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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Packet 2025-01-16 TOWN OF ITHACA NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING 215 N. Tioga St 14850 607.273.1747 www.townJthaca.nV.us TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING COMMITTEE THURSDAY,JANUARY 16,2025 at 3:00 P.M. Meeting Location: Ithaca Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga Street, Aurora Conference Room (Enter from the rear entrance of Town Hall, adjacent employee parking lot.) Members of the public may also join the meeting virtually via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6750593272. AGENDA 1. Persons to be heard. 2. Committee announcements and concerns. 3. Consider approval of November meeting minutes. 4. Set meeting schedule for 2025. 5. Update on the Finalized NYS Freshwater Wetlands Regulations. 6. Discussion of potential amendments to Short-term rental uses in Town Code Chapter 270- 219.7 (Zoning). 7. Discuss framework for development of scope of work for Institutional Zoning. 8. Staff updates and reports. 9. Discuss next meeting date and upcoming agenda items. A quorum of the Ithaca Town Board may be present, however, no official Board business will be conducted. Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Monday November 21,2024 (3:00 PM Aurora Conference Room and on Zoom) Draft Minutes Committee members present: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe, Margaret Johnson 3:15-4:00 p.m. Board/Staff members: Director of Planning C.J. Randall; Director of Codes Marty Moseley; Town Sustainability Planner Hilary Swartwood; Town Senior Planner Mike Smith; Town Civil Engineer Justin McNeal. Guests. Susan Cosentini,proposed Amabel Cottage CourASc "'Ileskis-,via Zoom 1. Persons to be heard: None. 2. Committee announcements and concerns: Non 3.Approval of September meeting minutes: Rich moved, Rod seconded. The Se tember 16 2024 minutes were approved as presented. 2 Ayes. 4.Amabel Cottage Court concept(revised) proposal presentation. Susan Cosentini provided an updated narrative and revised proposal depicting a twelve one-bedroom cottage residential community off Five Mile Dr/Inlet Rd. The updated concept shows conversion of the large gravel area (encumbered by a NYS easement), into 17 parking spaces and one electrical pedestal. The revision comes after receiving a letter indicating "no objections to the general concept" by the US Army Corps of Engineers via a letter dated 11/22/2024 and a similar correspondence from NYS DEC on 10/29/2024. Parking spaces (but no structures) is proposed to be located in the easement area, which is a revision from the previous design concept presented to e Planning Committee in July that showed garages under the cottages. C.J. noted the close proximity of the Black Diamond trail, retail/shopping plazas and the NYS Parks as amenities as well. Town Planner Nick Quilty-Koval is setting up a meeting with DEC and the US Army Corps regarding the encumbered area as a follow up to their e-mail and letter correspondence. A recent (9/5/2024)site visit with US Army Corps led to some conflicting information and the Planning Department and Engineering also wanted to follow up after the revised design plan. The Planning Committee did not note any opposition to the general concept after reviewing the materials provided. The applicant was given general feedback that the committee was in favor of the project proposal advancing to the next steps. Marty asked Susan to make sure the Stream Setbacks are shown on the new survey and proposed site plan. 5. Green New Deal Action Plan 2025-26 review. Sustainability Planner Hilary Swartwood presented an overview of the Green New Deal Action Plan. The Plan was summarized, and the key goals were outlined. Goals within the next two years will address a wide range of topics including Buildings and Facilities; Energy Sources; Fleet; Institutionalization and Implementation; Land Use; Transportation; Wastewater; Water and Purchasing. Specific goals will be identified for two-year periods and be re- evaluated annually. A table showing the 2025-2026 Green New Deal Action Plan was included with the 1 information which included a change of an added column with the Town's most closely related Comprehensive Plan goals alongside the GND Goal. This table was presented, discussed and broken down by sector. Each goal, action, priority, department responsible and ways to measure the progress proposed for 2025-2026 were listed. Brief highlights were the recent updates to the Green Fleet Inventory and Greenhouse Gas inventory closer to completion. 2025 was noted as a big year for two of the goals, first meeting the electricity needs for the Town government operations with 100% regionally sourced renewable electricity—this is dependent on other agencies and the reality of it was questioned. The second was to reduce emissions, or create offsets, from the Town fleet of vehicles by 50% from the 2010 levels. The 2010 baseline data has discrepancies that are causing difficulties therefore the 2021 Government Greenhouse Inventory for government operations for the comparison numbers due to accuracy. This goal is likely the first to be completed from the table, achievable by reducing emissions by at least 10% and the remaining emissions being offset with purchasing renewable energy credits. Community Choice Aggregation was mentioned as a helpful resource and is awaiting progress from NYS PSC. The NYS Energy code applying only to new construction was also mentioned and ongoing potential updates to that by NYS Codes Council. Carbon sequestration was another item briefly discussed, and Hilary mentioned possibly working with Cornell University; looking at how they are calculating carbon sequestration currently may be a beneficial starting point for potential Town action. The Deconstruction policy piece has also had work completed by