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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2023-06-15 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Thursday, June 15, 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; Town Civil Engineer Justin McNeal; Town Planner Chris Balestra. Guests: None 1. Persons to be heard: None 2. Committee announcements and concerns: None 3. Approval of May meeting minutes: Rich moved; Rod seconded. The May 18, 2023, minutes were approved with one minor change. 4. Discussion: Reclassifying on-premise signs as Chapter 148: SEQRA Type II Action. Town Planner Chris Balestra briefly explained her memo to the committee regarding a proposal for a Local Law to add on-premises sign reviews to the (Type II) list of items that are exempt from the formal environmental review (SEQRA)process. This has come forward after discussions with the Attorney for the Town due to a discrepancy in the regulations requiring a Board to complete a SEQR and not staff via internal review. These types of signs do not pose significant negative impacts on the environment. The signs not allowed by right would still have the staff internal/design review and permitting process however the SEQRA review form would not apply to the on-premises signs. The Planning Committee was in favor of this change and recommended it be forwarded to the Town Board for approval consideration. 5. Discussion: proposed scope for South Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) Regulating Plan SEQRA Generic Environmental Impact Statement(GEIS) process. The committee reviewed this document in detail and requested revisions to be more objective and not intend to direct the conclusions.A summary of the changes are below: Pg. 2, Introduction paragraph. Delete "It will be analytical, but not encyclopedic." Pg. 3, Involved Agencies. Some in list are not agencies, check IAWWTF & TCAT, do they belong in the list or are the agencies intended to be standalone decision-making entities? Pg. 5, first bullet, replace "consequences"with"effects." Section 3, first bullet. Define "the Ithaca area" geographically as this scope is for specific area. Second bullet-delete "This doesn't mean the NNC allows an infinite or infinitesimal housing density."Possibly replace with Comprehensive Plan language for the area for housing density. Pg. 6, first, second and third bullets, limit or define "Town" geographic proximity and check for redundancy in previous bullet points. Sixth bullet point,be more objective with wording, too leading. Last bullet point clarify what is meant by "light imprint (as opposed to low impact) stormwater management..." 1 Pg. 7, Street Trees bullet-is the need for a Town urban forestry program a separate analysis since there is none currently town wide?This scope should be site specific. Add in information for maintenance of street trees after planting. Parks and preserves bullet- is the equity for costs and benefits for park improvements etc, a separate analysis or is this typically part of the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statements? Clarify. Pg. 9, fifth bullet, change "West" State Street to `Bast". Equity among developers and property owners. Repeat comment, is this typically included in DGEIS? Last bullet, change "hinder" to "impact". Pg. 10, First standalone sentence under top bullets is editorializing. And the last bullet in the Socioeconomics section is conclusive, possibly worded to consider the implications of a student population. Project alternatives section, clarify the geographical extent. why compare on a small area on a"regional scale"? Pg. 11 First section No Action..... The TND itself is the action and there is development under the base zoning regulations. C.J. stated she would like to incorporate the committee comments into the proposed scope and forward to other town staff for review including Chris Balestra and Susan Brock. The committee requested a redlined version of the changes to be circulated back for information, however was comfortable with the revised document being presented to the Town Board for approval consideration. If there were major changes made that warranted committee re looking at the full document, that could take place at the next meeting if necessary. The committee talked about the RFQ as the preferred process at the last meeting, however C.J. mentioned possibly a Request for Information (RFI) is the method per the procurement policy however she would look into it. Possibly moving the equity components from this scope into the financial feasibility study with Camoin Associates was also noted, C.J. stated that scope included transportation as a whole and this component could be added. *Note to check the redundant numbering in the document as well. 6. Discussion: draft Capital Improvement Plan and 2007 Transportation Plan/2014 Comprehensive Plan Transportation (TR) implementation review, continued. C.J. shared the draft 2024 Town of Ithaca Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) spreadsheet. She would like the Planning Committee to reflect on this document for consideration to be involved with its development in a more formal role for the next year in the early phases. She stated the Public Works committee would focus on the infrastructure, buildings and maintenance areas and the Planning Committee could focus on the sidewalks, parks, trails, open space areas with an early review. The goal being to integrate knowledge of infrastructure improvement needs with future development potential and bring those project linkages together in the town CIP document. Rod noted the Budget and Finance Committee involvement in the CIP as well. C.J. gave the example about the upcoming acquisition of open space and need for water transmission lines in same area. She stated conversations with Public works have led to the desire to focus on interim strategies on existing local roads to fulfill the Town Compete Streets policy, delineate areas and define what and where intervention is needed as well. The delineation of the areas would be a part of the Safe Streets for All project, although the main focus will be State and County Roads. Rod and Rich both noted high level involvement of Budget and Public Works committee in this document and acknowledged the intent to bring the Planning Committee in with a light touch in the future. Margaret was supportive of the Planning Committee involvement as well early in the process in 2 future years and asked about an equipment inventory or list such as parking facilities, bike share bikes, electric fire engines, etc. to go along with the CIP.A fleet and public works equipment inventory is available per Rod and Rich however wouldn't include some of the things mentioned. 7. Update: Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Master Implementation Plan. Rod updated on TGEN (new name of the town CCA program).A DER(distributed energy resources) action plan was received; however, the draft Implementation Plan was what was anticipated to be shared with the committee and then go before the Town Board and Public Service Commission next for consideration. The Implementation Plan is still anticipated for the committee to review at the July meeting. 8. Update: City of Ithaca Draft Encampment Policy. Rod stated that he made a request for the map and draft policy to the City but has not heard back yet. He will keep the committee updated. 9. Update: East Shore Drive Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Corridor Project. C.J. updated that the just over $50,000 funding award was announced by the local Assembly member office for the Feasibility Study. This is for associated ROW and survey mapping. She stated the Town Engineers recommended Erdman Anthony and Associates for the ROW survey and mapping. Barton & Loguidice also submitted a proposal however did not have the inhouse qualifications for the survey mapping portion but did for the Feasibility and cost estimates for the project itself The decision was made then to break the project down into two portions and award one to each. The respective draft contracts have been forwarded to the Attorney for the Town and then will be presented to the Town Board for approval. Rich asked about the competitive or procurement process for this work. C.J. stated that this was an application through the Tompkins County Recovery Fund that was submitted by the prior Planning Director and she is carrying on the project assuming the procurement process was met for the proposals submitted for the work. She offered to obtain another quote if the committee requested, three were requested initially and two received back per the application history. 10. Staff updates and reports. C.J. stated that ITCTC reached out to do one of the Complete Street workshops for the committee via Urban Cycling Solutions. She asked which of the two dates of 7/19 or 7/21 does the committee prefer? The time of day or cost to the town was not known at the time but C.J. has an upcoming meeting with ITCTC and will inquire about more specific details. Margaret noted that this was done within the past two years and explained the brief process of local examples being presented with generic content and hypothetical before and after. Rod and Rich preferred the 19t'' depending on the time of day. C.J, will follow up with the committee with more specifics about the workshop. Rod stated that he is looking into the draft Historic Preservation Ordinance that has been worked on with the City of Ithaca since 2021.A draft MOU was recently received, and some clarifications are needed. He will keep the Planning Committee updated. 11. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: July 20t', 2023. TGen/CCA Implementation Plan, possible circle back to implementation review of Comp and Transportation Plans. The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 4:10 pm. 3