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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 1992-02-04if • FILED TOWN OF ITHACA Date & &wl 2a, /9q, TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD FEBRUARY 4, 1992 The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday, February 4, 1992, in Town Hall, 126 East Seneca Street, Ithaca, New York, at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Chairperson Carolyn Grigorov, Stephen Smith, Virginia Langhans, Robert Kenerson, William Lesser, Floyd Forman (Town Planner), _John C. Barney (Town Attorney), George Frantz (Assistant Town Planner). ALSO PRESENT: Dooley Kiefer, Eva Hoffmann, Herbert Finch, John Whitcomb, Robert H. Mead, Francis J. Paolangeli. Chairperson Grigorov declared the meeting duly opened at 7:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM. INTERVIEWING OF CANDIDATES FOR PLANNING BOARD VACANCY. The Interviewing Committee comprised of Virginia Langhans (Planning Board), Robert Kenerson (Planning Board), and John Whitcomb (Town Board), interviewed the following persons: Herbert Finch - 904 Coddington Road is Ithaca, NY 14850 Eva B. Hoffmann - 4 Sugarbush Lane Ithaca, NY 14850 Dooley Kiefer - 629 Highland Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Robert H. Mead - 222 Enfield Falls Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Francis J. Paolangeli - 6 Winners Circle Ithaca, NY 14850 A sixth candidate, Candace E. Cornell, of 1456 Hanshaw Road, was unable to attend because of illness, however, a letter of interest, resume, and a letter of support were before the Board. It was moved by Virginia Langhans, and seconded by Robert Kenerson, that it was the recommendation of the Interviewing Committee to the Town Board that Herbert Finch, of 904 Coddington Road, be appointed to the Town of Ithaca Planning Board for a seven -year term commencing February 18, 1992 and expiring December 31, 1998. Aye - Langhans, Kenerson. Nay - Whitcomb. PI F if • FILED TOWN OF ITHACA Date & &wl 2a, /9q, TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD FEBRUARY 4, 1992 The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday, February 4, 1992, in Town Hall, 126 East Seneca Street, Ithaca, New York, at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Chairperson Carolyn Grigorov, Stephen Smith, Virginia Langhans, Robert Kenerson, William Lesser, Floyd Forman (Town Planner), _John C. Barney (Town Attorney), George Frantz (Assistant Town Planner). ALSO PRESENT: Dooley Kiefer, Eva Hoffmann, Herbert Finch, John Whitcomb, Robert H. Mead, Francis J. Paolangeli. Chairperson Grigorov declared the meeting duly opened at 7:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM. INTERVIEWING OF CANDIDATES FOR PLANNING BOARD VACANCY. The Interviewing Committee comprised of Virginia Langhans (Planning Board), Robert Kenerson (Planning Board), and John Whitcomb (Town Board), interviewed the following persons: Herbert Finch - 904 Coddington Road is Ithaca, NY 14850 Eva B. Hoffmann - 4 Sugarbush Lane Ithaca, NY 14850 Dooley Kiefer - 629 Highland Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Robert H. Mead - 222 Enfield Falls Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Francis J. Paolangeli - 6 Winners Circle Ithaca, NY 14850 A sixth candidate, Candace E. Cornell, of 1456 Hanshaw Road, was unable to attend because of illness, however, a letter of interest, resume, and a letter of support were before the Board. It was moved by Virginia Langhans, and seconded by Robert Kenerson, that it was the recommendation of the Interviewing Committee to the Town Board that Herbert Finch, of 904 Coddington Road, be appointed to the Town of Ithaca Planning Board for a seven -year term commencing February 18, 1992 and expiring December 31, 1998. Aye - Langhans, Kenerson. Nay - Whitcomb. • • `Planning Board -2- February 4, 1992 The MOTION was declared to be carried. REPORT OF THE TOWN PLANNER Town Planner Floyd Forman reported that until a couple of days ago he assumed that Cornell would be coming before the Planning Board in mid - February 1992 with respect to a presentation of the G /EIS. Mr. Forman stated that Cornell had called him and stated that they needed another month -- now it would be mid - March. Mr. Forman noted that the emergency in terms of hiring the consultant to help the Planning Board is a little less severe. Mr. Kenerson wondered what kind of money was being discussed. Mr. Forman responded that on the low side it would be $10,000.00 and on the high side it would be $30,000.00; a ballpark figure would probably be about $20,000.00. Mr. Forman stated that Cornell University would be responsible for the Consultant's salary. Ms. Langhans wondered how long the process of the G /EIS would take. Mr. Forman replied that the State gives Cornell some parameters, but it can always be extended by mutual agreement between the Town and Cornell, adding that the parameters are that it has to be looked at for Completeness within 30 days, and it is possible to secure a 30 -day extension, but, again, given the fact that Cornell was supposed to bring it in in the Fall, then January, then February, and now March, he did not think it would be unfair for the Town, if needed, to ask for a little bit more time than 30 days. Mr.