitigations and continue this discussion at the next meeting regarding a waiver. Ms. Bleiwas said she thought there were issues in the past with the hay bales. Mr. Moseley said there were issues and there could be issues if they use them again or in a greater number under NYS Building Regulations; they can't be under a tent, and you can't put combustibles near an exit route and other issues. Ms. Bleiwas said her position hasn't changed over the last 6 or 7 years; she has no problem with these applications and thinks that Ithaca Beer is a tremendous asset to the community with limited complaints about the events with he same two households being the ones that come every year but no other neighbors. She said she agrees with the date needing to be set and not changeable without a subsequent request. She is against asking a business to build a bandshell or similar significant investment when the burden to the community is small and the benefits to the larger community are significant. Mr. Levine said he was disappointed that Ithaca Beer representatives were not present to discuss the requests. He agreed that this is quite a limited engagement and does not seem unreasonable given the limited feedback we have received. He said he would consider reasonable mitigations, adding that the cost of a bandshell might be prohibitive in comparison to the income derived from the music. The Board discussed the height of bales that should be used for the weekly music and moving forward with the first 2larger event or alternatively consider all the events without the flexibility in changing the date for the reason given in the application. TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 6 The Board decided to grant the first two of the larger events and ask Mr. Mitchell for additional information and discuss alternate mitigation strategies. a. Determination — Weekly Music Series TB Resolution 2023 — 073: Noise permit for Ithaca Beer Co. for the 2023 Weekly Wednesday Summer Music Series Whereas, the Town Board held a public hearing on April 24, 2023 regarding a noise permit application for a Weekly Wednesday Summer Music Series received by Ithaca Beer Co., and discussed the request, and Whereas, as stated in the application speakers will be facing Rte. 13 to prevent amplified noise bouncing off the brewery and hay bales will be used as a backdrop, now therefore be it Resolved that the Town Board grants a noise permit to Ithaca Beer Co. for the purpose of their Summer Music Series, entertaining Guests at their location of 122 Ithaca Beer Dr., on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm — 8:00 pm May 3rd through. October 4th, with the following Conditions: The placement of the hay bales described in the application should meet NYS Building/Fire Code and be no less than 7' feet tall to mitigate speakers used by the band(s), and with the following Findings: 1. The waiver from the requirements of Town Code Chapter 184 for the above music event is necessary for a valid purpose, because music might not be able to conform at all times to the requirements of Chapter 184, and Ithaca Beer's Planned Development Zone specifically allows for music events, subject to or upon the issuance of any permits required (Town Code §271-15.1)(3), and 2. The waiver is the minimal intrusion needed, because the amplification is needed to provide dinner music to the area, and music is limited to 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., which hours are within "daytime hours" as defined by Town Code § 184-4; the entertainment is intended to be and has proven to be background in nature and not overly intrusive; the amplification speakers must be located on the taproom lawn and face Route 13 and have hay bales stacked to provide some mitigation where the band is playing, and 3. On balance, the need for and benefits of the waiver outweigh the needs and rights of the surrounding neighbors to a peaceable and quiet environment, because the music is for a limited amount of time during the early evenings on the specified dates, with the above - listed limitations in place to minimize the intrusion on the neighbors. TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 7 Moved: Rich DePaolo Seconded: Rod Howe Vote: ayes — DePaolo, Howe, Levine, Bleiwas, Goodman and Johnson b. Determination — Summer Music Series TB Resolution 2023 — 074: Noise permit for Ithaca Beer Company's Summer Music Series Whereas, the Town Board held a public hearing on April 24, 2023 regarding a noise permit application for a Summer Music Series received by Ithaca Beer Co., and discussed the request, and Whereas, as stated in the application speakers will be faced to prevent amplified noise bouncing off brewery and facing Route 13, now therefore be it Resolved that the Town Board grants a noise permit to Ithaca Beer Co. for