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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 1990-04-24 TOWN OF ITHACA SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING April 24 , 1990 At a Special Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York , held at the Town Hall ; 126 East Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York , on the 24th day of April , 1990 , there were . ° PRESENT : Shirley Raffensperger , Supervisor John Whitcomb , Councilman Patricia Leary , Councilw u an David Klein , Councilman Frank Liguori , Councilman Karl Niklas , Councilman Catherine Valentino , Councilwoman ALSO PRESENT : John Barney , Town Attorney Daniel Walker , Town Engineer Susan Beeners , Town Planner Joan Reuni.ng , member , ZBA Edward Austen , member , ZBA Edward King , member , ZBA Henry Aron , Chairman , ZBA Mike Valentino , 112 Cambridge Place Celia Bowers , 1406 Trumansburg Road PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Supervisor Raffensperger led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance . CC)NSIDER APPROVAL OF CONTRACT FOR WATER AND SEWER BORINGS Dan Walker , Town Engineer stated that as part of the design procedure for the 1989 Water and Sewer Improvements in Inlet Valley area and the Troy Road water supply tank , the consulting engineer requires a certain number of borings to determine sub-surface soil conditions for the proper design . They have completed their preliminary plans and submitted a proposed boring quotation plan , everything seems to be in order . They have solicited quotes from two different soil boring firms . Empire Soils , which is local and has done work for the Town before , has a favorable quotation . He went on to say that he had reviewed a couple of items that were added to the boring program , after the original quote was solicited . Their quote was $5 , 800 to do the 23 borings . With some clearing and limited access in the Troy Road area , it will require an all terrain vehicle and there will be some additional cost . He stated that he had worked up an estimated cost including the all terrain vehicle and estimated the cost to the Town to be $ 7 , 900 . He asked that the Board allow him to contract with Empire Soils for a bid not to exceed $ 7 , 900 . RESOLUTION N0 . 109 Motion by Councilman Niklas ; seconded by Councilman Liguori , Town Board Minutes 2 April 24 , 1990 RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby authorize the Town Engineer to retain Empire Soils to perform the test boring , as described , at a cost not to exceed $ 7 , 900 . (Raffensperger , Whitcomb , Leary , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - none) . BUILDING PERMIT REFUND Supervisor Raffensperger noted that the Board members had received information on the request by Ivar Jonson for a refund on building permits . Ivar Jonson , some time ago , paid for building permits which he did not use and the Building Inspector has recommended that of the $ 1 , 000 which he paid for five building permits , that $ 166 . 66 be deducted because he believes that reflects one step of the basic process for building permits . The remainder of it would then be refunded in the amount of $ 833 . 34 . RESOLUTION N0 , 110 Motion by Councilman Niklas ; seconded by Councilwoman Valentino , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby authorize a refund in the amount of $ 833 . 34 be paid to Ivar Jonson for building permits purchased but not used . (Raffensperger , Whitcomb , Leary , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - none) . Supervisor Raffensperger asked the Board ' s approval to add several other items to the agenda . She stated that she had been asked to seek the Board ' s authorization to send Dooley Kiefer and John Whitcomb to a SEQR Workshop in Rochester on April 28th , at a cost not to exceed $ 100 . 00 . Councilman Niklas asked if the $ 100 was per person? Supervisor Raffensperger replied no , that ' s the total cost . SEQR WORKSHOP RESOLUTION N0 . 111 Motion by Councilman Niklas ; seconded by Councilwoman Leary , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby authorize Dooley Kiefer and Councilman John Whitcomb to attend a SEQR Workshop in Rochester , New York , on April 28 , 1990 . ( Raffensperger , Whitcomb , Leary , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - none ) . Councilman Klein arrived at this time . CONSULTANT FEES Supervisor Raffensperger stated that the Board did not have in their packet for the April meeting , a request for payment of services from Stuart I . Brown Associates for $ 1 , 109 . 16 for work done as a consultant for the month of March because we had not yet sign the contract with Stuart I . Brown Associates . She went on to say that they had made a minor clarifying revision to the contract , Town Board Minutes 3 April 24 , 1990 the previous version of the contract , we talked about a maximum number hours per month . What we are saying is that the total will not exceed the authorization but that it may average out over the months . In other words , scene months are going to require more work than others , this for example was a month in which very few hours were worked . She stated that the contract has been signed and she was asking for authorization for the payment of $ 1 , 109 . 16 to Stuart I . Brown for services in March . ° RESOLUTION N0 . 112 ° Motion by Councilman Whitcomb ; seconded by Councilman Liguori , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby authorize the payment of $ 1 , 109 . 16 be made to Stuart I . Brown Associates for work performed in the month of March . ( Raffensperger , Whitcomb , Leary , Klein , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - none ) . SET DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARING TO AMEND THE PARKING ORDINANCE RESTRICTING PARKING ON WINTHROP DRIVE IN THE VICINITY OF THE NORTHEAST SCHOOL Supervisor Raffensperger noted that she had received a number of telephone calls , mostly this morning , from residents on Winthrop Drive who are very concerned with the parking situation there . It is an area directly adjacent to the Northeast School . There are a lot of after school and club activities which involve school buses and a fair number of cars . There is a parking lot which can be used but the parking lot is not used . A number of driveways are parked full , there was a van in the middle of the road last night . They go so far as visiting teams parking their school buses in driveways instead of in the parking lot at the Northeast School . She went on to say that this is something that has been before the Town Board for about 15 years , on and off . She stated that she remembered the former Police Chief of Cayuga Heights coming with his neighbors one time . She thought the Town had made a tremendous effort to work with the School District to try to warn people not to park on the street there which impedes emergency vehicles . She stated that she was really concerned that there are that many kids playing ball or something and you couldn ' t get an ambulance in there for anything and certainly not a fire engine . The Supervisor stated that she would have normally waited until the May 7th meeting but this is the time of year in which