a recent Town intern and a draft is expected in March of 2025. Margaret noted there is State level deconstruction legislation being drafted and model ordinances are being reviewed. Margaret will connect with Hilary on this Deconstruction state level legislation draft proposal along with Gretchen Worth of the Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning. The Town Board will be presented with the goals and Action Plan after the committee input and could revise as necessary in the future as well. Hilary noted the Resolution has the goals listed but not the subgoals and she asked is the sub goals need Town Board inclusion for input in the resolution or what the intent was. It was concluded that any changes could come from the Planning Committee level first as needed. Margaret n °rtransportatiorh and sidewafk projects happening that are not directly related to sustainability and the Green New Deal Action Plan and C.J. went over the Planning Department involvement overall with current transportation projects. Margaret noted interest in improving bike and sidewalk networks for carbon reduction. C.J. noted the Town Transportation plan and sidewalk priority list is active and current however funding dependent for implementation. Transportation was highlighted as one of the four sectors that is in the Green New Deal Action plan as well that need focus. C.J. asked whether the Committee wanted the sidewalk priorities to be re-evaluated again and be built into the Capital Improvement Plan. Margaret said yes; Rich commented that the sidewalk projects that would incentivize people to use the sidewalks, bikes, bus or other modes of transportation would be the most beneficial, mainly in the more rural areas. TCAT was brought up and the Town not being a paid member seat therefore not having bargaining power directly with that entity related to public transportation however some partnership could be made done for specific areas in the town for shelters and improvements along existing routes. This topic of a full seat is a Budget Committee issue (and financial decision for the Town Board) and can be brought to there if there is interest from town board members. 2 C.J. added that TCAT is involved in the Charrette process for the proposed West Hill Conifer TND and is engaged to consider improvements to West Hill/Cayuga Medical area connections. Rod noted that Town Board will receive a Town Comprehensive Plan update from the Planning Department at the next meeting which may help new members as well. C.J. mentioned the Site Design Criteria Manual work with Engineering and Barton& Loguidice as well that will help guide developers. Hilary asked if the Committee wanted her back for further discussion before giving the presentation to the Town Board? It was concluded that there are some more broad language issues to be addressed such as the community input part and meeting the community needs, are there more formal ways to ensure the public is engaged to meet the Green New Deal Goals that could be looked at by the Planning Committee at a future meeting however not urgent before the presentation to the Town Board. Margaret asked about a Transportation Demand Management Policy for the Town? C.J. noted that is part of the developer's environmental review requirements to provide and TDM is a very common piece of the transportation analysis portion for new development. 6. Review of Conservation Board memo 10/29/24 relative to Moratorium on the installation of plastic carpet. Senior Planner Mike Smith was available for questions related to the memo submitted to the Town Board by the Conservation Board asking for consideration of a Moratorium on the installation of plastic carpet. There were links in the memo to the Zero Waste Ithaca research that have documented concerns. Additional links were provided to a January 2025 ban on PFAS substances in carpeting sold in NYS as well as two pending NYS Senate Bills related to establishing a moratorium on the installation of synthetic turf pending a comprehensive health study and the other providing for the public health study by the NYS Dept of Health on the installation of synthetic turf. It was noted that the memo is likely due to both Ithaca College and Cornell University projects that have involved artificial turf and more are proposed. The real grass alternative also has environmental issues and concerns that the Conservation Board has discussed. Rich asked if there is a way to compel applicants ply with pending NYS legislation or are there alternatives in the interim to avoid forever chemicals? C.J. referenced the CALS letter from Frank Rossi that was submitted with the Meinig Fieldhouse materials to the City about alternatives and the intentions for CU's willingness to comply with the NCAA Division 1 athletics requirement for the proposed fields along with the upcoming NYS plastic carpet mandate and a plant-based infill will be used. The letter was passed to the Committee for review. It was agreed that a three-year time frame without justification, study or local government initiative the Town may receive push back knowing what the State has in effect in phases already. The Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field was briefly explained as not needing infill and the plant based will meet the needs of the applicant. Rich asked if the plant-based material mitigates the PFAS or microplastic concerns raised? Town Civil Engineer Justin McNeal added information about filtration in the stormwater management system that proposes to help reduce microplastics and also added information about the layers being different and no infill proposed for the proposed Game Farm Road Field Hockey field. The Committee concluded to consult with the Town Attorney about the timing of the NYS legislation, incoming projects and if a 1-3 year Moratorium would benefit the Town. Margaret noted being in favor of it to study the environmental