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Home My WebLink AboutMN-IURANI-2012-05-11Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency Approved: 8/10/12 108 East Green Street Ithaca, New York 14850 (607) 274-655 Approved Minutes IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee May 11, 2012 I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 8:35 A.M. by Chairperson Tracy Farrell with members Susan Cummings, Teresa Halpert, and Caleb Thomas present. Also in attendance were staff members JoAnn Cornish and Sue Kittel. II. Public comment None. III. Review of Minutes –March 27, 2012 On a motion by Cummings and second by Halpert, the minutes were approved unanimously. IV. New Business a) Acceptance of Tax Foreclosed Properties— The City of Ithaca has passed resolutions authorizing transfer of tax‐foreclosed properties to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. A companion resolution is needed to demonstrate the IURA’s acceptance of these properties. 1) 213‐215 West Spencer Street‐ Resolution On a motion by Cummings and second by Halpert the following was approved unanimously. Accept Conveyance of property at 213‐215 West Spencer Street from the City Whereas, on May 2, 2012, the City of Ithaca Common Council authorized the transfer of 213‐215 W. Spencer Street, Ithaca, NY (tax parcels #93.‐7‐3 & 93.‐7‐5.1) to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) for disposition to a qualified sponsor for residential development, and Whereas, Common Council has expressed an interest in post‐sale use of the property which would enhance the City’s tax base, expand the supply of affordable housing, and be architecturally compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and Whereas, the IURA is interested in facilitating an appropriate project for at 213‐215 W. Spencer Street, and Whereas, municipalities are generally not authorized to negotiate sale terms for real estate with a pre‐ identified buyer, but urban renewal agencies are authorized to implement certain property dispositions with a qualified and eligible sponsor to undertake an urban renewal activity if conducted in accordance with procedures identified at Section 507 of General Municipal Law (GML), and Whereas, Section 507 of GML authorizes the sale of real property by an urban renewal agency to a qualified and eligible sponsor at negotiated sale terms provided the disposition complies with the following requirements: • real property is located within an urban renewal project area and the property disposition will further the goals and objectives of the Urban Renewal Plan • a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation disclosing the identity of the proposed buyer or lessee, the proposed use of the property, and essential terms and conditions of the proposed sale or lease, and • a public hearing is conducted on the proposed property disposition not less than 10 days after publication of the notice, and • the proposed sale or lease of the property is approved by the governing body, and Whereas, the project site located at 213‐215 West Spencer Street is within the Urban Renewal Project boundary, and Whereas, the Common Council has offered the following guidance for the disposition of the Spencer Street Property: • Sales price: fair market value sought • Use: architecturally compatible multi‐unit residential development, including affordable housing if feasible • Tenure: owner‐occupied or rental housing • Taxable status: taxable, and Whereas, the IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee considered this matter at their May 11, 2012 meeting and recommended the following; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the IURA hereby accepts the conveyance of 213‐215 West Spencer Street (tax parcels #93.‐7‐3 and 93.‐7‐5.1) for the purpose of facilitating an urban renewal project that will improve the physical, social and economic characteristics of the site and its vicinity, and be it further RESOLVED, that the IURA acknowledges the guidance provided by the Common Council regarding the disposition of the property, including: • Sales price: fair market value sought • Use: architecturally compatible multi‐unit residential development, including affordable housing if feasible • Tenure: owner‐occupied or rental housing • Taxable status: taxable, and be it further RESOLVED, that the IURA shall be reimbursed for any reasonable expenses associated with implementing the conveyance of the property from the City, managing and holding the property, developing proposed disposition agreements, and implementing the conveyance of the property to a qualified and eligible sponsor, and be it further, RESOLVED, that the IURA Chair is hereby authorized to execute any and all agreements and documents necessary to implement this resolution. 2) 203 Third Street‐ Resolution On a motion by Cummings and second by Halpert the following was approved unanimously. Accept Conveyance of property at 203 Third Street from the City Whereas, on May 2, 2012, the City of Ithaca Common Council authorized the transfer of 203 Third Street, Ithaca, NY (tax parcel #35.