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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-27Page 1 of 5 PB 3-27-2014 Town of Dryden Planning Board March 27, 2014 Members Present: Joseph Laquatra (Chairman), David Weinstein, Tom Hatfield, John Kiefer, and Craig Anderson. Heather Maniscalco, excused. Planning Department Members: Jane Nicholson (Planning Director) and Nick Goldsmith (Sustainability Planner) Town Board Members: Mary Ann Sumner (Town Supervisor) Guests: James Skaley The Planning Board meeting was opened at 7 PM. Review and approval of February minutes. D. Weinstein moved to approve the minutes as presented. C. Anderson seconded the motion and all approved. Comprehensive Plan review: Nick Goldsmith and Jane Nicholson Please see attachment. D. Weinstein asked where the Planning Board might go to get some ideas regarding the way to improve some of the lower scoring areas. N. Goldsmith suggested starting with the STAR program itself. He has provided a website link to the STAR program. Supervisor Sumner suggested that maybe some of the categories are not as relevant as others and pointed out that the STAR program is a generic program. An example was Education. Education is the responsibility of several other entities and the Town has very little input. And there are areas that are not included that are important for our Town such as agriculture. Weinstein suggested that the Planning Board start with the areas that are low scoring and begin to assess whether they are relevant or need to be revised. The Board can then work their way up the numbers. The Board and J. Nicholson agreed that method will work. Economic Marketing Analysis - D. Weinstein D. Weinstein asked the Board to consider the information Mr. Skaley had to share. Mr. Skaley suggested an economic analysis of the Hamlet of Varna to identify ways to potentially increase the tax base. According to the timeline in the Varna plan, something should be happening by now. He asked what else could we be doing for further development of the plan and the overall value of the community. He has talked to the Planning Director about marketing the Plan to a regional development community for purposes of garnering interest. That suggested that there needed to be discussion with land owners and the Town having an interest in this. He has talked to Supervisor Sumner who suggested that he talk to Steve Lopinski (former faculty member at Hotel School who dealt with commercial real estate options). They met and discussed how developers perceive areas for development. The long and short of the discussion that was emphasized over and over is what is the perceived value for a developer at the site. Transportation, location, the relative environment, and Page 2 of 5 PB 3-27-2014 development of soils for construction purposes all affect the developer's perceived value. Mr. Lopinski recommended an economic analysis for a marketing plan. That costs money. Several years ago, Cornell students had laid out ideas for development early in the Comprehensive Plan discussion. He thought that having graduate students from the Cornell Johnson School, MBA program, complete a community project (part of the requirements from the Park Foundation which supports that aspect of the School). The students get to choose what their projects will be so Mr. Skaley has sent ideas and support material for their review. Mr. Skaley has talked to Jason Liefer (Town Board) who believes it is conceivable that the Town might be able to provide a consultant. It would provide an analytical report which would indicate the relative value that you can get out of this area. There are problems within the community of deteriorated structures that will put off a developer. The old gas station lot is one of the problems. It is coming up on tax rolls this summer for foreclosure. He was asking the Planning Board to pass a resolution to the Town Board supporting the economic analysis of Varna to enhance the overall plan. He suggested that the Board look at zone one in the plan. It was supposed to be the anchor for the Varna Plan. D. Weinstein asked to highlight some points in Mr. Skaley's comments. The Town has spent a lot of money putting together the Varna Plan. It has won several accolades but it is going to set on the shelf unless we get something to provide documentation to the developers such as the economic value of building in this location. He recommended that the Planning Board let the Town Board know that they support moving forward with the economic analysis and having a consultant that can help us move forward to develop the plan. J. Laquatra asked how much the economic analysis will cost. D. Weinstein didn't know how much it would be. Supervisor Sumner returned to two points she didn't hear Mr. Skaley address. One of the first things to talk about is the importance of talking to the