HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2021-02-16Approved by ILPC: 20, April 2021
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Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC)
Minutes — February 16, 2021
Present:
Ed Finegan, Chair
David Kramer, Vice Chair
Stephen Gibian, Member
Avi Smith, Member
Susan Stein, Member
Donna Fleming, Common
Council Liaison
Rod Howe, Supervisor, Town of
Ithaca
Sue Ritter, Director of Planning,
Town of Ithaca
JoAnn Cornish, City of Ithaca
Director of Planning
Bryan McCracken, City of Ithaca
Historic Preservation Planner
Anya Harris, City of Ithaca staff
Absent:
Katelin Olson, Member
Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 202.1, this meeting was conducted remotely via the
online meeting platform Zoom. Chair E. Finegan called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.
I. AGENDA REVIEW
B. McCracken said there were no changes to agenda
II. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST
Chair E. Finegan opened Public Comment.
There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written comments
submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed Public Comment.
III. NEW BUSINESS
Rod Howe, Town Supervisor, and Sue Ritter, Director of Planning, attended the meeting to
discuss the possibility for a City and Town of Ithaca Historic Preservation Collaboration. The
City of Ithaca Director of Planning JoAnn Cornish was also in attendance.
Rod Howe said that the Town would be celebrating its bicentennial in 2021 and wanted to look
into collaborating with the City on historic preservation efforts. He said they had entered into an
MOU with the City.
B. McCracken said that for the Town and City to share a single Commission, the Town would
have to adopt a landmarks ordinance nearly identical to the City’s. They could share staffing, but
it would require action by both the Town and the City. He said it might be challenging to get the
language to be the same in both cases in part because the resources in each would be somewhat
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different.
B. McCracken said a second option would be for the Town to form a separate Commission of its
own, and in that case, it would only require the Town to adopt an ordinance and establish their
own Commission, potentially with some overlapping members. The Town may or may not
become a Certified Local Government. He said that finding members may prove a challenge, as
the two Commissions might end up competing for qualified people to serve. He shared an
example of another town and village in the state that share a commission.
Sue Ritter next discussed a survey of properties the Town had done in the 1990s in conjunction
with support from Cornell. She said their Comprehensive Plan identifies the development of an
historic preservation plan as well as considering becoming a CLG as goals for the Town. She
said there are currently 6 properties in the Town on the National and State Registers.
B. McCracken next asked Commission members to discuss.
D. Kramer asked if the Town would have to designate historic properties from scratch.
B. McCracken said yes.
R. Howe said that it wouldn’t have to happen all at once.
S. Ritter said that the survey done in the late ‘90s had some recommendations already identified.
Chair E. Finegan asked when Town members would become eligible to vote.
B. McCracken said as soon as the legislation is passed and members are appointed, they could
vote on City applications, and as Town landmarks are added, the City members could vote on
projects in the Town.
S. Gibian asked if the Village of Cayuga Heights would be included.
R. Howe and S. Ritter said it’s an open question for the ad hoc committee and representatives of
the Village could discuss.
Several members of the Commission volunteered to participate.
B. McCracken said the tentative plan would be for the committee to meet a little ahead of the
regular meeting at around 5 p.m. to discuss and then if they wanted to, the Town representatives
could stay on to watch the ILPC and learn more about their work.
The Commission members agreed that for the first meeting or first few meetings, the entire
Commission would participate, and then if some find it too much to take on they can opt out at a
later time.
Director J. Cornish expressed support for and excitement for the proposal.
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S Gibian asked about the number of properties identified in the survey, 480, and if they were all
historic or if that is the total number in the Town.
S. Ritter said they were counting properties 50 years and older.
R. Howe and S. Ritter thanked everyone for their time.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The December 15, 2020 meeting minutes were approved unanimously with no modifications.
The January 19, 2021 meeting minutes were approved unanimously with the addition of several
clarifications around the Cascadilla Boathouse restoration from S. Gibian.
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
• Review: 2020 Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission Annual Report
The Commission reviewed the annual report to be sent to the Mayor and Common Council.
• Zoning Appeal Advisory Review: 222 South Geneva Street, Henry St. John Historic
District
The ILPC reviewed the proposal, and had no suggestions for modifications to the proposal, as
there are no proposed changes to the exterior of the building.
S. Gibian noted an inconsistency in that it looks like there may be a removal and/or replacement
of a door and window in the back.
B. McCracken said he would follow up on that for clarification, and he noted the windows and
doors are not original.
• Board Elections: Chair and Vice Chair
D. Kramer nominated E. Finegan for Chair. S. Stein seconded.
In favor: D. Kramer, S. Gibian, A. Smith, S. Stein.
Absent: K. Olson
Abstain: E. Finegan
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E. Finegan nominated D. Kramer for Vice-Chair. A. Smith seconded.
In favor: E. Finegan, S. Gibian, A. Smith, S. Stein.
Absent: K. Olson
Abstain: D. Kramer
• Announcement: 2021 New York Statewide Historic Preservation Conference
B. McCracken announced Ithaca would host this year’s conference, to be held virtually. Dates
TBD.
D. Kramer asked if tours would be offered, and he suggested virtual tours if possible.
V. ADJOURNMENT
On a motion by S. Stein, seconded by D. Kramer, the meeting was adjourned unanimously at
6:34 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner