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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PEDC-2023-03-22Approved at the March 22, 2023 Meeting City of Ithaca Planning and Economic Development Committee Meeting March 22, 2023 Draft Minutes Committee Members Attending: Rob Gearhart, Chair; Alderpersons Cynthia Brock, Phoebe Brown, and Tiffany Kumar Committee Members Absent: Alderperson Ducson Nguyen Other Elected Officials Attending: None Staff Attending: Lisa Nicholas, Director, Planning and Development Department; Erin Cuddihy, Transportation Engineer; Erik Hathaway, Parking Director; Nels Bohn, Director, IURA; and Deborah Grunder, Executive Assistant Others Attending: Laura Mattos, Chief Operating Officer, Visum Development Group; Yamila Fournier, Senior Designer, Whitham Planning and Design 1) Call to Order/Agenda Review Chair Gearhart read the emergency evacuation procedures and then called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. There were no changes to the agenda. 2) Public Comment/Written Comments Theresa Alt, Eddy Street, spoke on the lack of affordable housing. Margaret Johnson,208 Tudor Road, sent comments in as well spoke at the meeting regarding the matching funds for federal carbon reduction. Alderpersons Brown and Brock thanked both speakers for their comments. 3) Announcements, Updates, Reports a) Unsanctioned Encampments – Working Group Update Director Nicholas stated the working group has a draft prepared, and it is being circulated for comment among City and County staff as well as parties that work with homeless individuals. This policy is about homeless encampments on City property. Approved at the March 22, 2023 Meeting She further stated we need to try something rather than nothing. This is a pilot project. They are working with their partners for supportive housing. They are working to try and find a more permanent solution. Cooperation of all of our partners is needed to make this work. Alderperson Brock stated that this is separate from the TIDES proposal. As a member of the working group, she is looking forward to the discussion. Expect the plan to come forward for public comment next month, with review by the full Common Council likely later this spring. 4) Voting Items (to Council) a) Authorization for Matching Funds for a Federal Carbon Reduction Grant for a Transportation Network Project Proposal for the City of Ithaca to use federal funding through the Carbon Reduction Program for the “Ithaca Active Transportation Network” Project Moved by Alderperson Kumar; seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried unanimously 4-0. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca desires to provide safe multi-modal transportation infrastructure to its residents and visitors; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca, through its Green New Deal, aspires to reduce carbon emissions originating from transportation sources, and understands that provision of multimodal transportation infrastructure results in a greater share of people walking and biking in the City; and WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation, through its Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), established the Carbon Reduction Program to fund certain categories of projects that have the effect of reducing carbon emissions; and WHEREAS, Ithaca’s transportation Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC) is responsible for distributing $463,855 of the Carbon Reduction Program funding allotted to New York State to municipalities within Tompkins County; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca expressed interest in utilizing the Carbon Reduction Program funding referenced above to create a detailed, block by block conceptual multimodal plan for six corridors identified by Bike Walk Tompkins in their Better Bike Network plan through robust public outreach; and WHEREAS, no other municipalities in Tompkins County have submitted projects for consideration for the Carbon Reduction Program funding, and NYSDOT is supportive of using this funding source for this project; and WHEREAS, the Carbon Reduction Program funding can provide up Approved at the March 22, 2023 Meeting to 80% of a project cost, with a required local match of minimum 20%; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca engineering team received an estimate from a transportation engineering/planning company for a total project cost of $587,000 which would create a detailed block-by-block conceptual plan for the project and includes public outreach for all routes; and WHEREAS, since the Carbon Reduction Program provides reimbursement funding, the City would provide funding for the full project and be reimbursed for $463,855; therefore, the City’s share of the project after the reimbursement would be $123,145 ($587,000 minus $463,855); then be it RESOLVED, that Common Council hereby agrees that the City of Ithaca will be responsible for the local match share of the project, $123,145. 5) Discussion Items a) Ithaca Farmer’s Market Redesign The IURA currently holds the lease with the Farmer’s market. The IURA is looking for guidance from the Common Council to the proposed changes. It is the 50th year anniversary for the Farmer’s Market. Alderperson Brock thanked the group for their presentation. It was nice to keep the original design of the market. Alderperson Brown stated she is not a fan of the farmer’s market but does hope that the group reaches out to people of color. Chair Gearhart asked whether this would go to the full council. Bohn stated he would like to see it distributed to the full council for their feedback. Chair Gearhart stated that there is definitely consensus from PEDC and will pass it on. b) The Breeze Overlook – Response to PEDC Comments Visum Vice President Laura Mattos was present to talk about the revised overlook plans with the PEDC. Visum brought back a revised presentation from last month’s meeting with some new ideas generated from the concerns that were stated previously. The revised plan would fill in some of the raceway with rocks to create a walkway instead of a bridge. The entire overlook will be fully enclosed. A new steel-spiked fence will be added lined with a dense layer of evergreen shrubs to alleviate accidents. Approved at the March 22, 2023 Meeting A sign will also be installed to provide all the information needed for visitors to enjoy the overlook. Alderperson Brock stated she appreciates the attempt to address the committee’s concerns. She is still concerned about on-site soil being used because of the risk of re-contamination. Director Nichols stated that the rocks that are being proposed placed under the bridge would not work in this historic area of the City. Eliminating the natural resources in this area will not be able to be done. Visum thinks this space will be an added amenity to the Breeze. Alderperson Brown stated this project is not market rate and many in the community are not able to afford this. Alderperson Brock stated the most beautiful aspect of this site is Ezra’s tunnel. She stated she would like to open the tunnel and let people enjoy it. She hopes someday that can be done. The committee appreciated the effort made to try and address their concerns from last month. Planning Director Nicholas added that it was difficult to design access to the City-owned overlook site in a way that the City would be comfortable with. The raceway filling is a no-go, they didn’t like the fence design, and they did not like the proposed shrubs. Mattos invited the Council to visit the site. Director Nicholas was open to scheduling. The City would compile a list of things they want and don’t want with the overlook site in order of clear agreement on its treatment could be reached. 6) Review and Approval of Minutes a) February 2023 Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Kumar. Passed unanimously. 7) Adjournment Alderperson Brock moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Alderperson Kumar. The meeting adjourned at 8:02p.m.