Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 1980-09-09 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD TUESDAY , SEPTEMBER 9 , 1980 • The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday , September 9 , 19810 , in Town Hall at 7 : 30 p . m . PRESENT : Vice - Chairman Montgomery May , Barbara Schultz , James Baker , Edward Mazza , Bernard Stanton , Liese Bronfenbrenner , Carolyn Grigorov , Barbara Restaino ( Town Planner ) , Lewis D . Cartee (-Town Building Inspector ) . ALSO PRESENT : Bob Kenerson , Bruce Wilson , Esq . , Dan Geller , Les Levitt , Mary Earle ( WTKO ) , Jim Roberts ( WTKO ) , Richard Mellen , Vice - Chairman May declared the meeting duly opened at 7 : 35 p . m . REPORT OF THE BUILDING INSPECTOR The members of the Board having in hand his written report for August 1980 , Mr . Cartee noted that eleven building permits had been issued in August of 1980 for a total of $ 87 , 851 . 00 in improvements , as compared to ten building permits having been issued in August of 1979 for a total of $ 237 , 100 . 00 in. improvements . Mr . Cartee also commented that Summerhill Apartments , Ivar Jonson , behind the Ellis Hollow Elderly Apartments , is well under way and the land - scaping will be going in by the end of this month . He stated that it looks good and is shaping up . PUBLIC HEARING : CONSIDERATION OF FINAL SUBDIVISION APPROVAL FOR 4 - LOT SUBDIVISION , 266 - 267 COY GLEN ROAD , TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 29 - 8 - 5 . JAMES P . CRONE . Vice - Chairman May declared the Public Hearing in the above - noted matter duly opened at 7 : 45 p . m . , and accepted for the record the Clerk ' s Affidavit of Posting and Publication of the Notice of Public Hearing in Town Hall and the Ithaca Journal on September 2 , 1980 , and September 6 , 1980 , respectively . Mr . Richard Mellen appeared before the Board on behalf of Mr . Crone . Each Board member had before him / her a reduced copy of Map entitled " Lands of James P . Crone , Part of Lot No . 65 , Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York , drawn by Rowell and Associates of Cortland ,. NY , and dated September 4 , 1980 , and a copy of the Planning Board Minutes of June 12 , 1979 , and June 26 , 1979 , as they related to the subdivision before them . Mr . Mellen had in hand a large ver :3ion of the Map noted above . Mr . Mellen :3tated that this 4 - lot subdivision request was before the Board last year and preliminary subdivision approval was granted then , sub - ject to a recommendation for approval by the Town Engineer as far as drainage on all Four lots , road cuts , and access . He stated that Mr . Fabbroni has gone over this final map and is satisfied . He noted that the Health Department issues approvals on a lot by lot basis . He also noted that proposed lot #2 has been sold and has a well on it already . Mr . Mellen stated that a percolation test has also been done and added that sand fil - ters are required . He noted that Health Department approval is required for subdivisions of over 5 acres , which this is not . Mr . Mellen stated that lot # 1 can be served by public sewer . Mr . May asked if there were any public present to speak to this matter . There was none . ' Planning Board - 2 - September 9 , 1980 w The Secretary read a statement from Mr . Fabbroni , who was unable to attend , as follows : • " 9 / 9 / 80 . Larry Fabbroni to Planning Board . Re : Crone Matter . I have gone over everything with Mr . Mellen and as far as I am concerned everything is OK , to wit : drainage , driveway cuts . There are . no " ifs " . As each building permit is requested , an approved Health Department Permit for a septic field is submitted . " Mrs . Bronfenbrenner pointed out that one thing that was discussed was that the lots could be further subdivided , and asked if there is any way the Board can bond this . Mr . May stared that any further subdivision would have to come back to the Planning Board for approval . Mr . Mazza concurred with this statement . Mr . Stanton stated that he was not clear on access . Mr . Mellen stated that there is a .50 ' access to lot # 2 and that it is fairly level . • MOTION by Mr . Bernard Stanton , seconded by Mrs . Carolyn Grigorov : RESOLVED , that the Town of Ithaca Planning Board grant and hereby does final subdivision. approval for the James P . Crone 4 - lot subdivision , 266 - 267 Coy Glen Road , Tax Parcel No . 