property owners. There is a big difference between putting together a community development plan and spending money doing the property owners development research for free. That would be problematic. D. Weinstein asked why it would be problematic. T. Hatfield said it is not legal for the town to spend public resources to benefit private landowners. It would be the same as giving those property owners a gift. D. Weinstein pointed out that the whole idea of creating a Varna plan was that it would be a benefit to not only the residents of Varna but to the entire town. T. Hatfield stated that a plan is a different part of the code, making a plan for the future is different than marketing a couple parcels. The Town has an IDA (Industrial Development Agency) which could do this kind of stuff as long as they don't use public money. Mr. Skaley asked if the IDA would be willing to take a look at this plan but as Supervisor Sumner pointed out, the IDA is not currently operating. J. Laquatra asked if the Varna Community Center is incorporated. If it is, then it can look for grants. T. Hatfield agreed with the idea of grants. The pressure is to react to a private sector proposal for development which is apparently not sitting very well with some folks. Page 3 of 5 PB 3-27-2014 Ultimately the private market dictates development; and that is why we put a plan in place because it is easier to develop under certain guidelines. And we can encourage them with lots of tools but the economy is not going that way right now. J. Skaley disagreed and pointed out that communities redevelop all the time and asked if there are legal road blocks? Are there mechanisms in place by which something like this can occur for a general benefit for the community and the Town? Rewards would be in the form of higher values and taxes for the Town. With regard to property ownership, there is no process by which anyone is forced into doing anything in this process. Not forcing the Town, the Town can spend public money on a lot of things in the sense of increasing the welfare for the community. Supervisor Sumner said that targeting these few properties are the problem. We could do it (maybe) in terms of the Varna plan rather than looking at particular properties or in terms of "if the plan was completed this is the possible outcome, economically and for the community". Mr. Skaley suggested looking at it in terms of geography not specific properties. For example, what are the marketing opportunities in zone one? Supervisor Sumner pointed out that value to the town is different than the value to the developer. C. Anderson pointed out that again you are looking at a set area with a select group of people. Although he is totally in favor of marketing, he is not on-line for the town paying for it, a graduate student would be a great idea. T. Hatfield suggested going the other direction by marketing the whole town. Supervisor Sumner pointed out that if we did market the whole town, we will highlight certain areas. D. Weinstein said he understands the idea of marketing the whole town or the entire community of Varna, but this is a specific area. This is where we want the development to happen. Supervisor Sumner interjected that this is where the Varna community wants the development to be but the Town has not looked at the overall plan and said this is how we will chose where we want development. T. Hatfield pointed out that many of the neighboring businesses (Cornell, Chamber of Commerce, etc) would be on-line with making sure Varna develops in a way that would benefit them. Maybe they are interested in assisting. He also recommended talking to Steve Lucente who also has expressed interest in Varna before. C. Anderson reminded the Board that he has suggested an economic development plan for the town overall. If we had a broad plan, Varna would probably be one of the priorities because the plan is already there. NYSEG would be another close one. Mr. Skaley said that having rental units will undermine the community cohesion in Varna. Renters don't tend to get involved in the community. Feedback on the training session from last Monday on SEQR, Moratoria and Local Regulations. H. Maniscalco asked J. Laquatra to point out some of the things that she learned at the session: "Generally speaking, Planning Boards have a lot more discretion than we seem to leverage. We do not need to simply adhere to the letters of the laws, we can also employ judgment and consider decisions in the context of the Comprehensive Plan and community character. We can ask folks to take a step back and reassess Page 4 of 5 PB 3-27-2014 proposed ideas. The Moratorium concept is also intriguing. It helps to give planning flexibility to the Town. She also understood the trainers to say that there is nothing legally prohibiting conference calls or voting for planning boards. However, access