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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2001-09-19COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Special Meeting 8:00 p.m. September 19, 2001 PRESENT: Mayor Cohen Alderpersons (7) Pryor, Sams, Blumenthal, Farrell, Spielholz, Taylor, Hershey OTHERS PRESENT: City Clerk – Conley Holcomb City Attorney - Schwab City Controller – Cafferillo Planning and Development Director – Van Cort Deputy Director of Planning and Development – Cornish Economic Development Director - McDonald Community Development Director - Bohn EXCUSED: Alderpersons: Manos, Vaughan, Glasstetter PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Cohen led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: Motion to Enter into Executive Session to Seek Legal Counsel By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Spielholz RESOLVED, That Common Council adjourn into Executive Session to seek legal counsel. Carried Unanimously RECONVENE: Common Council reconvened into Regular Session with no formal action taken. Authorization to Prepare a Local Law to enact the Benefit Assessment District: By Alderperson Hershey: Seconded by Alderperson Pryor WHEREAS, Common Council authorized the preparation of and adopted a generic environmental impact statement for the southwest area in the City of Ithaca which was adopted on August 24, 2000, and WHEREAS, the generic environmental impact statement contains among its conclusions the fact that development in the Southwest area of the city will have associated impacts on the amount of traffic in that area of the City, and WHEREAS, the generic environmental impact statement calls for mitigation and amelioration of those traffic impacts by the construction of roadways and related infrastructure, and WHEREAS, a benefit assessment district for the Southwest area is a legally authorized means to fund such improvements pursuant to the authority invested in cities under New York State Municipal Home Rule Law, Article 2, and WHEREAS, the Common Council supports in concept the creation of a Benefit Assessment District and feels that it is important to solicit public input about the creation of this district; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby authorizes and directs the appropriate City staff to prepare a local law and related documents for Common Council’s consideration to enact a Benefit Assessment District pursuant to New York State Municipal Home Rule Law, and, be it further September 19, 2001 2 RESOLVED, That the Common Council further directs that a public information session on this district be scheduled for Wednesday, October 10, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. at a place announced in the advertisement and that the necessary advertisements be placed to publicize this public information session. Carried Unanimously Resolution to Establish a Capital Project for the Implementation of the Six- Point Traffic Plan: By Alderperson Hershey: Seconded by Alderperson Pryor WHEREAS, Common Council authorized the preparation of and adopted a Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the Southwest development area in the City of Ithaca which was adopted on August 24, 2000, and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Common Council Findings Statement for the Southwest Area Land Use Plan Generic Environmental Impact Statement adopted on August 24, 2001, found that: 1.) “Based on the Lead Agency’s analysis of existing and future traffic in the Study Area and in response to concern expressed during the public comment period about potential traffic impact, the Lead Agency finds that it will additionally develop and implement a Traffic Monitoring and Management Plan (M&M Plan) for the Southside/South-of-the-Creek Area concurrently with development in the Southwest Area. The goals of the Plan are to protect the Southside and South-of-the-Creek neighborhoods from the negative impacts of increased traffic, to improve the accessibility of the project area for people who live east and south of downtown Ithaca, and to provide a direct route which strongly links the Southwest Area to the downtown and to the West End/Inlet Island corridor. The M & M Plan will be developed and implemented to be consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan.” (i. Transportation (ix), and 2.) “The Lead Agency, as part of the M & M Plan will study and implement a set of mitigations that will help to minimize the impacts of traffic in the City, especially in the Southside and South-of-the-Creek neighborhoods. These mitigations will address both existing traffic and that generated by new development. The mitigations consist of  converting Spencer Street to two-way traffic,  constructing a new road behind Ithaca Plaza entering the new Southwest Development Area,  rebuilding the Plain Street pedestrian bridge over Six Mile Creek as a traffic bridge,  widening Route 13 to five lanes,  constructing the new Taughannock Road extension,  developing and implementing a City-wide traffic plan which promotes an open traffic grid in all areas of the City, including the possible removal of the diverters on Wood and South Streets. and, WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca has contracted with the consulting firm of Wilbur Smith Associates to evaluate the Six Point Traffic Plan as outlined in the Findings Statement to evaluate, prepare cost estimates, and make recommendations, and WHEREAS, Wilbur Smith Associates has indicated that the final draft of the report will be available for Common Council review in mid-October, and WHEREAS, on September 19, 2001, Common Council passed a resolution directing City staff to prepare a Local Law and related documents for Common Council consideration to enact a Benefit Assessment District for the Southwest Area, and September 19, 2001 3 WHEREAS, two of the projects included in the Six Point Plan namely widening Route 13 to five lanes and constructing the new Taughannock Road extension are likely to be included in the proposed Benefit Assessment District, and WHEREAS, the construction of the new road behind Ithaca Plaza entering the new Southwest development area is no longer being considered; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Southwest Area Traffic Improvement Capital Project be established at a maximum estimated cost of $2,000,000 to construct the remaining improvements to be delineated and authorized by Common Council as are consistent with the goals of the Southwest Area Land Use Plan, and, be it further, RESOLVED, That the financing necessary to fund said project be derived from the issuance of serial bonds. Carried Unanimously Mayor Cohen extended his thanks to Common Council, stating that the passage of these resolutions is a clear expression of continued support for addressing both the existing impacts of traffic in the community and the additional impacts anticipated as a result of future development. If a special benefit assessment district is implemented, a mechanism will be created to collect a fair share contribution from all benefited parties as a result of new and existing development in the community. Alderperson Hershey thanked the City Controller, the City Attorney, and members of the Planning Department for an extraordinary amount of effort on this issue. Mayor Cohen stated that the Resolution calls for a public information session. If Council decides to consider the local law, there will be an additional mandated public