the purpose of their Summer Music Series, events on May 7, 2023 and July 16t'', entertaining Guests at their location of 122 Ithaca Beer Dr., with the following Conditions: 1. Hay bales will be no less than 7' feet tall and no shorter than the amplification equipment used by the band(s) for the event, and 2. amplification equipment will face Route 13 with the following Findings: 1. The waiver from the requirements of Town Code Chapter 184 for the above music events are necessary for a valid purpose, because music might not be able to conform at all times to the requirements of Chapter 184, and Ithaca Beer's Planned Development Zone specifically allows for music events, subject to or upon the issuance of any permits required (Town Code §271-15.D(3), and 2. The waiver is the minimal intrusion needed, because the amplification is needed to hold special larger events and are limited to once a month, no later than 9p.m., which hours are within "daytime hours" as defined by Town Code § 184-4; and 3. On balance, the need for and benefits of the waiver outweigh the needs and rights of the surrounding neighbors to a peaceable and quiet environment, because the music is for a limited amount of time on the specified dates, with the above -listed limitations in place to minimize the intrusion on the neighbors. Moved: Rich DePaolo Seconded: Bill Goodman Vote: ayes — DePaolo, Goodman, Howe, Levine, Johnson and Bleiwas TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 8 7. Committee Reports a) Budget — no meeting b) Codes & Ordinances — no meeting c) Personnel and Organization/ERC — Ms. Bleiwas reported that they discussed policy revisions for the Volunteerism. Policy and including Red Cross volunteers with Emergency Service roles. d) Planning — Audio Issues e) Public Works — Mr. Howe reported that they had a different student group give a presentation on the West Hill park concepts and began reviewing the draft Streetlight Policy f) Others o Economic Development — Date set for stakeholders to meet and review the Inlet Valley Overlay o Parks, Trails, Preserves & Recreation — No update but lots of activity o Cayuga Lake Intermunicipal Water Organization — Ms. Johnson stated that the full report was sent out last week but the focus is to push for the TMDL report from the State that has not been received; increase help to municipalities developing projects and continues outreach to other watershed managers 8. Consent Agenda TB Resolution 2023 — 075: Adopt Consent Agenda a. Approval of Town Board Minutes b. Approval of Town of Ithaca Abstract c. Approval of Standard Workday for Elected Officials Moved: Bill Goodman Seconded: Pamela Bleiwas Vote: ayes — Goodman, Bleiwas, Howe, Levine, DePaolo and Johnson TB Resolution 2023 - 075a: Approval of Town Board Minutes Resolved that the Town Board approves the minutes of March 27, and April 10, 2023, as final with any non- substantive changes made. TB Resolution 2023 - 075: Town of Ithaca Abstract No. 8 for FY-2023 TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 9 Resolved that the Town Board authorizes payment of the audited vouchers in total for the amounts indicated below: VOUCHER NOS. 228-282 General Fund Town Wide 121,881.72 General Fund Part -Town 18,316.54 Highway Fund Town Wide DA 101,889.77 Highway Fund Part Town DB 19,593.93 Water Fund 62,497.16 Sewer Fund 5,416.79 Fire Protection Fund 8,299.39 Trust and Agency 3,630.96 �TOTAL 041,526.26 TB Resolution 2023 — 075c: Approval of NYSLRS Standard Work Day and Reporting Resolution of Elected and Appointed Officials Resolved that the Town Board approves the NYSLRS Standard Work Day and Reporting Resolution of Elected and Appointed Officials as submitted. 9. Review of Correspondence and Reports *City Hall is looking for potential places to hold meetings while their space is not operable. *Game Farm Trail Connection opening is May 20" with many interactive events *May 6 th Tutelo Event coming up soon *May is Building Safety Month and a proclamation will be submitted at the May meeting *Streets Alive is next Sunday Meeting adjourned at 6:15 upon motion by Mr. Howe, seconded by Ms. Bleiwas; unanimous. Submijoll by TB 2023-04-24 (Filed 515) Pg. 10 T■ OWN OF ITHACA 1, Paulette Rosa, being duly swom, say that I am the Town Clerk of the Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York; that the following notice has been duly posted on the sign board of the Town Clerk of the Town of Ithaca and the notice has been duly published in the official newspaper, Ithaca Journal: N z I I FA z I i 9 10 rlm , NMI I IN DKII V.1 )I$] "WITIOT By Ithaca Beer for 2023 Outdoor Season Location of Sign Board Used for Posting: Town Clerk's Office 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 1% 111111% "11" M1 P lette osa Town Clerk !I -, 600011-AMINVIN k I "AWKI-1 K41moo.