HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PEDC-2020-09-16Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – 6:00 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
Minutes
Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Cynthia
Brock, Stephen Smith, Donna Fleming, and
Laura Lewis
Committee Members Absent: Alderperson George McGonigal
Other Elected Officials Attending: None
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Planning and
Development Department; Lisa Nicholas,
Deputy Director, Planning and Development
Department; Jennifer Kusznir, Senior
Planner; Alex Phillips, Planner; and Deborah
Grunder, Executive Assistant
Others Attending:
Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
1)Call to Order/Agenda Review
For Item #3a and #5a, the boundary expansion was not included.
2)Public Comment
Michael Boggs, Enfield, New York, spoke on the couplets.
Theresa Alt, Eddy Street, spoke on the early public information session for the
CIITAP projects. Tax incentives are the IDA’s prerogative, but it is the City’s
incentive for local labor.
Hector Chang, 917 N. Cayuga Street, spoke on the couplet item. He asks that the
City be mindful of the area being considered and the lack of pedestrian and bike
traffic.
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
Marty Hiller spoke on behalf of the Project Growing Hope. We have been working
endlessly to keep the community gardens where they currently are. We would like
to have developers held accountable to help the community gardens.
Chair Murtagh read into the record a letter from the Friends of the Newman Golf
Course which is attached to these minutes regarding the Community Activity Center.
Murtagh also read into the record a letter from Kenneth Lynch, Town of Enfield
council person on the Court/Buffalo Streets couplet.
Response from Council:
Committee members decided to refrain from commenting until the topic comes up on
the agenda.
3) Special Order of Business
a) IDA Workforce Housing Requirement and CIITAP
Heather McDaniel spoke to the group to explain the debate of the fee
associated with this.
Alderperson Fleming stated that maybe we don’t need this program. Theresa
Alt wrote a great explanation as to it not being needed.
Heath McDaniel responded that all the projects are looked at in depth. The IDA
sees all the financials on these projects.
Alderperson McGonigal agreed with Alderperson Fleming’s comments. The
local labor component is very important.
McDaniel stated that they have a committee formed to look at that very
component.
Alderperson Brock thanked McGonigal and asked if there could be a report of
their efforts available to us.
McDaniel stated they would be more than willing to provide such reports.
Alderperson Brock stated she would like to see the IDA stay with their mission
of job creation.
Chair Murtagh thanked Heather for her comments.
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
4) Announcements, Update, Reports
a) Sustainability Efforts to Date
Nick Goldsmith was not in attendance so JoAnn Cornish updated the
committee about the sustainability initiatives. More information will be
distributed as we move forward.
b) Carpenter Circle Project Updates and PUD
Lisa Nicholas, Deputy Director of Planning, was in attendance to update the
group on this project.
Alderperson Lewis asked how the funding approval is going.
Nicholas stated it is in the first stage.
5) Action Items (Voting to Circulate)
a) CIITAP / IDA Workforce Housing
Jennifer Kusznir stated that this does not have to be circulated, but we are
asking for a preference to circulate or not.
Alderperson Brock stated she understands what the resolution is stating, but
there is a large percentage of the community that this is maybe moving too
quickly. She would like to remove the City’s recommendation to approve tax
abatements to real estate developers in the downtown core.
She believes that a conversation must happen about removing the CIITAP all
together.
Chair Murtagh stated this conversation should have to be with the IDA.
Alderperson Fleming moves the resolution with using #3; seconded by
Alderperson Smith. Carried 4-1 (Brock).
Alderperson Lewis agrees that this is a bigger conversation.
Alderperson Brock stated the City doesn’t have the authority to approve a
CIITAP application. We can provide a recommendation, but not approval.
Planning Director Cornish stated that it doesn’t have to be circulated, but it can.
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
8/139/15/2020
Draft Resolution—Expansion of the Community Investment
Incentive Tax Abatement Program Boundaries and Amendment to the
City CIITAP Process
Alderperson Fleming moved the resolution using #3 Resolved; seconded
by Alderperson Smith. Carried 4-1 (Brock).
1. WHEREAS, in 2017, the City reviewed the Community
Investment Incentive Tax Abatement Program (CIITAP) in
order to identify criteria that the City felt were
important for approving projects for tax abatements, and
2. WHEREAS, in 2018, the Common Council amended the CIITAP
process to add requirements for diversity, local labor,
and workforce housing, and
3. WHEREAS, the current CIITAP process requires an applicant
to complete the City application and meet the minimum
criteria for location, density, size, municipal
compliance, diversity, local labor, and workforce
housing, and once an endorsement is received they must
begin the application process for the Tompkins County
Industrial Development Agency (IDA), and
4. WHEREAS, given that the IDA application has similar
requirements for diversity, local labor, and workforce
housing, which addresses all of the issues that Council
identified, it is redundant and confusing for applicants
to have two similar processes, and
5. WHEREAS, since the IDA is the agency that administers and
monitors tax abatements, the City acknowledges that they
are the appropriate body to set any criteria that
requires ongoing monitoring, and a simplified application
process will be beneficial to applicants and to the City,
and
6. WHEREAS, in 2018, the City amended the boundary of the
City density district, which is the required location for
projects to be located within in order to apply to CIITAP
process, and
7. WHEREAS, the amended boundary included all of the newly
created waterfront zoning districts, with the exception
of the Cherry Street District, and
8.6. WHEREAS, the portion of the Cherry Street District north
of Cecil Malone is zoned for mixed use development and
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
there is development interest in this area, but the high
cost of construction makes these projects challenging,
therefore, be it now
• RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council amends the
City Density District to include the portion of the Cherry
Street zoning district north of Cecil A Malone Drive, and be
it further
1. RESOLVED, the City of Ithaca Common Council
understands that the City’s Community Incentive
Investment Tax Abatement Program continues to be a
vital tool to encourage density in the City’s Density
District, and be it further
2. RESOLVED, that the City acknowledges that the IDA tax
abatement application includes similar criteria for
local labor, diversity, and workforce housing, and in
order to reduce confusion and eliminate redundancy,
the City hereby amends the CIITAP criteria to remove
the housing, local labor, and diversity requirements
and only retains criteria for location, density,
size, and municipal compliance.