- Forman noted that the first part is the Completeness, then after that one is getting into the nitty- gritty about specific comments, possible mistakes, different ways of looking at things, adding that he did not think there was any time limit on that as State law requires. Mr. Forman stated that he thought that is really when the Planning Board is satisfied that what is in the G /EIS is everything that the Planning Board wants, adding that.he was sure a number of draft iterations would be gone through before that is the case; that is where all the work is done on the Draft because that is the only place where money can be charged; it can actually be charged off to Cornell. Mr. Forman said that once every "i" is dotted and every "t" is crossed, and this is no longer a draft, the Board wants to see the Final; at that point there cannot be a charge for the Final. Mr. Forman stated that the Planning Board needs to make sure they are satisfied and not until they are satisfied with the Draft, that is when the Planning Board signs off on it, so the Planning Board will certainly go through more than one Draft -- how many -- that will be up to the Board to decide, but that is where the Consultant's time can be charged off to Cornell. Mr. Lesser asked Mr. Forman if he had any idea of how large a document the Board would be dealing with. Mr. Forman responded that he was shown a couple of Generic Environmental Impact Statements, and one is talking about a lot of documentation, much of it he would suspect in the form of an appendix or multiple appendices, so it is not that the Board will have to read through all the document, many of the stack of papers will be in the form of appendices. Ms. Langhans wondered if any of the firms that were interviewed had ever worked with an educational institution before. Mr. Forman answered that many of them had, in fact one of them does it a lot. Planning Board M -3- February 4, 1992 • Mr. Kenerson wondered about the role of the Consultant in the public information sessions. Mr. Forman responded that first of all they review the document both for completeness and content, analysis, etc., and then, he thought, they also attend meetings so that when questions are raised by members of the public, and someone from Cornell says -- this is the answer, the Town has their technical experts to say, yes, that's right or, no, that is not necessarily the case, adding that they go through the public review process to the point where the document is accepted. Mr. Forman said that it is just not technical review on the Consultant's part, it is attending meetings, answering questions from the Board, and also from the public as well. .7 • Mr. Forman reported that the Planning Department has made a decision to hire a staff person to be funded by Cornell, adding that it is not official until the Town Board gives their approval. Mr. Forman offered that the Planning Department is interested in hiring Richard Eiken. AGENDA ITEM: COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Mr. Forman, reporting on the Comprehensive Plan, stated that he knew the Planning Board has reviewed the residential development portion, and is presently looking at the section on the economy. Mr. Forman said that they need some help from the Town Engineer with respect to the Public Utility Section, Mr. Forman stated that a meeting will be held shortly with the Comprehensive Planning Committee to see how best they can .bring the plan to a conclusion; hopefully, it will be late Spring 1992, or early Summer 1992, then it can be brought to the Planning Board where he would like to spend a couple of months with the Board, then to public hearing if possible, sometime in September 1992. Mr. Forman stated that he thought that that is a reasonable goal, and something that everyone needs to push for. Mr. Kenerson, directing his comment to Mr. Forman, wondered if there were a need for a retreat. Mr. Forman answered, right now, no, perhaps in a couple of months. Mr. Kenerson said that part of the process would be that everyone could spend enough uninterrupted time to get up to speed. Mr. Forman responded that he thought part of getting up to speed is a lot of work on the Planning Board's part. At this point, Mr. Forman reported that he did not know when McDonald's proposal