6 - 29 - 8 - 5 , as shown on Map entitled " Lands of James P . Crone , Part of Lot No . 65 , Town of Ithaca , Tompkins County , New York " prepared by Rowell and Associates , 111 West Road , Cortland , NY , and drawn by Dennis M . Lowes , L . S . and based upon a Survey completed on August 26 , 1980 , said Map dated September 4 , 1980 . There being no further discussion , the Chair called for a vote . Aye - May , Schultz , Baker , Mazza , Stanton , Bronfenbrenner , Grigorov . Nay - None . Vice - Chairman May declared the MOTION to be carried unanimously . The Public Hearing in the matter of the Crone Subdivision was duly closed by Vice - Chairman May . REPORT OF THE TOWN PLANNER Mrs . Restaino reported that one of the Planning Board ' s biggest efforts which was pulled through very well , thanks to the Sign Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board , the 1980 Sign Law , was passed . • Mrs . Restaino reported that the Codes and Ordinances Committee will be meeting on September 16th to discuss some new sections of the proposed zoning ordinance revisions . Mrs . Restaino reported that work on the parks is finishing up for this year . She stated that the Parks Committee has been given a preliminary budget for next year , noting that there will be some bikeway projects . She Planning Board - 3 - September 9 , 1980 commented that the County is trying to coordinate bikeways with other muni - cipalities . • Mr . May asked if the bikeway between Honness Lane and Maple Avenue is completed . Mrs . Restaino stated that it is except for the signage . Mrs . Restaino stated that for the parks program for next year , should such be the case , she recommended using CETA help with some reservations , and added that it is almost as much a problem as a help . She commented that the help is a drain on the staff because of the numbers and the personalities . She recommended that the workers be hired in a more con - trolled manner , having fewer of them , and looking into their backgrounds more carefully , since some make life uncomfortable for those here in Town Hall , Mrs . Bronfenbrenner wondered if the Town has that amount of choice . Mrs . Restaino re ,olied that she did not know , but that she would hope so . APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Mr . Bernard Stanton , seconded by Mrs -. Barbara Schultz : RESOLVED , that the Minutes of the Planning Board Meeting of July 15 , 1980 , be and hereby are approved as written . There being no further discussion , the Chair called for a vote . Aye - May , Schultz , Baker , Stanton , Bronfenbrenner , Grigorov . Nay - None . • Abstain - Mazza . The MOTION was declared to be duly carried . MOTION by Mr . Montgomery May , seconded by Mr . James Baker : RESOLVED , that the Minutes of the Planning Board Meeting of July 22 , 1980 , be and hereby are approved as written . There being no further discussion , the Chair called for a vote . Aye - May , Schultz , Baker , Stanton , Bronfenbrenner , Grigorov . Nay - None . Abstain - Mazza . The MOTION was declared to be duly carried . REVIEW OF APPLICATION OF CORNELL RADIO GUILD , INC . D / B / A WVBR , FOR INSTALLA - TION OF RADIO BROADCASTING ANTENNA TRANSMITTING TOWER , 245 BUNDY ROAD , TAX PARCEL NO . 6 - 27 - 1 -- 7 AND SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SAME . The members of the Planning Board reviewed the application in the above - noted matter . The following items , among others , were in hand : 1 . Application for Building Permit . 2 . Check for $ 25 . 00 accompanying Building Permit Application . is 3 . Lewis D . Cartee ' s letter of June 24 , 1980 , to Bruce D . Wilson , Esq . , outlining nine items of information required for submission . 4 . Submission numbered ( 1 ) through ( 9 ) . Mr . Cartee noted that the site proposed is six acres - - 511 ' x 511 ' . Mr . Cartee noted that he had in hand the specifications for the tower . • Planning Board - 4 - September 9 , 1980 Mr . May inquired what wind load WVBR was designing for . Mr . Geller informed the Board that expert support was coming in and he was not willing to testify to that aspect . It was noted from the submissions that the wind load was 30 PSF for zone A . Mr . Geller stated that 1 . 