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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2005-02-01FILE DATE TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2005 The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday, February 1, 2005, in Town Hall, 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Rod Howe, Acting Chairperson; George Conneman, Board Member; Tracy Mitrano, Board Member (7:19 p.m.); Larry Thayer, Board Member; Kevin Talty, Board Member; John Barney, Attorney for the Town (7:08 p.m.); Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning; Daniel Walker, Director of Engineering (7:05 p.m.); Mike Smith, Environmental Planner. EXCUSED: Fred Wilcox, Chairperson; Eva Hoffmann, Board Member; Susan Ritter, Assistant Director of Planning; Christine Balestra, Planner. OTHERS: Paul Stearns, 141 Sodom Rd; Jean McPheeters, Chamber of Commerce; Noel Desch, Chamber of Commerce; Diane Kramer, Attorney; Phillip Albrecht, Edner Architectural Associates. OTHER BUSINESS: Chairperson Howe - Welcome to the Planning Board meeting this evening. We first have to just formalize who's going to act as chair tonight. So Carrie or Jon? Mr. Kanter - Because you are probably all aware that both our chair and vice chair were not able to make it to the meeting tonight, so I would say that just by kind of a nod of consensus. Rod has kind of indicated that he'd be willing to run the meeting if that is okay with everybody. So if that's all right. I don't think we need a formal vote, but just a consensus and move ahead. Board Member Thayer - That's fine. Board Member Talty and Board Member Conneman concurred. Chairperson Howe - Sounds like we got our nods so we'll move forward. Chairperson Howe declared the meeting duly opened at 7:03 p.m., and accepted for the record Secretary's Affidavit of Posting and Publication of the Notice of Public Hearings in Town Hall and the Ithaca Journal on January 24, 2005 and January 26, 20051 together with the properties under discussion, as appropriate, upon the Clerks of the City of Ithaca and the Town of Danby, upon the Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning, upon the Tompkins County Commissioner of Public Works, and upon the applicants and /or agents, as appropriate, on January 26, 20058 Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Chairperson Howe read the Fire Exit. Regulations to those assembled, as required by the New York State Department of State, Office of Fire Prevention and Control. AGENDA ITEM: PERSONS TO BE HEARD Chairperson Howe opened this segment of the meeting at 7:03. p.m., and invited members of the public to address the board on an item that was not on the agenda. With no persons present to be heard, Chairperson Howe closed this segment of the meeting at 7:04 p.m. AGENDA ITEM: SEOR Determination: Stearns 2 -Lot Subdivision, 102 Drew Road Chairperson. Howe opened this segment of the meeting at 7:04 p.m. Diane Kramer, Attorney We represent Paul Stearns. Scott Miller is actually listed as the agent; I am an associate in his firm so I am here on his behalf. As you know, there are two parcels, lot a and lot b. Lot b there wasn't the required 40 feet between the side of the house and the end of the boundary line. We are asking for subdivision for an extra 20 feet to be taken from parcel a. Parcel a will still meet the requirements for a low- density zoning and parcel b will then meet the requirements for a low- density residential zoning. That is very basically the whole... Chairperson Howe — And do you know of any environmental considerations? Ms. Kramer — No. This won't.affect, as far as we know, air, water, soils. No affect on any of that. Chairperson Howe Michael, is there anything that you want to add? It's pretty straightforward here. Mr. Smith — Yeah. It looks like a subdivision that was originally proposed back in 1988 when some construction was proposed, but had never been filed or we couldn't find any record that it had been filed. Its just going back to the original line and the dimension on the new plat and the old plat match. Ms. Kramer — Correct. Chairperson Howe — Any questions from board members? Board Member Thayer — Simple two -lot subdivision. Chairperson Howe — You've said that before, but this one I think really is. Mr. Kanter — Be careful. Every time you say that then something more complicated shows up. Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Board Member Talty — I bet that doesn't happen tonight. Chairperson Howe — Well, we can move slowly because the public hearing doesn't start until 10 after. Does someone want to move the motion for the SEQR? Board Member Conneman moved the resolution and Board Member Talty seconded. PB RESOLUTION NO. 2005 -008: SEQR, Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval, Stearns Two -Lot Subdivision, 102 Drew Road, Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1= 34.30 & 28 =1 -34.29 MOTION made by George Conneman, seconded by Kevin Tally. WHEREAS. 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2 -1ot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal is to subdivide off a +/- 20 -foot wide strip from the eastern side of Tax Parcel No. 28 -1 -34.30 to be consolidated with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29. Paul V. Stearns, Owner; Scott A. Miller, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board is legislatively determined to act as Lead Agency in environmental review with respect to Subdivision Approval, and 31 The Planning Board on February 1, 2005, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Part 11 prepared by the Town Planning staff, a survey entitled "Survey Map — No. 102 Drew Road" dated 911412004 and amended 1212812004, prepared by Lee Dresser, L.L.S., and other application materials, and 4. The Town planning staff has: recommended a negative determination of environmental significance with respect to the proposed Subdivision Approval, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby `makes a negative determination of environmental significance in accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act for the above referenced action as proposed and, therefore, neither a Full Environmental Assessment Form, nor an Environmental Impact Statement will be required. The vote on the motion resulted as follows: Planning Board Minutes February 1., 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 AYES: Howe, Conneman, Thayer, Talty. NAYS: None. The vote on the motion was carried unanimously. Chairperson Howe closed this segment of the meeting at 7:05 p.m. He asked if there were any other issues with regard to the project that the board would like to discuss. There were no other issues to be discussed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: PB RESOLUTION NO. 2005 =009: Approval of Minutes — January 4, 2005 MOTION by Larry Thayer, seconded by Kevin Talty. RESOLVED, that the Planning Board does 2005 minutes as the official minutes of the meetings as presented. The vote on the motion resulted as follows: AYES: Howe, Conneman, Thayer, Talty. NAYS: None. hereby approve and adopt the January 4, Town of Ithaca Planning Board for the said The vote on the motion was carried unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS. The board discussed training opportunities that would be coming up for the board in the next few months. Discussion also took place regarding the Monkemeyer property visit. The Board concurred that it would be more beneficial to visit the site once the snow had melted. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 24ot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 =1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal is to subdivide off a +/= 20 -foot wide strip from the eastern side of Tax Parcel No. 28 =1 -34.30 to be consolidated with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29. Paul V. Stearns, Owners Scott A. Miller, Agent. Chairperson Howe opened the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. and invited members of the board to address the board. With no members present wishing to speak, Chairperson Howe closed the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. and brought the matter back to the board. Chairperson Howe — Any further discussion? Planning Board Minutes February 1; 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Board Member Thayer — I guess not. Chairperson Howe — Would someone like to move the preliminary and final subdivision approval? Board Member Talty moved. the resolution and Board Member Conneman seconded. PB RESOLUTION NO. 2005 -010: Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval Stearns Two -Lot Subdivision, 102 Drew Road, Tax Parcel No.'s 284-34.30 & 28 =1 34.29 MOTION made by Kevin Talty, seconded by George Conneman. WHEREAS. 1. This action is consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2 -lot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal is to subdivide off a +/- 20 -foot wide strip from the eastern side of Tax Parcel No. 28 -1 -34.30 to be consolidated with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29, Paul V. Stearns, Owner; Scott A. Miller, Agent, and 2. This is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, acting as lead agency in environmental review with respect to Subdivision Approval, has on February 1, 2005, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Pan` ll prepared by the Town Planning staff, and 3. The Planning Board on February 1, 2005, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a Short Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Part 11 prepared by the Town Planning staff, a survey entitled "Survey Map — No. 102 Drew Road" dated 911412004 and amended 1212812004, prepared by Lee Dresser, L.L.S., and other application materials, and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby waives certain requirements for Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval, as shown on the Preliminary and Final Subdivision Checklists, having determined from the materials presented that such waiver will result in neither a significant alteration of the purpose of subdivision control nor the policies enunciated or implied by the Town Board, and 2. That the Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed two -lot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, as shown on the survey map entitled "Survey Map — No. 102 Drew Road" dated 911412004 and amended 1212812004, prepared by Lee Dresser, L.L.S., subject to the following conditions: a. submission for signing by the Chairman of the Planning Board of an original or mylar copy of the final subdivision plat, and three dark -lined prints, including the name and seal of the registered land surveyor, prior to filing with the Tompkins County Clerk's Office, and submission of a receipt of filing to the Town of Ithaca Planning Department, and be within six months of this. approval, consolidation of the +/- 20 foot wide strip with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29, as shown on the survey map, and submission to the Town of Ithaca Planning Department of a copy of the request to the Tompkins County Assessment Department for the consolidation. The vote on the motion resulted as follows: AYES: Howe, Conneman, Thayer, Tally. NAYS: None. The vote on the motion was carried unanimously. AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Sketch Plan review for the proposed addition and renovations at the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce located at 904 East Shore Drive, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 18 -2 -10, Planned Development Zone No. 5. The proposal includes a two - story, +/- 2,000 square foot addition on the north side of the existing building with new bathrooms, office space, storage, and meeting space. The proposal also includes a request to amend the Planned Development Zone to increase the number of employees from 10 to 20. Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, Owners Jean McPheeters, President, Agent. Chairperson Howe opened this segment of the meeting at 7:13 p.m. Jean McPheeters, Tompkins County. Chamber of Commerce I have given you the comments that I gave Supervisor Valentino and the Town Board in December, but I will sort of just reiterate small points. Basically, we are asking that you change the Special Land Use District Number, 5, which restricts the number of employees we are allowed to have working in the building and we want to increase that from 10 to 20. We don't really anticipate having too many employees at any time in the future, but currently we have 9 fulltime employees and 3 part -time employees and anticipate that we will grow slightly within a few years. And that is just sort of natural growth over the last 15 years, particularly in the case of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Planning Board Minutes February 1; 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 We also want to change the SLUD because we want to build an addition to the building. We are essentially out of room, particularly out bathroom situation is difficult when we have visitors. Our two downstairs toilets are really. ..they only have one facility in each and that is just not sufficient. We also need much more storage space. Our storage space is currently in our mechanical room and we want to separate that so that its much more rational than it currently is. We need far more storage space, mostly for paper goods because the CVB, because of the I Love NY program, travel guides for entire state there. Those have grown in number enormously over the last 15 years. We also really want to make the experience better for our visitors. Our tourism industry here is growing a great deal. You have probably noticed the number of hotels that are increasing in the area and with that comes visitors as well who stop by the Visitor's Bureau. So we really want to make that a much, much better experience for all of our visitors and we would like our staff. to be working in reasonable accommodations. I guess that sort of sums it up. I should say that Noel Desch is on our board and has come to back me up in case you attack me suddenly. I also wanted to say that the scenic byway, which is going to encircle Cayuga Lake, that has gotten final approval and that will certainly bring a lot more visitors to our front door. What the scenic byway means is you have probably all seen State maps with little dots on them for areas. Those little dots attract visitors and we are excited about that, but it. does run right by our front door so we know more people will be stopping by. And we will also see the Cayuga Waterfront Trail expand in the next few years. The first part of the Cass Park is done. The second part over from Inlet Island essentially to the Farmers Market should be built this year and the third part we hope will be built within in the next few years. So I think that gives you a good summation of what we are looking to do. We did give you...my architect should be here. He had planned to be unless something had happened. So he sort of gave you the schematic design for what the building would look like with the addition. I also sent to Jonathan a traffic study that we did a year and a half ago in that summer to see what our traffic was like in terms of parking. Chairperson Howe - And I guess in addition to just general comments on the sketch plan review, Jonathan has suggested that we might want to wait and just give our recommendation on the change to the SLUD the same time that we do the preliminary and final plan review. So they don't need that approval tonight for the SLUD? Mr. Kanter - I had contemplated ... this would be just the sketch plan to introduce the board and have the discussion, ask any questions. Normally what we would recommend is that the zoning recommendation be done at the same time and when the detailed plans were available, which is really a pretty quick turn around then from...) think this is probably a fairly simple enough project so that the Board could consider preliminary and final approval at the same meeting and then condition it on going back to the board with ... if you recommend going ahead with the zoning change, conditioned Planning Board Minutes February 1., 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 on that zoning change and then it would go pretty quickly to the. Town Board for that. So I guess one question to Jean might be when you contemplate having more detailed...? Ms. McPheeters - We could be ready next week or two weeks from now if you'd like. We're completely ready. Mr. Kanter - Its completely up to you. Ms. McPheeters - I'd like to do it as soon as get approval, get this out to bid as soon as we is going to cost in the $300,000 range and we when it comes back at a whole lot more. possible because we would like to, if we possibly can. We are assuming that this have to have the heart wrenching factor Board Member Conneman - You said traffic study. In your letter you said parking study. Ms. McPheeters - Parking study. I'm sorry. I meant a parking study. That's what we have done. Board Member Conneman - Could you tell us something about that parking study? Ms. McPheeters - Yeah, we have ... let me make sure. I know exactly how many parking spaces we have. My recollection is that we have something in the area of 23 parking spaces in the lot. I think that in that parking study we never actually got up to that. So what we did over a six week period at the height of our busiest season, the summer, we just poked our head out the window every two hours and counted how many cars were in the lot and that includes staff cars and the occasional neighbor who parks there or sometimes we also find that it is also a location where people will often drop a car off and they are meeting somebody to go do something and leave it. They sort of think it is I a county parking lot. We never got to that number. The largest number I think we go to was something like about 20 and that generally happens only when we have meetings in our upstairs meeting room. We are planning to enlarge our meting room with this and the largest number