the impact of this is the greatest so she was asking the Board to set a public hearing for May 7th at 7 : 30 P .M . , to amend the traffic ordinance to provide for no parking on Winthrop Drive . Councilman Niklas remarked that regardless of what the law is it seems that people are currently violating the law , what is the problem with enforcement and why aren ' t these vehicles towed away or ticketed or these people fined ? Supervisor Raffensperger replied they are , except that this means every night the Sheriff has to be called . He has come , has used a loud speaker on the ball fields but it reoccurs and it is a bit unreasonable to expect the Sheriff to come every night and enforce the regulation that they may not be parked on the paved portion . Additionally there are cars which actually park in private driveways . She felt it deserved a public hearing and if there are problems she felt they would surface at the public hearing . Councilman Liguori asked if there was something wrong with the school parking lot ? Town Board Minutes 4 April 24 , 1990 Councilman Klein replied , it ' s not convenient to the ball fields . Supervisor Raffensperger added , she had been told that the people have to walk 300 feet . She asked Councilman Klein if he wished to comment? Councilman Klein replied , as you head up Winthrop Drive it ' s the straight run above Brandywine and you have a narrow shoulder , there is a big drainage ditch and a sidewalk , and then you have all the playing fields . So the road is exactly opposite the playing fields so if you are there for soccer or ball , etc . , you park on the road . As you go around the bend that is where the parking lot is for the school . He felt it was probably adequate in terms of capacity , but it means driving all the way up to the school and walking back . He stated that he was more concerned about little kids going across the street . Councilman Niklas felt a representative from the School District should be invited to the hearing . RESOLUTION N0 . 113 Motion by Councilman Niklas ; seconded by Councilwoman Leary , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca will meet and conduct a public hearing at 7 : 30 P . M . , on May 7 , 1990 to consider amending the Traffic Ordinance to provide for no parking on Winthrop Drive which would prohibit parking on both sides of Winthrop Drive from the entrance of the Northeast School westerly to Brandywine . ( Raffensperger , Whitcci Leary , Klein , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - none) . Supervisor Raffensperger remarked that the Board had received a letter which she sent to Mayor Nichols about the discussions that are taking place about the change in the City Charter concerning Fire CcaYUni.ssioners and the Fire Department . She noted that the Board had also received a copy of his response to her and then this morning about fifteen minutes ago , hand delivered to us was a packet of materials which she stated she has not had a chance to read . Her understanding in talking to the Mayor this morning was that on the table , at this point , are three proposals each one making more changes than the other in the City Charter . Also on the table now is a compromise solution which came from the Board of Fire Connissioners . It was her impression that this one has probably come to the top of the heap and will be what is most considered by the City . The City assured her that the Town would be kept informed . She stated that she was invited to go to a meeting tomorrow night in which they are going to go through all three of these possibilities and the compromise of the Board of Fire Commissioners . She stated that she was not inclined to go because there is going to be a great change taking place and a discussion at that meeting and she was not comfortable in going and taking a stance for the Town without really reviewing what they come up with as their ultimate solution to the discussions they are having in the City and before the Town Board gets a chance to review whatever they come up with . She felt it would be better to wait for written notification of whatever their proposal finally cones down to . Councilwoman Leary asked if it wouldn ' t be better to let them know , as they are forming it , what our position might be ? ill 11 , 1111 1 Hill Town Board Minutes 5 April 24 , 1990 Supervisor Raffensperger replied that she did not know until we see actually what they are proposing , how we could possibly know what our position was As far as she could see , we have four major proposals and probably about six versions of those and she thought the situation was too confused and that interest of the Town of Ithaca was not evident enough at this point for the Board to be taking a stand . She stated that she had indicated that what we want to know is what you are proposing to do and then we would look at what our stance would be . She felt that what really was going to happen was that there was going to be a committee set up to look at it and the proposed composition of the committee was going to be the Mayor , the Town Supervisor , two members of Common Council , two Town Board members and two members of the Board of Fire Commissioners . She felt that that was where the solution was going to come from . She stated that she didn ' t know how to predict that . Councilman Liguori asked about the two fire departments that the Town was involved in , two fire houses , there is nothing to suggest that the City can sell those out from under us , is there ? Attorney Barney replied that we have a pretty strong contract governing how those are handled . Councilman Niklas asked if they belonged to the Fire Board? Attorney Barney replied no , they are City property , it ' s complicated , but the land is ours and the buildings are the City ' s . Supervisor Raffensperger added , the contract for those two fire houses have definite kinds of procedures if we would wish to buy then or the City would wish to buy us out . Those are relatively well protected from any changes in Charter or what the Fire Commissioners can do . APPOINTMENT TO ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS Supervisor Raffensperger noted that the Board had in their packets , a recommendation of the Board of Zoning Appeals and a letter from the West Hill Civic Association concerning the appointment . She felt that if the Board wished to discuss the individuals who applied for the vacancy for Zoning Board of Appeals that it was proper for the Board to discuss this in Executive Session . She went on to say that at this point she was going to move that Robert Hines , upon the recommendation of the Board of Zoning Appeals , be appointed to the vacancy now existing upon that Board . RESOLUTION N0 . 114 Motion by Supervisor Raffensperger ; seconded by Councilman Liguori , RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca , upon the recommendation of the Zoning Board of Appeals , hereby appoints Robert Hines to fill the vacancy existing on the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals . ( Raffensperger , Whitcomb , Klein , Liguori , Valentino and Niklas voting Aye . Nays - Leary . ) ADJOURINNT The meeting was duly adjourned . Town Board Minutes 6 April 24 , 1990 Town Clerk