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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-02-18 521 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 18, 1998 7 : 00 P.M. PRESENT : Chairperson Arch Dotson Planning Board Members : William Farrell , Laurene Gilbert, Robert Roe, Olivia Vent, Nancy Weitzel Others Present: Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Carol Sczepanski - Town Clerk Rebecca Lubin - County Circuit Rider Members of the Public : Esther Dotson, Naomi Strichartz, Mary Oltz, Judy Bargher, Pat Woodworth Chairperson Arch Dotson called the meeting to order at 7 : 05 P . M . and welcomed the newly appointed members , Laurene Gilbert and Olivia Vent to the Planning Board . Planning Board Goals : Chairperson Dotson reported that tonight the Board will review the scope of work in regard to the comprehensive plan. If any member has a particular interest in a particular topic in the comprehensive plan it is important that we make terms for that particular goal so that there can be a division of work . The basic collection of data must be done by professional staff but there are many other things that can be done . Public opinion must be introduced as well and we must seek guidance beforehand other than at public hearings . Additional suggestions are welcome . Susan Beeners reported that all the members of the Board have received "A Practical Guide to Comprehensive Planning" and the publication Short Course" has been ordered for the Planning Board Members . She said that in the information transmitted to the Board she has included a copy of information that was presented to the Town Board by Barbara Blanchard regarding the County TCAD project materials and copies of a questionnaire . Adult Entertainment and Cell Towers The Town Board has referred materials related to Adult Entertainment Centers and Cell Towers to the Planning Board to review . A Town cannot prohibit adult entertainment centers or cell towers , but it is possible to regulate them so that the impacts are minimized . On Thursday February 26, 1998 at the Ithaca Holiday Inn at 6 : 30 the Tompkins County Federation is holding a symposium workshop on adult entertainment centers . A meeting on cell towers is being sponsored by the League of Women Voters on Monday, February 23 , 1998 at 7 : 30 P . M . at the Women ' s Community Building . Laurene Gilbert said that she would go the meeting on Monday . Susan reported that the townships of Caroline and Dryden have retained Monroe Telecom to prepare a model ordinance for them and other townships are invited to join . . The more communities that are involved reduces the expense . i . e for $ 1 , 500 for 2 , $ 1 , 100 for 3 , etc . Olivia Vent said it sounds like were are in the information, correction and garnering stage and it might be possible to talk with the people in Caroline and Dryden to find out why they chose to go in that direction with Monroe Telecom, why they think this is a reputable firm and what are the options for doing that. She would like to get in touch with some of the persons in Dryden and Caroline regarding Monroe Telecom . Robert Roe said that the only role of the Planning Board at this time in adult entertainment businesses and cellular communication towers is to make a recommendation and propose to the Town Board that they consider the enactment of a local law for moratorium . The moratoria buys the Town time and that is what we need . Susan reported to the Board that the Town has a process in place and a goal established by members of the Board attending information meetings . There will sufficient information gathered and a draft 522 2 Planning Board Minutes February 18 , 1998 local law establishing moratoria prepared to refer to the Town Board in April . Complete draft local laws will be available to the Planning Board at the May 1998 meeting . RESOLUTION NO. 2 OF 1998 PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF DANBY FOR MORATORIUM ON ADULT ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES By Nancy Weitzel : Seconded by Robert Roe WHEREAS , the Town of Danby Town Board has referred to the Planning Board the matter of regulation of adult entertainment businesses ; and WHEREAS, the Planning Board will be studying the effects of adult entertainment businesses on a community and the amount of regulation, if any needed to minimize potential adverse impacts from such businesses on the community; and WHEREAS , adequate time is needed for such study, and for the drafting and adoption of related legislation; now, therefore, it is RESOLVED, that the Town of Danby Planning Board recommends to the Town Board that a local law be enacted, providing for a moratorium for the establishment of adult entertainment businesses for a period of one hundred-eighty ( 180) days . A roll call vote on the resolution resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Gilbert Aye Roe Aye Vent Aye Weitzel Aye Dotson Aye Carried Unanimously RESOLUTION NO. 3 OF 1998 PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR A MORATORIUM ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS By Nancy Weitzel : Seconded by Laurene Gilbert WHEREAS , the Town of Danby Town Board has referred to the Planning Board the matter of regulations of telecommunications towers ; and WHEREAS , the Planning Board will be studying the effects of telecommunications towers on a community and the amount of regulation, if any needed to minimize potential adverse impacts from such towers on the community ; and WHEREAS , adequate time is needed for such study, and for the drafting and adoption of related legislation ; now, therefore, it is RESOLVED, that the Town of Danby Planning Board recommends to the Town Board that a local law be enacted, providing for a moratorium for the establishment of telecommunications towers for a period of one hundred-eighty ( 180) days . A roll call vote on the resolution resulted as follows : Farrell Aye Gilbert Aye Roe Aye Vent Aye Weitzel Aye Dotson Aye Carried Unanimously 6a3 3 Planning Board Minutes February 18 , 1998 Circuit Rider Planner - Tompkins County Rebecca Lubin of Tompkins County Planning introduced herself to the new members of the Planning Board and gave a brief description of the services provided by the circuit rider . She presently is working with the Village of Lansing, Town of Danby and the Village of Freeville on comprehensive planning. She said