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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-1995-03-08 1 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:00 p.m. March 8, 1995 PRESENT: Mayor Nichols Commissioners (5) - Seligmann, Tripp, Ehrhardt, Reeves, Rusoff ABSENT: Commissioner Smith OTHERS PRESENT: Deputy City Controller - Thayer Senior Stenographer - Holcomb Superintendent of Public Works - Gray Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer - Fabbroni Common Council Liaison - Johnson PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Nichols led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. MINUTES: Approval of the Minutes of the February 8, 1995 Board of Public Works Meeting By Commissioner Tripp: Seconded by Commissioner Reeves RESOLVED, That the Minutes of the February 8, 1995 Board of Public Works meeting be approved as published. Carried Unanimously Approval of the Minutes of the February 22, 1995 Board of Public Works Meeting By Commissioner Rusoff: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp RESOLVED, That the Minutes of the February 22, 1995 Board of Public Works meeting be approved as published. Carried Unanimously ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: Administration and Communications Items Commissioner Reeves requested the addition of Item 16.A - Contract with Golf Course Manager. No Board member objected. Unfinished Business Superintendent Gray requested the addition of an item on Stewart Park - Tennis Court Reconstruction. No Board member objected. REPORT OF CITY CONTROLLER Surplus Land Report Deputy City Controller Thayer noted to the Board that he is working on the Surplus Land Report and he should have a report ready by April. REPORT OF COUNCIL LIAISON: Alderperson Johnson reported on the following: The HVAC project for GIAC was approved at the March 1, 1995 Common Council meeting; The Common Council approved the City Forester position at their March 1, 1995 meeting; March 8, 1995 2 The sale of the Brindley Street right-of-way was approved at the March 1, 1995 Common Council meeting. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT: Superintendent Gray reported to the Board on the following matters: Golf Course Manager Contract; Proposed Stewart Park Tennis Courts; Traffic Engineer has been working on draft review of Wal-Mart; Data for Route 96 impact study; Work Study program for summer; The GIAC HVAC project. REPORT OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS AND FACILITIES: Assistant Superintendent Ferrel reported to the Board on the following matters: Asst. Superintendent Ferrel introduced Andrew Hillman, the new City Forester to the Board; The crews have been cleaning the grounds at Streets and Facilities; The crews have been getting the Cold Storage Building at the triangle site ready so Water and Sewer can get in there; Construction project to install a storm drainage system which will relieve current flooding problems on South Cayuga Street; The Central Processing Facility opened on Monday, the 6th; Farm and Tioga Street intersection is being studied; REPORT OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER AND SEWER: Assistant Superintendent Fabbroni reported to the Board on the following matters: Route 96 project; USGS gauging station needs to be on COW agenda next week and the Board needs to approve the contract with USGS; The City will be doing a water line on the Elmira Road for the County as a pay back for use of County equipment last year. TRAFFIC ITEMS: A. Removal of Parking from the North Side of Maple Avenue. By Commissioner Ehrhardt: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, the city's Bicycle Advisory Council has requested the removal of parking from the north side of Maple Avenue from NYS Route 366 to the city line to facilitate bicycle movement, and WHEREAS, this stretch of street is an important connector for bicycle travel connecting Collegetown to the East Hill Recreationway, East Hill Plaza, and several apartment complexes, and WHEREAS, this section of Maple Avenue is populated largely by Fairview Apartments and Cornell University offices, both of which maintain adequate off-street parking in this area; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works directs staff to install signage indicating "No Parking" on the north side of Maple Avenue, from NYS Route 366 to the city line, at the completion of the Cornell Parking lot reconstruction project. Carried Unanimously CREEKS, BRIDGES AND PARKS: March 8, 1995 3 A. Approval of IASA Proposed 1995 Schedule By Commissioner Reeves: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, the residents of West Hill have conveyed their concerns to the Board of Public Works regarding the usage of lighting late at night at Union Fields, and WHEREAS, a committee of residents and users of the lighted fields has investigated the possibilities of reducing the usage of the lights in order to accommodate the residents on West Hill, and WHEREAS, the Ithaca Amateur Softball Associations (IASA) has proposed a revised schedule for 1995 reducing the late games, but adding seven days onto their usual schedule, and WHEREAS, the IASA proposal only addresses the summer months of 1995, and meetings are still taking place to review the Youth Bureau's fall schedule for soccer and football; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works recommends adoption of the IASA revised 1995 schedule which would consist of one late night game each week and would extend the season by seven days, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the city will not bill the added expense of field maintenance for the seven additional days and will negotiate the expense of lighting for the adjusted use pattern, and, be it further RESOLVED, That this schedule will only apply to the 1995 season and that the 1996 season schedule will be negotiated based on the findings of the 1995 season, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the board wishes to continue to work with all parties to resolve this matter. Carried Unanimously ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ITEMS: Contract With Golf Course Manager By Commissioner Reeves: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works intends to forward a contract to the Budget and Administration Committee for their consideration during their meeting of March 15, 1995 in order to have it approved at the Common Council meeting of April 5, 1995; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works reserves for itself power to act on a resolution and contract for the golf course manager during its committee meeting of March 15, 1995. Carried Unanimously WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE ITEMS: A. Water Shed Land Considerations By Commissioner Seligmann: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp WHEREAS, the city has developed a coordinated program for acquisition and protection of land in the city's watershed which is currently being managed by the Planning and Development Committee of Council, and WHEREAS, there is a multitude of land use goals and objectives supported by this program and the Board of Public Works has been asked to provide it guidelines and priorities for use of funds generated by water system operations, and WHEREAS, the board wishes to protect water quality, maintain operational access and assure system reliability, and March 8, 1995 4 WHEREAS, there are a number of means available to implement those goals and objectives, such as direct ownership, conservation easement, right-of-way or maintenance easements, and ownership by others (Fingerlakes Land Trust, Towns of Ithaca or Dryden) which can be used to supplement the much broader protection afforded the entire watershed by state law through the Health Department and the State Department; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works sets the following guidelines: 1. Land for consideration should generally be north of the Town of Ithaca's south hill trail (the former DH & W R.R. R.O.W.) and south of a line roughly 250' south of state Route 79. 2. Land should generally be contiguous to existing city owned land. 3. Land which is contiguous to Six Mile Creek should be considered for direct ownership. 4.Land which is more than 500 feet from Six Mile Creek should be considered for conservation easements. 5. It is understood that because of site topography, soil quality, access questions, utility availability, zoning or subdivision requirements and property owner considerations that each case must be treated individually. 6. Specific comments made on maps used by the Planning Committee without any detailed knowledge follow: a. Land for acquisition - SM (Six Mile Parcel) 14, SM19, northern third of SM 8, SM7, northern half of SM5, northern quarter of SM6. b. Land acquisition or control - SM9, SM10. Discussion followed on the floor. Motion to Table By Commissioner Rusoff: Seconded by Commissioner Tripp RESOLVED, That the Water Shed Land Considerations resolution be tabled. Carried Unanimously REPORT OF BOARD LIAISONS: Bicycle Advisory Council Commissioner Tripp reported that the BAC has passed resolutions which will be discussed at the March 15 Committee of the Whole meeting. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Stewart Park Tennis Courts Superintendent Gray referred to a memo from Civil Engineer Tom West which included a project budget for the reconstruction of the tennis courts at Stewart Park. Extensive discussion followed on the floor regarding the proposed estimated cost of the reconstruction of the tennis courts and whether the City should look at replacing the courts with some other kind of activity. March 8, 1995 5 ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m. Connie J. Holcomb Benjamin Nichols Senior Stenographer Mayor