Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 1985-03-19 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MARCH 19 , 1985 The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday , March 19 , 1985 , in Town Hall , 126 East Seneca Street , Ithaca , New York , at 7 : 30 p . m . PRESENT : Chairman Montgomery May , Barbara Schultz , Edward Mazza , Virginia Langhans , Carolyn Grigorov , David Klein , Lawrence P . Fabbroni ( Town Engineer ) , Peter M . Lovi ( Town Planner ) , Nancy M . Fuller ( Secretary ) . ALSO PRESENT : Town Councilman Marc Cramer , Bonnie H . Howell , Scott Perra , Lawrence Hoffman , Ruth H . DeWire , Claudia Montague ( WHCU News ) , Kate Whidden ( WTKO News ) , Jeffrey Eilender ( WVBR / FM 93 ) , David Hawkins ( Q104 FM News ) , Jeff Yohn ( The Ithaca Journal ) . Chairman May declared the meeting duly opened at 7 : 35 and welcomed Town Councilman Marc Cramer to this meeting of the Planning Board . Chairman May also welcomed the ladies and gentlemen who were present on behalf of the Tompkins Community Hospital . • INFORMAL DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MEDICAL CLINIC ADJACENT TO THE TOMPKINS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL . BONNIE HOWELL , ADMINISTRATOR . Mrs . Howell thanked the members of the Planning Board for allowing her and her colleagues to speak to the Board this evening in an informal manner in order to apprise the Board of upcoming plans related to a proposal for the construction of a medical office . Mrs . Howell stated that the proposal consists of plans for the construction of a physicians ' office complex physically attached to the Hospital which will be owned by the physicians who will be tenants thereof and , thus , the office complex will be taxable property . Mrs . Howell stated that the Hospital will be involved in a general way , such as maintenance , etc . Mrs . Howell stated that the proposed building will contain from 25 , 000 square feet up to 30 , 000 or , perhaps , 35 , 000 square feet , and will cost about $ 2M . Mrs . Howell stated that they are hoping to be on the Agenda as a formal item for the next Planning Board meeting , however , by this informal discussion , they would like to be able to ascertain what questions , if any , the Board might have so that they can be better prepared for Public Hearing , Mrs . Howell introduced Mr . Larry Hoffman , the Architect for the project . Mr . Hoffman appended the Site Plan for the Tompkins County [ now Community ] Hospital , dated July 10 , 1976 , to the bulletin board . Mr . Hoffman asked the Board members to please bear in mind that the plans to be discussed this evening are in a very preliminary phase . Mr . Hoffman stated that he was going to show the Board two potential solutions that they are dealing with in order to site the proposed medical office . Mr . Hoffman commented that the Board members are probably quite aware that the Hospital is attempting to obtain additional lands at the Hospital site . Mr . Hoffman stated that one of the potential solutions involves the acquisition of sf .f Planning Board 2 March 19 , 1985 additional lands and indicated , on the Site Plan , the Hospital property line which was shown running through the edge of the building where it currently connects to the Hospital . Mr . Hoffman stated that the other potential solution is one where no new lands are involved . Mr . Hoffman stated that there have been several proposals presented concerning a new loop road at the Hospital and indicated same , along with a proposed idea for roads , on a drawing entitled " Suggested Parking and Access Road " , dated March 18 , 1985 . Mr . Fabbroni commented that what Mr . Hoffman was showing on this drawing is the Hospital ' s preferred scenario in connection with Route 96 improvement . Mr . Fabbroni stated that there is another one preferred by the Paleontological Institute . Mr . Fabbroni stated that , if Route 96 ends up where the entrance drive to the lower parking is , there is a need for other circulation changes . Mr . Lovi utilized a sketch to relate proposals with respect to Route 96 to the drawing called Site " B " . A discussion followed with respect to connection to Employee / Staff Parking - - 92 spaces . Mr . Lovi noted that they currently park in another lot . Mr . Lovi described another connection to " new " Route 96 which was on the sketch but which was not on Mr . Hoffman ' s drawing . Mr . Fabbroni and Mr . Lovi discussed with the Board and with Mr . • Hoffman various options in light of a " new " Route 96 . Another sketch was presented by Mr . Lovi without a " new " Route 96 indicated . Using the plan called " Site B " , Mr . Hoffman described how one would come into the proposed medical office building and showed approximately 60 parking spaces directly in front of the proposed building which would , most likely , be used by the clients . Mr . Hoffman showed how there would be no impact on the access road to the emergency room of the Hospital , indicating that that existing road would only serve the emergency room . Mr . Hoffman stated that they envision this building as two - storied , around 25 , 000 square feet , and , with a third floor , maybe 35 , 000 square feet . Mr . Hoffman stated that they are not sure at this point precisely how big the building would be , however , they would like approval for