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.