impacts more, Rich noted the impacts have been studied however the 3 mitigation measures would be site dependent and those questions are worth asking counsel before making a decision or reply to the Conservation Board by year end. C.J. added that the NYS DEC will do an environmental review as part of the Title 33 Carpet Collection Program law phasing info effect in January 2025 that may identify helpful information we well. 7. Discussion of potential amendments to Short-term uses in Town Code Chapter 270-219.7 (Zoning). The committee continued the previous discussion of potential changes to the STR code number of allowable days, on large parcels with large setbacks in lower dense areas of the town, Conservation Zones and possibly Ag Zones. C.J. updated the committee that the maps used for the initial code in 2019-2021 focused on LDR and MDR zones only and identified lots that were 2,3 & 5 acres in size and those were used for the increased allowable days in those two zones currently. Rich asked if setbacks from structures (not property lines) could be added in with the LDR zones (MDR not necessary), along with Conservation Zones for updated mapping to see how many larger parcels (3 & 7 acres)would be affected by any proposed changes. Public/encumbered lands would be excluded. Setback from a structure could become a problem and the enhanced STR privileges could be revoked if a new structure were built after the change in legislation. Marty went over the existing setbacks (from property lines)in Conservation zones and noted that the GIS system would be used for what is existing and is approximate in nature. It was stated that any changes would not be as a result of o Ocelor property owner, the law was enacted knowing there could be changes needed over time to the?restrictions without creating negative impact to others. Zoom meeting guest Scott D'Vileskis asked about the principal residency requirement, when and why that was added to the Conservation and Ag Zones. He followed the legislation process, and it was unclear why that part was added to the Conservation Zone at the end of the drafting process. That piece is the prohibitive part in his situation which excludes anyone's ability who owns property and wants to use and rent it but lives primarily elsewhere in a Conservation Zone. The area zoning variance process is not able to support an exception to residency requirement. Lakefront zoned were brought up and Rich noted the historic difference in the use of homes on the lake as seasonal and rentals by nature and the use of farms in Conservation Zones. Changing the principal residency requirement in Conservation Zones was not a change proposed by committee members at this time. It was also noted that there is an existing increase in days allowable in Conservation, AG, LDR and MDR zones larger than 3 acers more than 40 feet from the lot line or one other exception to allow up to 90 days. 6. Staff updates and reports. C.J. updated on the following: The Historic Preservation Ordinance will be brought back after questions raised by Marty. The Deconstruction work could complement this and will be brought back to the Planning Committee in the near future. 4 Safe Streets 4 All (SS4A)project has an upcoming virtual session on 12/9/2024 at 6:00 & 6:45 p.m. along with an in-person open house session at Town Hall on 12/11/2024 from 4-6 p.m. Information will be posted and shared with the public on the website and interested parties via e-mail. Re-Zoning MWII PDZ revisions after sketch plan presentation to the Planning Board will be back to the Planning Committee in December. A change in the project management team has occurred within the Conifer West Hill TND project and early concept review continues. The second Charrette is in the development process and the date has not been formalized yet.A walking tour is scheduled for 11-22-24 at the Oak Woods portion of the site and some Planning staff will attend. January is the next expected concept review meeting. Amabel Cottage Court-discussed previously-may move forward for concept review. Into 2025-Flood Damage Prevention Local Law (Town Code Chapter 157) may need amendments per the NYS DEC;NYS is also updating Freshwater Wetlands Regulations (Town Chapterl6I). RaNic Golf Club is off the real estate 7.Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: Thursday December 19, 2024, 3:00 p.m. The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 4:24 p.m. 5 TOWN OF ITHACA WNEW YORK To: Planning Committee members From: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning 91- Date: January 8, 2025 Subject: Institutional Zoning—Comprehensive Plan overview The 2014 Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan guides the long-range physical development of the Town. One of the fifty stated goals in the Comprehensive Plan is to create new institutional zoning for Cornell University, Ithaca College, and other area institutions. Excerpted below is from Appendix A: Implementing Best Practices. A.5 Institutional zoning Many communities with college campuses, including the City of Ithaca, use some kind of institutional zoning. Institutional zoning is intended to give large institutions the flexibility to plan and develop their facilities,while ensuring that surrounding areas are protected from impacts such as traffic, overshadowing buildings, noise, and other externalities from laboratories and research facilities, and from expansion of institutional uses into residential areas. Much like a planned unit development, development in an institutional zone is guided by an approved district plan based on the institution's master plan.Approval of development in institutional zones with an approved district plan may be administrative or through a more formal development review process. Some implementations of institutional zoning allow the option of formal development review for all development on campus if there is no