HomeMy WebLinkAboutPB Minutes 2005-03-01FILE �� tD13-
MIZI s !�
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2005
The Town of Ithaca Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday, March 1, 2005,
in Town Hall, 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Fred Wilcox, Chairperson; Tracy Mitrano, Board Member; Larry Thayer,
Board Member; Rod Howe, Board Member; Kevin Talty, Board Member (7:41 p.m.);
John Barney, Attorney for the Town (7:15 p.m.); Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning;
Daniel Walker, Director of Engineering (7:22 p.m.); Mike Smith, Environmental Planner;
Christine Balestra, Planner,
EXCUSED: Eva Hoffmann, Board Member; George Conneman, Board Member; Susan
Ritter, Assistant Director of Planning.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Wilcox declared the meeting duly opened at 7:08 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 February 21, 2005 and February. 23,
2005, 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 February 23, 2005,
Chairperson Wilcox read the Fire Exit Regulations to those assembled, as required by
the New York State Department of State, Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Persons to be heard
Mr. Wilcox asked if there were members of the audience who wished to address the
Planning Board. There was. no one present wishing to address the Board.
Agenda Item No. 2 — Public Hearing for Consideration of Final Subdivision
Approval and Final Site Plan Approval for the Proposed Country Inn and Suites
Hotel located at the southwest corner of West King Road and Danbv Road (NYS
Route 96B) portion of Town of Ithaca tax parcel #37. -1 -17.1 business district c.
Mr. Wilcox — Proposal involves sut
plus or minus 4.76 -acre parcel
intersection. The proposal also
landscaping and lighting. David
Bramhandkar applicant and Peter
a presentation tonight?
)dividing off a plus or minus 2.68 -acre parcel from the
for the construction of a 58 -room hotel at the
includes 61 parking spaces, sidewalks, signage,
Auble, owner. Trowbridge and Wolfe, LLP for J.
J. Trowbridge is the agent. Peter, you wish to make
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Trowbridge — I'm Peter Trowbridge, landscape architect here in the Town of Ithaca,
1345 Mecklenburg Road.
A couple weeks ago we submitted a packet of materials that completed all of the
requests that were made as a part of the resolution at preliminary review where we also
went through determination of environmental significance and I thought I'd just very
quickly go through the lists. There are 13 items, and let you know what the status of
each of them are. I can tell you in advance that we have fulfilled, submitted, all the
materials that were requested in those 13 items in the original resolution.
The subdivision of the tax parcel has been resurveyed by T.G. Miller's and has been
provided for the chairperson's signature and is also a part of the public record this
evening. As of today, an easement and maintenance agreement has been delivered to
John Barney's office from the potential builder's attorney. As you know that oftentimes
takes several weeks or a couple of months to sort of move through the attorney's office,
but it is in John's possession as of today. We have included all of our preliminary
correspondence, reviews and permits with DOT and as you know there is a shared curb
cut on Danby Road for this hotel and any future retail development that would occur to
the south and everything that we've received from DOT today suggests that they should
not have a problem ultimately issuing the work permit for this project. Also, T.G. Miller's
has provided the storm water pollution prevention plan for the project and we've also
referenced the notice of intent to NYS DEC that this is also shared with the Holly Creek
subdivision project to the west. Other final permits for DEC and DOT will be issued
prior to a building permit. Typically all of those permits for DOT / DEC can only be
issued at such time when there's a complete set of construction documents. And so,
that caveat would stand, but it's certainly our intention to receive those permits prior to
going to the building department. We have revised the topographic and boundary
survey, as I said, T.G. Miller's has updated that for us. They actually went out and
resurveyed the site from scratch and have provided that for subdivision as required.
Also, in terms of the signs; we have as a part of this document, the L103 plan, the
landscape plan, all of the locations and the descriptions of sign and illumination occur
on L103, however, there are some other additional graphic samples that are provided
that represent the exit sign, which having talked to staff, is no longer illuminated, the
ground based entrance sign which has been fully moved as well as all the associated
landscape within the hotel parcel and I believe that is it. All the square footages that
have been provided for the various signs were provided by one of the 5 vendors in the
US that fabricate the signs for various Country Inn and Suites. There is an agreement
in your packet, as well, regarding the storm drainage system because as you know one
of the water quality basins or the water quality basins on the Holly Creek subdivision
serve as the basins for this project so that construction would not be able to proceed
unless those were in place. Dave Auble has agreed with that, there's a letter to that
affect in your packet. Because of issues of sidewalk locations we don't really know
where sidewalks should link up, either to the retail parcel to the south or to the Holly
Creek subdivision to the west. It's the discretion of the Director of Planning to assist in
the relocation of those at such time that we actually know where they're going. So while
we show them on the plan as a part of the site plan approval they're. shown really as
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
intended locations and will be adjusted at such time when we know where the other
adjoining development builds their sidewalks. We have provided building elevations
and colors and Jagat Sharma, the architect whose here this evening also brought along
some material samples because sometimes the actual colors that you see in a render
plan that gets run through a color Xerox machine can be different from the real
materials so we brought a color sample. However, I know staff likes to have a colored
elevation that they can put in a file, they can't necessarily put material boards in a file.
We have revised the L103 landscape plan as per the Board's recommendation
providing both shrubs and perennials between the parking lot almost continuously
between the parking lot and Danby Road along with canopy trees. So there is not only
a topographic difference between Danby Road where the cars sit lower than the street,
but additional planting would assist in buffering those: We did get a full set of
engineering plans as developed to -date by T.G. Miller, they're in your packet. And the
very last point `is that we did move the entrance onto West King Road as far as
practicable on the current set of drawings. So I think that addresses all of the
outstanding issues that were brought up as a part of the resolution that the Board
provided at the preliminary meeting.
Mr. Wilcox — Comments? Could I have a brief presentation on the colors?
Mr. Sharma — The color scheme of the two - story ... inaudible... basically are presented in
the color drawings that you have. Starting from the roof we have architectural (esport
shingles ? ?) shingles in a green, oxford green color. Most of these colors are appointed
by the Country Inn, they do have one or two packages, you can have a green metal roof
or a green shingled roof, and I think for the location probably is a better thing to have a
green shingled roof. And you can see it's a highly rich color and probably the most
expensive shingled roof because of the green color. Coming down on the main wall
surface we two color. The main color of the body of the building will remain a white, it is
(ifers ? ?) color and the rectification on the corner will be prairie clay and again we have
approved contrast and the resitication also has some...( ? ? ?)
The other material that goes we'll be using white windows with clear glass and there will
be a white grill under the window which is basically a decorative grill in the suites and it
height a ptack unit ( ? ? ? ?) into the rooms which are, you know, still a few of them there.