was coming back nor when Cayuga Lake Estates was coming back. Mr. Forman stated that he had heard that Cayuga Cliffs is sort of getting things going. Assistant Town Planner George Frantz stated that a local engineering firm has been in contact with the developers about coming up with a new subdivision plat for the site. Mr. Forman mentioned the proposed local as part of the site plans for business, industrial uses, which is attached hereto as noted that the proposed local law, along with included in the Planning Board packets for Forman noted that the planning staff made law requiring plantings light industrial and Exhibit #1. Mr. Forman a memo from him, were tonight's meeting. Mr. a few changes to the ,M 'Planning Board -4- February 4, 1992 attached proposed local law and those proposed changes are underlined. After a lengthy discussion among the Board members, and Attorney Barney, it was decided that Attorney Barney would prepare a proposed resolution with respect to the proposed local law for the February 18, 1992 Planning Board meeting. AGENDA ITEM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - MAY 21, 1991 MOTION by Stephen Smith, seconded by Virginia Langhans: RESOLVED, that the Minutes of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board Meeting of May 21, 1991, be and hereby are approved as written. There being no further discussion, the Chair called for a vote. Aye - Grigorov, Kenerson, Langhans, Smith, Lesser. Nay - None. The MOTION was declared to be carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JUNE 4, 1991 MOTION by Vrginia.Langhans, seconded by Robert Kenerson: • RESOLVED, that the Minutes of the Town of Ithaca Planning, Board Meeting of June 4, 1991, be and hereby are approved as written." There being no further discussion, the Chair called for a vote. Aye - Grigorov, Kenerson, Langhans, Smith, Lesser. Nay - None. The MOTION was declared to be carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - DECEMBER 3, 1.991 MOTION by Robert Kenerson, seconded by Stephen Smith: RESOLVED, that the Minutes of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board Meeting of December 3, 1991, be and hereby are approved with the following correction: 1. That, on Page 1, it is listed that Stephen Smith is on the Interviewing Committee; it should read that Robert Kenerson is on the Interviewing Committee. There being no further discussion, the Chair called for a vote.. • Aye - Grigorov, Kenerson, Langhans, Smith, Lesser. Nay - None. Planning Board -5- February 4, 1992 The MOTION was declared to be carried unanimously. ADJOURNMENT Upon Motion, Chairperson Grigorov declared the February 4, 1992, meeting of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board duly closed. Respectfully submitted, Mary S. Bryant, Recording Secretary, Nancy M. Fuller, Secretary, Town of Ithaca Planning Board. • I 4 0 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Planning Board FROM: Floyd Forman DATE: 1/31/92 RE.4 Proposed Local Law requiring plantings as part of site plans for business, light industrial and industrial uses. • • Attached is a revised copy of the proposed "landscaping ordinance" discussed at a recent Planning Board meeting. Please review this draft for discussion Tuesday evening. 667 ti [NOTE: Underlining denotes revisions from the previous draft provided by John Barney.] TOWN OF ITHACA LOCAL LAW NO. OF THE YEAR 1991 A LOCAL LAW AMENDING THE TOWN OF ITHACA ZONING ORDINANCE RELATING TO REQUIRING PLANTINGS AS PART OF THE SITE PLANS FOR BUSINESS, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USES Be it enacted by the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca as follows: Section 1. The Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Ithaca as re- adopted, amended, and revised, effective February 26, 1968, and subsequently amended, be further amended as, follows: 1. Article VII, by adding a new section numbered Section 39A reading as follows:, "SECTION 39A. Required Plantings. The purpose of this section is to establish minimum standards for the provision installation and maintenance of landscape plantings In addition to their aesthetic value plantings provide shade minimize runoff and erosion Potential, assist with the absorption of pollutants, screen incompatible land uses and increase property values. In order to mnct nnmmnrintPlu r1Pn1 uAth the ,,,,;.,,.o circumstances of each site, the Planning Board encourages creativity in landscape planting plans. In addition to the plantings required :elsewhere in this Article and in this • Ordinance, lot plantings shall be required for any new building, addition, or change of use of any buildings in a Business zone except for single family and two family residential lots. No building permit shall be granted and no site plan shall be approved until a planting plan is submitted to and approved by the Planning Board. The requirements related to such plantings are as follows. 