approved district plan. Institutional zoning districts can also include standards on building bulk and siting, parking and circulation, lighting, landscaping, screening, and signage. Implementation status— 10-year lookback Following is an excerpt from the 2024 Comprehensive Plan progress review: LU-5: Recognize the presence and character of the Town's large institutions in the planning process. Goal/recommendation Action/priority Status LU-5-A: Implement institutional zoning. Regulation I high 4? Research and initial drafts for transect based and general campus zoning completed in 2020-2021. Planning Committee to develop scope of work for Codes &Ordinances Committee, tentatively scheduled for 2025 Work Plan(s). LU-5: Recognize the presence and character of the Town's large institutions in the planning process. Goal/recommendation Action/priority Status LU-5-B: Ensure campus/institutional Cooperation O No action. (2008 Cornell University Campus Master development plans conform to Town continuous Plan is considered current. 2015 Ithaca College Campus plan. Master Plan is considered current. Cayuga Health major projects have been focused in the City (Cayuga Park Medical Office Building) and in the Village of Lansing, repurposing The Shops of Ithaca Mall. Research and Assessment—initial phase 1. Consider an assessment of how institutions are currently permitted and what flexibility currently exists in the Town Code and in various agreements between the Town and institutions.This could include an evaluation of the land use needs of the Town's institutions and the ways in which these uses are currently regulated and permitted in the Town Code. 2. Research approach of other jurisdictions within New York State and out-of-state municipalities with similar demographics. 3. Evaluate Building Permit and appeals history for case study sites. 4. Finalize background information and develop scope of work. Please contact me with any questions or concerns at cjrandall@town.ithaca.ny.us or 607-882-2474. 2 B.2.6 Institutional development In 2009, USA Today recognized Ithaca as being the best college town in the United States with a population under 250,000. Ithaca was named the nation's best college town in the American Institute for Economic Research 2010-2011 College Destinations Index. Of 75 metropolitan areas in the College Destinations index,the Ithaca metro had the highest concentration of college students; 276.9 for every 1000 residents. Ithaca is unusual for its size in being the host community for two distinguished institutes of higher learning; Cornell University and Ithaca College. The educational mission of each school is quite different,as well as their physical setting,built environment, and interaction with and impact on the surrounding community. Cornell University and Ithaca College are centers of employment and major traffic generators, and create demand for housing and commercial uses off-campus catering to students. Cornell University A large portion of the main campus of Cornell University, a private Ivy League and federal land grant research university that also includes four state contract colleges among its colleges, is in the Town of Ithaca. Cornell University was chartered by the state in 1865,and opened to students in 1868. The 745 acre Ithaca campus,with approximately 21,000 students,9,734 academics and staff(including 1,587 faculty and 1,073 non-faculty academics), is situated on a high plateau northeast of downtown Ithaca." Throughout the 20th century,the built-up area on the Ithaca Campus grew to the east. While the academic core remains in the City of Ithaca north of Collegetown, somewhat less than half of the core campus lies in the Town of Ithaca,including the School of Veterinary Medicine, and a graduate student housing complex. The campus'built environment and"outdoor rooms" of the quads becomes less coherent further to the east, as it transitions from the historic academic core to the newer Judd Falls and Vet Quad areas, and beyond to Cornell Plantations and agricultural research areas. Cornell University also has extensive land holdings throughout the Town away from the main campus,including East Hill Plaza. io Cornell University,Office of Institutional Research and Planning URL:www.irp.dpb.cornell.edu/tableau_visual/academic-workforce-at- a-glance and www.irp.dpb.cornell.edu/tableau_visual/non-academic-workforce-at-a-glance Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B-15 Cornell University and Ithaca College lands Town of Ithaca Town of Ulysses Village of Lansing Cayuga La HNIS RD MAW RD Village of BUNDY RD 1 Cayuga HeigF ~�..i. MECKLENBURG RDF City of Ithaca �� �� ^��✓ ` W SENECA O POOLE RD ELM ST W CLINTON 5T F W Ilk a � _ n 0 00 o� 'o m F KIO/G RO Town of Newfield Town of Danby — Cornell University land in town Produced by Town of Ithaca Planning Department,5 March 2014 Y Data:Tompkins County Department of Assessment,Tompkins Cornell University campus in County Information Technology Services GIS Division _ City of Ithaca,Village of Cayuga Heights _ Ithaca College land N F7 +2° ❑10 acres 100 acres miles 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 B-16 Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan These areas outside of the main campus form an integral part of the East Hill neighborhood. Dryden Road(NY 366),Warren Road,Forest Home Drive, - Pine Tree Road,Ellis Hollow Road, and Mitchell Street all cross through portions of the campus or university- owned tracts. Road connectivity between the campus MI and surrounding town is well-developed,but pedestrian accommodations decrease with distance from the core campus. The 2008 Cornell Master Plan for the Ithaca Campus is an ambitious 422 page document that lushly illustrates a 30 to 60 year vision for the campus and outlying properties in the City and Town of Ithaca. Goals of the plan affecting the Town include: • Manage the rural land base. • Protect and enhance the gorges and creek systems. 