HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PLED-2014-07-09Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, July 9, 2014 – 6:00 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
Minutes
Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Graham
Kerslick, Cynthia Brock, and Josephine Martell
Committee Members Absent: None
Other Elected Officials Attending: Alderperson McGonigal
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Department of
Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic
Development; Megan Wilson, Planner,
Department of Planning, Building, Zoning and
Economic Development; Debbie Grunder,
Executive Assistant, Department of Planning,
Building, Zoning, and Economic Development,
and Nels Bohn, Director, Ithaca Urban
Renewal Agency (IURA);
Others Attending:
Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:05p.m.
1) Call to Order/Agenda Review
There were no minutes to approve. They will be reviewed and voted on at the
August 2014 meeting.
2) Special Order of Business
a) Public Hearing – City of Ithaca 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan, HUD
Entitlement Grant Program
Moved to open the public hearing; seconded by
Moved to close the public hearing; seconded by
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
3) Public Comment and Response from Committee Members
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
4) Announcements, Updates, and Reports
5) Action Items – Voting to Send on to Council
a) Murals – Public Art Commission
Resolution to Select Artwork for a Mural Installation on the Entry Wall of the Seneca
Street Parking Garage
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among
other duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and
display of public art in the City’s public spaces, and
WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls
within the city, while providing local artists from all sections of the community an
opportunity to showcase their work, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved several locations for future murals and
street art, including walls in the City garages on Green Street and Seneca Street, by resolution
on May 19, 2010, and
WHEREAS, local artist Nicholas Gilbert has submitted his proposal for a mural featuring a
Latina woman holding a child as part of the PAC’s Mural and Street Art Program, and
WHEREAS, Mr. Gilbert was selected by ¡Cultura! Ithaca and several other community
organizations to paint a mural that celebrates the community’s Latina culture, and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on February 26, 2014, the PAC identified the entry wall to the
Seneca Street Parking Garage (near the N. Tioga Street entrance) as an appropriate location
for this project, and
WHEREAS, the PAC held a public comment period on the mural design and location at its
meeting on June 25, 2014 to gather input on the proposed installation, and the majority of the
responses to the proposal have been positive, and
WHEREAS, the artist will receive funding from ¡Cultura! Ithaca and several other
community organizations to install the mural, and the installation will be budget-neutral to
the City, and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on June 25, 2014, the Public Art Commission unanimously voted
to recommend that the Common Council select Nicholas Gilbert’s mural to be installed on
the entry wall of the Seneca Street Parking Garage; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council selects Nicholas Gilbert’s mural
featuring a Latina woman holding a child, as recommended by the Public Art Commission, to
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
be installed on the entry wall of the Seneca Street Parking Garage (near the N. Tioga Street
entrance) and to be added to the City of Ithaca’s public art collection; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the selected artist may proceed with the installation of his mural upon the
execution of an agreement with the City as reviewed by the City Attorney.
Resolution to Select Artwork for a Mural Installation within the Stairwell Near the Intersection of
South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among other
duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of public art in
the City’s public spaces, and
WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls within the
city, while providing local artists from all sections of the community an opportunity to showcase their
work, and
WHEREAS, local artist Caleb Thomas has submitted his proposal for a mural titled “Astronauts and
Flowers” as part of the PAC’s Mural and Street Art Program, and
WHEREAS, the PAC discussed Mr. Thomas’s mural proposal at its meeting on April 9, 2014 and agreed
that the stairwell near the intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street would be an
appropriate location for the proposed mural, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved the stairwell near the intersection of South Cayuga
Street and West Spencer Street for future murals and street art by resolution on June 9, 2014, and
WHEREAS, the PAC held a public comment period on the mural design and location at its meeting on
June 25, 2014 to gather input on the proposed installation, and the majority of the responses to the
proposal have been positive, and
WHEREAS, the artist will provide funding for the mural, and the installation will be budget-neutral to the
City, and
WHEREAS, at its meeting on June 25, 2014, the Public Art Commission unanimously voted to
recommend that the Common Council select Caleb Thomas’s mural to be installed within the stairwell
near the intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council selects “Astronauts and Flowers” by Caleb
Thomas, as recommended by the Public Art Commission, to be installed within the stairwell near the
intersection of South Cayuga Street and West Spencer Street and to be added to the City of Ithaca’s public
art collection; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the selected artist may proceed with the installation of his mural upon the execution
of an agreement with the City as reviewed by the City Attorney.
