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Home My WebLink AboutMN-CC-1980-09-16COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS i •,�� City of Ithaca, New York Special Meeting 7:30 P.M. September 16, 1980 PRESENT: Mayor - Bordoni Aldermen (10) - Banfield, Boothroyd, Boronkay, Dennis, Gutenberger, Holman, Nichols, Saccucci, Schuler, Slattery OTHERS PRESENT: Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (5) - Bordoni, Dennis, Jones, Reed, Stein Director, Planning and Development - Van Cort Planning Staff - Bottge, Sieverding clo" Developers - McRobb- Goldberg - Werner Seligman- Project Architect Asst. Fire Chief - Sharp Building Commissioner - Hoard City Clerk - Rundle PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Bordoni led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT: Community Advisory Committee Mayor l3or`('loni requested approval of appointment of the following persons to the Community Advisory Committee: The Rev. William H. Pinder, III, 206 South Plain Street; Mrs. Ruth Mann, 532 IV. Green Street; and Ms. j Bonnie Williams, 103 Second Street, for indefinite terms of office. Resolution By Alderman Holman: Seconded by Alderman Nichols RESOLVED, That the Council approves the appointment of The Rev. William H. Pinder, III, 200 South Plain Street; Mrs. Ruth Mann, 532 Green Street;; and Ms. Bonnie Williams, 103 Second Street to the Community Advisory Committee for indefinite terms. Carried Unanimously Ms. Bonnie Williams took the oath of office and was sworn in by the City Clerk. CITY CLERK'S REPORT: Consolication of Polling Locations for Voter Registration City Clerk Rundle informed.the Council that, according to the Board of Elections, the law now permits voting districts to be consolidated for voter registration, and copies of a resolution had been placed on the desk of each alderman. Resolution By Al erman Slattery: Seconded by Alderman Holman RESOLVED, That the following polling locations be consolidated for voter registration days Thursday, October 9 and Saturday, October 11, 1980, as follows: FIRST WARD Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 #6 Fire Station SECOND WARD Districts 1, 2 and 3 St. John's School TIIlI:D IVARD Districts 1, 2 and 3 Belle Sherman Annex FOURTH WARD districts 1, 2 and 3 #9 Fire Station FIFTII WARD Districts 1, 2 and 3 Fall Creek School Discussion followed on the floor. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously JOINT AGENDA SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: It iii Center Project__ Facade Apl)i•ov =il 1'}ie ollowing ci_tizens spoke to the hearing regarding the design of the facade: 126 -2- September 16, 1980 Bente King Eberhart, 113 Snyder Ilc.ights, spoke against the design of the facade for the Ithaca Center, Stuart Lewis, 120 East State Street, representing the Marketing Group of the Downtown Ithaca Businessmen's Association, spoke urging both Common Council and Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency to put their differences aside and to get behind the Ithaca Center Project. Mr. Lewis suggested forming a committee consisting of allthe members of the Council, Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, Commons Advisory Board and anybody on the DIBA and any lay person interested should be allowed on the committee. This committee wo work with the developers as the project is being built. Mayor Bordoni reviewed briefly the meeting of the preceding evening of the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, with Council members, citizens, and the architect, Werner Seligman, present. Werner Seligman, project architect, reviewed the updated facade design of the Center and explained that changes can be made. Resolution By Al erman Nichols: Seconded by Alderman Boothroyd WHEREAS, on 28 May 1980, upon recommendation of the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, the Common Council formally designated the McRobb- Goldberg firm as preferred developers for the parcel of land on the Ithaca Commons known as Center Ithaca, and WHEREAS, the Ithaca Board of Planning and Development formally approved the subdivision of the property to allow construction of the Center Ithaca project, and WHEREAS, the formal designation granted on 28 May 1980 specifically withheld final approval of the project design until accurate drawings and specifications of materials and details of the facade of the proposed building were made available, and WHEREAS, members of the Common Council and the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency have met with the McRobb- Goldberg development team and the architects employed by them and have examined a scale model of the proposed building and samples of materials being considered for the exterior .facade, and WHEREAS, many questions of taste and aesthetics were raised that cannot be promptly and effectively resolved by the Council, and WHEREAS, numerous changes in details of the building will unquestionably arise during the construction phase of the building; NOW, TIIEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby authorizes the finalization of all necessary documents to enable the McRobb- Goldberg development firm to proceed with the construction of the Center Ithaca project, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That members of the City staff and elected officials shall continue to work closely with the developers and their architects to assure that the interests of the City of Ithaca are tected in every way possible during the construction phase of the Flu Center Ithaca project. Discussion followed on the floor. Alderman Holman presented the following amendment to paragraph 7 by adding the words, "with the exception of the facade design." By Alderman Holman: Seconded by Alderman Schuler NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby authorizes the finalization of all necessary documents, with the exception of the facade design, to enable the McRobb- Goldberg develop- ment firm to proceed with —tile construction of the Center Ithaca project. !4 -3- September 16,1980 Alderman Nichols declined to accept the amendment to the resolution, and requested Mayor Bordoni to have the Council vote on the amendment. Discussion followed on the floor. Mayor Bordoni called for a vote on the Amendment, which resulted as follows: Ayes (2) - Schuler, Holman Nays (7) - Banfield, Boothroyd, Nichols, Gutenberger, Boronkay, Slattery, Saccucci Abstention (l) - Dennis Motion Defeated After further discussion, a vote was taken on the original main resolution, which resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA Planning and Development Committee Use of Common Council Chambers- Alderman Nic ols reporteT tthat the committee is working on. a resolution which will be presented to the Council at its October meeting for action Zoning Change 100 -200 Block of Linn Street By Alderman Nichols: Seconded by Alderman Saccucci BE IT RESOLVED, That the Planning Department is requested to restudy the 100 and 200 blocks of Linn Street with a view to changing the zoning from R -3A to R -2A. Carried Unanimously APPOINTMENT OP SPECIAL WORKING COMMITTEE: Mayor Bordoni requested approval of creation of a steering committee made up of I member from each of the following; Council, Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency, Planning and Development Department, Mayor's Office, Downtown Ithaca Businessmen's Association, and the Commons Advisory Board, and appointment of the following persons to represent those bodies: Ethel Nichols, James Dennis, Matthys Van Cort, Mayor Bordoni, Stuart Lewis and Thomas Niederkorn. The charge of the committee is to work with and oversee design elements as progress is made, working closely with the developers and architects on the Ithaca Center Project. Resolution By Alderman Boothroyd: Seconded by Alderman Slattery RESOLVED, That the Council approves the creation of a steering committee, as proposed, and the appointment of the following persons to the committee: Common Council - Ethel Nichols; IURA - James Dennis; Planning Department - Matthys Van Corti Mayor's Office - Mayor Bordoni;-DIBA - Stuart Lewis; and Commons Advisory Board - Thomas Niederkorn. Carried Unanimously ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 0:08 p.m. J seph A. Rundle, City Clerk ymoncBordoni, Mayor