HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CC-2002-03-13
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COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Special Meeting 9:00 p.m. March 13, 2002
PRESENT:
Mayor Cohen
Alderpersons (8) Pryor, Sams, Blumenthal, Manos, Whitmore,
Vaughan, Peterson, Cogan
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Clerk – Conley Holcomb
City Attorney - Schwab
City Controller – Cafferillo
Planning and Development Director – Van Cort
Economic Development Director - McDonald
Community Development Director - Bohn
City Planners - Logue and Kusznir
Acting Youth Bureau Director - Green
EXCUSED:
Alderpersons Mack and Hershey
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Mayor Cohen led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the
American flag.
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS:
Representatives from Monahan Development presented the “Analysis
of the Desmond Associates - Green Street Garage Life Cycle Cost
Comparison” report. They described two scenarios, one in which
the existing garage was expanded, and the other would be to build
a new parking garage. The total capital cost for the expansion
of the existing garage is estimated at $10,400,000, and the total
capital cost for building the garage new is estimated at
$12,750,000. They also included projected 20-year maintenance
expenditures for both scenarios, and the total interest expense
determined by the capital cost of building a new garage. They
noted that expanding the current garage would result in
additional maintenance costs in the future. They further stated
that the net difference over the course of time is approximately
$3.4 million in favor of expanding the existing garage.
An extensive question and answer period followed on the floor
regarding the following issues raised by Common Council members:
Number of new parking spaces created; renovation and maintenance
costs; the location of the intermodal center; ADA requirements
for parking as well as the housing aspects of the project; the
level of DPW involvement in the discussions and proposals;
extending life of current garage; what consultants were involved
in the study; how new parking would be accessed by the public;
how the project would be completed in phases; the cost of
constructing the parking spaces and what fees to charge for
parking per day, month; the City’s general fund obligations; how
parking would be distributed downtown; possible tenants for the
commercial spaces; safety issues at night for residents living in
the proposed housing units; street life; walkways to and from
the housing units; pedestrian safety on Green Street; possible
additional development costs.
March 13, 2002
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Planning Department – Approval of Funding for Cayuga Green
Traffic Study:
By Alderperson Manos: Seconded by Alderperson Vaughan
WHEREAS, proposals for new parking structures on Green Street and
Cayuga Street have been submitted and are currently being
considered by the City, and
WHEREAS, it has been determined that before the City can approve
of these new parking structures, traffic ingress and egress
within the garage as well as impacts on the surrounding streets
must be studied, and
WHEREAS, SRF Associates has submitted a proposal to perform a
parking facilities and circulation study on the proposed garages
and their impacts on the surrounding intersections, and
WHEREAS, staff has evaluated the proposal and recommends that the
City hire SRF Associates to complete the study, and
WHEREAS, the proposal submitted by SRF Associates is for $20,500
and there is $1,600 remaining in Capital Project #250 and
$150,000 reserved for Parking Area in Capital Reserve Fund #14;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Mayor for the City of Ithaca is hereby
authorized and directed to enter into a contract with SRF
Associates to study and make recommendations to the City in
regard to the traffic circulation associated with the proposed
parking structures for an amount not to exceed $20,500, including
all reimbursable expenses, and be it further
RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby establishes Capital Project
#458 Parking Area Studies in an amount not to exceed $60,000, and
be it further
RESOLVED, That contract with SRF Associates be funded with
transfers from Parking Area Capital Reserve Fund #14 in the
amount of $21,900 and Capital Project #250 in the amount of
$1,600 to fund Capital Project #458.
Extensive discussion followed on the floor regarding the scope of
the study, the costs and timeline of the study.