1. Plantings: Required plantings shall include trees, shrubs, grasses, and vegetative ground cover of species common to the Ithaca area. Plantings may at the discretion of the Planning Board include plants existing on the site. Trees shall be at least three inches (3") in diameter at breast height and shall reach an ultimate height of not less than thirty feet (30'). Tree placement shall be such that there is no crown overlap at maturity. Soil plots for trees are to have radii of not less than 7.5 feet of permeable surface area per tree. Shrubs shall be at least two feet (2') in height at the time of occupancy, reaching an ultimate height of at least three feet (3'). The remainder of the required planting areas shall be seeded to grass or other ground cover. The Planning Board shall approve all planting plans, including variety of plantings. 2. Street and Lot Buffer Plantings: Plantings are required in a twenty foot (20') wide buffer along all lot boundaries fronting on a street or road. Plantings are also required in ten foot (10') wide buffers along all other lot boundaries. Buffer plantings shall contain at least one (1) tree and five (5) shrubs for every thirty feet • (30') of linear buffer length and shall contain no paving except that approved by the Planning Board. F,XX , , 0/ • PLANTINGS.LL, 01131192 2:58pm, FF 3. Parking Lot Plantings: In parking lots with a total of four or more spaces there shall be at least one (1) tree for every four parking spaces and one (1) shrub for every parking space. These plantings shall be exclusive of any other required plantings. 4. Deviation from Planting Requirements: The applicant may request a waiver or deviation from the foregoing planting requirements in the following circumstances: (a) The site involves space limitations or unusually shaped parcels, or (b) Topography, soil, vegetation or other site conditions are such that full compliance is impossible or impractical, or °(c) Safety would be impaired, or (d) Other circumstances such .that the Planning Board finds a need to deviate from the planting - requirements set 4forth above provided that such • deviation :complies with the intent of this section. If-.the Planning Board determines that any of the foregoing circumstances pertain, :and if the Planning Board grants a- °deviation -or waiver from the requirements, it shall require the applicant to submit an alternative planting plan that meets the intent of this section of the Zoning Ordinance. 5. Existing Trees: Within 20 feet (20') from the edge of any street or road, no tree with a diameter of five inches (5") or greater at breast height shall be removed unless dictated by deteriorated plant health or safety, except as required by the Planning Board, Town Planner or Parks Manager. 6. Maintenance: All plant materials required by this section shall be maintained in a healthy condition. Dead limbs shall be removed promptly. Dead trees and shrubs shall be replaced with the same or similar plantings at the earliest appropriate season." 2. Article VIII, Section 45, is amended by adding a new subdivision 7 reading as follows: "7. In addition to the landscaping and other requirements set forth above, the lot plantings shall be required for any new building, addition, or change of use within the light industrial zone. The requirements pertaining to said plantings shall be the same as • set forth in Section 39A. No site plan approval shall be granted nor shall any building F) F -M • • • PLANTINGS.LL, 01131192 2.58pm, FF permit be issued until the planting plan is presented to and approved by the Planning Board. Non - conforming residential lots in a light - industrial zone are excepted from these requirements." 3. Article X, Section 50, is amended by adding a new subparagraph to be subparagraph 8 reading as follows. 1. Required 'Plantings: In addition to the landscaping requirements set forth above, lot plantings shall be required for any new building, addition, or change of use of a business in an industrial zone. No site plan shall be approved and no building permit shall be issued until a planting plan is approved by the Planning Board. The requirements related to said plantings shall be the same as set forth in Section 39A pertaining to business zones. Non - conforming residential lots in an industrial zone are excepted from these requirements." Section 2. If . any provision of this law .is found invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such -invalidity . shall notlaffect any other provisi j ons of this local law which shall remain in full force and effect. Section 3. This law =shall. take .effect .immediately. 3