On both sides of the windows we'll color metal grilles, whatever, and they're in the
classic burgundy color. Also the other trim will be white, the fascia and the downspouts.
and painted woodwork around the entrance area. These are basically the main colors
for the building.
Mr. Wilcox — Mike, comments?
Mr. Smith — Not really. You have the new landscaping and signage plan there that
addresses the one item that I mentioned in the memo.
Mr. Wilcox — In regard to the two sings?
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Smith — Yes. The one sign, directional signs aren't permitted to be lit in anyway and
then the large sign by the entrance drive was originally proposed on the adjacent
property and the sign law doesn't allow any off premise signs. They moved that over
onto the property now.
Mr. Kanter — Do we know what the dimensions of the freestanding sign are? I don't
know if I saw it labeled.
Mr. Smith — 24.8 square feet.
Mr. Barney — Is that within the sign law?
Mr. Smith — Yes. I believe it's 50 square feet.
Mr. Wilcox — Jon Kanter, one of the proposed conditions grants the Director of Planning
authority to permit minor modification of the sidewalk locations. Are you comfortable
with that?
Mr. Kanter — Yes. If it was anything more than minor I think I would bring it back to the
board.
Mr. Wilcox — Do we know what minor is?
Mr. Kanter — I assume it's really more a matter of making sure that it connects from one
property to the other rather than relocating them.
Mr. Wilcox — It's 7:24. Ladies and gentlemen this is a public hearing if you wish to
address the Planning Board this evening on this particular agenda item. Most of you
know the routine. Please step up to the microphone, give us your name and address,
and we would be very interested to hear what you have to say.
Tony Ingrahm, 368 Stone Quarry Road, Ithaca, NY
About 1,00 feet from the site. I have just have two concerns. I'd just like to make sure,
hope the Planning Board addresses them. The first one has to do with lighting. There's
a history of light pollution in that neighborhood. Right now I can still see the stars over
my house, but I'm concerned that with all of the commercial development that will be
happening in the area that that might be history at some point and that's a concern
around the nation as people haven't been able to see the sky at night. With Big Al's
new, now Manly's, gas station. He put up big flood lights that just really lit up the whole
neighborhood and the sky quite a lot. I know that got a lot of neighbors upset. I think
Town officials probably heard about that.
Mr. Wilcox — And this Board as well
Mr. Ingrahm — That's also a concern with the park too, because the park is nearby. It
makes it extra important that light pollution is controlled there. I've looked just cursorily
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
` APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
looked over some of the lamp designs, I'm not an engineer, I'm not qualified to sign off
on those as a citizens, but I hope that you will really take a hard look at that and make
sure we don't have buildings, something, that's going to project a lot of light into the
neighborhood and into the sky. I have a friend who travels quite a lot and stays at a lot
of hotels, including Country Inns and Suites, and he has seen a Country Inn and Suites,
at least one, that used flood lighting for their entrance sign and for their building itself
and just projected all this light up onto the sign, which created a tremendous amount of
light pollution. So, I don't know what light number 1 is going to look like, I don't know
whether that is projected on the sign or not, the property sign at the main entrance, but
that one might be a concern. And I don't know if there is going to be any flood lighting
of the building. It doesn't look like it from what I see in these diagrams, but I don't know.
My second concern has been raised by other, is during the construction phase
construction trucks on the neighborhood roads, particularly West King Road. I live
pretty close to the uphill end of Stone Quarry Road and I live next to the park and I walk
in the park a lot. When people run their trucks or other loud vehicles on West King
Road it blasts into the park. It takes a whole several hundred yards into the park in
either direction and puts sound pollution into the park. Not to mention in the
neighborhood, too.. It gets pretty noisy when there are trucks and the like. So I would
like to ask you to take special concern about that. And I would urge you to require that
gravel trucks and whatever choose other roads. Those are not safe roads for trucks.
Stone Quarry Road is a dangerous road and West King Road as it goes through the
park is an exceedingly dangerous road and I've seen vehicles go down sideways
coming down West King Road into the park. And they've taken out parks signs and
things. If there is a way you can write into the contract that trucking contractors will use
other safer roads not around the park that would be my preference.
Christiann Dean, 330 West King Road, Ithaca, NY
The eastern edge of my farm is .7 of a mile from the proposed hotel. site. You've heard
my broader concerns. Mr. Wilcox you publicly have expressed your own, the trouble
that you've. had inside yourself. approving this because of the impact on the
neighborhood. And I know that Mr. Conneman has also publicly expressed that,
apparently he's not here this evening, but he felt so strongly about that particular issue,
the impact on the neighborhood, that he came as a private citizen to the Zoning Board
of Appeals and spoke against this and urged them not to approve it. I know less about
what the rest of you think about this. So let's talk about the neighborhood and the
impact on the neighborhood. Clearly this is going to have a seriously detrimental effect
on the neighborhood should you choose to approve it this evening. It would be a very
small gesture to the neighborhood, if you were to approve this, for you to ask Mr.
Barney to put into this resolution a requirement that the developer require not only
construction trucks during the construction phase of this and his surrounding
developments, but also maintenance trucks and delivery trucks to not use West King
Road or Stone Quarry Road. This is within your hands, this is doable, this is something
you could do this evening. I think it's unconscionable of you not to at least, in this very
least, put that into this if you approve it. As I walked in here this evening I said to Mr.
Auble, you look like you're gloating. He misheard what I said and said, glowing yes I'm
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
happy to have somebody help me pay my taxes. Well I can tell you that I came in here
on January 31St and had to pay thousands of dollars of taxes to the clerks that were
sitting right here where you're sitting right now. Knowing that money was going to go to
partly enable the Town to pay Mr. Barney to draw up these resolutions, to pay Mr.
Kanter for his work on this, basically I'm handing over money and it takes a long time at
the price of red raspberries to earn thousands of dollars to turn over to the Town of
Ithaca and that's what I had to do. So I am not glowing or gloating. I am very
concerned. And this is the time of year when normally we would be sending off our
orders to the seed companies. Normally we would be pruning our fruit trees. Normally
we would be fixing our fences. We're not doing any of that pending the outcome of this
evening's meeting. If you the wisdom to vote no on this then we would go home and do
all of that. If you vote yes on this, there's not point in us farming any more.
have one clarifying question to ask. It's a clarifying question regarding the curb cut on
West King Road. I couldn't hear what was said there, that it's been moved and I'd like
to know which direction it's been moved and for what reason.