3 • Respect and enhance surrounding communities. • Reinforce the relationship between the campus and air J its natural setting. • Protect outdoor teaching and research facilities. =�K Cluster administrative uses at crossroads and near gateways. ,, • Broaden housing options on and close to Core Campus. • Provide high-quality recreation and athletics The broad missions and diverse range of the built and natural environment found at Ithaca College and Cornell University Complexes. campuses make campus zoning a challenge. • Transform the East Hill Plaza area into East Hill Village. The Cornell Master Plan calls for future development to take place in the existing campus footprint,with no new land acquisition. The intensification of this new development could bring more vehicle traffic, additional demand for off- campus student housing in the Town, and increased development pressure in the East Hill and Northeast Ithaca areas. One objective of Cornell's Master Plan is to broaden housing options on and close to the core campus. The Master Plan recommends 1,000 new on-campus beds for undergraduate students. However, the university still expects that most graduate students will find housing off-campus,with a goal of providing housing to 25%of graduate students, compared to less than 15%today. Much of this new graduate student housing is expected to be provided in a new East Hill Village neighborhood center. Even with increased housing provided by the university, the impact of student rentals on Ithaca's neighborhoods and housing market will be an ongoing issue well into the future. Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B-17 Ithaca College Ithaca College is a private college located completely within the Town of Ithaca on South Hill. As of 2010,the college had about 6,949 students, 724 faculty, and 973 staff." Ithaca College was founded by in 1892 as a music conservatory. Through the 1960s,Ithaca College was relocated from scattered buildings in downtown Ithaca to a new centralized campus on South Hill,which now comprises 669 acres. Physical development of the campus is guided by the 2002 Ithaca College Master Plan Report. Highlights of the plan include: • Concentrating academic functions at the campus core,with all buildings a 10 minute walk from each other. • Relocating existing parking lots from the campus core to its periphery,with consideration of parking garages to reduce surface area consumed by parking. • Siting of buildings in"three-sided quadrangles", with one side unbuilt to provide vistas of Cayuga Lake. • An academic"main street"corridor. The Ithaca College 2008 Institutional Plan includes a short section on facilities,the first goal of which is to develop a new campus master plan. Unlike Cornell University, the built-up core of the Ithaca College campus is physically segregated from the surrounding neighborhoods. The campus reflects institutional planning practice of the 1960s and 1970s, having a densely developed central core encircled by a loop road,parking lots, athletic fields, and open space. With no sidewalks along Coddington Road and Danby Road, it is very difficult to walk safely from the campus to surrounding neighborhoods or downtown Ithaca. The college has four points of vehicle access;two entrances from Danby Road (NY 9613)to the west, and two from Coddington Road(County Road 119)to the north. College Circle Apartments, a large suburban-style apartment complex adjacent to the south end of the campus,was recently purchased by the college and incorporated into the campus as student housing. Ithaca College owns a 51 acre parcel that is not contiguous to the main campus. The long-term build out plan does not anticipate expansion to the exclave. An equivalent of a Collegetown-type neighborhood never emerged near Ithaca College,partly because of Ithaca College's policy of requiring freshmen,sophomores and juniors to live on-campus, an open space buffer around the built-up campus core, and limited access points,poor pedestrian access, and a zoning and land use pattern that inhibited the creation of a new large,high density neighborhood adjacent to the college. The presence of Ithaca College can be a catalyst for a new neighborhood center in the South Hill area. Concerns about the effects of off-campus student rentals have usually focused on the impact of Cornell University. However, off-campus housing occupied by Ithaca College students has, over time, changed the character of parts of the South Hill neighborhood near the college. With the exception of the College Circle Apartments, the South Hill neighborhoods in the Town have no high-end or high density off-campus student housing adjacent to the Ithaca College campus. Many low-end,utilitarian buildings designed as student housing,most with two to six dwelling units,have been built in the area immediately south and east of the Ithaca College campus on Coddington Road, Hudson Place,Pennsylvania Avenue, and Kendall Avenue. Many single-family houses in this area have also been converted to student rental units. Permanent residents have reported issues with poor property maintenance,loud parties,and other disruptive or destructive activities. 