hearing that will provide the public another opportunity to contribute opinions and ideas on this matter. Submission of Grant Application for Community Development Strategic Plant/Technical Assistance Funds By Alderperson Farrell: Seconded by Alderperson Hershey WHEREAS, the Governor’s office for small cities announced the availability of community development strategic plant/technical assistance (TA) grants, the funds of which are available to communities and/or neighborhoods to prepare strategic plans to develop a specific implementation plan to address community development needs, and WHEREAS, the Governor’s Office intends to allocate $375,000 for the community development strategic plan technical assistance program and a maximum award for this grant is $25,000 and a 40% local match in the form of in kind services or cash is required and the applicant must demonstrate that the TA grant will not be substituted for funds available in the City’s general fund and/or private funding sources, and WHEREAS, the City’s draft economic development plan calls for the city to develop and implement an action phasing neighborhood improvement plan which includes a strategy for funding neighborhood approved projects and by June 6, 2001 resolution, the Common Council expressed its commitment to neighborhood based planning as a means to address quality of life issues in neighborhoods and incorporate neighborhood based plans as amendments to the City of Ithaca’s comprehensive plan, and WHEREAS, the Planning Department is implementing the Neighborhood Based Planning Initiative that through a bottom up resident driven process will craft neighborhood plans to outline a vision for the neighborhood and specify a list of prioritized work programs and projects for improvements detailing specific actions, September 19, 2001 4 steps, necessary resources, schedules, budgets and parties responsible for the implementation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby authorizes the IURA to submit a community development strategic plan technical assistant grant application to the Governor's office for small cities in an amount not to exceed $25,000 and, be it further, RESOLVED, That the Mayor, upon advice from the City Attorney and the Executive Director of the IURA is hereby authorized to execute any and all documents of the submission of this application and acceptance of funding, and, be it further, RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca agrees to comply with all terms and conditions of the grant, and, be it further, RESOLVED, That the Common Council hereby directs the Planning and Development Department to implement the grant awarded and authorizes the IURA to administer the grant in accordance with the applicable regulations including but not limited, title 24, section 570 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Alderperson Farrell stated that this is an opportunity to apply for grant money that could be used to fund two additional neighborhood planning initiatives, similar to Northside neighborhood initiative. The application deadline is October 3, 2001 and the approved resolution needs to be submitted at the time of application. Alderperson Hershey stated that the targeted neighborhoods are the Washington Park area and the Southside, south of the creek area. He added that to strengthen the application the City would designate $5,000 of the $ 10,000 matching funds in cash, and the remainder in employee services. A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously NEW BUSINESS: By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Blumenthal WHEREAS, Common Council wishes to express its profound shock and sadness at the tragic toll of lives lost on September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in western Pennsylvania as the result of the highjacking of four jetliners, and, WHEREAS, Common Council wishes to express to our nation's leaders its firm support of efforts by the national government to respond to this attack in ways that are in accordance with our nation's historic commitment to the principles of justice and peace, and, WHEREAS, Common Council wishes to acknowledge and honor the heroic efforts of the New York City Fire Department, Police Department, Emergency Medical Technicians, ambulance drivers, doctors, nurses and other rescue personnel who responded with unflinching professionalism and compassion in the aftermath of the attack, and, WHEREAS, Common Council wishes to acknowledge and emphasize that the criminal behavior of the terrorists who perpetrated the attack has been denounced by peoples and nations around the world of every ethnic background and religious faith, and, WHEREAS, Common Council recognizes that many residents of Ithaca have been personally and directly impacted as a result of the attack, and, WHEREAS, in accordance with Article 35 of the City Charter, Common Council is vested with the power, "to enact and enforce any ordinance or resolution not repugnant to the Constitution or laws of this state for any local purpose pertaining to September 19, 2001 5 the preservation of order, peace and health and the safety and welfare of the city and the inhabitants thereof,"; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council extends its deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of those who were killed or injured in the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, and, be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council urges residents of Ithaca to respect and honor all members of our diverse, international community; recognizing that terrorism is criminal behavior, not limited to those of any particular ethnic heritage or religion and universally condemned by peace-loving people around the world, and, be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council convey to Governor Pataki and New York City Mayor Giuliani its profound sorrow for all the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on New York City, particularly the devastating loss of lives among the courageous fire fighters, police officers and other rescue personnel who were among the first responders to the attack, and, be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council convey to President Bush and New York State's Senators and Congressional Representatives in Washington, D.C. its firm support for a measured response which will bring to justice those responsible for the attack. Amending Resolution By Alderperson Blumenthal: Seconded by Alderperson Spielholz RESOLVED, That the following resolved clauses be added to the Resolution: ”RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca acknowledges that our national reaction to the acts of terror include political, economic, and diplomatic measures to address the events of September 11th, and, be it further RESOLVED, that a balance between national security and civil liberties be maintained in our continuing commitment to world peace. Discussion followed on the floor. A vote on the Amending Resolution resulted as follows: Ayes (6) Spielholz, Pryor, Blumenthal, Farrell, Taylor, Sams Nays (1) Hershey Abstentions (0) Carried Mayor Cohen thanked Alderpersons Pryor and Blumenthal for their leadership in this Resolution. Main Motion as Amended: A vote on the Main Motion as Amended resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 10:30 P.M. ________________________ ___________________ Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Alan J. Cohen, City Clerk Mayor