Or
3. RESOLVED, that the City acknowledges that the IDA tax
abatement application includes similar criteria for
local labor, diversity, and workforce housing, and in
order to reduce confusion and eliminate redundancy,
the City hereby requests that the IDA application
include density, location, size, and municipal
compliance requirements for any City projects, and
hereby eliminates the City application process for
tax abatement requests.
b) Amendment to Design Guidelines Ordinance (Waterfront Zoning)
Alderperson Smith moved to send onto Council; Alderperson Lewis seconded it.
Carried unanimously.
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
An Ordinance Amending The Municipal Code Of The City Of Ithaca,
Chapter 160, Entitled “Design Review” To Amend the language to
Applicability and Exemptions
WHEREAS, the City’s current applicability for mandatory design review
is inconsistent with § 325-4 Establishment of districts,
WHEREAS, the current applicability and exemptions does not include
the current Waterfront and Collegetown zones; now, therefore,
ORDINANCE NO. ____
BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of
Ithaca that Chapter 160 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ithaca
be amended as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 160, Section 160-4 of the Municipal Code of the
City of Ithaca is hereby amended to read as follows:
Mandatory design review shall apply to all proposals for:
A. New construction, exterior alterations, addition or
removal of exterior signs, or additions to any
structure within the zones designated B-1b; B-2c; B-
2d; all CBD zones, including CBD-60, CBD-85, CBD-100,
and CBD-120; C-SU; WF-1; WF-2; WE/WFD, CSD, ND, MD;
and on any parcel within the 2009 Collegetown Planning
Area as designated on the map entitled "2009
Collegetown Urban Plan and Conceptual Design
Guidelines Planning Area," dated November 2011, a copy
of which is on file in the Ithaca City Clerk's office.
B. New construction, exterior alterations, or additions
to any structure 60 feet in height or greater in any
zone.
C. Demolition of any primary structure within any zone,
and demolition of any portion of any structures within
the zones designated B-1b; B-2c; B-2d; all CBD zones,
including CBD-60, CBD-85, CBD-100, and CBD-120; C-SU;
WF-1; WF-2; WE/WFD, CSD, ND, MD; and on any parcel
within the 2009 Collegetown Planning Area.
D. New construction of a primary structure on a parcel
within any zone within two years following a
demolition of a primary structure on that parcel.
E. Changes to the site, such as the addition of new or
alterations to existing hardscape elements, including
but not limited to paving, retaining walls, or fences
on any parcel within the 2009 Collegetown Planning
Area.
Section 2. Chapter 160, Section 160-6B of the Municipal Code of the
City of Ithaca is hereby amended to read as follows:
B. Any action pertaining to any parcel within the 2009
Collegetown Planning Area on which a single-family home is
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
and will remain the primary use shall be exempt from the
requirement for design review.
Section 3. Effective date. This ordinance shall take effect
immediately and in accordance with law upon publication of notices as
provided in the Ithaca City Charter.
6) Discussion
NYSDOT Proposed Changes to Buffalo and Court Streets
Lisa Nicholas stated there is no resolution in the packet. Last month the
Planning Board approved Carpenter Circle
The DOT and the City have different visions for this area. With the receipt of the
building grant, it may make it easier to work better together.
There is a lot of data for this corridor.
Alderperson Brock asked for clarification of the building grant the City has been
awarded.
When and how will this committee be kept informed of the process?
Planning Director Cornish stated we will need to have meetings with DOT and
the traffic engineers. We can provide information at next month’s meeting as to
the process.
Alderperson McGonigal stated he sees that DOT wants to move cars through this
area quickly. There are a number of houses and businesses already on Court
Street which are not at all in favor. When the change in Fulton Street to one way,
DOT thought it would benefit the residents and businesses there. It did not. The
cars travel too fast through that area.
Planning Director Cornish stated the City feels the same. DOT does want to
move cars through. The state does own these streets so we must work with
them.
Alderperson Brock stated that travelers going east and west have to go through
Ithaca. That causes such the bottleneck of traffic at times.
Alderperson Lewis stated that many would like to see multi-modal. Research
has shown that vehicles travel faster on one-way streets. She would like to look
into that research to get a better understanding.
Chair Murtagh thanked all who have worked on this.
Approved at the
January 20, 2021 PEDC Agenda
7) Review and Approval of Minutes
a) March 2020
Moved by Alderperson Brock as amended; seconded by Alderperson Smith.
Carried unanimously.
8) Adjournment
Moved by Alderperson Fleming; seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried
unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.