11 Ithaca College Facts in Brief 2010-11,Ithaca College Office of Institutional Research webpage, http://www.ithaca.edu/ir/facts/Ithaca_College_Facts_in_Brief_2010-11.pdf,accessed 1 August 20111. B-18 Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan w Off-campus student rentals in adjacent neighborhoods near Ithaca College. A 2006 memorandum by the Town's planning staff revealed that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board approved at least 25 variances to increase occupancy limits in this area,which normally limits the number of unrelated residents that live together to three. The Zoning Board decisions were not based on a legitimate hardship, and contrary to the intent of the occupancy law and comprehensive plan,which had the goal of developing a variety of housing styles and "neighborhoods that are quiet"by"establishing zoning standards, e.g. occupancy standards and usage limits,to minimize the negative effects of dwelling units occupied by students." Other institutions Cayuga Medical Center(CMC)is the primary health care facility in the area and the 5th largest employer in Tompkins County. The Medical Center is located off of Trumansburg Road(NY 96), on the Town's West Hill. CMC sits on a 45 acre property and contains a 204 bed facility, R, with more than 200 staff physicians and a total health care team of over 1,200 _ y- members.12 CMC has a 24 hour emergency room that was expanded in 2005,along with comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services. The hospital has been undergoing a series of expansions to its main campus in recent years,as part of a master plan to guide the future Cayuga Medical Center. development of the hospital in an environmentally sustainable way.13 The largest addition constructed to date has been the "southwest addition," a 53,000 square foot addition that includes the new and expanded emergency room,intensive care unit, and other site improvements. This addition received LEED Silver certification for its sustainability and energy saving elements. Other additions expected to receive some form of LEED certification include the recently approved 14,000 square foot surgical addition and the 16,000 square foot laboratory additions. The Cayuga Medical Center recently acquired a nine acre site adjacent to their hospital property. The former Tompkins County Biggs Complex contains a large building surrounded by landscaping and parking areas. Future 12 Overview:History,Mission,Core Values,Cayuga Medical Center website, http://www.cayugamed.org/content.cfm?page=mission, accessed 23 August 2011. 13 Cayuga Medical Center Main Campus,Sustainable Sites Initiative website,,: http://www.sustainablesites.org/cases/show.php?id=18 Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B-19 plans for this parcel have not been developed,but it is hoped that the building could be used for additional professional or medically related offices. Adjacent to the Cayuga Medical Center to the south is another popular area institution. Founded in 1932, the Paleontological Research Institution(PRI)has programs in research, collections,publications, and public education. PRI cares for a collection of two to three million specimens, one of the 10 largest in the United States, some of which are on public display in the Museum of the Earth.14 The Museum of the Earth was added on to the PRI building in 2003 and provides the public with an opportunity to explore Earth through a mix of natural history displays, interactive science features, and art exhibitions. The main PRI building and museum are located on a 6.5 acre site. In recent years, the Institution has purchased two adjacent parcels to the south of their property, totaling an additional±10 acres. These parcels, along with the parcel that houses PRI and the Museum of the Earth, comprise a portion of the Odd Fellows Complex, once owned by the International Order of OddFellows.Representatives of PRI have indicated the desire to create a"campus-like" center, although no formal master plan has been developed. 14 Paleontological Research Institution website About page,://www.museumoftheearth.org/about.php B-20 Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan From: Susan H. Brock Sent: Friday,January 3, 2025 8:51 AM To: Rod Howe; Rich DePaolo; CJ Randall; Chris Balestra; Marty Moseley; David Oshea;Joe Slater Subject: NYSDEC Freshwater Wetlands Regulations On 12/31/24, NYSDEC announced its final freshwater wetlands regulations, which became effective 1/1/25. NYSDEC will hold a webinar on 1/15/25 to provide info and answer questions. From hfps:Hdec.ny.gov/nature/Waterbod ies/wetlands/freshwater-wetlands-program: 6 NYCRR Part 664, Freshwater Wetlands Jurisdiction and Classification A rulemaking amended 6 NYCRR Part 664, Freshwater Wetlands Mapping and Classification to Freshwater Wetlands Jurisdiction and Classification to implement amendments to the Freshwater Wetlands Act that take effect January 1, 2025. The newly adopted regulations define key terms, describe the revised freshwater wetland classification system,present criteria for the identification of Wetlands of Unusual Importance, and describe procedures the department uses in making jurisdictional determinations to enhance consistency and conservation. In 2022, New York's Freshwater Wetlands Act (Environmental Conservation Law Article 24) was amended to adjust application fees and make several important changes to the way the program will be administered. The following is a brief summary of the legislative amendments and their effective dates: • January 1, 2025 - The current NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps will no longer limit DEC regulatory jurisdiction to wetlands depicted on those maps. DEC's regulatory protections of freshwater wetlands will no longer be limited to wetlands depicted on the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps. As of January 1, the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps will be referred to as Previously Mapped Freshwater Wetlands. Jurisdictional protections for previously mapped freshwater wetlands will remain as DEC's jurisdictional authority expands to include wetlands meeting the freshwater wetland definition and state jurisdictional criteria for protection. Jurisdictional determinations and wetland classifications will be made remotely based on wetland acreage and characteristics meeting jurisdictional criteria. • January 1, 2025 - Small wetlands of"unusual importance" will be regulated if they meet one of 11 newly established criteria listed in the new legislation. • January 1, 2028 - The default size threshold of regulated wetlands