Mr. Wilcox — Okay, I'll ask them to restate that when they come back.
Ms. Dean — Thank you.
Mr. Wilcox — Let's try to deal with these in some order. Mike, any comments on the
lighting over and above what you've already written?
Mr. Smith — The site lighting has the cutoff, so it's the type that we usually look for. And
the signs either have back lit or internal illumination.
Mr. Wilcox — Do we want to talk about how, no we won't talk about Big Als.
Ms. Mitrano — There is nothing that can be done about that at this stage?
Mr. Barney — We fixed the loophole that they used, I think, in the Zoning Ordinance,
Mr. Wilcox — Do you know the story of Big AI's?
Mr. Ingraham — I don't know all of it.
Mr. Wilcox — Real briefly, the materials that we approved showed recessed lighting in
the canopies over the pumps, which is really one of the most obnoxious things about
that site when it was originally built. There was loophole, as Mr. Barney called it, in our
Zoning Ordinance at that time which allowed the applicant to make changes if they cost
less than a certain amount. It turns out Mickey got a hold of a used set of canopies
which had the drop down lighting, clearly not what we approved, and as soon as that
happened we actually changed our zoning ordinance very quickly so that no changes
were allowed to the approved plan for a while until we got some final language. That
was unfortunate and it's a little bit better now with the shrouds around it, but I agree that
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
it's not good, it's not what we intended, but Mickey was able to use a loop hold. I don't
apologize for it, but I don't want it to happen again. Thank you.
Do you want to do the curb cut right now, Peter, because that came from discussions
with staff?
Mr. Trowbridge — The curb cut moved as far west as possible on West King Road. It
really came up as a staff suggestion for safety reasons so that there would be exiting
from the site and there is a sign at the exit that requires that people make a right hand
turn only going out to Danby Road so they can't make a left hand turn, not legally in any
case, going left down West King. The intent was to have enough stacking between the
traffic light and the exit lane so we could get two or three cars stacking. Initially it was
close to the intersection in what was thought to be a not really safe location. We moved
it as far west as we could practically. There are some grade issues. The fire chief
requires that we have 1 -% or less gradient on any of these roadways and if you move
down the hill the entry actually starts to get steeper so it was a combination of distance
from the intersection and topography and also property boundaries that set the current
curb cut in its location.
Mr. Wilcox — Would you estimate how far west you're able to move it?
Mr. Trowbridge — Well we moved it several times over the last year. This is probably
the third time. This last time it really was very incremental. We had already done that.
I think the staff was just saying make sure it's as far west as you can, and I think this
time around it was quite incremental, just a few feet.
Mr. Wilcox — Let's talk about construction traffic. Everybody's nodding their head that
we should talk about it and then do something about it. And we've done. this before with
regard to asking, requiring, that routing of larger trucks, heavier truck stay on certain
roads, or stay off certain roads.
Mr. Thayer — I think we can do that with construction vehicles, but it's going to be a little
hard with delivery vehicles. That's going to be tougher.
Mr. Wilcox — We generally agree that we want to try to keep the...
Mr. Thayer — Yes, if we could add that to the resolution.
Mr. Wilcox — Mr. Barney?
Mr. Barney — Let me make sure it's all right with... Do you have a problem with it?
Mr. Trowbridge — Well it seems that there already are limitations on certain roads
relative to weights for various trucks.
Mr. Barney — This would be above and beyond...
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Trowbridge — I understand that. So there's certain routing. The only concern that I
haven't thought fully through is where certain materials are coming from and if, for
instance, there was sand and gravel coming in from some location. That's the only
concern I would have. I wouldn't to move the traffic out into somebody else's
neighborhood to sort of keep it coming directly to the sight. And again I'm trying to
imagine where certain materials like gravel might be coming from to this site.
Ms. Mitrano — What are the weight- approved roads? Would it be certainly anything
that's coming from 96B South and then anything that's coming from 96 North that takes
Clinton Street up, rather than Sand Bank or Stone Quarry?
Mr. Wilcox — Clearly it tends to keep the traffic on the State highways as much as we
can.
Ms. Mitrano — Is Clinton the one that is approved for the heavier vehicles?
Mr. Walker — Isn't it Aurora Street?
Ms. Mitrano — But how are people getting on Aurora Street if they're coming from the
north?
Mr. Walker — They might come down Clinton.
Ms. Mitrano — I don't know any other way. Those are the three ways.
Mr. Wilcox — Clinton is 96B coming through.
Mr. Barney — I would like to hear the developer agree that this is acceptable for them.
Mr. Trowbridge — I think for the heaviest vehicles, if someone was moving, which in this
case would be either moving on or off site either spoils from the property or asphalt
granular material. Most of the other deliveries I sure will be coming off 96B and I
wouldn't want to exclude all truck traffic because there's going to be contractors pick up
trucks. It would be very difficult to exclude that. I would expect that large bulk deliveries
to the site that make sense. In fact it's a pretty steep road. I'm not sure people would
automatically choose those routes coming up from Route 13 to the site.
Mr. Barney — My concern, Peter, for us to police it is very difficult. We have.a situation
here where obviously to be allowed to construct this is going to have an impact on the
neighborhood and I would hope that the developer could perhaps see a way clear to
say in order to alleviate at least this impact on the neighborhood that they will voluntarily
basically agree to have a condition put in our approval that says that we will keep
delivery trucks and any kind of construction truck traffic we will do everything that we
can to keep it off of Stone Quarry Road and West King Road.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Trowbridge — I think the general contractor whoever is responsible during initial job
meetings when we set up those initial meetings we would have to make that very clear.
Again it is a policing issue, I think that in the end it is probably going to be the general
contractor on a day -to -day basis.
Mr. Barney — But you control the general contractor, we don't. The issue is whether you
will consent to use putting in a provision in the approval if, in order to get the approval...
Mr. Trowbridge — I think it's a very reasonable thing, John, to say that that would occur
and all we can do is at weekly job meetings is to reinforce that as a condition.
Mr. Barney — Well, you can build it in your contracts to.
Mr. Trowbridge — No, it's exactly right. That's what we would say in our specifications in
our construction documents. In fact often times we give as a part of the documents
truck routing to a site and that would get provided. So, I'm sure we're more than happy
to make that both graphically and a part of the specification which is a legal document
between the owner and the...
Mr. Barney — From our standpoint, we would like it in here as a condition. And I want to
make sure that you're going to consent to that condition being put it. I .
Mr. Trowbridge — As a resolution. Then we need to move it from that to the construction
documents.
Mr. Barney — We leave it to you to implement it. If you don't implement it then obviously
we step in.