= Sworn to and subscribed before me this 17'h day of April 2023. kotary "Public ASHLEY COLBERT NotarY PubliC, State of New,(Ork No.01CO6419580 Qualified in Tompkins County Commission Expires,111 Public Notice Town of Ithaca Notice of Public Hearings The Town Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 24, 2023, at their meeting which begins at 4:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga St., Ithaca and broadcast via ZOOM and the Town's YouTubeLive meetings site. Links are available on the Town's website www.town.ithaca.ny.us The public hearings are scheduled to begin no earlier than 5 p.m. The Town Board will hear all interested parties regarding two noise permit applications submitted by Ithaca Beer for the 2023 outdoor season: 1. Weekly Wednesday Music Series June 7th through September 13th, from with hay bales placed behind the band(s) to mitigate sound travel. 2. Summer Concert Series Saturday, May 7th, 6-9pm Sunday, July 16th, 2-8pm Sunday, August 13th, 2-8 pm Sunday, September 10th, 2-8 pm Saturday, October 14th, 2-8 pm These events will be similar in nature as years past; a little larger than the Wednesday music, usually around 4 band members, such as the annual Octoberfest event. Comments can be in person, via Zoom or in writing/email to Clerks@town.ithaca.ny.us Paulette Rosa Town Clerk 4/17/23 Attachment 1 CITY OF ITHACA 310 West Green Street Ithaca, New York 14850-5497 OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF Telephone: 607/272-1234 Fax: 607/272-2793 MEMORANDUM To: Ithaca Town Board From: Robert M. Covert II, Fire Chief Date: 24 April 2023 Re: Fire Chiefs 2023 Q1 Report ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION Administration 1) Career Personnel Report PERSONNEL STAFFING LEVELS 1 Fire Chief 5 Assistant Chiefs 10 Lieutenants 49 Fire Fighters 65 Uniform Personnel 1 Administrative Coordinator Total employees as of April 1, 2023 — 66 a) Current and Future Vacancies • FF Ken Thompson resigned in Q1 2023 (transferred to Syracuse Fire) • One firefighter has indicated he will retire in May 2023 b) Retirements and Separation from Service: • Assistant Chief Tom Basher, FF Peter Snell, and FF Tim Payne retired in Q1 2023. Page 2 of 4 - Fire Chief s 2023 Q 1 Report 24 April 2023 c) Hiring/Promotions in 2023 Q 1 • In January 2023, FF Oliver Dragojevic was hired. He had previously completed the Utica Fire Academy, so he completed IFD-specific training and was on shift as of April 2023 • In February 2023, FF Keven Morse and FF Trey Sincock were hired. They complete the NYS Fire Academy in June 2023 and begin IFD-specific training. • In March 2023, FF Tom Pirko was re -hired and completed IFD-specific training. He is on shift as of April 2023. • In February 2023, Lt. James Wheal was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief, and FF Kevin Koehler was promoted to Lieutenant. • In March 2023, Deputy Chief Robert Covert was promoted to Fire Chief. d) Firefighters on Injury Leave or Light Duty • There is one fire lieutenant who is on long-term injury leave. The City has filed for disability retirement and is under review by New York State. • One firefighter is on light duty awaiting knee surgery. 2) Budget Report a) 2023 Budget: The Q 1 budget Summary is attached to this memo. 4) Grants and Donations a) In 2022 Q4, we applied for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighting Grant. It is a regional grant with Enfield and Trumansburg Fire Departments requesting funding to replace 63 Portable Radios. Grant results have not been announced b) In 2022. We applied for and received a Tompkins County Recovery Funds grant of $45,900 to replace three hazmat meters that have reached the end of life. We are working to execute this grant. 5) Apparatus a) One EV staff vehicle was ordered in 2022, with anticipated delivery in 2023. b) A second EV staff vehicle was approved for purchase in 2023 operation budget. Due to inventory issues, will likely order a 2024 in Q4 of 2023. c) One Pumper truck was ordered in 2022, with anticipated delivery in 2023. d) Common Council approved a Capital project for 2023 to replace the 1990 Heavy Rescue. The specifications for the truck are being developed. Due to supply issues, expect the truck to arrive in 2026. Page 3 of 4 - Fire Chief s 2023 Q 1 Report 24 April 2023 6) Fire Station Study 1989 is when the Central and the East Hill Fire Stations were renovated, and the South and West Hill Fire Stations were Constructed. All four fire stations require significant and costly repairs and renovations. Improvements to each building's energy systems and building envelope are a high priority for future work. The study has been awarded to Bell and Spina Architects. The City anticipates a May 2023 closing on the development project to relocate the East Hill Fire Station. The new East Hill Station design is completed and will go to bid upon closing. A 2024 moving date is anticipated. 