will decrease from 12.4 acres to 7.4 acres. Small wetlands of"unusual importance" will continue to be regulated if they meet one of the criteria listed in the new legislation. As a result of the statutory changes noted above, DEC amended DEC's freshwater wetlands regulations and update procedural steps to implement these changes.Rulemaking Documents • Text of Regulations (PDF) • Assessment of Public Comment(PDF) • Regulatory Impact Statement(PDF) - provides background and additional information. • Supporting Documents (PDF)- Regulatory flexibility Analysis for Small Businesses and Local Governments. Rural Area Flexibility Analysis, and Job Impact Statement. Informational Webinar DEC will host a webinar on Jan. 15, 2025, at 2 p.m. to provide information and answer questions about the updated Freshwater Wetlands program regulations. Registration for the webinar is available here. A recording of the webinar will be posted on DEC's website when available. Additional public engagement sessions—including webinars and community workshops—are planned for 2025. The first one being January 15, 2-3pm. Information for the webinar below: Webinar topic: Navigating Change: Insights into the Finalized NYS Freshwater Wetlands Regulations • Date and time: Wednesday,January 15, 2025 2:00 PM I (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US& Canada) • Register link: https://meetny_ gov.webex.com/weblink/r gister/r9dlc4704469cb7fOf469cdd7d4aa4eba • Webinar number: 2827 000 2244 • Webinar password: welcomel (93526631 when dialing from a phone or video system) • Join by phone: +1-929-251-9612 United States Toll (New York City) o +1-415-527-5035 United States Toll o Access code: 2827 000 2244 Freshwater Wetlands Program The State Legislature passed The Freshwater Wetlands Act(PDF) (Environmental Conservation Law Article 24)in 1975 with the intent to preserve,protect, and conserve freshwater wetlands and their benefits, consistent with the general welfare and beneficial economic, social and agricultural development of the state. The Act identifies wetlands on the basis of vegetation because certain types of plants out- compete others when they are in wet soils, and so are good indicators of wet conditions over time. These characteristic plants include wetland trees and shrubs, such as willows and alders; emergent plants such as cattails and sedges; aquatic plants, such as water lily7, and bog mat vegetation, such as sphagnum moss. To meet jurisdictional criteria for protection under the Freshwater Wetlands Act, a wetland must be 12.4 acres (5 hectares)in size or greater. As of January 1, 2028, the threshold will decrease to 7.4 acres (3 hectares). Wetlands, regardless of size, may be protected if they meet any of 11 Unusual Importance criteria identified below.-To ensure the functions and benefits of jurisdictional wetlands are preserved, the department regulates a 100 foot 'adjacent area'to maintain protective buffers. Wetlands of Unusual Importance According to statutory changes, wetlands of any sizemeet jurisdictional criteria for protection if they possess any of the following 11 Usual Importance characteristics: 1. Located within a watershed experiencing significant flooding. 2. Situated within or adjacent to an urban area, as defined by the US Census Bureau. 3. Contains rare or endangered plant species. 4. Provides critical habitat for essential behaviors of endangered,threatened, or special concern species, or species of greatest conservation need (SGCN). 5. Classified as a Class I wetland, indicating the highest ecological value. 6. Previously mapped and classified as a wetland of unusual local importance. 7. Identified as a vernal pool that supports productive amphibian breeding. 8. Located within a FEMA-designated floodway,highlighting its importance in flood mitigation. 9. Previously mapped by the department on or before December 31, 2024. 10. Holds local or regional ecological significance. 11. Plays a significant role in protecting the state's water quality. Watersheds with Significant Flooding The department established criteria for identifying watersheds prone to significant flooding by analyzing the smallest Hydrological Unit Codes (HUC) 12 from the United States Geological Survey. To qualify as a watershed with significant flooding, an area must meet all three of the following conditions: 1. An impervious surface greater than 2%. 2. A water storage area of less than 5%. 3. Proximity to an urban area within 4 kilometers (2.48 miles). This approach allows the department to consider runoff, water retention capacity, and human risk in developing these criteria. The below image displays all the watersheds with significant flooding in the state. Shape files to come. 1 NYS NUC12 WASI'shedS MSetmg Threw Significant Flooding Criteria l G ... .. ..._.. tF I} .i +.N Urban Areas A wetland that meets the Unusual Importance criterion by being located within or next to an urban area is defined by the US Census Bureau. Below is a map illustrating these urban areas,with shape files to be provided later. a United Staten census Bureau.2020: ' Designated Urban Areas a t * I ! y 4 J s +A 7,4, k �i Vernal Pools State regulation of vernal pools under the Freshwater Wetlands Act is limited to those vernal pools known to DEC to be productive for amphibian breeding. DEC maintains a list of productive vernal pools and updates that list in the Environmental Notice Bulletin. DEC's list of vernal pools regulated under the Freshwater Wetlands Act will only include pools that have been determined by DEC to be productive for amphibian breeding based on egg mass counts of specific target species within the Hudson-Mohawk, Great Lakes, Lower Hudson — New York City — Long Island, Adirondack, and Southern Tier regions of the state. Locations of vernal pools containing endangered and threatened species will not be included in the publicly available vernal pool listings or in the updates but