HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2023-09-21 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee
Thursday, September 21,2023
(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 & Senior Planner Mike Smith, Town Civil Engineer
Justin McNeal; Director of Codes Marty Moseley.
Guests: none
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Committee announcements and concerns: Margaret asked if the Town of Ithaca Transportation plan
update could be revisited as mentioned for the Fall, possibly at the next meeting? Rich noted this will be worked
in with the Planning Department along with the grant projects, code and development reviews; however,
immediate action may not be feasible with the current workload and resource allocation within the department.
C.J. added that the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) project is under way and the federal contract for the grant project
is with the City of Ithaca currently for review and execution is anticipated soon.
She was asked if reviewing the town's transportation plan should be done at the same time as this project or
after the project is complete to see what emerges from that study? C.J. replied that the process is underway for
developing the Planning Department's 2024 Work Plan as well as work plans for the Town's Codes &
Ordinances Committee and Planning Committees,respectively. The last quarter of the year is a good time to
review the outstanding items and she thanked Margaret for bringing it back up.
3. Approval of August meeting minutes: Rod moved, Rich seconded. The August 17, 2023, minutes were
approved as presented.
4. Discuss and consider recommendations for the 8-yr review of Tompkins County Agricultural District
#2. Senior Planner Mike Smith briefly summarized the two proposed changes to the Tompkins County
Agricultural District 92 that is within the Town of Ithaca on Westhaven Road. The parcels to be removed are
now residential homes on small lots and the other is a Town wooded preserve with trails, neither have a future
in farming therefore it is proposed to remove them. The action of this committee is a recommendation to the
Town Board for consideration. There were no objections raised by committee members and a favorable
recommendation was made. It was noted that the County action would likely include landowner notification of
the proposed changes as well.
5. Staff updates and reports. C.J. asked Mike to update the committee on the town conservation easement
inspection/annual monitoring walks. Two of the three have taken place and no issues were noticed and the last is
expected next week. A report would be prepared and sent to the Town Board and other places. Next Friday,
10/29 1:30 PM, the Town Board Farm tour will take place; Marshy Gardens at the Soil Factory, Earlybird Farm,
and Shalebrook Farm are the three stops.
C.J. updated the committee on the following items:
*Attendance at a September 13t'housing taskforce meeting with the County Chamber of Commerce
and other agencies to look at policy and communication, advocacy, funding and capacity
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development, infrastructure, land use and zoning to come up with a scope for stakeholders to help
mobilize and navigate additional housing in the county. She will keep the planning committee
updated.
*Hayt's Chapel and Schoolhouse Preservation Plan: the comments received back from the review
from the City Historic Preservation and Planning representative were discussed internally and
appeared to be able to be addressed with the inspection process. The zoning overlay change is still
moving forward with town board action and then to the planning board for special permit
consideration.
The 3rd potential applicant for this zone has not been in contact with the planning department with
any further plans. C.J. noted reaching out in August to the current property owner offering assistance
if needed.
*Cornell real estate commercial offering of parcel(s) within the town in the Arrowood/Tareyton Drive
area.A developer with a pending purchase offer reached out to the town public works department for
water and sewer availability. In June, the Town Engineering department issued a letter addressing the
water availability. The neighborhood attended the planning board meeting with concerns of potential
residential development.At the September 19d'Planning Board meeting, C.J. noted that all large-scale
development plans with rezoning would begin with staff and department meetings, planning
committee consideration for any proposed re-zoning language to recommend to the town board, then
then project would advance to the planning board for approval considerations. The process gives the
public many opportunities to weigh in on any proposed development.
She noted the town website having a brochure available to the public for the re-zoning process which
may be updated with a flow chart for both public understanding and internal workflow consistency.
Rich mentioned hearing that the city common council approved a one-year PILOT program for the
encampments. The town may be hearing more about the proposal and asked to formally comment. Rod will ask
for the adopted map and language when he meets soon with the city.
C.J. noted an additional update on the E. Shore Dr. pedestrian/bicyclist safety feasibility study corridor project.
A new information page has been added to the town's website for the public to keep updated and find more
information as progress continues. She mentioned reaching out to ICSD to provide information and she offered
the town to co-host any type of information session the school would like to put out to the district. The end
anticipated result of the study will be three different schematic plan alternatives for that corridor to consider
which would hopefully align with the federal TAP funding schedule.
6. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: October 19, 2023 3:00 p.m.
The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 3:32 pm.
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