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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 2015-03-23 Meeting of the Ithaca Town Board Monday,March 23,2019at 4:30 p.m. Aurora Room,Town Hall * The second meeting of the month by the Town Board is called a Study Sessions and focus on committee reports and informational presentations. Time sensitive action items may be scheduled when needed. Please contact the Town Clerk's office at 273-1721 or otenvilli,aer(&town.itliaca.ny.res with any questions. Agenda 1. Call to Order 2. Review Draft Agenda for Regular Meeting 3. Town Official's Reports 4. Report from Committees a. Budget Committee b. Codes and Ordinances Committee c. Planning Committee d. Personnel and Organization Committee e. Public Works Committee L Economic Development Committee 5. Discuss Support for Community Organizations 6. Discuss Complete Streets 7. Discuss and Consider Approval of the Application to New York State Comptroller for Permission and Consent for the Town of Ithaca Sapsucker Water Tank Replacement Water Improvements Area 8. Consider Consent Agenda Items a. Approval of Town Board Minutes March 9,2015 b. Town of Ithaca Abstract c. Approve Appointment of Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate 9. Review of Correspondence Meeting of the Ithaca Town Board Monday, March 23,2015 at 4:30 p.m. Aurora Room,Town Hall * The second meeting of the month by the Town Board is called a Study Sessions and focus on committee reports and informational presentations. Time sensitive action items may be scheduled when needed. Minutes Board Members Present: Herb Engman, Supervisor; Bill Goodman, Deputy Town Supervisor; Pat Leary, Eric Levine, Rich DePaolo, and Rod Howe Absent: Tee-Ann Hunter Staff Present: Susan Ritter, Director of Planning, Bruce Bates,Director of Code Enforcement; Mike Solvig, Director of Finance,Judy Drake, Director of Human Resources; Paulette Terwilliger,Town Clerk and Jim Weber, Highway Superintendent 1. Call to Order Meeting called to order at 4:32 p.m. 2. Review Draft Agenda for Regular Meeting 3. Town Official's Reports Ms. Ritter reported that we have signed the 96B Pedestrian Study contract with CHA and their priority is to get a survey out before the Ithaca College students leave. 4. Report from Committees a. Budget Committee — Mr. Levine reported that the committee reviewed the financial report for the year end subject to the audit. Talked about the reserve funds for each account and the capital budget process and they looked at the asset inventory schedule. The next meeting may be cancelled. Mr. Engman added that Bolton Point just got their bond rating which was increased based in large amount due to the Town's rating as a significant member of the Commission. He added that Mr. Solvig checked our rating versus Cornell's and he thought that was pretty impressive. b. Codes and Ordinances Committee — Mr. Goodman reported that he met with Ms. Brock, Ms. Ritter and Ms. Balestra about the last few items remaining with the sign law and will have some recommendations for the committee and then on to the Town Board. The Town Board will have to decide about allowing off-premises signs which are currently prohibited but farmer's want them and whether we are going to exempt certain signs that are away from the public roads such as ones on Ithaca College campus. c. Planning Committee — Mr. DePaolo reported that they did not meet last month and the April meeting is being rescheduled to the 15`x'. Mr. DePaolo reported that he did have a chance to follow up with the State regarding rental property oversight and he has researched TB Study March 23,2015 pg 1 some case law and it is at the point where he would like to ask Ms. Brock to look into what lie has found. The board agreed. Mr. Goodman added that there is one topic that came up during SAC that we would like to move forward to the Planning Committee. There is a mechanism to allow the town to be exempt the Town from our own zoning laws and the suggestion is to exempt us when dealing with water and sewer projects especially. d. Personnel and Organization Committee — Mr. Goodman reported that they discussed switching our landline and cable service to FLTG in preparation for a fiber optic connection to the County and the long-term goal of having the connection to the Public Works facility. The court clerks presented information on a program for parking tickets to allow them to enforce and collect on tickets. The program is expected to more than pay for itself. The committee also talked more about the Planning fees and in particular the PDZ fees. The biggest cost with PDZ's are the attorney fees and one option is to have an escrow account to charge actual legal costs to the applicant. Ms. Ritter will be checking with other municipalities and reporting back. The committee also talked about the Codes Department and its image and ways to gentle it with a different name and they will be looking into other municipalities' structures and names and the discussion will continue. e. Public Works Committee— Mr. Howe reported that they talked about a proposed water supply system for Ammabel and the bottom line is that if the town was going to take it over it would have to be built to Town standards. They also talked about Greenways and a 6 inch line for a small area to provide correct service and getting rid of one dead-end and complete a loop. Usually we don't allow them but in this case it is justified and pretty straightforward. The committee also talked about emergency calls after hours and it seems a change to the message to make it clearer what to do will clear that up. They also talked about some damage to the Christopher Lane Water Tank and Mr. Weber added that it came from the monitoring at Bolton Point and the levels maintained in the tank. The company we have been working with sealed the tank and it was not exposed to any elements or contaminants and we will be working with Bolton Point to ensure it doesn't happen again. L Economic Development Committee—Mr. Howe reported that they are in the process of setting up two meetings; one smaller, targeted meeting with particular property owners/attendees and governmental representatives such as TCAD, County Planning etc. to discuss particular goals, strategic planning and opportunities for grant funding and another meeting to report back to the group who met back in January. TB Study March 23,2015 pg 2 Mr. Engman reported that he did send an email to NYS DOT regarding having a signal at the Seven Mile Dr. intersection and heard back from them, but it will be a number of months before they are able to do the study and we hear back. g. Fire Service Committee — Mr. Engman reported that he did meet with Ithaca College President regarding more contributions for fire service costs and although he didn't say no, he didn't commit to anything. They also talked about extending the VCHFD territory but they were not willing to risk burning out their volunteers with an increase in calls. He added that we are out of options at this point unless we want to seriously consider our own volunteer service. h. Ithaca College and Cornell budget discussions — Mr. Engman and Mr. Goodman reported on presentations/discussions with the colleges on their budgets and the way they are dealing with their tight budgets. IC might be looking into more student housing and a 10% staff reduction and Cornell will not be doing any more building without upfront full funding. 