A vote on the Resolution resulted as follows:
Carried Unanimously
Planning Department – Approval of Funding for Green Street
Parking Garage Structural Evaluation
By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Cogan
WHEREAS, the City is currently considering a proposal to expand
the Green Street Parking Structure, and
WHEREAS, the engineering department recommended that, before the
City can expand the existing Green Street garage, a full
structural evaluation of the building must be completed, and
WHEREAS, staff has received proposals from three engineering
firms to evaluate the Green Street garage, and
WHEREAS, only one of the proposals submitted by Novelli
Engineering was for a full structural evaluation and testing of
the parking structure, and
March 13, 2002
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WHEREAS, planning staff and engineering staff have reviewed the
submitted proposals and recommend that the City contract Novelli
Engineering to perform the structural evaluation of the Green
Street garage, and
WHEREAS, the proposal submitted by Novelli Engineering is for
$34,200 and there is $150,000 reserved for Parking Area Capital
Reserve #14; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Mayor for the City of Ithaca is hereby
authorized and directed to enter into contract with Novelli
Engineering to conduct a detailed structural analysis of the
Green Street Parking Garage and to make recommendations to the
City in regard to the structural condition of the Green Street
Parking Garage for an amount not to exceed $34,200, including all
reimbursable expenses, and be it further
RESOLVED, That Common Council has previously approved Capital
Project #458 for this purpose, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the contract with Novelli Engineering Firm be
funded with transfers from Parking Area Capital Reserve Fund #14
to said Capital Project #458.
Carried Unanimously
Exemption from Sales Tax for Clothing and Footwear Home Rule
Request for Enactment of a Special Law
By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Whitmore
WHEREAS, the Common Council, by resolution dated February 13,
2002, requested Senator James Seward and Assemblyman Martin
Luster to introduce legislation in the New York State Senate and
Assembly respectively, which would allow the City to permanently
exempt from state sales and compensating use taxes the purchase
of clothing and footwear costing less than $110 per item, and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Common Council’s resolution, Senator James
Seward has introduced legislation in the Senate as Senate Bill
Number 6343, and Assemblyman Martin Luster have introduced the
same legislation in the Assembly as Assembly Bill Number 10074,
and
WHEREAS, Alan J. Cohen, Mayor of the City of Ithaca, has made a
Home Rule Request for Enactment of a Special Law by the New York
State Legislature requesting enactment of Senate Bill Number 6343
and Assembly Bill Number 10074 and seeks concurrence therein by
Common Council; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby concurs in the request by
the Mayor for Enactment of a Special Law authorizing the City of
Ithaca to adopt a local law, ordinance or resolution providing an
exemption from sales tax for clothing and footwear, and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to take
the necessary steps to formalize said Home Rule Request,
including signing of all necessary documents.
Carried Unanimously
March 13, 2002
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Youth Bureau – Request for Authorization to Submit a
Federal Grant Application for JUMP Program
By Alderperson Sams: Seconded by Alderperson Whitmore
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca is interested in the well-being of
the youth of the community, and
WHEREAS, there is evidence that a one-to-one mentoring
relationship is a promising intervention that provides youth with
support and guidance, and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Justice has developed
the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) to support one-to-one
mentoring projects for youth at risk of failing in school,
dropping out of school, or becoming involved in delinquent
behavior, including gang activity and substance abuse, and
WHEREAS, this Federal Program would provide 100% funding, up to
$220,000 for a 3-year budget and project period, and
WHEREAS, the Ithaca Youth Bureau has extensive experience with
mentoring programs and is interested in applying for JUMP
funding; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, does
hereby authorize Acting Youth Bureau Director Alice W. Green to
submit an application to the Department of Justice’s Juvenile
Mentoring Program and to act in connection with the application
and to provide such additional information as may be required.
Carried Unanimously
8-0 (Alderperson Blumenthal
absent from vote)
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
By Alderperson Pryor: Seconded by Alderperson Whitmore
RESOLVED, That Common Council adjourn into Executive Session to
discuss the acquisition of land.
Carried Unanimously
REGULAR SESSION:
Common Council reconvened into regular session with no formal
action taken.
ADJOURNMENT:
On a motion the meeting was recessed until March 20, 2002 at 7:15
p.m.
________________________ _______________________
Julie Conley Holcomb, CMC Alan J. Cohen,
City Clerk Mayor