to the public must still be provided with teleconference or have some board attendees be physically present." D. Weinstein stated that he is sure H. Maniscalco did not mean that we don't have to adhere to the letter of the law, what she actually meant was that there was a bit of planning flexibility, particularly in regard to SEQR, to make sure that all the environmental issues come to the table. And with regard to other planning issues, it is the same. Keep your eye on the end result that you want to achieve; Courts have tended to give the Planning Boards a lot of flexibility to get to those results. The rezoning of Rt 366 and Upper Creek Road C. Anderson brought it up for two reasons; first, he supports the change and second, he wanted the Planning Board to be aware. Supervisor Sumner apologized; she had every intention to bring the proposed rezoning to the Planning Board. We have had an expression of interest by several businesses in the Wernick property but many of those proposals don't fall into the existing zoning. It is rural residential with a traditional neighborhood overlay with conservation on the other side of the road. Wernicks was grandfathered into that area which would have extended to the new owner if the property sold within 18 months. J. Nicholson said that this area was grouped with other parcels in a "wide brush" when the zoning map was created. It is apparent now that the zoning is not correct for these parcels. D. Weinstein asked that the area along the stream be exempt from the zoning to preserve the natural environment. J. Nicholson pointed out that the natural environment was such that it could not be developed. T. Hatfield offered the following resolution to the Dryden Town Board: The Planning Board requests that the Town Board approve the Zoning changes proposed by the Planning Department. The change from Rural Residential and Conservation with a Traditional Neighborhood Development Overlay to a Mixed -Use Commercial District will encompass several parcels located along Route 366, including 39.-1-1 (the former Wernick's property), 39.-1-3 and 39.-1-2. As the current zoning is based on Planning Board recommendations, they request the Town Board correct the oversight which placed these parcels in a zoning district which will hinder growth and development. After a brief discussion, C. Anderson moved to second the motion and it was passed unanimously. There being no further business, T. Hatfield moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 PM. D. Weinstein seconded the motion and the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully Submitted, Page 5 of 5 PB 3-27-2014 Erin A. Bieber Deputy Town Clerk Town of Dryden - Comprehensive Plan Sustainability Assessment Findings from Matrix Analysis - March 25, 2014 Attached: Results Summary, STAR Goals and Objectives See also: Detailed Results Summary (spreadsheet), and complete Assessment Matrix (7 spreadsheets) Assessment Process and Methodology • Town Board directive: Evaluate "degree to which Comprehensive Plan recommendations support sustainability goals." • Evaluated the entire Comprehensive Plan. o S Comp Plan sections: Population; Land Use; Open Space; Historic Resources; Recreational Resources; Transportation; Public Infrastructure; Public Safety ■ Each section includes: Inventory & Analysis; Goals & Objectives; Plan Synthesis; and Plan Recommendations. • For a sustainability framework, the STAR Community Rating System Version 1.0 was used. Download STAR at htto://www.starcommunities.org/rating-system/download. o STAR has 7 goal areas with up to 7 objectives in each, and covers a broad spectrum of economic, environmental, and social issues. The full text of the goals and objectives can be found on the STAR Goals and Objectives table, attached. • Cross-referenced STAR with Comprehensive Plan. o For each of 44 STAR objectives, does each section of the Comprehensive Plan support it, hinder it, or not address it? o Scoring: ■ Supports Strongly +2; Supports Moderately +1; ■ Does Not Address 0; ■ Hinders Moderately -1; Hinders Strongly -2 Caveats • Scoring is not perfect. It is most effective at pointing out general trends of Comprehensive Plan - what is dealt with a lot, what is not dealt with at all. • Mentioning one issue multiple times in the plan doesn't necessarily support it more, but it did result'in a higher score. • STAR does not specifically mention agriculture. This should be taken into account when reviewing results, as this is a key economic area for the Town. (Agriculture was captured most often in the Economy and Jobs goal area) 1 Results Interpretation See Results Summary, attached • Climate and Energy is by far the weakest goal area (score = 2). Many municipalities are now incorporating chapters on Climate and/or Energy into their Comprehensive Plans. • At the last Planning Board meeting, Economy & Jobs was