the meeting room would hold is 49 people. The good thing about our location is that if we ever really run out of space what I generally ask the staff to do is to go and move cars over to Stewart Park, which is quite nearby. It only takes about 3 minute to walk over so it is not.. and that only happens probably less than once a year when we have some enormous event or some group is in. Board Member Conneman - So you are unlikely to build more parking? That's what was curious about. Ms.. McPheeters - We don't think that we really need it. I can really only in the five years that I have been only really think of two occasions when we have really run out of parking and those have been for what they call fam tours, which is when they bring in Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 people from travel bureaus in the region and we had a big meeting with like a big meeting upstairs and they all drove by themselves. But that's really a rarity. Mr. Kanter — You did mention, Jean, that you were going to have the parking lot layout... lines so you'll actually gain some spaces. Ms. McPheeters - We are going to change the parking lot, yeah. The last time we had it restriped, the guy who did the restriping was pretty clueless and didn't know exactly what he was doing and so we ended up with fewer. Edner Associates will draw a map this time and we hope to get someone who can actually read a map to do the striping. Chairperson Howe — Welcome back, Tracy. Board Member Mitrano — Thank you, uh, Fred. Chairperson Howe — See what happens when you are away. Board Member Mitrano — You've changed. Chairperson Howe — Does that sound like a reasonable approach that we would just wait and do everything as soon as they bring it back? But lets itemize the things that we will be looking for. in that site plan review. Jonathan has indicated some here, the design and appearance of the addition, which we have some details, but we would want, obviously, further details on the materials that will be used on the outside of the building, landscaping, drainage, grading details, a sedimentation and erosion control plan, lighting, etc. Jonathan, does she have a copy of...? Mr. Kanter — We did copy you on it, but I could give you my copy if you didn't get one of the memos that I sent to the board. Ms. McPheeters —1 haven't gotten that. Mr. Kanter — Then you may have mine. Chairperson Howe — Are there other things that we want either ask Jean or just make sure its in the material...it looks like we may have... Ms. McPheeters — We have an architect. Board Member Conneman — Parking lots can be ugly. They can also be very nice. Ms. McPheeters — I think our parking lot is actually very attractive. It's very nicely landscaped from the road. Board Member Conneman — Well, if you refigure it, I would hope you would continue to do that. Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 Ms. McPheeters - Yeah. We will not...some of the spaces right now you could fit a Humvee in and there's really no need for that. Chairperson Howe - How often do you get a bus? You mentioned buses. Ms. McPheeters - Extremely infrequently. Probably three times a summer. Chairperson Howe - And you wouldn't anticipate that to change? I mean are you envisioning more tours coming in to the area? Ms. McPheeters - Most of tourist, the vast majority of our tourists are families traveling. And really the only issue right now is when you get like two cars or two vans of people. The bathroom situation is untenable. Chairperson Howe - Would you like to have your architect point out some of the details architecturally? Ms. McPheeters - We could do that. Do you want to do that, Phil? Phillip Albrecht, Edner Architectural Associates I'm the architect on this job. What they are planning to do... I don't know if you can see it well, but the existing building now is this area right here. The pan area here would be the proposed addition, which is approximately 1,000 square feet of floor area per floor. So two floors, 2,000 square feet. This is occupies the existing parking lot that you guys were just reviewing and the amount of space we attempted to...we would stay well within the existing setback lines. Largely on the first floor we are looking at putting in offices, additional storage space and two bathrooms that can be used by the public. Right now all they have are two single use bathrooms, which will work as the ADA compliant bathrooms. The upper floor will have a large meeting room, just less than 50 people. There will be a second stair that the upper floor did not have. It only had one stair up to it so now they will have a second means of egress from the second floor. There is now, presently, an existing handicap lift. On the second floor right now they have the one large conference room over here that will be turned into several offices. This is the new stair tower entrance into a larger meeting space, storage for that meeting space. And directly behind here is coat racks for people to use in the meeting space.. . Board Member Thayer - You said you already had a handicap lift there? Mr. Albrecht - Yes. The handicap lift is located on the thing that we are looking at doing is presently there upper chamber floor and the stair tower other than t putting another doorway here, they will be able to chamber offices open, upper floor right here. The other is not a separation between the he door into the stair tower. By have access without having the Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Ms. McPheeters - So that on weekends visitors could come and go upstairs and look at the deck without really getting into the Chamber offices. Mr. Albrecht - The point being on this location see the lake. This tower here, the landing will idea is getting to that landing and being abl e feature for tourists coming here. here, on the first floor level you cannot be about 2/3 of the way up. So that the to see the lake. It was an important We will keep within the existing architectural style of the building and keep within the scale. Very likely this is