will be considered when making jurisdictional determinations. If a vernal pool is not listed on DEC's productive vernal pools list at the time a jurisdictional determination is being made, it will not be jurisdictional for a period of 5 years. The regulations provide the opportunity for landowners to report information to DEC that a vernal pool occurs on their property that meets one or more of the productivity criteria contained on the regulations. The process that DEC will use to receive, process, and respond to vernal pool addition requests is currently under development. If interested in submitting information, please email vernaipgols@dec.ny.gov. Wetland Classification Different wetlands provide different functions and benefits and in varying degrees. The Act requires DEC to rank wetlands in classes based on the benefits and values provided by each wetland. This system establishes four separate classes that rank wetlands according to their ability to perform wetland functions and provide wetland benefits. Wetlands are ranked Class I through Class IV, with Class I having the highest level of protections and Class IV the lowest. Higher ranked wetlands provide the greatest level of benefits and are afforded a higher level of protection. Lower ranked wetlands still provide important functions and benefits but typically require less protection to continue to provide these functions. The Clean Water Act regulates activities in a similar manner but has slightly different requirements. Landowners are encouraged to contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers if they anticipate undertaking activities in or near wet areas. Regulated Activities Certain activities are exempt from regulation; other activities that could have negative impact on wetlands are regulated. TheRegulated Activities webpage contains more examples of regulated activities and those exempt from wetland permits. A permit is required to conduct any regulated activity in a protected wetland or its adjacent area. The permit standards in the regulations require that impacts to wetlands be avoided and minimized. If the proposed activity will not seriously affect the wetland, a permit with various conditions is usually issued. If the proposed activity will affect the wetland, the benefits gained by allowing the action to occur must outweigh the wetland benefits lost, in order for a permit to be issued. Compensatory mitigation often is required for significant impacts to wetlands. This may include creating or restoring wetlands to replace the benefits lost by the proposed project. Wetland Maps As of January 1, 2025, DEC's regulatory protections of freshwater wetlands will no longer be limited to wetlands depicted on the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps. As of January 1, the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Maps will be referred to as Previously Mapped Freshwater Wetlands. Jurisdictional protections for previously mapped freshwater wetlands will remain as DEC's jurisdictional authority expands to include wetlands meeting the freshwater wetland definition and state jurisdictional criteria for protection. Jurisdictional determinations and wetland classifications will be made remotely based on wetland acreage and characteristics meeting jurisdictional criteria. To assist the public in identifying wetland areas that may be jurisdictional, DEC has produced non-regulatory Informational Freshwater Wetland Mapping. The Informational Freshwater Wetland Mapping is for informational purposes only and cannot be relied upon to determine the presence or absence of freshwater wetlands regulated by DEC. DEC Informational Freshwater Wetland Mapping is available for download through the New York State GIS Clearinghouse. How The Informational Freshwater Wetland Maps Were Made The NYS Article 24 Freshwater Wetland Informational maps were created by The Institute for Resource Information Sciences (IRIS) at Cornell University. The Institution combined three methods: decision tree, statistical and a process that used a Digital Elevation Model (DEM)to identify depressions with an area of 0.5 acres or greater. Other Wetland Maps National Wetland Inventory (NWI) Maps The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps are produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The NWI maps contain information on the location and characteristics of wetlands and deep-water habitats. Wetlands are classified using the method described in the Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States,published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The National Wetlands Inventory appears on 1:24,000 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) base maps. The NWI digital data can be downloaded from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. NWI wetlands can be viewed using the Wetland Mapper on the USFWS website. Susan Susan H. Brock, Attorney at Law 12 Pheasant Way Ithaca, NY 14850 tel.: 607-277-3995 fax: 607-277-8042 Brock@clarityconnect.com ******************************************************************** This electronic transmission contains legally privileged and confidential information intended only for the person(s) named. Any use, distribution, copying or disclosure by any other person is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone at (607)277-3995 (collect)or send an electronic mail message to Brock@clarityconnect.com. In addition, please delete all copies of this message from your computer. ******************************************************************** Proposed meeting schedule for 2025 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Third Thursday 3:00 p.m. Aurora Conference Room January 16, 2025 February 20, 2025 March 20, 2025 April 17, 2025 May 15, 2025 40 June , 2025 (conflict with Juneteenth) July 17, 2025 August 21, 2025 September 18, 2025 October 16, 2025 November 20, 2025 December 18, 2025