35 additional acres of land was to be pur - chased in order to contain the tower in all dimensions . The Board discussed the three access route options , i . e . , " A " , " B " , and „ c „ Mr . Cartee :Mated that access option " A " might serve the purpose best , adding that it might require culverting . Mr . Mazza wondered if the Town can control that , it not being on their land . Mr . Wilson , Attorney for WVBR , stated that if the Board were to make a specific request for an easement , WVBR can abide by it : Mr . Mazza stated that , in that case , option " A " would probably be the best . Mr . Baker stated that this would be unfair to the people below if one is trying to farm land . He stated that under this circumstance , option " B " would be much better . Mr . Baker commented that the Hopkins ' land is into grass now . Mr . May stated that Mr . Fabbroni , the Town Engineer , needs to be prepared to discucZ) s drainage and the use of culverts . Referring to Submission # 5 as it related to Mr . Ca. rtee ' s letter , the Board reviewed same . And , noting that each submission number related to the items numbered in Mr . Cartee ' s letter , the Board reviewed submissions #6 .and # 7 . Referring to item #4 on Mr . Cartee ' s letter where information was requested as to the location of the pad / tower on site , the Board reviewed submission #4 . Mr . May asked Mr . Geller how much leeway they had in rela - tion to actual location on site of the tower . Mr . Geller replied that they had some , but they were not sure as to just how much because of transmission quality . Mr . May noted one question has been of moving the actual tower site a little farther south off Bundy Road . The Board reviewed submission #8 which was in two parts and related to the FCC and FAA documents . The Board reviewed submission # 9 which related to interference and set forth WVBR ' s commitments and standards . Mr . Geller stated that the FCC approves the construction permit and that they consider these inter - ference standards . He stated that WVBR is obligated to compensate for that within the rules . • Mr . Geller stated that the FCC approval has just been received this past week . Mr . Baker asked for how great a distance WVBR would take care of interference , say , for example , someone on another hill with the same line of sight , Planning Board - 5 - September 9 , 1980 Mr . Levitt stated that it would most probably be an overload situation • for those on Bundy Road . Referring to the Federal Communications Commission Public Notice - B , FCC 67 - 10121 4948 , adopted August 30 , 1967 , as submitted by the applicant , Mr . May noted what is to be done if a station is proved to be responsible . It was noted that the FCC does not specify distance , though the Notice does speak in terms of common cases where TV viewers reside within one - half mile of the FM transmitter . He noted that the Notice also speaks of testing responsibility . Mr . Mazza stated that this should be brought up , but the Planning Board is not in a position to control it no matter where it is . Vice - Chairman May requested a letter from WVBR be sent to the Building Inspector indicating WVBR ' s willingness to purchase more land . Mr . May stated that a Letter of Intent would be okay . Mr . Cartee suggested that it might be helpful for both the Board and the applicant and the public to have a representative from the manufacturer or the installer of the tower present at the public hearing . Mr . May suggested that WVBR might want to bring in " EIA Standards RS 222 C " also . Attorney Wilson stated that the standards are set in terms of construc - tion by the FCC . iVice - Chairman May declared that the formal public hearing in the matter of the WVBR application will be held by the Planning Board in accor - dance with Local Law #4 - 1980 on September 23 , 1980 , at 7 : 30 p . m . , and directed the Secretary to proceed with the publication and notification process as required under that Law . ,Mr . May thanked the representatives of WVBR for their cooperation in submitting all the requested information . ADJOURNMENT Upon Motion , the Vice - Chairman declared the September 9 , 1980 , meeting of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board duly adjourned . Respectfully submitted , Nancy M . Fuller , Secretary . i