HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2023-05-18 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee
Thursday, May 18, 2023
(3:00 PM Aurora Conference Room and on Zoom)
Minutes
Committee members: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe; Margaret Johnson.
Board/Staff members: Director of Planning C.J. Randall; Director of Engineering Daniel
Thaete; Town Civil Engineer Justin McNeal; Director of Code Enforcement Marty Moseley.
Guests: Laura Schneider
1. Persons to be heard: None at the beginning of the meeting. Laura Schnieder joined the
meeting via Zoom later and introduced herself as an Environmental Health Consultant and
observer interested in the South Hill development area near Stone Quarry Rd.
2. Committee announcements and concerns: None
3. Approval of April meeting minutes: Rich moved; Margaret seconded. The April 20, 2023,
minutes were approved with non-substantive changes.
4. Update: Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Master Implementation Plan. Rod
briefly updated that a final draft of what will be submitted to the NYS is anticipated to be
received in June. This should come in time for the June Planning Committee meeting to review
prior to it being considered by the town board.
5. Update: Limited Historic Commercial(LHC) Overlay District potential amendment to
Limited Historic Commercial(LHC) Floating Zone. C.J. updated that the newly adopted LHZ
law was written and adopted as an overlay zone which would have to be updated by a local law
with each applicant and would touch down on just those properties on the Zoning Map. She and
the attorney are working together to determine if this process was the intention when the revised
law was adopted or if the language should be amended to be a floating zone which is enacted and
dissolved by a resolution of the town board(compared to a local law action for each application
for the zone). She will follow up with the committee.
Rich was in favor of exploring a "nimbler"way of handling these unique applications for this
zone. He noted they may qualify for a time period and then not qualify; therefore, the Zoning
Map would need frequent amendments. Committee members concluded.
6. Discussion: proposed timeline for South Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development
(TND) SEQRA professional services procurement. A memo was circulated from the Planning
Department with a summary of the environmental quality review services for the South Hill
TND Regulating Plan adoption. The proposed tasks were listed with deliverables, a schedule for
completion, criteria for consideration and the procurement process. C.J. explained the process
and history, focusing on what type of procurement process the committee preferred, the Request
for Information, Request for Qualifications or Request for proposals. There is a 2023 Budget line
for the outside costs related to this needed professional service. The town board would be the
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entity considering any agreement however the planning committee input is being sought in these
beginning phases for the schedule, criteria and preferred procurement process.
The committee and the director of engineering were supportive of the Request for Qualifications
process for procurement.
Engineering asked if the longer timeframe was due to an anticipated positive declaration for the
environmental review? C.J. confirmed a positive declaration is anticipated and the town board
would assume Lead Agency status with a list of involved parties as well. All agreed that work on
the planning committee end will help the town board with the complicated process.
The next step would be a more refined document with the in-housework needed for each
department scoped out and any other outstanding items for the June meeting with the intent for
authorization to issue the RFQ at the end of June.
7. Discussion: 2007 Transportation Plan and 2014 Comprehensive Plan Transportation
(TR)implementation review, continued.
C.J. mentioned having many discussions with the engineering staff recently in reference to the
Capital Improvement Plan to help put all the town transportation pieces together with related
costs. A potential annual priority review of the water, sewer, roads, and facility projects by the
public works committee was mentioned with the planning committee doing a simultaneous
potential annual priority review of the parks, recreation trails,bike,ped and open space. These
annual priority reviews could come together to form the annual CIP. She is hopeful that the
requested project list to be received by next month's meeting.
Margaret submitted a few comments on the document prepared for the last meeting which
outlined the implementation status of the transportation goals and properties from the above
referenced plans. A few additional clarifying questions were asked by Rich and the status of
some of the goals and priorities need more research or revisions. The "official map"reference
was questioned again (not every road is shown, only ones where a building permit can be
issued), NYS DOT was noted as needing to be added as a stakeholder in the Street Design and
Context sensitive design sections and the effectiveness, ability of lowering speed limits and
TCAT funding were touched on. Trails and maintenance for year-round verses seasonal use were
discussed and C.J. noted new traffic counters have been installed on the 3 trails in the town and
data is being collected. The upcoming Gateway Trail extension by the city and the Stone Quarry
Road crossing was pointed out as a project where joint or simultaneous grant funding should be
sought.
An updated implementation status list would be provided with the clarifications and updates
made from committee discussions. The committee acknowledged having to re-prioritize the
transportation needs and align them with the funding initiatives available or"sequence"them all
in other words.
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8. Staff updates and reports: C.J. reported recent receipt of a scope of work proposal for
Financial Feasibility Analysis of Residential Development in the South Hill TND area. This was
submitted by Camoin Associates with proposed timeline within 8 weeks of contract execution
and receipt of needed information for a fixed fee of$19,500 with any additional work falling
outside the scope to be billed hourly. Tompkins County Planning has a grant opportunity which
would cover half of the cost if the town were to apply and be awarded. Rich asked if the town
procurement requirements were met and if this would be a market analysis study typically born
by the developer. C.J. confirmed the Town procurement policy was met and she explained this as
South Hill TND side project/PIF (Pilot increment financing)portion of the overall project that
will be used as a helpful tool by the town and needed to mobilize the project.
This document was passed around at the meeting and the electronic version would be sent by
C.J. The committee agreed to forward this scope to the town board for consideration. C.J. stated
she would put a resolution before the town board to authorize the professional services as well as
authorizing the planning department to submit the grant funds portion.
C.J. noted May 1st was the last communication with RaNic representatives on the proposed PDZ.
There have been no changes or movement.
The NYS guidelines and regulations for the sale, consumption and distribution of cannabis are
beginning to be finalized and the town will need to explore time,place and manner restrictions
within the town regulations.
9. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: June 15th, 2023.
The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 4:45 pm.
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