a weak area. Since then, the Land Use section of the Comprehensive Plan was evaluated, which significantly boosted the Economy score (from 1 to 7). If Economic Development is a priority area, it could be pulled out of the Land Use section and dealt with separately. • Built Environment is by far the strongest goal area (score = 31). Two of the objectives in this goal area - Compact & Complete Communities and Public Spaces - scored 7, the highest out of all objectives. o Infill and Redevelopment is the one objective which received the Hinders classification. In all, it scored a 2, with one Strongly Supports, two Moderately Supports, two Moderately Hinders, and 3 Does Not Address. o In the STAR document, it states the purpose of Infill and Redevelopment as "Focus new growth in infill areas and on redevelopment that does not require the extension of water, sewer, and road infrastructure or facilitate sprawl." The scoring of this objective reflects the Comprehensive Plan's somewhat mixed messages in this area. • The Natural Systems goal also scored well (19.8), especially the Green Infrastructure (7) and Natural Resource Protection (6) objectives. However Invasive Species was not addressed at all, and may be an increasing concern given the level of agriculture in the Town. Next Steps • The Goals and Objectives section of the Comprehensive Plan was not evaluated as a whole; it was instead assessed in pieces relating to the different Comp Plan sections (Population, Land Use, etc.). o One interesting exercise would be to evaluate the Goals and Objectives chapter on its own, in the same way the sections were evaluated. This would ideally be done by a few different staff and/or Planning Board members, and the results combined. • One way to approach the next phase of the Comprehensive Plan revisions would be to analyze the STAR objectives and goals which scored poorly, and ask "is this STAR objective/goal important to the Town?" If it is judged important, the STAR document may be a useful jumping off point for collecting ideas on how to incorporate the issue into the new Comprehensive Plan. Town mtDryden - Comprehensive Plan Sustainability Assessment - Results Summary - March 2G,20l4 Goal Score Ranee Obiecth,eScore maneq Low: 2(Climate Q^Energy) Low: 0(nnany) High: 31(Built Environment) High: 7 (Compact & Complete Communities; Public Spaces; Green Infrastructure) Average: 12 Average: 2 Ambient Noise & Community Compact & Complete Housing i Infill & Transportation Public Spaces Goal Light Water Systems Communities Affordability 1: Redevelopment i Choices Total Greenhouse Gas Greening the Industrial Sector Resource Efficient Resource Efficient 1 Waste Goal Climate Adaptation Mitigation I Energy Supply Resource Efficiency Buildings Public Infrastructurei i Minimization Total Business Retention Green Market Quality Jobs & [Targeted Industry Workforce Goal Local Economy & Development Development Living Wages Development Readiness Total b di es 6, 0 Area: EducationA' com Community Educational Historic 1: Social & Cultural Goal Arts & Culture Cohesion Opporty/ Attain't Preservation Diversity Total Civil & Human Civic Engagement Environmental I Equitable Services! Poverty Human Services Goal Rights Justice & Access i Prevention & Total -GoalAred: 'He -SafetV,S-&- e�­­h' -communities to e health ',,rest jentan, sa, ep aces foe-retfdenis-andbusiness0s,, Community Health Emergency Prev. Food Access & 1: Natural & Safe Goal Active Living Indoor Air Qualityl & Health System & Response Nutrition Human Hazards Communities Total 'Protect ep Green Natural Resource Outdoor Air Water in the Goal Invasive Species Working Lands Infrastructure Protection Quality Environment Total Town of Dryden - Comprehensive Plan Sustainability Assessment STAR Community Rating System Goals and Objectives - March 25, 2014 ` Goal:Area:Builtlsiiviro rr�entAe ieve:iivaliil fY,:choice; and`4ccess.for.allwl ere,peo :..;w:...:...::........1.M� Ambient Noise & ...._.._.:... Community Water _..... ........ Compact & _ Housing _ssf ....<�4�:..........._...... Infill & _ ............_.............._... Public Spaces Transportation Light Systems Complete Affordability Redevelopment Choices Communities Minimize and Provide a clean and Concentrate Construct, Focus new growth Create a network Promote diverse manage ambient secure water development in preserve, and in infill areas and of well -used and transportation noise and light supply for all local compact, human- maintain an on redevelopment enjoyable parks modes, including levels to protect users through the scaled, walkable adequate and that does not and public spaces walking, bicycling, public health and management of centers and diverse supply of require the that feature and transit, that are integrity of potable water, neighborhoods location -efficient extension of water, equitable, safe, low-cost, and ecological