‐5‐16) to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) for disposition to a qualified sponsor for residential development, and Whereas, Common Council has expressed an interest in post‐sale use of the property which would enhance the City’s tax base, expand the supply of affordable housing, and be architecturally compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and Whereas, the IURA is interested in facilitating an appropriate project for at 203 Third Street, and Whereas, municipalities are generally not authorized to negotiate sale terms for real estate with a pre‐ identified buyers, but urban renewal agencies are authorized to implement certain property dispositions with a qualified and eligible sponsor to undertake an urban renewal activity if conducted in accordance with procedures identified at Section 507 of General Municipal Law (GML), and Whereas, Section 507 of GML authorizes the sale of real property by an urban renewal agency to a qualified and eligible sponsor at negotiated sale terms provided the disposition complies with the following requirements: • real property is located within an urban renewal project area and the property disposition will further the goals and objectives of the Urban Renewal Plan • a notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation disclosing the identity of the proposed buyer or lessee, the proposed use of the property, and essential terms and conditions of the proposed sale or lease, and • a public hearing is conducted on the proposed property disposition not less than 10 days after publication of the notice, and • the proposed sale or lease of the property is approved by the governing body, and Whereas, the project site at 203 Third Street is located within the Urban Renewal Project boundary, and Whereas, the Common Council intends the parcel to be used for the development of an owner‐occupied taxable housing with a sales price to the project sponsor which is at least equal to the total of all outstanding city, school and county taxes and any other City liens and all expenses of the City and the IURA associated with the conveyance, and Whereas, the IURA Neighborhood Investment Committee considered this matter at their May 11, 2012 meeting and recommended the following; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the IURA hereby agrees to accept conveyance of 203 Third Street (tax parcel #35.‐5‐16) for the purpose of facilitating an urban renewal project that will improve the physical, social and economic characteristics of the site and its vicinity, and be it further RESOLVED, that the IURA acknowledges the guidance provided by the Common Council that they wish for any proposed disposition to a qualified and eligible sponsor, which includes the development of an owner‐ occupied taxable housing with a sales price to the sponsor which is at least equal to total of all outstanding city, school and county taxes and any other City liens, and all expenses of the City and the IURA associated with the conveyance, and RESOLVED, that the IURA shall be reimbursed for any reasonable expenses associated with implementing the conveyance of the property from the City, managing and holding the property, developing proposed disposition agreements, and implementing the conveyance of the property to a qualified and eligible sponsor, and be it further, RESOLVED, that the IURA Chair is hereby authorized to execute any and all agreements and documents necessary to implement this resolution. b) Review of the 2012 Grant Process Committee members discussed the 2012 grant process, including the application forms, outreach and decision‐ making. After consideration of past year’s process and the difficulties of this year’s effort which involved both NI and the ED committee reviewing applications and bringing conflicting recommendations to the IURA, the NI Committee proposed the following: • evaluate grants and make the decisions about funding in a committee of the whole • establish a firm deadline for ALL materials to be received by the IURA • limit submissions to comply with the form prepared by the IURA and the specific list of additional materials identified on the application form • ensure that these changes are well advertised when the Call for Proposals is issued and when related outreach work is being undertaken by staff. The committee directed staff to compose a resolution for the chairperson’s approval, and then forwarding this resolution to the IURA. c) Other None V. Reports a) Southside Community Center—brief update Kittel advised the Committee that the Southside Community Center development committee continues to progress in its work of determining the next steps for rehabilitating the building and establishing a reasonable estimate for the cost of this work. She expects some public announcement of the work to happen at the upcoming Juneteenth celebration. b) Other None. VII. Motion to Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 10:25 A.M. j:\community development\admin files\minutes\nic\ni 2012\ni minutes may 11 2012.doc