Mr. Trowbridge — No, I think it's a reasonable condition.
Mr. Barney — Okay. Then I would add "and subject to the further condition consented to
by the applicant that during the course of any construction truck and other construction
vehicles use roads other than West King Road and Stone Quarry Road in traveling to
and from the site
Kevin Talty arrives
Mr. Wilcox — Would anybody else like to address the Board on this particular agenda
item? There being no one I will close the public hearing at 7:43 and bring the matter
back to the Board.
Kevin, questions from you?
Mr. Talty — No, Rod just brought me up to speed on what you guys were discussion
don't have an issue, I read the correspondence that was provided.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Wilcox — Let me make one other comment to Christiann Dean just so that you're
aware. The purpose of the Planning Board's review this evening is to make a
determination as to whether the applicant has met the conditions that were included
when the preliminary approval was given. That is the purpose of the Board this
evening. This is not, if you will, a second review, or another review of the same
application, but very narrowly it is has the applicant sufficiently met the conditions
opposed as part of the preliminary approval. And that is what this board is being asked
to consider this evening. Without new information, without somebody coming forward
and pointing out mis- statements on the part of the applicant, it is difficult for this board to
change the decision we made as part of preliminary approval unless we have
something like that, that would cause us to rethink our original decision. So having said
that, back to the Board.
We're all set over here? Okay. Would someone like to move the draft resolution as
proposed?
Mr. Thayer — I will.
Mr. Wilcox — So moved by Larry Thayer. Seconded?
Mr. Talty — Seconded.
Mr. Wilcox - Seconded by Kevin Talty. You heard the proposed addition? You're
happy with that? Kevin, did you hear the language? You're okay with that?
Mr. Talty — Yes.
Mr. Wilcox — Okay. John, do me a favor would your read it one more time for my
benefit.
Mr. Barney — Just at the end adding after all of the conditions a further statement< "and
subject to the further condition, consented to by the applicant, that during the course of
any construction trucks and other construction vehicles use roads other than West King
Road and Stone Quarry Road in traveling to and from the site".
Mr. Wilcox — Condition e, Mike, can we strike that one?
Mr. Smith — You probably can strike it if we include the reference to the new map
someplace in there.
Mr. Wilcox — You're right, we'd have to go b
E has to do with the signage and we do
revised position of the sign. Anything else?
signal by saying aye. All those opposed?
passed 5 to nothing. Thank you very much,
ack through and, okay so let's leave it there.
have a revised L103, which indicates the
There being none all those in favor please
There are no abstentions. The motion is
,.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
PB RESOLUTION NO. 2005 -016: Final Site Plan Approval and Final Subdivision
Approval, Country Inn & Suites Hotel, Danby Road & West Kim Road
Intersection, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 37 -1 -17.1
MOTION made by Larry Thayer, seconded by Kevin Talty.
WHEREAS.
1. This project involves consideration of Final Subdivision and Final Site Plan
Approval for the proposed Country Inn & Suites Hotel located at the southwest
corner of West King Road and Danby Road (NYS Route 96B), portion of Town of
Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 37447.1, Business District "C ". The proposal involves
subdividing off a +/- 2.68 -acre parcel from the +/- 4.76 -acre parcel for the
construction of a 58 -room hotel at the intersection. The proposal also includes
61 parking spaces, sidewalks, signage, landscaping, and lighting. David Auble,
Owner; Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP for Jay Bramhandkar, Applicant, Peter J.
Trowbridge, Agent, and
2. This is a Type I action for which the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, acting as
Lead Agency in environmental review with respect to site plan approval,
subdivision approval, and special approval, did on November 2, 2004 make a
negative determination of environmental significance; and
3. The Planning Board, on November 2, 2004, did grant preliminary site. plan
approval, preliminary subdivision approval, and issued an a positive
recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals regarding the special approval
for the proposed project, and
4. The Zoning Board of Appeals, on January 24, 2005, did grant the special
approval for the proposed project; and
5. The Planning Board, at a Public Hearing held on March 1, 2005, has reviewed
and accepted as adequate, a packet of drawings and details titled "Country Inn
and Suites Hotel' (Final Site Plan Review), dated February 14, 2005, prepared
by Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP, Jagat P. Sharma, Architect, T.G. Miller P.C., A.D
Dixon and Company, and SRF Associates, and other material, and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED.
1. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby waives certain requirements for
Final Subdivision Approval, as shown on the Final Subdivision Checklist, having
determined from the materials presented that such waiver will result in neither a
significant alteration of the purpose of site plan control nor the policies
enunciated or implied by the Town Board, and
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
2. That the Planning Board hereby grants Final Subdivision Approval for the
proposed subdivision of a portion of Tax Parcel No. 37 -1 =17.1, totaling +/- 4.76
acres along Danby Road, into two parcels of +/- 2.68 acres and +/- 2.08 acres,
as shown on the plat entitled "Final Subdivision Plat Showing Lands of David C.
Ruble," dated 218 12005, prepared by Allen T. Fulkerson, L. S., conditioned upon
the following:
a. submission of a receipt of filing the subdivision plat to the Town of Ithaca
Planning Department;
b. submission of an easement and maintenance agreement for the shared
driveway from Danby Road (NYS Route 96B) for review and approval of
the Attorney for the Town, prior to the issuance of a building permit;
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
1. That the Planning Board hereby grants Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed
Country Inn & Suites Hotel as shown on the plans included in the packet titled
"Country Inn. and Suites Hotel" _(Final Site Plan Review), dated February 14,
2005, prepared by Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP, Jagat P. Sharma, Architect, T. G.
Miller P.C., A.D Dixon and Company, and SRF Associates, and other material,
conditioned upon the following:
a. submission of record of application for and approval status of all
necessary permits from county, state, and /or federal agencies, including
but not limited to the driveway approval and other road work from
NYSDOT;
b. revision of plans to include the name and seal of the registered land
surveyor or engineer who prepared the topographic survey, and the date
of the survey, prior to the issuance of a building permit;
C. completion of the approved stormwater drainage system. (swales,
detention ponds, etc.) on the adjacent Holly Creek site to the satisfaction
of the Director of Engineering, prior to any site work or the issuance of any
building permit for the Country Inn & Suites Hotel,
d. construction of the two sidewalks which will connect to the Holly Creek
pedestrian trail and to the neighborhood retail development site to the
south shall be constructed when those developments occur, and that the
Director of Planning is granted the authority to permit minor modifications
of the location of these sidewalks to correspond with the adjacent
developments;
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
e. submission of revised plans and details referencing changes to, the exit
sign (no illumination) and the freestanding sign (located on hotel property),
prior to issuance of a building permit;
f. submission of one original set of the final site plan drawings on mylar,
vellum, or paper, signed and sealed by the registered land surveyor,
engineer, architect, or landscape architect who prepared the site plan
material, prior to the issuance of a building permit;
AND SUBJECT TO THE FURTHER CONDITION, CONSENTED TO BY THE
APPLICANT, THAT during the course of any construction, trucks and other construction
vehicles use roads other than West King Road and Stone Quarry Road in traveling to
and from the site.