systems wastewater, that connect to and affordable sewer, and road convenient access reduce vehicle stormwater, and transit, offer housing options for infrastructure or for residents miles traveled other piped diverse uses and all residents facilitate sprawl throughout the infrastructure services, and community provide housing options for families:, of all income levels Goal Area: Climate &Entergy Reduce climate irripacts:throttgh adaptati6n and mitigation'efforts and ricreaseresiiarce'eff'iciency. ` ...,. Climate Adaptation Greenhouse Gas Greening the Industrial Sector Resource Efficient Resource Efficient Waste Mitigation Energy Supply Resource Efficiency Buildings Public Minimization Infrastructure Strengthen the Achieve Transition the local 'Minimize resource Improve the Minimize resource Reduce and reuse resilience of greenhouse gas energy supply for use and demand in energy and water use and demand in material waste communities to emissions both transportation the industrial efficiency of the local public produced in the climate change reductions and non-mobile sector as a means community's infrastructure as a community impacts on built, throughout the sources toward the to mitigate residential, means to mitigate natural, economic, community use of renewable, greenhouse gas commercial, and greenhouse gas and social systems less carbon- emissions and institutional emissions and intensive, and less conserve water building stock conserve water toxic alternatives 4 :> : Gaal.Area: lct%rtort� =&. tausre`atee ciital sEred ros eri :and access to ."cikis _ ...a.::.: <: ;,:x..............:.v :........; , .a..a .. 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Y. . l� P .. �!.... _.:.- :....-.. _ .�i,..: , tY� :...d:.,..... .... , ...... _ Business Retention Green Market Local Economy Quality Jobs & Targeted Industry Workforce & Development Development Living Wages Development Readiness Foster economic Increase overall Create an Expand job Increase local Prepare the prosperity and market demand for increasingly self- opportunities that competitiveness by workforce for stability by products and reliant community support upward strengthening successful retaining and services that through a robust economic mobility networks of employment expanding protect the local economy with and provide businesses, through increasing businesses with environment benefits shared by sufficient wages so suppliers, and attainment of post- supportfrom the all !thatworking associated secondary business people and their institutions education and community families can afford improving a decent standard outcomes of of living workforce development programs oa A ea E 'o` G I r dut6t n;'Arts.&.:Community,Em powervibrartt,.e4, catecl; con r ected; and,,divers or�.ra unities Arts & Culture Community Educational Historic Social & Cultural Cohesion Opportunity & Preservation Diversity Attainment Provide a broad Ensure a cohesive, Achieve equitable :Preserve and reuse Celebrate and range of arts and connected attainment of a historic structures respect diversity I cultural resources community quality education and sites to retain and represent and activities that through adequate for individuals local, regional, and diverse encourage venues for from birth to national history perspectives in participation and community adulthood and heritage, community creative self- interaction, reinforce decision-making expression community ,community building activities and events, and the sharing of information about community issues and services character, and conserve resources 5 ,..., `fiaal,Aria::iwquty&-�pavrreirtn ntErts re:equi y,:►nc us on, �rsd cress i ;oppartunitYfarall resi 'hts: Civic Engagement Civil & Human Environmental Equitable Services Human Services Poverty Prevention Rights Justice 1& Access & Alleviation Citizens and Promote the full Reduce polluted Ensure equitable Ensure high quality Prevent people residents improve enjoyment of civil and toxic access to human services from falling into community well- and human rights environments with foundational programs are poverty and being by for all residents in an emphasis on community assets available and proactively enable participating in the community alleviating within and utilized to those who are local decision- disproportionate between guarantee basic living in povertyto making and health hazards in neighborhoods and human needs so obtain greater, volunteering with areas where low- populations that all residents lasting economic community income residents lead lives of dignity stability and organizations and persons of security color live Goal Aima: Health &Safety,St�engthen carnmur#ities to be h`eaJtlij+`resiliri%kand safe places`Ior<r'esits.anrl:.snesses _ ...fi..,.... , .....:...... Active Living Community Health Emergency Food Access & Indoor Air Quality Natural & Human