the existing building now with the tower of the stairs and the main gable. This is actually the front entry or the front fagade that creates the same main entry over here. We are putting a second entry over on the opposite side and then bring out another wing about the same scale. This is the reverse side of it. The side. where these large windows are the ones looking out over the lake. We will have windows up in the meeting room that will also have overlook of the lake. This is in the exposed end where we are adding onto.. The main access in here. This door would function pretty much as the side does now where it is entry to the storage area. Do you have any questions? The materials will be pretty much the same as there. Chairperson Howe - If there will be additional landscaping, just make sure that is noted when you come back. I don't know if there will be or not. Mr. Albrecht - I don't know how much ... (not audible). Ms. McPheeters - We probably...) think to match the front of the building we would probably have to do some ewes in front, but that's about it because the major landscaping we have is in front of the center part of the building and so we would'. and there are ewes in front of the tower portion and we would probably just match that on the other side. Most of the landscaping on the property is really between the parking lot and the road and then there are side yards that have mowed lawns and there is a back garden as well, which is really not visible to the public. Mr. Albrecht - Most of the landscaping is actually away from the building.. Ms. McPheeters - Right. There's very nice hedges and stuff. Chairperson Howe - Other issues? Questions? Mr. Kanter - There is a house to the north kind of on the side where the addition will be going. Is there buffering now between that house and the building? Ms. McPheeters - Yeah. There is a hedgerow that is a low bush and most of that is on their property rather than on our property. The State DOT put a drainage ditch down hill Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 side across from us and across East Shore Drive and then through our property a couple of years ago and because of that some trees had to come down because they cut root systems away. That whole remaining hedgerow is still there. Chairperson Howe - Dan, is there anything that you want them to be paying attention to before they come back? Mr. Walker - (not audible) Mr. Kanter - Probably just talk about some basic erosion and sediment control. Mr. Walker - (not audible). I did notice you are changing the entrance configuration of the parking lot. Ms. McPheeters - No. Mr. Albrecht - No. Not to the parking lot nor are we.. we are adding a second entrance to the building. Mr. Walker - But from the parking lot itself... Mr. Albrecht - It remains exactly the same. Ms. McPheeters - I think in some old plans it showed an entrance and an exit to the parking lot, but there is really only a single entrance and exit. Mr. Kanter - I think that what we would probably want is something that more clearly shows what the existing condition is and then... Mr. Albrecht - We will definitely have that. Mr. Walker - Because I think the two curb cuts would be problematic probably with the amount of traffic on East Shore Drive. Chairperson Howe - Anything else? It sounds like an exciting project. Ms. McPheeters - We are very excited about it. So we can get the stuff to you and then apply to get back to this committee next? Mr. Kanter - Yes. Ms. McPheeters - With a final site plan review and then we have to go back to the Town Board. Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 Mr. Kanter — Then this board will hopefully give a positive recommendation on the zoning and that would go back to the Town Board and then finally for that minor modification to the SLUD. Ms. McPheeters — Okay. I'll whip right over and fill out forms. Board Member Thayer — Its looks great, Jean. Mr. Kanter — She'll probably drop it off tomorrow morning knowing Jean. Ms. McPheeters — Thank you so much. Chairperson Howe closed this segment of the meeting at 7:33 p.m. AGENDA ITEM: Presentation of 2004 Planning Department Annual Report Mr. Kanter — I can just give.you a very short overview. Normally, in fact, we've already presented this to the Town Board by the time it comes to this board, but you are lucky this time. You get to see it first just by the way of timing. We tried to layout for you first in summary form and then in quite a bit of detail pretty much what the Planning Department has done over the year and what the priorities of the 2005 appear to be shaping up as. Then we also typically highlight in quite a bit of detail the actual Planning Board actions. So the first full page of the report covers the wide range of actions that have come before the board and even what pending developments may becoming from sketch plans that we have looked at. Then towards the end after the main text of the report, I'll come back and just go over some of it a little bit, but right at the end of the report on page 22 we've got the summary of Town of Ithaca Planning Board actions for 2004, which really gives you all the numbers for the numbers of subdivisions, site plans, sketch plans, site plan modifications, the whole works. Then each and every specific action that the Planning Board actually took by project. So it really gives you a pretty good record. We do these in our monthly reports and those go to the Town Board each month, but I don't think the Planning Board generally sees it until we put it together in this form as the final annual report looking back at the past year. So maybe what I'll do quickly is highlight a couple of things on our summary pages and the memo I put together: Some of what we see coming up this coming year I thought you would be interested in. The Codes and Ordinances Committee has been working on a number of things including a stream setback law that I think this board will be very interested in taking a Took at. I think hopefully in the next few months, we've been working