The vote on the motion resulted as follows:
AYES: Wilcox, Mitrano, Thayer, Howe, Talty.
NAYS: None.
The vote on the motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. Thayer — I'm just asking if on Stone Quarry there could be a not truck sign put up.
Mr. Walker — I don't think we have any weight limits on that road.
Mr. Thayer — Basically 96B says no truck, on the hill, right?
Mr. Walker — No, there's a truck and they're supposed to check they're supposed to
check their bakes, that's where they're supposed to pull at Sam Peter's. But it is a State
Road.
Mr. Kanter — I think they try to divert trucks tc
Spencer, but it's a State road and a truck route.
Road are Town roads and I suppose if there
decide to place truck weight limits on those road,
the extent they can onto 96 through
But Stone Quarry Road and West King
were reasons the Town Board could
Mr. Howe — We started the discussion, but didn't finish it. It would be beyond the
purview of this Board to talk about where service vehicles go once it's built, right?
Mr. Wilcox — It's a tougher one to control, I think.
Mr. Barney — The main thing you're concerned about is construction traffic particularly
where you're moving fill and that sort of stuff. The fact that some delivery truck comes
through every two days is not going to be that much of an impact on the neighborhood.
Mr. Howe — I was just curious if you could even go there or not.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Barney - With the consent of the applicant you can do a lot of things.
Agenda
Item No. 2 - Consideration of a sketch plan
review
of four proposed
Cornell
University projects collectively under one
sketch
plan submission
including
a contractor staging / parking area and three
parking
lots.
Mr. Wilcox — The contractor staging / parking area is located on Palm Road, tax parcel
number 64. -1 -1 planned development zone number 9 and will be regarded to become a
centralized area for long -term contractor use. The existing gravel Rice Hall parking lot
located on Tower Road, tax parcel number 67. -1 -13.2, low density residential zone, and
the existing gravel large animal research testing unit parking lot located on the corner of
Tower and Campus Roads, tax parcel number 61- 1 -2.2, low density residential zone
will be paved with new lighting, landscaping and storm water facilities installed. The
Freedman wrestling facility parking lot will be located off Campus Road, tax parcel
number 67. -1 -13.2, low density residential zone, to the north of the wrestling facility and
will be a paved lot for plus or minus 34 new parking spaces with new lighting,
landscaping and storm water facilities. Cornell University. owner / applicant Lorraine
Gilbert, agent. Welcome, Lorraine.
Ms Gilbert — I come to you from Planning Design and Construction at Cornell University.
I'm the project manager as well as the landscape designer and we're here tonight to
present to you four transportation projects, transportation improvements, with the
purpose of explaining the projects, their relationship to one another, and to show you
their locations. And this is with the hope that we can return in April with more detailed
information and that we will receive preliminary and final site plan approval at that point.
There are four separate projects but they are very much related to one another and
during the course of the presentation I hope to be able to explain that relationship.
I'll start first with the contractor material storage and parking area. It's situated in the
precinct 7 area on campus, which is designated as a special land use district, commonly
known as a SLUD. It's also where the warehouse is located and the library annex and
this particular project that we're proposing will be in common with those uses in that it
will be a primary location for the contracting materials in storage and parking. That
would replace several of the gravel lots on campus. Right now we have some small
gravel lots on campus that are associated with the storage for the contractors of their
materials and the parking. Instead of having that in separate locations around the
campus, in small locations, this area would be the primary location. Just the way the
warehouse takes in materials and then disperses them as need on campus, book
deliveries are delivered the library annex and then dispersed on campus. This is very
much along the same lines where contractors will bring their materials and then bring
them to the specific sites that they are working on the campus. The project scope
includes regarding the existing gravel area and the installation of new driveway culverts.
We'll have some new entrances. into the site. This is a site map to orient you as to
where the site is on the campus. This is Dryden Road or Route 366 and we have the
veterinary medical center over here, Tower Road, and then Palm Road_ off of 366. The
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
library annex is here, the warehouse is here, and then we have some shops buildings,
mason shop, carpenter shop, the paint, and the grounds facility, and environmental
health and safety. This is a satellite infrared image that was taken in 2003. If you can
imagine everything in red, which is infrared, if you can imagine that in green, that would
be all vegetation, grass, trees. Everything else in gray is hard. surface. Just again, this
is Palm Road which the entire site is circumference by, and this is the carpenter shop
and paint shop that exists now that was built a few years ago. And their parking area
back here which is gravel and has really no definition to it, which is something that we
want to improve the definition of the whole area and I' show you how we're going to do
that. Right now there is just by default more than anything else materials that have
been placed there sort of one at a time. Pile of mulch here, pile of gravel there, some
excess masonry materials and before you know it we've got a site that's becoming
disorderly and we want to clean that up and make it a more organized, usable space.
This is a view looking west to south along Palm Road and the reason I chose this side is
not only to make you feel better about the weather, but here's Palm Road, here's the
library annex and I just wanted to show you that there's a berm that is, well the whole
area in the middle here is built up, it was a fill site, and the area that we're talking about
creating this gravel storage area is up here so that you can't see it from anywhere on
Palm Road or area. You won't be able to see the site that we're using.
This is the view looking west to east along Palm Road. It's just the opposite view. This
is the carpenter's shop and paint shop. And again this is the area that we're dealing
with right now.
This is a plan view of the proposed site as it will be. Again, the existing carpenter shop
lot, Palm Road, the library annex, the warehouse, Cornell distribution center, the mail
center and this area here which would be designated as the proposed contractor lot with
some bermed island that would be landscaped, a new drive coming in on both sides
and one from here. And then this area in here will be delineated by fence posts and
each contractor that is given permission as part of their contract to set up in this area
will section off their own piece of the pie with fencing. And they will store their materials,
provided a certain amount of parking for their employees and subcontractors. Upon
leaving they will be required to return that piece of the site back to its original condition.