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
b) City of Ithaca 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan
Resolution
City of Ithaca Common Council
August 6, 2014
2014-2018 Consolidated Plan Adoption – HUD Entitlement Program
WHEREAS, in the Fall of 2003, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) notified the City
that it qualified as an ‘Entitlement Community’ and that it would be receiving an annual allocation of HUD funds
through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships
(HOME) Program, and
WHEREAS, in order to access these funds, the City is required to undertake a public input process and prepare a
Consolidated Plan which identifies priority community development needs for the City of Ithaca every 5 years, and
WHEREAS, it is now time to prepare an updated Consolidated Plan, and
WHEREAS, under the terms of the February 14, 2013, agreement between the City of Ithaca and the Ithaca Urban
Renewal Agency (IURA), the City has designated the IURA as the Lead Agency to develop and administer the
Consolidated Plan on behalf of the City, and
WHEREAS, the Consolidated Plan may only be adopted by the Common Council after it has undergone a 30-day
public comment period and been the subject of two public hearings, and
WHEREAS, the first public hearing was held before the IURA on June 26, 2014, and the second public hearing was
held at the Planning and Economic Development Committee of the Common Council on July 9, 2014, and
WHEREAS, following a citizen participation process to gain public input in identifying priority community
development needs, the IURA issued a draft 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan for a 30-day public comment period that
ended on August 5, 2014, and
WHEREAS, the IURA reviewed and adopted the draft Consolidated Plan at their meeting on July 24, 2014, and
further recommended its adoption by the Common Council, and
WHEREAS, the adopted Consolidated Plan must be received by HUD by August 16, 2014, and
WHEREAS, at their July 9, 2014, meeting the Planning and Economic Development Committee forwarded the
Consolidated Plan to the Common Council for action following consideration of public comment received, now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby adopts the 2014-2018 Consolidated Plan, dated
August 6, 2014, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the Mayor, subject to review by the City Attorney, to execute
certifications and any other documents necessary to submit the Consolidated Plan to HUD.
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
6) Action Items – Approval to Circulate
a) Substantive Revisions (recessed entry and building height),
Collegetown Area Form Districts
An Ordinance to Amend The Municipal Code Of The City Of
Ithaca, Chapter 325, Entitled “Zoning” To Amend §325-45.2B,
“Definitions and Related Standards,” of the Collegetown Area
Form Districts
WHEREAS, following the adoption of the Collegetown Area Form
Districts in March 2014, staff has identified several
revisions that are necessary to strength the intent of the
code, and
WHEREAS, the proposed revisions to the standards for building
height will help reduce construction costs and further promote
high-quality design on sloped sites while reducing the impacts
of taller buildings on adjacent smaller structures, and
WHEREAS, the addition of a definition of “recessed entry” will
clarify the intent of this form requirement; now, therefore,
ORDINANCE NO. ____
BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City
of Ithaca that Chapter 325 of the Municipal Code of the City
of Ithaca be amended as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 325, Section 325-45.2B(2) of the Municipal
Code of the City of Ithaca is hereby amended to read as
follows:
(2) Building Height
(a) The existing definition of building height shall apply
(refer to §325-3 – “Height of Building”).
(b) Building heights in the CR and MU districts are regulated
using feet and stories. No portion of any building shall
exceed the maximum number of stories or the maximum height in
feet.
(C) A building may be stepped back, provided that each
stepback is a minimum of 12’ of building depth. Each stepback
defines a portion of the building. The height is measured
from the average grade plane adjoining that portion of the
building.
(C) (D) The only parts of the building which may exceed the
maximum building height are bulkheads, housing for mechanical
equipment, towers, and similar constructions not intended for
human occupancy, provided that the requirements of §325-
45.2B(10) are met.
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
Section 2. Chapter 325, Section 325-45.2B of the Municipal
Code of the City of Ithaca is herby amended to add a
definition of “Recessed Entry” as Section 325-45.2B(10), and
all subsequent sections shall be renumbered accordingly.
Section 325-45.2B(10) shall read as follows:
10) Recessed Entry
(a) Definition: A functioning entry that is setback a minimum
of 12” from the front façade of the building.
Section 3. Effective date. This ordinance shall take effect
immediately and in accordance with law upon publication of
notices as provided in the Ithaca City Charter.
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
b) Chain Works District Application
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
7) Discussion Items
a) Rental Housing Advisory Commission – Proposed Resolution
To: Planning and Economic Development Committee
From: Larry Beck, Chair, Rental Housing Advisory Commission
Date: June 20, 2014
The Rental Housing Advisory Commission met on 18 June 2014 approved the May 2014 minutes and
passed the
following resolution:
Resolution In Support Of Bringing All Rental Housing in the City of Ithaca into Compliance
via the Certificate of Compliance Inspections by the Building Division of the City of Ithaca
Planning, Economic Development and Building Department
WHEREAS, there is a backlog of rental properties in the City of Ithaca that are not current with the
required Certificate of Compliance, and that these properties pose a potential life safety hazard to the
inhabitants of these buildings and the Ithaca Community and,
WHEREAS, 80 percent of the rental housing units have an non-compliance rate of just 4 percent, the
remaining 20 percent of rental housing units are not properly categorized, and of this latter group more
than 50 percent are potentially out of compliance and,
WHEREAS, regular inspection of all rental properties in the City of Ithaca will ensure all rental housing in
the City of Ithaca meet basic New York State Building and Safety requirements; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the City Council direct the Buildings Division to hire an additional Code Inspector with
experience in housing and building codes, in order to address the backlog of non-compliant rental units
and; be it further
RESOLVED, That rental properties without a current Certificate of Compliance be identified and property
owners notified that inspections are required and be it further
RESOLVED, That these inspections should be prioritized such that rental properties without current
Certificates of Compliance for the longest amount of time be inspected first.
Submitted by,
Larry Beck, RHAC chair
Minutes Approved at
August 13, 2014 P&EDC Meeting
8) Review and Approval of Minutes
No minutes ready for approval
9) Adjournment
motioned to adjourned; seconded by . Passed unanimously. The
meeting was adjourned at p.m.