the three floors . Indicating on the drawing , Chairman May asked what the height of the Hospital is at " that " level . Mr . Hoffman stated that there would be actually two direct connections from the medical building to the Hospital , one of which leads directly into the radiology department , and the other into the physical therapy and rehabilitation area . Mr . Hoffman commented that it is also possible to connect under a canopy . Mr . Hoffman stated that it will be connected only at the first level . Mrs . Grigorov wondered how the height of the Hospital compared , generally - speaking , to the proposed building . Mr . Hoffman stated that it will be two stories " here " and will jump to three stories " here " , adding that they would propose an appropriate match . Mr . Hoffman stated that they would like the third floor to match the height of the third floor facade " here " . Mr . * Hoffman stated that the advantage to this potential site plan is that it is totally on Hospital land ; the disadvantage is that expansion is very difficult . Planning Board 3 March 19 , 1985 Mr . Klein asked how many suites were expected initially . Mr . Hoffman responded that with the building around 25 , 000 to 35 , 000 square feet , with most of the suites being around 1 , 500 to 2 , 000 square feet , and with about 20 % of the building as corridors and stairs , the expected number could be from seven to ten , and possibly up to twelve or fourteen . Mrs . Langhans noted that when the third floor is added it will be higher than the building in the back of it . Mr . Hoffman showed the elevations sheet and also showed the portions of the Hospital which are two and three stories . Mr . Hoffman stated that they will pick up the geometry of the Hospital as best they can . Chairman May commented that he thought there was a problem with the request for approval for three stories . Mr . Lovi stated that that request would have to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals . Chairman May stated that that Board would also have to speak to the height . Mr . Lovi stated that , given the use and the matching geometry , he would recommend a variance be given . Mr . Hoffman stated that the R- 30 zoning and the height would mean a hearing by the Zoning Board . Mr . Fabbroni stated that the matter would have to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals in any case since that is a requirement of the ordinance for medical offices . Chairman May asked if there were any questions before Mr . Hoffman talks about the other solution . There appearing to be none at this point , Mr . Hoffman stated that the other solution , " Plan C " , involves the • acquisition of additional land and , in that approach the Hospital would gain control of the southeast wing of the Biggs Complex . Mr . Hoffman , indicating on the plan , noted that in this particular solution they have " actually " demolished that wing of the building . Mr . Hoffman noted that a major service corridor exists in Biggs and that corridor will be extended into a corridor in the proposed building over a duct . Mr . Hoffman stated that the parking will be in the same location but can be much closer . Mr . Hoffman showed the grades indicating the contours noted on the drawing , commenting that it is fairly steep - - 826 to 817 . Again , indicating on the drawing , Mr . Hoffman showed how a " sub " way has been developed which matches up with a terraced area and comes over a space and connects at a point . Mr . Hoffman noted that , in this solution , the major entrance is at the middle level of this also three - storied building . Mr . Hoffman commented that in both cases - - " B " and " C " - - they have shown development of employee and staff parking on the back side . Mr . Hoffman commented that this solution is at a much lower level so one can see across it . Mrs . Langhans commented that on this plan the building looks quite a bit bigger . Mr . Hoffman , noting that the footprint is 12 , 000 square feet , so at three stories it would be about 36 , 000 square feet , stated that it is about the same as " B " . Chairman May wondered about the view into the Biggs Complex , Mr . Hoffman explained that the view is not unattractive , commenting that it would be a sufficiently nice view , and adding that the lower level of this scheme would look into an embankment about 40 feet away . • Planning Board 4 March 19 , 1985 Mr . Klein stated that , to him , this seems the preferable plan - - Site C . Mr . Klein wondered what happened to " A " . Mr . Hoffman quipped that there once was an " A " and even a " D " , however , they were not pursued . Chairman May clarified that a third story is still needed as part of this approach . Mr . Hoffman stated that that was right , adding that this building could connect across at two levels . Mr . Hoffman spoke of the visibility of the general public coming to the building , noting that with Plan " B " , it is very visible , and with Plan " C " , it is more private , but very visible from the new access road . Chairman May commented that the visibility was much less from " Site C " , adding that " Site B " has a better drop - off for patients than " C " . Mr . Hoffman stated that this project is on a hurry -up schedule . Mr . Fabbroni pointed out that because of the whole uncertainty of the Old Hospital discussions , whether the Hospital is able or not , to purchase " D " Wing , it seems that that back parking lot [ indicating ] assumes a lot of things as far as access through lands that the Old Hospital would be involved in , or that Tompkins County would continue to own . Mr . Fabbroni stated that it sure would be a lot cleaner at this level of discussion if some kind of access , however simple , from the existing Hospital parking area to the proposed parking lot could be shown . Mrs . Howell stated that , by the official documents that transferred • land to them as a not - for - profit facility , they have ample rights of way for both sites . Mr . Fabbroni responded that , really , everybody ' s hands would be tied to a certain extent . Mr . Fabbroni stated that the point is those driveways to which Mrs . Howell was referring are not really improved . Mrs . Howell stated that the ones that are there are paved , very accessible , all -weather roads . Commenting , again , not to belabor the point , Mr . Fabbroni stated that depending on what comes along with Route 96 , he would have to say that when we broached the idea of this off - ramp [ indicating ] into the Hospital complex , we thought we had the greatest answer in the world for this whole complex , however , what happened as a result of the Hospital ' s consultant ' s report , turned it into a nightmare . Mr . Fabbroni stated that it is still a real concept , as " this " area develops more , to get traffic into the Hospital . Again indicating on the drawing , Mr . Fabbroni stated that this busy - ness " here " is not creating a very good situation , adding that , the more we can separate incoming from outgoing , the better . Mr . Fabbroni stated that , from what he can see , this approach does not really impact the Hospital too much . Mr . Fabbroni stated that he would request at least the indicating of a willingness to do this as the plans for this building are developed . Mrs . Howell stated that the Hospital has indicated a desire to support that road , even without the Complex , adding that they understood the Town ' s feelings and they have said that . Mr . Fabbroni pointed out that Mrs . Howell was talking about " this access road " [ indicating ] . Mr . Fabbroni , speaking to Mrs . Howell , stated that the Town can supply plans and can show exactly what he was trying to Planning Board 5 March 19 , 1985 describe . Mr . Fabbroni stated that it would be well to have a sense of what kind of commitments would accompany this proposal , and spoke of a first phase running to , let ' s say , the Hospital ' s north property boundary . Mrs . Howell , commenting that there was a need to separate out the whey in this case , stated that this is going to be taxable property in that the Hospital is not a direct participant . Mrs . Howell spoke of a time that completed drawings would be discussed by the Hospital Board , Mrs . Howell stated that the proposed office building would not be the main beneficiary of the road itself . Mr . Fabbroni stated that they should be able to make some kind of a commitment in the course of suggesting this addition . Mr . Fabbroni commented that his whole discussion is much in the same vein as Lake Shore West of whom we asked for a commitment . Mr . Fabbroni noted that the Town has a commitment , standing , in these same terms , no more , no less , from the Tompkins County Professional Building Corporation , Chairman May suggested that Mr . Fabbroni could lay that commitment out for the next meeting . Mr . Hoffman wondered what kind of commitment was envisioned . Mr . Fabbroni described it as a like commitment to that in place as an agreement between the Town and the Professional Building , Mr . Fabbroni described at length how this could be achieved . Mr . Hoffman wanted to be sure , with respect to " this " particular access road which he indicated on the plan , that it is not the one tied into Route 96 . Further discussion followed with respect to several " roads " . Following this , Mr . Fabbroni stated that the Town would like to see more than landscaping templates and asked that future drawings give the Board an idea of what the landscaping was going to be . Mr . Klein stated that he liked " Plan C " better . Mr . Lovi commented that it looked like at the next meeting there would be a presentation of one of these two plans . Mr . Hoffman stated that , yes , there would be a site plan with a building footprint and a circulation scheme for the building . Mrs . Howell commented that of prime consideration is that this project really started with a group of physicians who have to have a spot for their practice and they are the bandwagon here . Mrs . Howell stated that the Hospital is pushing on with County negotiations and by the end of April they expect this project to be pretty far down the road . Chairman May thanked the Hospital representatives and the architect for informing the Board about this project , wished them good luck , and stated that the Board looked forward to their return with plans reflecting tonight ' s discussion and their discussions with the County . ADJOURNMENT Upon Motion , Chairman May declared the March 19 , 1985 meeting of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board duly adjourned at 9 : 15 p . m . • Respectfully submitted , Nancy M . Fuller , Secretary , Town of Ithaca Planning Board .