I'll move along to the resurfaced parking lots. The relationship between these parking.
lots and the area out on Palm Road is that currently these gravel parking lots on the
main campus are slated to be improved for employee parking. Two of the lots out of the
three have always been employee parking as long as they've been gravel lots. It's just
.recently that the contractors were using them. So we're returning that to employee
parking. The one other lot, which I will show you, it will be an extension of an existing
parking. Again, also employee parking. The improvements to these lots will include
paving, lighting, landscaping, curbing, and drainage. This.is the location of the three
lots on campus. Tower Road, along here, and then Campus and lot #1, let's say, would
be on the east side of Rice Hall. There's currently a gravel lot there now. The other lot
.next to the large animal research teaching unit on the east of that, on the corner of
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Campus Road and Tower Road. And then the third small lot is next to the existing
visitor lot in back of the wrestling facility.
Taking them one at a time. This is Rice Hall, Tower Road, and this is the existing lot
and the configuration of it as it appears right now. This is looking at it from a
photograph. I just wanted to show you that as part of this project there is an existing
shared pedestrian / bicycle path that would be included in the project and will be
improved and upgraded so that it will become part of the contiguous pedestrian bicycle
trail that currently exists which is really beautifully landscaped on both side of this and
this is sort of a missing tooth. We want to be able to keep that really nice experience
that people have as they're walking along it. So with landscaping and modifications to
the walkway, which we will show in April, we will be able to do that. Again, this is the
new configuration for the Rice Hall lot. With this configuration we'll have 90 employee
parking spaces, landscaped islands that will separate the parking lot from the buildings
along the drive and then that shared pedestrian / bicycle route.
The second parking lot is the large animal research teaching unit area. That building
right there, LAR2, and this is what it looks like as it currently exists.
Mr. Wilcox — Can you go back one? What are those elongated things in the parking lot.
Ms. Gilbert — They're storage trailers for the contractors. They store their materials in
them.
Mr. Wilcox — Temporary trailers?
Ms. Gilbert —Yes.
This is the gravel lots as it's laid out now with some fencing around it. Tower Road runs .
along here and Campus Road runs along there. And.then this is the new configuration
with 142 employee spaces laid out on it. And again, the same thing with new paving,
curbing, lighting, drainage and landscaping. The top of this got cut off, but this is the,
well this was the infrared image that was taken in 2003. The Freedman wrestling facility
hadn't been built quite yet. There's the footprint of it though. And this is the contractor
area that is behind it. And the existing visitor lot that's right next to the Freedman
athletics complex. This is a pay lot right here and we want to expand this parking lot.
Here's the Freedman building after it was built and this is the existing parking lot and
then this is the lay -down area behind that building. This is the new lay out with 34 new
spaces that would be added to the back and again paved, and lit, and landscaped,
curbed, and new drainage. One thing that I wanted to add was that the drainage for all
of these parking lots will be onsite storm water detention drainage. We've been working
with Dan and Jonathan on that: We're kind of proud of that because we were able to do
that, that's a good. thing, we feel.
Mr. Wilcox - Before you go on, Lorraine, isn't the City / Town line like right between the
existing parking lot and the proposed new one?
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Ms. Gilbert — No. I believe the City / Town line is...
Mr. Wilcox — Over there, okay.
Mr. Walker — I thought the building was in the Town but the parking lot was in the City.
Mr. Wilcox — You're real close in there, just make sure...
Ms. Gilbert — I'm pretty sure it's right along the edge of the building.
Mr. Walker — I think the parking is in the City.
Mr. Wilcox — We'll have to determine. Obviously, if you're doing anything in the City,
you'll have to be aware.
Ms. Gilbert — I'm pretty sure we're safe, but I'll double check on that.
Mr. Wilcox — The wrestling center is clearly in the Town, but I remember it being just
barely in the Town and then I look at the new parking lot behind it which would connect
to an existing parking lot, so there may be some sort of an asphalt connector that goes
from the Town into the City. But if indeed the Town line is really to the west of the
existing visitor lot then it's not an issue.
Ms. Gilbert — I'll check it out. I was talking
on that with the next go- round, but we've
able to work together with the landscaping
nicely. They're tight spots so it's hard to
able to hold the water on site and
accomplishment.
about drainage. We'll have more information
vvorked out some good systems and we were
and the detention areas so that they work out
really fit those detention areas in, just to be
have it filter through the ground is an
That's the rundown on the projects. Our next step hopefully is preliminary and final site
plan approval in April.
Mr. Wilcox — Is your being here right have anything to do with City's approval of
whatever that new massive building, Life Science.
Ms. Gilbert — There's a relationship there in that there are two projects that have been
approved. The Life Sciences building and the one by the Vet School, the animal
research facility. When those buildings are being built, there will be a need for
contractor parking and then again, instead of using these sites which, you know, the
ESRF project is right across from LAR2 gravel lot. Instead of having them move over
there and take up that site again and not let us be able to use it for employee parking,
the timing was right for us to put our heads together and create a centralized location.
f
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Thayer - Moving the contractors way away, won't that create, we saw a lot a trailers
there, in that particular parking lot. They're going to have to be moved over to the other
one. In that particular case they would have been over there. So wouldn't that create a
lot of truck traffic back and forth moving the materials? I'm not sure the contractors will
be too happy with that, I don't know?
Ms. Gilbert - They have to move their materials a lot anyway. It's not like they're not
going to keeping, they'll be able to keep onsite what they're working on onsite without
having to spread out farther. That's the way I see it. The employees for the contractors
will be able to gather in one spot in the morning and get shuttled over to their project
and then get shuttled back again.
Mr. Thayer - There'll be a Cornell shuttle or their own shuttle?
Ms. Gilbert - Their own shuttle. They'll use a few cars as opposed to each driving over
to the site. It will be a secured site. It will be fenced in. They can lock it as they see fit.
There will be traffic going back and forth to get their materials, but I don't see it as being
a constant stream of traffic.
Ms. Mitrano - I think they look like nice additions.
Ms. Gilbert - They're definitely improvements.
Mr. Wilcox - Can a parking lot be a nice addition?
Ms. Mitrano - It's a heck of a lot better than gravel and undrained in the middle of March
when it start to get warm.
Mr. Wilcox - I agree. I don't like parking lots in general. We've had this discussion
before. They're a necessity. I understand that.
Mr. Howe - I am concerned about the fencing in of the construction. How is that, a
chain link fence, how are they going to secure these areas?
Ms. Gilbert - What we're planning to do is on the slide that I showed that showed you
the delineations .of the three bays, we would be providing posts along there just to
delineated the lines. To make it obvious where those three bays were. Right now
contractors use their own fencing around their own sites, wherever they are.