that she also served as staff to the Tompkins County Planning Federation. Review of Scope of Work and Summary of Work in Progress Susan Beeners said that for the Planning Board and the benefit of the new members referred to the January 21 , 1998 Planning Board Minutes starting on Page 5 the sununary of the Scope of Work and other materials that were transmitted to the Town Board . The materials were transmitted to the Board at their February meeting. The information shows the gathering of information, holding public information meetings , and that there will be a fairly simple document with an appendices so that the document does not have to be very long . She said that she sees this as a giant work comprehensive plan that would lead into work in subsequent years . Probably it will take between 18 months to two (2) years to complete this comprehensive plan update . What extends the time frame is proposed under topics as having possible representatives from other agencies attend a forum which would be open to the public and inviting residents to attend . Scheduling on the work scope does have to be worked out . There are many agencies who are doing various types of plans and who could provide beneficial planning with programs to Danby . We could try to network with various agencies . The Town will be receiving a Agriculture and Farmland Board report soon and it will be distributed to the Planning Board to review and Community Council is analyzing the Needs Survey . She has met with Jacquie Bow from County Planning. Jackie has produced a draft land use map of Danby and will be the only color map in the final comprehensive plan . The County GIS mapping system can be useful for many other needs in the Code Enforcement Office for site plan review and street addressing, and the Highway Department Nancy Weitzel reminded Susan that we have not received the maps that were to be produced by Tompkins County for the Bicentennial Activities at the Danby Field Days in July of 1997 . Susan presented the Board with a scope of services with an estimated budget for Tompkins County services that Rebecca has provided. She explained that this budget projection is an estimate for an 18 month to two (2) year project . The $ 6 ,460 . 00 is what is proposed for County Planning Circuit Rider and mapping services. If the work that has been indicated is not completed by December that the contract would be rewritten to carry it on. She said that she has looked at what other costs might be involved, such as copies, additional map drafts, public information, and the cost of the final comprehensive plan document including public hearing costs . She estimates that would be an additional $ 1 , 500 to $2 , 000 over a two (2) year period . Susan said that the Board will be welcoming public involvement at all times so that it does not become driven by the Town or the Planning Board . A priority for the next month or so is to organize some basic background information and summary information to give the public some context i . e . what Danby is and to give some structure to the material . Chairperson Dotson asked the Board members to think about the topics in which they have a special interest to help with the division of work We do not have to rely on just information that is fed to us . Members of the Board should be involved in networking, talking to others , collecting information, getting feed back and reporting it to the Board . Proposal for a Public Survey : Chairperson Dotson said that we need to know the opinions and reactions of the residents of the Town related to the comprehensive plan . An comprehensive method of assessment is needed . Robert Roe said that there has been some debate over a considerable period of time about how we approach the public and receive their input into the comprehensive plan . He said that he would like to propose to the Town Board that we take a thought at seriously proposing an adequate survey . Pole 6-0 4 Planning Board Minutes February 18 , 1998 the Town on a representative basis for determining what type of Town that they want. What features they want to preserve, what they would like to see changed and what their priorities for the next five (5) years are . What he is proposing is a survey and could be possibly a telephone survey. He said he would propose a sampling design that is a probability sample that could take several different forms . Ultimately the results of a survey comes down to the adequacy of the sampling frame that we have . We need to know what error rate we are willing to accept. Accuracy in survey comes at a cost. The simplest type of survey would be a random survey . It will be a seven (7) part process : 1 ) what information we want (questions) 2 ) sampling design 3 ) sampling plan (how ) probability or non probability sample ( suggested telephone survey but that would assume there was no bias for unlisted telephone numbers) 4) data techniques (highest quality of information - face-to-face --shortcomings of mail surveys (Community Council Survey an example) 5 ) unit of analysis - household or individual 6) questionnaire for interview schedule - survey execution - training for interviewers etc . 7) Data analysis Laurene Gilbert said that she thinks a survey is a good idea but she would like to see the Planning Board explore some of these issues and identify some of the options to present to the public and then get some feedback from them . Olivia Vent said that the Board needs to look at some of these issues that have been outlined and identified where there might be potential diversions . Bob Roe said that this would get a lot of members of the members of the community involved in the process . Rebecca said that she thinks a survey was a good idea and can go on while background information work is going on . It is important to provide the public with every opportunity to have input and it is good to provide something to react to -- getting the public involved in ways you want to get them involved and when you want to get them involved. Correction to Minutes - January 21 , 1998 Page 3 - delete ( 1998 plan) insert 1997p1an Approval of January 21 , 1998 Minutes : A motion was made by Nancy Weitzel and seconded by William Farrell to approve the January 21 , 1998 Planning Board Minutes as corrected . Carried Unanimously ADJOURNMENT : On a motion the meeting adjourned at 9 : 00 P . M . Carol W . Sski, Secretary p ry