Safe Communities & Health System Prevention & Nutrition Hazards Response Enable adults and Achieve positive Reduce harm to Ensure that adults Ensure that indoor Reduce Prevent and reduce kids to maintain health outcomes humans and and children of all air quality is vulnerability to all violent crime and healthy, active and minimize property by income levels have healthy for all hazards, secure increase lifestyles by health risk factors utilizing long-term opportunitiesto people critical perceptions of integrating physical through a high preventative and ;learn about infrastructure, and safety through activity into their quality local health collaborative ,nutritious eating ensure that interagency daily routines system that is approaches to ,and have physical communities are collaboration and accessible and avoid emergency sand economic prepared to with residents as responsive to incidents and access to fresh, effectively respond empowered community needs minimize their healthful food and to and recover partners impacts water from crisis 11 7 r"°""^��,�,�°'°���depends�.�^=^�� Green Invasive Species Natural Resource /Outdoor Air Quality Water lmthe Working Lands Infrastructure Protection Environment Design and Prevent and Protect, enhance Ensure that Protect and restore Conserve and maintain a network manage invasive and restore natural �outdoor air quality the biological, maintain lands that of green species inorder to ecosystems and !ishealthy for a|| chemical, and provide raw infrastructure restore and protect cultural landscapes, �people and hydrological materials inways features that natural ecosystems t000nfernesi|ienoe protects the integrity ofwater that a||ovvfor integrate with the and the benefits and support clean /welfare ofthe inthe natural sustained harvests built environment � they provide xvaterand ai�food �community environment and preserves to conserve supply, and public ecosystem ecosystem safety ! integrity functions and � provide associated benefits tohuman populations � 7 i 40w14 of DRYDFN Memorandum To: Town Board From: Jane Nicholson, Interim Director of Planning CC: Mahlon Perkins, Attorney; Town Clerk Re: Rezoning of Parcels 39.4-1, 39.4-3, 39.-1-2 Date: March 17, 2014 The Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance was amended in 2012. Over the course of the past two years, it has become evident that certain areas within the town should be classified in a different zoning district. The Planning Department is proposing a rezoning of three parcels along SR 366 from Rural Residential and Conservation to a Mixed -Use Commercial district. The purpose of the rezoning is to ensure the area's future allows for its maximum potential. Through careful examination of the existing conditions in and around this area, it has been determined that the current zoning limits the potential for a site that is prime for redevelopment and adaptive re- use. The rezoning will result in a district that is less prohibitive yet compatible with the current uses of these sites as well as the surrounding neighborhood. This stretch of Route 366 is heavily traveled. With a speed limit of 55, this route experiences significant truck and car traffic throughout the day. There are no sidewalks along this route which makes walking and biking hazardous. It is unlikely that sidewalks would ever be considered in any future development along this corridor. The rezoning targets three continuous parcels along Route 366. The first parcel is 24.24 acres and contains one building. Referred to as the "Werninck's Building", this site was once home to Werninck's & Sons Furniture but has been vacant for the past several months. The building contains approximately 66,000 square feet of office, warehouse, and showroom space as well as approximately 100 parking spots. The western side of the property contains Federal wetlands which limits the amount of development that could occur on this property in addition to the already existing building. The building is in excellent condition and fit for redevelopment. Wernnick's closed in 2013. The Planning Department has received a number of inquiries for reusing the building. Due to the current zoning, options including retail, general office, and warehouse are prohibited. The Werninck's site has the potential to bring in new and desired businesses to Dryden. Town residents as well as the Town Board have expressed the desire for more economic development and new businesses. They have also expressed the desire to protect open space and our natural resources. By adaptively reusing existing structures and sites such as the Werninck's building, the Town is welcoming new business while protecting the integrity of the town's open space. Current zoning: Rural Residential and Conservation with a Traditional Neighborhood Development Overlay District Proposed zoning: Mixed -Use Commercial District