Sometimes they use orange fencing; sometimes they use chain link fencing. Whatever
they would like to set up for their own particular use to secure their materials, they'd be
welcome to, as long as it was done in a neat and orderly manner and that would be
written into their contract. They would have to adhere to that. Upon leaving they would
have to remove the same materials. And the configuration will change at times
depending on how much space we determine they'll need for the particular project that
they're working on.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Wilcox — When we say materials, obviously the bulk of their materials will be next to
site at which they are working, I assume, right?
Ms. Gilbert — Right. If they need topsoil it will be on the site. If they need gravel it will
be on the site. But they can also store it out in the Palm Road area and then have it
trucked over, as they need it. It might help them to be able to buy it in bulk, you know
more; more at one time and then bring it to the site, as they need it.
Ms. Mitrano — Lorraine, as your folks have worked these plans up I don't image that you
have delved into the deeper details as to how some of these parking areas would be
ranked according to the transportation service. I'm curious in particular about the one
next to Rice Hall,
Ms. Gilbert — All I know at this point is that it's employee parking. I don't know, I think
they were talking about tier six.
Mr. Wilcox — All right, what is tier six?
Ms. Gilbert — It's a high- ranking parking...
Mr. Wilcox — High ranking in terms of position within the university?
Ms. Gilbert — No.
Ms. Mitrano — No, how much money you pay.
Ms. Gilbert — Any lot that we have on the main campus that's conveniently located next
to a building on the main campus it's up there, because they really want to encourage
the larger lots.
Mr. Wilcox — Can you put a number on "it's up there "?
Ms. Gilbert — No, I can't.
Ms. Mitrano — I can't remember whether it's $500 a semester or a year.
Mr. Kanter — I think when we met with Lorraine earlier we weren't sure what use
classification this went under in the Special Land Use District, but I did check it further
and I'm pretty certain it is one of those educational uses that's listed that's permitted by
special approval. There's a section in the special land use district...
Mr. Wilcox - Can we all agree that it's PDA now?
Mr. Kanter — Well the PDZ, planned development zone. Although in the ordinance
there's actually a listing of all the former special land use districts which are still called
special land use districts.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Wilcox — In our new zoning we changed the name.. We got away from SLUD.
Mr. Kanter — In section 271 -10 d 6 of the new code of the Town of Ithaca, it lists
maintenance, repair, servicing, utility, supply, and storage facilities as permitted by a
special approval provided they're owned and solely to service the educational
institution. There's also a parking component that's permitted as a separate section
there by special approval. So it seems like these probably in combination fall under
those two things. And the special approval would be by this board, the Planning Board.
Mr. Wilcox — There was some discussion about long form / short form on the these four
projects.
Ms. Balestra - Only for the Palm Road one. The entire site is 11 Y2 acres and anything
over 10 acres requires, according to the Town environmental law, the completion of a
full environmental assessment form, and they submitted that. But if the area to be
disturbed is less than 10 acres, which it looks like it might be, then we'll probably be
doing the short form.
Mr. Wilcox — Well we already have the long form.
Ms. Balestra — That's true.
Mr. Kanter — Once you do the long form you don't go back to the short form. It's just the
way it's processed.
Mr. Wilcox — Anything else form this side? (There was nothing)
Anything else you want to say Lorraine?
Ms. Gilbert — I don't think so, not at this point. I'm looking forward to showing you the
landscaping.
Mr. Wilcox — We'll see you back here in April's what you're hoping for?
Mr. Kanter — The timing still seems like you're going to try to bring all four projects in
together at one meeting?
Ms. Gilbert — Yes. The most critical one is the Palm Road site because in order to
move the contractors off of the other sites we need the Palm Road site regarded and
ready.
Mr. Kanter — So there's a possibility that might come first if the others aren't ready?
Ms. Gilbert — If for some reason we can't do all four at the same time, we would
concentrate on the Palm Road site first.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Mr. Wilcox — This would be four separate public hearings, I assume?
Mr. Kanter - Four separate applications, four separate SEQRs, four separate public
hearings. I think in many ways doing this joint presentation as a sketch plan really
helped a lot because if, by some chance, they do have to come in at separate times
think the Board will have at least a better idea of how they do kind of fit together.
Mr. Wilcox — It's like when someone comes in and wants to develop a _portion of their
land. We always want to know what are they going to do with the rest of the land. This
is asking Cornell, and Cornell coming and saying we are thinking about parking in
general not just each lot individually and, you right, that's helpful to use and I appreciate
it.
Mr. Kanter — So if we do schedule them all at the same meeting it will probably be pretty
much a Cornell meeting..
Ms. Mitrano — What's the date of that?
Mr. Kanter — Subject to receiving the 'materials.
Ms. Gilbert — It will be ready
separate issues for each one,
with each one.
MINUTES
in April if you. are. It's a lot of repetition. There will be
I'm sure, but then again there's an awful lot in common
There were no minutes before the Board for approval.
SKETCH PLAN CHECKLIST
Ms. Balestra — The sketch plan check list is all brand new according to the new zoning
ordinance and there were a couple of things that were added by staff that were not in
the zoning ordinance, but it is something that has been our practice for ever. One of
those things was #3 where we asked for information to be filed in the Planning
Department 15 calendar days prior to the Planning Board Meeting at which sketch plan
review is requested. That's not specifically stated in the zoning ordinance, but it's
something that we've practiced for °as long as I've been here. Also, the item "J ", 25
copies of everything so that it comes to the Board and all the appropriate agencies. We
wanted to know if the Board okay with that or if you need to have any sort of approval.
Mr. Kanter — What Christ is trying to say is, would you be willing to have a verbal
resolution to that just says we've seen this new check lists and it's okay for the staff to
use them. I would feel comfortable with a formal motion, although we didn't put one
together, but just because there are a couple of things that are a little different from the
zoning.
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
Ms. Mitrano - That's fine.
Mr. Wilcox - The additions don't go against zoning, they allow you to operate efficiently.
Mr. Barney - Doesn't the zoning permit such additional information may be required or
requested by the Planning Board, or some language like that?
Mr. Kanter - It probably does, but these are checklists that we actually give to the
applicant and I'd like them to be on behalf of the Planning Board as opposed to the
staff.
Mr. Barney - If the zoning ordinance, permits it, why can't the Planning Board adopt a
very simple resolution saying, in addition to the material required by the Zoning
Ordinance these following additional items we would like to add.
Mr. Wilcox - And those additional items are the 15 day.requirement on the sketch plan
check list, and the 25 copies on the sketch plan check lists. Are those the only two?
Ms. Balestra - The words, "determined by Planning Staff' in parenthesis on #3 of the
preliminary site plan check list.