on it for really quite a bit of time over this past year, I'd say in the next few months we will probably have the draft to circulate to the Planning Board, Zoning Board and a number of other committees to take a look at. We also hope to start working on the Coy Glen conservation zone. Yet another one of conservation zones that the Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 Conservation Board did a good bit of work on in the past couple of years and they are about ready to bring that forward now. One of the things that I hope we can start on that I think will be very relevant to this board is an update of the subdivision regulations. It has really been years and years since we have done anything with those. And now that we have our revised zoning ordinance, there are actually parts of the subdivision regulations that are a little bit out of alignment with the new zoning regs, not to mention some pretty old standards and old ways of doing things. So I think we want to take a whole new look at the subdivision regulations. So I would say this board should be pretty involved in that process as it moves forward. So that is probably going to be a pretty long -term effort. I would think that it is not going to be a quick and easy update. Chairperson Howe — Question about complete zoning amendments regarding certain agricultural uses, but wasn't there an issue that some of the way we wrote the new zoning wasn't ... that the agriculture community had some issues and questions and we were looking into that. What's... Mr. Kanter — Yeah, and in particular the New York State Division of Agriculture and Markets had some concerns about possible inconsistencies with the State laws. So John Barney actually drafted up some proposed amendments. We took those to the Codes and Ordinances committee and then referred them on to the Agriculture Committee to start taking a look at. So it should be coming back to the codes committee pretty soon. I think we were hoping to get to that a little bit sooner earlier in the year, but for various reasons there were a lot of other things going on, but we will be getting to that. We may not have everything that the state wanted to see, but I think it will be closer to what they were looking for. . We spent a lot of time working on the transportation plan this year and that is going to be another big work effort in 2005. George is on the Transportation Committee and is pretty familiar with that process. We will probably have another public meeting for the transportation plan, probably in the spring, April or so. We conducted a surrey that you probably remember seeing in the newsletter about a year ago now and collected the results of that survey for the transportation plan. That was pretty interesting and we got a lot of good information. We've completed the background inventory sections of the plan in draft form so now we are moving ahead with kind of an analysis of issues and problems that need to be addressed and then from there we will hopefully come up with a number of alternate strategies and recommendations that can be implemented after the plan has been adopted, hopefully by the end of this year. So again I think that is another one that this board will have a lot of interest in. Hopefully we will be dealing with some things like getting a little bit more into the issue of sidewalks and walkways for instance, bicycle, pedestrian accommodations, some of those kind of things that this board has been very interested in seeing formalized a little bit more. Part of that actually may end up being incorporated into the. subdivision regulation update as well: Possibly new subdivision road standards or providing more Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 flexibility into what could be done depending on the different types of subdivisions that we have. So there.will be a lot of interesting things we'll cover. Chairperson Howe - Just a quick question about the Transportation Committee. Is there still any talk about a new entry way into Cornell off of Pleasant Grove Road? There had been some talk about that. Is that sort of just dissipated? Board Member Conneman — I ask that question regularly and the answer is no. Mr. Kanter — Well, the answer is I think Cornell hasn't committed financially to it. So they never say no, right George? Board Member Conneman — That's true, but in essence say no. Board Member Mitrano — Where would it be considered? Board Member Conneman - Right outside the Village of Cayuga Heights. Just this side of the A parking lot. The idea was to make a new., when we did the north campus initiative; they said they were studying to move in right there as you come into Cayuga Heights. The mayor of Cayuga Heights told me it would be over his dead body. Mr. Kanter — That was a the then mayor now there is a slightly younger... Board Member Conneman — This is the current mayor. Mr. Kanter — I think the former mayor felt the same way. Board Member Conneman — I've asked that question at different times and they always say well they are studying it as a committee. Cornell has got a lot of committees. Mr. Kanter — What the City is doing coming up this year, they will be totally rebuilding the Thurston Avenue bridge, which is the south point of that north campus gateway area and part of what the whole gateway study was about was the approaches to that bridge and how it connects especially for pedestrians into the new north campus residential area. So some of that will actually start happening. The whole bridge project will be done in a way that will be much more oriented for pedestrians and bicyclists and it'll be widened in a way that will really accommodate them much better. What that project won't quite get to is some of those further approaches onto the campus area and that is something that Cornell is going to have to be responsible for. Board Member Conneman — I will concede that Cradit Farm Road does give them an entrance that makes some sense, but it isn't enough. Just as the two -lane bridge there, in my opinion, I don't