7) Records Management System (RMS) IFD working with vendor First Due to bring a new RMS system online. LIFE SAFETY DIVISION Fire Prevention Bureau 1) Code Enforcement Division: Report to follow 2) Fire Investigation Unit: The Fire Investigation Team investigated eight fires in 2023 Q1. All eight fires were in the City of Ithaca. 3) Public Education and Special Events Public Education Events: 2 Fire Drills Witnessed: 0 Page 4 of 4 - Fire Chief s 2023 Q1 Report 24 April 2023 OPERATIONS DIVISION 1) Emergency Response: 2023 Q1 Responses - 1236 Incidents — See attached report Simultaneous Incidents: 232 Incidents (18.77%). Volunteer Recruitment and Retention 1) Summaries of Service Hours: Attached 2) One new Fire Police started in Q 1 of 2023 3) There are currently 11 Active Volunteer Fire Police. uj z uj uj 10 om 0 lll;� o 14 It 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o M o 0 0 o r C: .. C) 0 Ni„„if 00 04 C!) 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(D C) n 11 CD 11 c) C) C) C) CD C) CD [ C:) l.— (7) 11 () a) rn CID 01) CA (4 C) (D C) (D I I , Io , I CC) C) , 11 , 11 1 a) Lf) CD C) ­i M 0) C 11 CN cli 4S u C.Y (D u 0' U ra CD Z W M C 'Q1 0 4 C�� 0 4 4-) 4 flu `44 44 4 4 0 0 0 no (D u -H r� >I u u u u 0 , U I, , Ithaca Fire Departmeont Volunteer Hours Report (Summary) Date Between 101/01/20231 And (03/31/20231 Staff Id Alt Id Name Total 4602 Adams, Andrew J 13.75 3637 Bordoni, Gary 13.32 3B83 Cornelius, Dave 7.50 4188 Gilligan, WilliaT.ii 13.32 4301.. Gould, Jach: 11.82 4153 longo, Robert 6.33 4620 Onah, Joy 13.19 4621 Powers, Johia 13.44 3793 Rogers, James 19.73 461'/ Williams, Steam 11.62 123.82 Attachment 2 Town of Ithaca - Noise Permit Application Record ID number: NP-23-1 Applicant: Dan Mitchell Organization: Ithaca Beer Co. Location of Event: 122 ithaca Exact Location on the property; Tent on Patio Beer Drive. Date of event: Recurring Wednesdays 6pm - 8pm June 7th - Sept 13th, Additional dates May 7th 6-9,pm, July 16th 2- Alternate: 8pm, August 13th 2-8pm, September 10th 2-8pm, Oct. 9th 2-8pm Estimated Attendance: Regular business evening 200 +/- Description of Event: Summer Concert Series Acoustic Bands Abatement proposed: hay bail back drop as agree upon in 2022 application Factors you would like considered: hay bail back drop as agree upon in 2022 application Contact Information: April 11, 2023 Ithaca Beer Noise Permit Summer Concert Series In an effort to be able to host events and fit within the timelines for the process, I would like to be granted a permit for our usual Summer Concert Series by reserving the following dates: Saturday, May 7th, 6-9pm Sunday, July 16th, 2-8pm Sunday, August 13th, 2-8 pm Sunday, September loth, 2-8 pm Saturday, October 14th, 2-8 pm Please note, I cannot book a group or band in advance of getting Town approvals, and so would like the flexibility to adjust dates as needed, based on band availability. The "events" will be larger than the Wednesday music series, but not huge or excessively louder than the special events I have held in the past, such as the annual Octoberfest, which usually features 4 band members, and a bit louder than the Wednesday music, but has not been brought up as problematic in the past. Last year there were some issues with scheduling and an error made in the application which were addressed by holding a special meeting. At that time, I discussed the problems associated with locking in a specific date and specific band as well as the common occurrence of an act approaching me last minute to fill in a vacancy they have. It is my hope that a permit covering similar in size and scope special events can be granted without the level of detail I simply cannot provide at the beginning of the outdoor season by choosing a date each month to target for entertainment. Thanks for your consideration. Dan Mitchell, President ((i1, ,()H'I Paulette Rosa From: Dawn Forman <dmforman@fastmail.com> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2023 9:47 AM To: Town Of Ithaca Clerks Department Subject: Public Hearing April 24, 2023 Hello! Due to previous commitments, we will not be able to attend the Public Hearing on April 24, 2023 for Ithaca Brewing Company. We want to express support for both of the noise permit applications that the Ithaca Brewing Company will be heard during that hearing. We live at 6 Apple Blossom Lane and do not find the noise to be detrimental to life in or around our home. We knew that there was a commercial/industrial area where Ithaca Brewing was prior to buying our home and as such, the Ithaca Brewing Company should be able to hold events that support their business which is good for citizens in the Town of Ithaca with taxes the patrons pay on food and drink while attending these events. We enjoy partaking in the events at Ithaca Brewing and having dinner there regularly. The hours of the two Music Series are beyond reasonable as all but one event ends at 8pm with the exception being 9pm. As a neighbor, we hope these two Music series will be approved by the Town of Ithaca. 