Mr. Kanter - That's for the SEQR forms.
Mr. Wilcox - Is that it?
Ms. Balestra - I think that's it.
Mr. Kanter - We also eliminated, actually in the zoning we took something out. It's the
deposit of review fees, because we don't do that anymore with the new fee law. It's
strictly application fees now. So we just eliminated that phase.
PB RESOLUTION NO. 2005 =017: Approval of Sketch Plan, Preliminary Site Plan
and Final Site Plan Checklists
MOTION made by Fred Wilcox, seconded by Rod Howe.
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Board herby finds that the additional_ items listed
below be included in the check lists 'used by Town staff in connection with applications
for sketch plan review, preliminary site plan approval, and final site plan approval, and
be it further
RESOLVED, that the Planning Board finds that the additional items are reasonable,
consistent with the site plan requirements listed in Section 270486 of the Town of
Ithaca Code, and support the function of the Planning Board. These additional items,
incorporated in the checklists (dated 21112005) include:
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
• Proposed Sketch Plan should be filed in the Planning Department at least fifteen
(15) calendar days prior to the Planning Board meeting at which sketch plan
review is requested.
• 25 copies of all sheets of the proposed sketch plan in reduced format (no larger
than 11 inches by 17 inches) and 25 copies of all other items required above,
except Development Review Application.
• In conjunction with the Preliminary Site Plan submission, one fully completed and
signed Short Environmental Assessment Form, Part I (SERF), or Long
Environmental Assessment Form, Part 1 (LEAF), whichever is required
(determined by Planning staff).
• The required "deposit of review fees" can be eliminated from the Preliminary and
Final Site Plan checklists since only application fees are now required in Section
153 -10 of the Town of Ithaca Code.
The vote on the motion resulted as follows:
AYES: Wilcox, Mitrano, Thayer, Howe, Talty.
NAYS: None.
The vote on the motion was carried unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
Looking forward to the meeting on March 15, Mr. Smith told the Board the following may
be before them at that meeting: Winston Court, adding front porches on to all 18
buildings; Ithaca College Garden Apartments, renovations to buildings 26 through 29;
there are two other as yet unconfirmed reviews.
Mr. Kanter reported that the Transportation Committee has prepared a draft Official
Highway Map that will go in the Transportation Plan. It will come before the Town
Board at their March 7th meeting. They would also like to send it to the Planning Board
for their comments and it may come before them at the March 15th meeting.
Ms. Mitrano will be missing the first April meeting. Mr. Howe will be missing the second
April meeting.
Mr. Howe asked if any staff would be attending the March Forest Home Traffic Calming
meeting. Mr. Kanter stated he would be attending the evening meeting on March 8th
Mr. Wilcox said he would try to make the afternoon meeting on that same day.
Adjournment
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MARCH 1, 2005
APPROVED MARCH 15, 2005
On motion by Mr. Thayer, the meeting,was adjourned at 8:28 p.m.
Res ectfully Submi ed,
Tee -Ann Hurifer `�
Town Clerk
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
215 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
AGENDA
7:00 P.M. Persons to be heard (no more than five minutes).
7 :05 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Final Subdivision Approval and Final Site Plan Approval for
proposed Country Inn & Suites Hotel located at the southwest corner of West King Road and Danby
Road (NYS Route 96B), portion of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 37- 1- 17.1, Business District. "C ".
The proposal involves subdividing off a +/- 2.68 -acre parcel from the +/- 4.76 -acre parcel for the
construction of a 58 -room hotel at the intersection. The proposal also includes 61 parking spaces,
sidewalks, signage, landscaping, and lighting. David Auble, Owner; Trowbridge &Wolf, LLP for Jay
Bramhandkar, Applicant; Peter J. Trowbridge, Agent,
7:30 P.M. Consideration of a Sketch Plan review of four proposed Cornell University projects collectively under
one Sketch Plan submission, including a contractor staging /parking area and three parking lots. The
contractor staging /parking area is located on Palm Road (Tax Parcel No. 64 -1 -1, Planned
Development Zone #9) and will be regraded to become a centralized area for long -term contractor use.
The existing gravel Rice Hall parking lot located on Tower Road (Tax Parcel No. 67 -1 -13.2, Low
Density Residential Zone) and the existing gravel Large Animal Research Testing Unit (LARTU) .
parking lot located on the corner of Tower and Campus Roads (Tax Parcel No. 63- 1 -2.2, Low Density
Residential Zone) will be paved with new lighting, landscaping, and stormwater facilities installed.
The Friedman Wrestling Facility parking lot will be located off Campus Road (Tax Parcel No. 67 -1-
13.2, Low Density Residential Zone) to the north of the wrestling facility and will be a paved lot for
+/- 34 new parking spaces with new, lighting, landscaping, and stormwater facilities. Cornell
University, Owner /Applicant; Laurene Gilbert, Agent.
4. Persons to be heard (continued from beginning of meeting if necessary).
5. Approval of Minutes: (none available).
6. Other Business: Discussion of revised Site Plan Checklists.
7, 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.)
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
Tuesday, March 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, March 1, 2005, at 215 North Tioga
Street, Ithaca, N.Y., at the following times and on the following matters:
7:05 P.M. Consideration of Final Subdivision Approval and Final Site Plan Approval for proposed
Country Inn & Suites Hotel located at the southwest corner of West King Road and
Danby Road (NYS Route 96B), portion of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 37 -1 -17.1,
Business District "C ". The proposal involves subdividing off a +/- 2.68 -acre parcel from
the +/- 4.76 -acre parcel _for the construction of a 58 -room hotel at the intersection. The
proposal also includes 61 parking spaces, sidewalks, signage, landscaping, and lighting.
David Auble, Owner; Trowbridge & Wolf, LLP for Jay Bramhandkar, Applicant; Peter J.
Trowbridge, 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, February 21, 2005
Publish: Wednesday, February 23, 2005
TOWN OF ITHACA
PLANNING BOARb
SIGN -IN SHEET
DATE: March 1, 2005
(PLEASE PRINT TO ENSURE ACCURACY IN OFFICIAL MINUTES)
PLEASE PRINT NAME PLEASE PRINT ADDRESS /AFFILIATION
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, March 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 ag Street.
Date of Posting:
Date of Publication:
February 21, 2005
February 23, 2005
Sandra Polce, Senior Typist
Town of Ithaca.
STATE OF NEW YORK) SS:
COUNTY OF TOMPKINS)
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 23rd day of February 2005.
Notary Public
CONNIE F. CLARK
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 01 CL6052878.
Qualified in Tompkins County
Commission Expires December 26, 20 0 G