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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1985-10-11 TOWN OF ITHACA NEWSLETTER October , 1985 This is the 23rd Town of Ithaca Newsletter . It is published to inform Townspeople of the current and pending activities of their Town government . The last Newsletter was published on April 15 , 19850 FALL CLEAN-UP DAY The Town Board has set Monday , November 4 , 1985 , as Annual Fall Clean-Up Day . The Town Highway Department will pick up material placed next to the highway , other than unbundled brush . If you have material too heavy to move to the pick up point , such as junk cars , (or if you live alone and need assistance) contact Highway Superintendent Robert Parkin at 273 -1656 . It normally takes . three days to cover the Town during this pick up period . 1986 TOWN BUDGET The Tentative Budget that was presented to the Town Board by the Supervisor on September 30 shows a 1 . 5 % tax increase for property owners in the Village and a 1 . 7 % tax increase for property owners in the area of the Town outside the Village . The reasons for the low increase are as follows : ( 1 ) The State legislature increased State Aid to the Towns for the first time in 5 years . ( 2 ) The Town voted against the new Veterans Exemption Legislation . ( 3 ) Expected year end balances will be applied ( in part ) to the 1986 budget . ( 4 ) Department requests were very modest and no new programs are added . ( 5 ) The assessed value of the Town increased by 1 . 50 . Category Assessed Value Amount to be Raised Tax Rate (x 1000 ) 1985 1986 1985 1986 1985 1986 A Townwide $ 256 , 794 , 777 $260 , 352 , 711 $ 285 , 000 $293 , 500 1 . 110 1 . 127 B Part Town & Highway $ 175 , 424 , 515 $178 , 201 , 246 $ 420 , 010 $415 , 400 2 . 394 29331 C Fire Contract $ 181 , 566 , 430 $ 184 , 040 , 698 $353 , 925 $386 , 724 1 . 949 2 . 101 If you live in the Village you pay A . If you live outside the Village you pay A+B+C . No sales tax credits are included . There are some major increases however . First , minicipal insurance premiums are expected to increase at least 500 . This means an added cost of $ 17 , 000 . Ironically , this increase is lower than many other municipalities are facing . For example , if you happen to have a County landfill in your Town it is likely your Towns insurance will increase drastically , such is not the case in Ithaca . The Town commitment to share 1/ 3 of the cost to reconstruct Forest Home Drive is budgeted at $55 , 000 as labor and materials in the Highway Budget . The Master Plan for Highway Equipment replacement identifies the need to replace the Superintendent ' s car and a 1973 Brockway truck used for hauling and snow plowing . In the water and sewer funds , advance planning money is included to initiate design of the extension and improvements outlined in the April 1985 Newsletter . The complexity of these projects may require a construction bidding schedule of next Fall . In the Parks Budget the initial phase of the Inlet Valley playfield development is included on the presumption that the property will have been acquired by the City . Other major projects include continuation of the discussion with Cornell and Cayuga Heights on the Pleasant Grove Road bicycle path . 1986 will probably be the last year of the current contract with the City for fire protection . During the coming year both parties have indicated that a decision will have to be made to enter into a long term agreement with the City or form a Town Fire Department . This and the approval of the Route 96 Project are examples of the challenges that face the Town in the year ahead . DUPLEX HOUSING. The Town of Ithaca is considering amendments to its zoning Law that would permit the construction of side by side two family dwellings in the residential districts of the Town . A number of controls are being considered , including a 50 % larger lot requirement , 20o greater side yard requirements and perhaps limiting the number or percentage of such structures in any particular development . The Town Board expects to continue discussion of these matters at an adjourned hearing on December 9 . 4 WAY STOP SIGN - JUDD FALLS & TOWER ROAD The Town Board has authorized the installation of a 4-way stop sign - arrangement at the intersection of Judd Falls and Tower Roads on the Cornell Campus . Installation will take place during Cornell ' s Fall Term break . The traffic proceeding through this intersection is about equal from each direction . It is expected the delays on Judd Falls Road , both at this intersection and the one at Route 366 , will be reduced during peak hours . This is the result of a joint effort between the Town staff and Cornell Transportation officials . REZONING RESIDENTIAL AREAS ON SOUTH HILL Following a public hearing on September 9 , the Town Board approved the rezoning of about 40 properties from R- 30 to R-15 on South Hill . The rezoning permits the development of arse or two family dwellings on 15 , 000 sq . ft . lots rather than 30 , 000 sq . ft . The rationale for the rezoning is the fact that public water and sewer is available to these properties , therefore , the large lots are not needed for private water and sewer systems . Each property owner was notified of this proposed change prior to the public hearing . HANDICAPPED ACCESS TO TOWN HALL The Town Board continues to review the effectiveness of its facilities and programs with regard to accessability to the handicapped . During the past month there have been two unrelated concerns expressed . ( 1 ) A physically handicapped person wished to observe the activities of the Town Court which normally are conducted in the second floor Court Room, The Town has consistently had the policy that the activity of the Court would be moved to the first floor when the attorneys or persons appearing before the Court have indicated , in advance , that access was desired . It is not economically feasible to construct an elevator to serve the second floor . The Town Board is considering a buzzer system to communicate between the entrance ramp to the Board Room and the Court Clerks station to alert the Court . This at least would permit communication between these two areas of the building . The heavy use of the Board Room would make it difficult to schedule all Court activities there . ( 2 ) Access to toilet facilities from the Board Rocm have not routinely been provided . There are handicapped accessible facilities on the first floor accessible from the Board Room through the vault . The Town Board is considering changing the cumbersome combination lock system to a key lock system to make it feasible to have access for all meetings . Security would not be a problem since the vault is divided into secure rooms . Unnecessary access would still be monitored by the person chairing the meeting . The Town Board seeks your comments on these and any other concerns and ideas related to this subject . ELECTION DISTRICT CHANGES The County Board of Elections was required to redistrict the County due to the increases in numbers of registered voters including students . Following careful study and considerable discussion the Town Board created two new districts in order to comply with the Election Law. Although all Town elected Officers are at large positions , the districts are needed for electing County Representatives . Detailed maps are available at Town Hall and all registered voters have received post cards that indicate their election district . However , as election day approaches a district map may serve as a helpful reminder . Sample ballots will soon be available at the Board of Elections Office and the maps are available in the Town Clerk ' s Office . The offices that will show on the ballots are Town Supervisor , Town Justice , three Town Board seats , a County Board seat for a specific district , County District Attorney and two Supreme Court Judges for the 6th Judicial District , SKUNKS AND RACOONS The Town , particularly the Northeast section , has been plagued this spring and summer by a large increase in the population of skunks and racoons . Both of these species are subject to rabies as well as being pests , digging up lawns , opening garbage cans , etc . We have two documented cases of racoons trying to enter homes by damaging screen doors . There have been reports , by a professional trapper hired by some of the residents , of other residents encouraging these animals by feeding them . The DEC frowns upon this practice because it causes more problems than it solves . We would hope that the practices of feeding the wild animals would be stopped by the individuals involved , taking the initiative , before the problem gets out of hand . CITY OF ITHACA SEWER RATES The rates charged by the City for public sewer use ( rents ) increased by about 300 on October 1 , 1985 . 1986 will be the last year that Town users pay a higher rate for this sewer service . Starting in 1987 , when the new plant comes on line , costs for each user type will be the same regardless of municipal location .