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Tioga St. Ithaca, NY 14850 Re: Ithaca Beer Noise Permit Board Members: A number of my neighbors and I have come before this Board, with the exception of the year of COVID, every year since 2018 to contest the issuance of Noise Permits for outdoor concerts at Ithaca Beer. We need to be clear. We never intended that the concerts be prohibited. We simply want the Board to abide by its own ordinances, require effective noise mitigation and provide for the health, safety and well-being of the community. Let's repeat — we have come before the Board every year since 2018. The cumulative effect of this is that Ithaca Beer has received close to 100 noise permits for "special events" as well as "Wednesday Evening Concerts" - ONE HUNDRED noise permits! Does anyone think this is an appropriate use of the Ordinance 184-11? Please examine the Ordinance - § 184-11 Authorization for permit. The Town Board, in its discretion, is authorized to grant a permit for a specific waiver from the requirements of this chapter. Please notice the word "specific." The intent of the ordinance is to provide for one-time, truly special events — a wedding, a birthday parry, perhaps a 50t' anniversary celebration. It is not intended to provide a business owner with a means of defeating the other noise ordinances of the Town in the conduct of its normal, everyday activities. These concerts are a regular, normal activity of Ithaca Beer conducted every summer. There is absolutely nothing special about them. Indeed, when we first came to the Board, back in 2018, we accurately predicted that the issuance of the permit was not a one-time, special circumstance. We argued then, and we argue now, that these concerts are as normal and regular as loading or unloading trucks or cooking meals. This is just a part of Ithaca Beer's business endeavors - nothing more, nothing less. Can anyone possibly argue that this is an appropriate application of the law? There needs to be a permanent solution to this issue. As an attorney in Vermont, I appeared before numerous town selectboards. I worked for public libraries there. In Vermont, library boards, not town governments have control of all library operations. Town boards were not happy to hear what I had to convey — that they were not the "deciders" of library policies and procedures. Nonetheless, in every case, the boards came to grips with, and obeyed the law. The biggest disappointment for me, especially as an attorney, when I moved from my home in Vermont to New York State was the discovery that town government is basically lawless. Town government does not take its responsibilities seriously and does not enforce its own ordinances. in 2018, I discussed with Mr Mitchell, the owner of Ithaca Beer, the use of hay bales as a means of sound deadening. I described for him a wall of hay bales approximately 6 — 8 feet high behind the performers, as well smaller revetments behind any remote speakers. He agreed that that made sense and that it wouldn't cost very much. In the years since, hay bales have appeared on the property of Ithaca Beer, but they have never been configured in any manner designed to mitigate the sound produced by the musicians. Instead, they have been haphazardly scattered around, perhaps in an attempt to convey some rural, farm atmosphere to the setting. But, let's be clear and as you all know, the use of the bales has never had any impact on the transmission of sound. Below is a picture of how an effective use of hay bales would look: For adequate sound mitigation this wall ought to be no less than 10 bales in length and 5 bales tall if using 3 string bales, or 12 bales in length and 6 bales tall if using 2 string bales. It might be wise to sink 4"x4" 8 foot beams 2 feet into the ground at 4 or 5 foot intervals on both sides of the wall for added stability. The wall should be positioned not more than 6 feet behind the performers on the west side, oriented to protect the adjacent neighborhood. Smaller enclosures will back any and all speakers: .d discovery, Mr. like town government fulfill his responsibilities or abide by his word. It's time for the Town of Ithaca and Ithaca Beer to create a permanent solution to this ongoing problem. If there are permits to be issued to Ithaca Beer as it relates to "The operation of special events such as festivals and music series ..." the appropriate permits are for the construction of a permanent structure that will contain or direct the sound away from neighboring residential areas. Sincerely, Robert W. Geiszler