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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2000-05-25 1 COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Special Meeting 7:00 May 25, 2000 PRESENT: Mayor Cohen Alderpersons (7) Pryor, Blumenthal, Glasstetter, Manos, Vaughan, Spielholz, Hershey OTHERS PRESENT: City Clerk – Conley Holcomb Economic Development Planner – Lee Superintendent of Public Works – Gray Consultant – Stuart Messinger EXCUSED: Alderpersons Farrell, Sams, Taylor PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Cohen led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: Determination of Completeness of the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement For The Southwest Area Land Use Plan By Alderperson Blumenthal: Seconded by Alderperson Manos WHEREAS, on December 15, 1999 Common Council, acting as Lead Agency, determined that the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dGEIS) for the Southwest Area Land Use Plan was satisfactory with respect to its scope, content, and adequacy for the purpose of commencing public and interested agency review, and WHEREAS, the Common Council accepted written comments from the public and interested agencies from December 20, 1999 through February 17, 2000, and WHEREAS, a public hearing on the dGEIS was held on January 24, 2000 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on January 25, 2000 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. to obtain comments from the public on potential environmental impacts of the proposed action as evaluated in the dGEIS, and WHEREAS, a total of 328 persons submitted written and oral comments regarding the adequacy of the dGEIS, and WHEREAS, Common Council deemed substantive the March 24, 2000 comments and WHEREAS, the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared and submitted to Common Council for acceptance; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council, as Lead Agency for Environmental Review, on May 25, 2000, hereby accepts the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the Southwest Area Land Use Plan for filing, having duly considered the potential adverse environmental impacts and proposed mitigating measures as required under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) 6 NYCRR 617 (the SEQR regulations) and Ordinance No. 90-13 of the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (CEQR), and, be it further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby directs the Department of Planning & Development Staff to file a Notice of Completeness for the Final GEIS and to issue the Final GEIS as required under SEQR 6 NYCRR Parts 617.10 and 617.21 and CEQR Part 36-10, and to distribute the Final GEIS to all interested agencies and the public. May 25, 2000 2 Mayor Cohen stated that the purpose of tonight’s meeting is to discuss the GEIS for the Southwest Area Land Use Plan and determine if the document is complete relative to the original scoping document that was established by Common Council as the Lead Agency. He further stated that if Common Council determines the document is complete, a ten-day public comment period would commence; at which time members of the public will have an opportunity to make comments. All comments that are submitted will become part of the formal record. Stuart Messinger, a consultant hired by the City to compile the Final GEIS, guided Council through the SEQR process that was followed and highlighted some of the significant changes between the dGEIS and the current document. He responded to the substantive comments that were submitted. He defined substantive comments as an issue that requires consideration in the decision making process, and stated that not all of the substantive comments submitted have a response, although most do. Extensive discussion followed on the floor regarding the fGEIS with Common Council members asking for clarification, and making corrections to the document language. City Planner Lee stated that if the Resolution passed tonight, a copy of the fGEIS would be available to the public tomorrow at the Tompkins County Public Library and Olin Library. Additional documents will be available for public inspection, and Conservation Advisory Committee review by May 30th. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (6) Manos, Pryor, Blumenthal, Vaughan, Spielholz, Hershey Nays (0) Abstentions (1) Glasstetter Recess: Common Council recessed at 9:35 p.m. Reconvene: Common Council reconvened into Regular Session at 9:50 p.m. An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Map Creating a West End Development Zoning District – Declaration of No Environmental Significance By Alderperson Blumenthal: Seconded by Alderperson Manos WHEREAS, at the meeting held on March 1, 2000, the Common Council adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 325 of the Ithaca Municipal Code entitled "Zoning" to change existing zoning designations in certain areas from B-2 and B-4 (Business Districts), I-1, (Industrial District) and M-1 (Marine Commercial District) as applicable to West End Development Zoning District (WEDZ), and WHEREAS, in conjunction with adoption of the new zoning district, a proposal has been submitted to amend the Official Zoning Map of the City of Ithaca, New York, Chapter 325, entitled “Zoning” of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code, and WHEREAS, the proposed action is a Type I action under the City Environmental Quality Review Act (CEQR Sec. 176-12B), and WHEREAS, appropriate environmental review has been conducted including the preparation of a Long Environmental Assessment Form (LEAF), and WHEREAS, the Common Council for the City of Ithaca, acting as Lead Agency, has reviewed the LEAF, and has determined that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the environment; now, therefore, be it May 25, 2000 3 RESOLVED, That the Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby adopts as its own, the findings and conclusions more fully set forth on the Long Environmental Assessment Form, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the Common Council, as lead agency, hereby determines that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the environment, and that further environmental review is unnecessary, and, be it RESOLVED, That this resolution constitutes notice of this negative declaration and that the City Clerk is hereby directed to file a copy of the same, together with any attachments, in the City Clerk’s Office, and forward the same to any other parties as required by law. Carried Unanimously An Ordinance Amending the Official Zoning Map Creating a West End Development Zoning District By Alderperson Blumenthal: Seconded by Alderperson Manos ORDINANCE 00- BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, New York as follows: Section 1. The Official Zoning Map of the City of Ithaca is hereby amended to create a West End Development Zoning District as follows: Areas to be designated in the WEDZ District are indicated on the map entitled City of Ithaca, West End Urban Design Plan, Proposed Zoning Districts, dated March 2000. The tracts to be changed are bounded on the west by the center line of the Cayuga Inlet, on the north by the south edge of Cascadilla Street and moving northeasterly along the south edge of Route 13 (Fulton Street), and moving northeasterly across Route 13 (South Meadow Street) along the south edge of Hancock Street to the rear line of the parcel at the intersection of Route 13, (North Meadow Street.) The east boundary runs between the south edge of Hancock Street and the north edge of West Clinton Street along the rear property line of parcels fronting the east side of Route 13, (North and South Meadow Street). The south boundary runs northwesterly across Route 13, (South Meadow Street) to the northwest corner of Fulton and Meadow Streets and moves south along the west edge of south Meadow Street to Six Mile Creek and runs northwesterly to the center line of the Cayuga Inlet. Section 2. Effective Date This Ordinance shall take effect immediately in accordance with law upon publication of a notice as provided in the Ithaca City Charter. Carried Unanimously Motion to Enter into Executive Session to Discuss the Employment History of an Individual and Public Safety By Alderperson Hershey: Seconded by Alderperson Pryor RESOLVED, That Common Council adjourn into Executive Session to discuss the employment history of an individual. Carried Unanimously Reconvene: Common Council reconvened into Regular Session with no formal action taken. May 25, 2000 4 ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 10:20 P.M. ________________________ _______________________ Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Alan J. Cohen, City Clerk Mayor