know what Dan would say, but maxed out in terms of cars going across it. Mr. Kanter - The stormwater management plii Intermunicipal cooperative efforts that are going coming year we will continue on that effort. Pr�� Ordinances at some point either this year or nE ordinance that will have more specific guid department and engineering do public works) instance would approach subdivision and site f, have to be responsible or also probably how t improvements might end up working. We are t into some kind of drainage or stormwater di developer is required to put in a detention b drainage district were set up then the town people in the district, very much like a lighti ongoing maintenance and upkeep of that stor thing that we will probably look at. There are of are finding that they just don't want to take ove them to stay in private ownership which can b they are maintained. I think our leaning right want to take them over but then have some fu have the money to keep them up properly �n, Sue is very involved in some of the on in stormwater management, but this �bably will also be bringing to Codes and ;xt year a draft stormwater management elines for not only how the highway projects, but also how this board for It, Planning Board Minutes February 1, .2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 reviews and what developers would he financing of some of those drainage alking about at this point perhaps getting :strict type of financing so that when a �Iasin and turn it over to the town, if a would have funds contributed by those rig district is done now, to pay for the rwater facility. So that is one way, one er ways as well, but some communities r, those kind of facilities and they require e a little bit more haphazard in the way now is that the town is probably going to r )ding mechanism to make sure that we We are getting really interested in the ar, are going to kick off some formal efforts in tha Tompkins County on a housing needs study, �A their highest priorities after finishing their compro over to the county and he actually is going to be hoping it will be something that will be very targ as well so that we will be able to look at that ar able to help encourage affordable housing. Board Member Conneman - Where are we with Mr. Kanter - They are ... well now that the law ahead with starting to put some of their restrictions for instance have been completed. Then we have already talked a little bit abc zoning board members and perhaps considerat members. They are wide open at this. point, but Board and Zoning Board probably want to have d a of affordable housing so I think was base probably starting with work with ich they said was going to be one of iensive plan. I've talked with Ed Marx tarting that study up pretty soon. I am led for the needs of each municipality I go on to figure out how we might be Overlook? is over, no appeals, they are moving ipliance .paperwork together, deed things like training for planning and of appointment of alternate board ings that the Town Board, Planning ussions about. Just quickly highlighting the development review section on the first page of the actual report. It is always interesting to look back at what this board has done. This year seems to have been busier than a lot of thel late years and the numbers seem to pan out that way. We seem to have a good number of actions, 66 total actions. Whereas in the previous year in the mid 50s. Pending developments that are results of Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY 22, 2005 final approvals, we ended up with 64 potential new residential building lots. Many of which came from those simple two lot subdivisions. Also we had things like the West View Subdivision this year and we had the Holly Creek development, which had 5 single - family lots. Cornell seems to have been pretty busy this year, had a lot of things in front of the board. The Cornell Plant Production Facility, the Arthropod Facility, the Raptor Barn, the East Campus Research Facility. A few other institutional and commercial uses. Cayuga Medical Centers addition, La Tourelle, the Ellis Hollow Senior Apartments, renovations and additions over on East Hill and Overlook with 128 new affordable rental units. Not to mention the ones that haven't gotten approval yet, but we've seen glimpses of. We've got the Conifer Senior Apartment coming in probably at the next meeting for review. That will be 72 units of senior rental apartments. Chairperson Howe — Were they able to do that balloon test? Mr. Kanter — They did. It actually went pretty well. It ended up, they were really lucky. They ended up with a pocket there of clearing up. The snow stopped. It actually cleared up pretty well. They got some pretty good photos actually and so you will be seeing those. Board Member Conneman — I know someone on the Conservation Board who showed me the pictures and the pictures look as if you wouldn't see it from very many places. Mr. Kanter I think that is pretty much the bottom line. Then they also did some simulations of the building superimposed with balloon heights there. It was very easy for them to show where the roof lines were going to be and how they would end up. So it is going to be pretty interesting. Sky Gardens. Who knows what is going to happen with that. The Remington Inn and Restaurant, we are not even sure what is happening with that. We haven't heard from them in quite a while, but that's the kind of thing that could all of a sudden be right back in. So that is just sort of a glimpse of it all. We try to put kind of a taste of everything we've done in here and this kind of gives you a range of various things. Board Member Thayer — Its impressive. Super job. You have a super crew. Board Member Conneman — There was an editorial on January 28th in the Ithaca Journal about Burger King and East Hill. In my opinion, you read this and you say to yourself, this Planning Board made that project better. We really did. You read this and you have to feel pretty good about the whole issue of how we worked with the