5. Resignation of Town Historian —Mr. Engman reported that he received notification of Ms. Johnson-Kelly's intent to retire effective April 30th due to time constraints with work and family commitments. Ms. Drake will approach the deputy historian and gauge his interest in taking the appointment. 6. Discuss Complete Streets—Mr. Engman reminded the board that this was touched on at the last meeting and the board indicated that they would like to adopt a complete streets policy at the April meeting and then set a public hearing to put references to it in the Town Code for the May meeting. Mr. DePaolo asked about his concern regarding who has the authority to grant exception; the town board or the planning board. Ms. Ritter wanted the board to consider that during planning board review, it wouldn't make sense to have to stop and come back to the town board when it doesn't make sense to have a transit stop or some other item. Mr. DePaolo thought that since it was a policy and not a law, the planning board would have to consider it but not enforce or implement it. Mr. DePaolo thought that would work as a policy but not when it is made into its own standing law which he thought was going to be looked at also and the policy was just to have something now as opposed to later. Mr. Goodman thought that both could be in the policy and he will be working on both the draft policy and the resolution for the adoption of the changes. 7. Discuss and Consider Approval of the Application to New York State Comptroller for Permission and Consent for the Town of Ithaca Sapsucker Water Tank Replacement Water Improvements Area TB Resolution No.2015-435: Approving Application to New York State Comptroller for Permission and Consent for the Town of Ithaca Sapsucker Water Tank Replacement Water Improvements Area Whereas,on December S, 2014, the Town Board approved a Public Interest Order establishing and authorizing the Town of Ithaca Sapsucker Water Tank Water Improvements Area, and TB Study March 23,2015 pg 3 Whereas, the permission of the New York State Comptroller is required for this project because its estimated expense exceeds one-tenth of one percent of the full valuation of the taxable real property in the area of the Town outside of the Village of Cayuga Heights, and Whereas, the regulations governing submittals to the New York State Comptroller for permission for such projects require the Town Board to make certain determinations about the submittal and project; now therefore be it Resolved, that the governing Town Board of the Town of Ithaca does hereby make the following determinations: 1. The attached application was prepared at the direction of the Town Board. 2. The Town Board believes the contents of the application are accurate. 3. The Town Board has determined that the improvement and expenditure for which permission is sought is in the public interest and will not constitute an undue burden on the property which will bear the cost thereof. 4. The cost of the proposed improvements will be assessed against a benefited area, all real property to be so assessed will be benefited by the proposed improvements, and no benefited property has been excluded. Moved: Rod Howe Seconded: Eric Levine Vote: Ayes—Howe, Levine, Leary, Goodman, Engman and DePaolo. 8. Consider Consent Agenda Items TB Resolution 2015 -036: Adopt Consent Agenda Resolved, that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca hereby approves and/or adopts the following Consent Agenda items: a. Approval of Town Board Meeting Minutes of March 9, 2015 b. Approval of Town of Ithaca Abstract c. Appoint Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate Member Moved: Bill Goodman Seconded: Eric Levine Vote: Ayes—Howe, Levine, Leary, Goodman, Engman and DePaolo. TB Resolution 2015 -036a: Approval of Minutes of March 9,2015 Whereas, the draft Minutes of the March 9, 2015 meetings of the Town Board have been submitted for review and approval, now therefore be it Resolved, that the Town Board hereby approves the submitted minutes as the final minutes of the meeting March 9, 2015 of the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca. TB Resolution No. 2015 - 036b: Town of Ithaca Abstract TB Study March 23,2015 pg 4 Whereas the following numbered vouchers have been presented to the Ithaca Town Board for approval of payment; and Whereas the said vouchers have been audited for payment by the said Town Board; now therefore be it Resolved that the governing Town Board hereby authorizes the payment of the said vouchers in total for the amounts indicated. VOUCHER NOS. 276 -359 General Fund Town wide 392105.74 General Fund Part Town 41,770.99 Highway Fund Part Town 33,352.91 Water Fund 5199075.40 Sewer Fund 1119946.23 Christopher Circle Water Tank 10,000.00 Fire Protection Fund 264,792.00 Forest Home Lighting District 63.13 Glenside Lighting District 18.85 Renwick Heights Lighting District 32.82 Eastwood Commons Lighting District 44.08 Clover Lane Lighting District 5.90 Winner's Circle Lighting District 8.82 Burlei h Drive Lighting District 20.55 West Haven Road Lighting District 81.51 Coddin ton Road Lighting District 47.40 TOTAL 983,366.33 TB Resolution No. 2015—036c:Appointment of Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate Member Be it Resolved, that Carin Rubin of 212 Tudor Road, is appointed as the Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate member for a term beginning March 23, 2015 and ending December 31, 2015. 9. Review of Correspondence — Mr. DePaolo asked about the notice from the County regarding a proposed law on restricting the use of brine on roadways. Mr. Engman didn't know the timeline but thought it was because some brine is being used in the state elsewhere and this would prohibit it here. Meeting was urned at 5:31 p.m. Subm t y Paulette Terwilliger TB Study March 23,2015 pg 5