developer and Bill Seldin to make it a better proposal. Maybe some people who complain about it, they don't realize the issue of how large the sign was and the red strip instead of a red light around the top and a whole bunch of other things. I give the Ithaca Journal credit for saying nice things about the Planning Board. It was a good editorial. That's what a Planning Board Minutes February 1, 2005 APPROVED FEBRUARY22, 2005 planning board does in my opinion. It makes a project better, if it doesn't reject it out of hand, it makes it better. Chairperson Howe - Jon, did you have anything else? Mr. Kanter — If anyone has any questions... Board Member Conneman — Without the staff we couldn't do it. Board Member Mitrano — Absolutely. OTHER BUSINESS. The board discussed another editorial regarding lights at discussed was the upcoming Planning Board meeting for determined that the meeting might have to be moved because Kanter informed the board that Mr. Drake had submitted a timeframe to work under the old zoning to the Town. The addressing the issue on February 7th at their Town Board meeti AGENDA ITEM: ADJOURNMENT East Hill Plaza, Also February 15th. It was of a lack of quorum. Mr. request to extend the Town Board would be ng. Upon MOTION, Chairperson Howe declared the February 1, 2005 meeting of the Town of Ithaca Planning Board duly adjourned at 8:08 p.m. Respectfully jbmittep,, ' Carrie Coates W itmore, Deputy Town Clerk TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Tuesday., . February 1, 2005 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. Persons to be heard (no more than five minutes). 7:05 P.M. SEQR Determination: Stearns 2 -Lot Subdivision, 102 Drew Road 7:10 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2 -lot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal is to subdivide off a +/- 20 -foot wide strip from the eastern side of Tax Parcel No. 28 -1 -34.30 to be consolidated with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29. Paul V. Stearns, Owner; Scott A. Miller, Agent. 7:15 P.M. Consideration of a Sketch Plan review for the proposed addition and renovations at the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce located at 904 East Shore Drive, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 18-2 - 10, Planned Development Zone No. 5. The proposal includes a two -story, +/- 2,000 square foot addition on the north side of the existing building with new bathrooms, office space, storage, and meeting space. The proposal also includes a request to amend the Planned Development Zone to increase the number of employees from 10 to 20. Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, Owner; Jean McPheeters, President, Agent. 5. Presentation of 2004 Planning Department Annual Report (tentative). 6. Persons to be heard (continued from beginning of meeting if necessary). 71 Approval of Minutes: January 4, 2005, 8. Other Business: Discussion regarding a site visit to the Ithaca Estates proposed park area. 9. Adjournment. Jonathan Kanter, AICP Director of Planning 273 -1747 NOTE: IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING BOARD IS UNABLE TO ATTEND, PLEASE NOTIFY SANDY POLCE AT 273 -17470 (A quorum of four (4) members is necessary to conduct Planning Board business.) ✓V IN Ur I1 riA(_;A -PLANNING BOA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS Tuesday, February 1 2005 By direction of the Chairperson of the Planning Board, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Public Hearings will be held by the Planning Board of the Town of Ithaca on Tuesday, February 1, 2005, at 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, N.Y., at the following times and on the following matters: 7:10 P.M. Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed 2 -lot subdivision located at 102 Drew Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No.'s 28 -1 -34.29 and 28 -1- 34.30, Low Density Residential Zone. The proposal is to subdivide off a +/- 20 -foot wide strip from the eastern side of Tax Parcel No. 28 -1 -34.30 to be consolidated with Tax Parcel No. 28 -1- 34.29. Paul V. Stearns, Owner; Scott A. Miller, Agent. Said Planning Board will at said times and said place hear all persons in support of such matters or objections thereto. Persons may appear by agent or in person. Individuals with visual impairments, hearing impairments or other special needs, will be provided with assistance as necessary, upon request. Persons desiring assistance must make such a request not less than 48 hours prior to the time of the public hearings. Jonathan Kanter, AICP Director of Planning 273 -1747 Dated: Monday, January 24, 2005 Publish: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 ,. �r TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD SIGN -IN SHEET DATE: February 1, 2005 (PLEASE PRINT TO ENSURE ACCURACY IN OFFICIAL MINUTES) PLEASE PRINT NAME PLEASE PRINT ADDRESS /AFFILIATION �c tiuu e goy TOWN OF ITHACA AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING AND PUBLICATION I, Sandra Polce being duly sworn, depose and say that I am a Senior Typist for the Town of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York; that the following Notice has been duly posted on the sign board of the Town of Ithaca and that said Notice has been duly published in the local newspaper, The Ithaca Journal. Notice of Public Hearings to be held by the Town of Ithaca Planning Board in the Town of Ithaca Town Hall, 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, on Tuesday, February 1, 2005 commencing at 7:00 P.M., as per attached. Location of Sign Board used for Posting: Town Clerk Sign Board — 215 North Tio a Street. Date of Posting: Date of Publication: January 24, 2005 January 26, 2005 tea, Qo -ecR� Sandra Polce, Senior Typist Town of Ithaca. STATE OF NEW YORK) SS: COUNTY OF TOMPKINS) Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th day of January 2005. Notary Public CONNIE F. CLARK Notary Public, State of New York No. 01 CL6052878 Qualified in Tompkins County Commission Expires December 26, 20 �� t.