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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2001-11-14BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:30 p.m. November 14, 2001 PRESENT: Commissioners (5) - Beach, Leonardo, Gutenberger, Jenkins, Korherr OTHERS PRESENT: Deputy Clerk – Korherr Deputy City Controller - Thayer Superintendent of Public Works - Gray Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel Common Council Liaison – Hershey Alderperson Blumenthal Alderperson Pryor Planning and Economic Director - VanCort ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: Superintendent Gray requested that a discussion involving a water agreement with the Town of Ulysses be added to the agenda. No Board member objected. In the absence of a quorum Doug Austic, Supervisor for the Town of Ulysses addressed the Board on the creation of the Town of Ulysses Water District. Supervisor Austic’s presentation included a request for the City of Ithaca to sell water on a temporary basis to the Town of Ulysses residents. The Town created a map of the commercial and residential sectors of the water district and finalized future water planning concerns for the next 50 years. An outline of the areas that would be serviced by the water supply was presented. Providing water to residents and small business’, rather than large-scale commercial development, is their scope. The temporary need to purchase water from the City will end when Bolton Point merges with the municipalities. A 10” main would be required due to fire protection concerns. The Town of Ulysses has already discussed their needs with the Town of Ithaca. The Town expressed their concerns over land use regulations, site plan reviews and zoning ordinances. Supervisor Austic stated that the Town would not charge agriculture district landowners the amount related to unoccupied units on the map. A pump station will be constructed on Wolf Lane. Extracting water from Cayuga Lake was discussed as an option along with a request for water from the Village of Trumansburg. Alderperson Blumenthal stated that this request would require a formal environmental review rather than an informal Board review and added that other City advisory boards should be allowed to offer their input. Negotiating water rates based on the required demand not to exceed 200,000 gallons per day would be the next step. The infrastructure alone would cost the Town of Ulysses $3.7 million. Strategic initiative grants will provide funding assistance for the project. Supervisor Austic stated that they would like to enter the funding loan cycle during the Spring of 2002. Superintendent Gray stated that he would forward the Town’s planning documents to the City Planning Board to discuss environmental review issues. Supervisor Austic will forward the Town’s land use plan, present zoning regulations and overall plan draft to Superintendent Gray who will put this item on the agenda for the December 5, 2001 COW meeting. The Board of Public Works is considered the lead agency for the project. Planning Director VanCort suggested that the item be referred to the Conservation Board of Public Works – November 14, 2001 - Page 2 Advisory Council and Tompkins County Planning Commissioner for their comments. Commissioners Leonardo and Jenkins arrived at the meeting at 4:45. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Vice-Chair Leonardo led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of the Minutes of the August, September and October, 2001 Board of Public Works Meeting By Commissioner Gutenberger: Seconded by Commissioner Korherr RESOLVED, That the Minutes of the August 8, 2001, September 12, 2001 and October 10, 2001 Board of Public Works meetings be approved as published. Carried Unanimously PARKING AND TRAFFIC Request for “Children at Play” Sign BY Commissioner Gutenberger :Seconded by Commissioner Beach WHEREAS, residents of Warren Place have requested a “Children at Play” sign to warn motorists of children in the neighborhood, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works has received input from the City Traffic Engineer and the City Attorney, and WHEREAS, the Board has reviewed the traffic engineer’s denial of the requested sign during earlier requests based on traffic counts, the origin of the traffic as well as other traffic characteristics and guidelines for application of these signs published by New York State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board authorizes the installation of a “Children at Play” sign on Warren Place in a location where it is meant to demark the change in driving environment from rural State Route 79 outside the city to the urban residential nature of Warren Place, and deems it appropriate due of the sudden and unusual nature of the change. Carried Unanimously ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ITEMS: Recommendation for Position Upgrade By Comissioner Jenkins :Seconded by Commissioner Korherr WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works has discussed the need to fill the City Engineer’s position several times in recent years as it relates to balancing the workload in the engineering office, providing the necessary day to day oversight required to maintain productivity as well as professional development of staff and to manage and coordinate the engineering work program required to support the department’s annual projects as well as the city’s capital projects program, and WHEREAS, the Board and the Superintendent have been unsuccessful in their efforts to have this position re-established and funded during the recent tight budgets and the city wide competition for additional staff positions, and WHEREAS, the Superintendent has indicated that talent exists in present staff to meet many of the needs for oversight management and professional development even though the creation of some advanced position such as Director of Engineering will not resolve the imbalance between staff hours available and staff hours needed, and WHEREAS, the Board believes that the proposed position upgrade will provide needed management and staff support in the engineering office while also recognizing those skills and Board of Public Works – November 14, 2001 - Page 3 efforts which are already expended for the city’s benefit; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works directs the Superintendent to work with the Human Resources Department to draft a new position duty statement with a recommended title and salary range for submittal to the Civil Service Commission, the Human Resources Committee and the Budget and Administration Committee for action and funding, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board forwards its recommendation with the understanding that the cost associated with this upgrade will be derived from the funds in the Mayor’s proposed 2002 Engineering budget (A1440) and/or charge backs to the appropriate capital projects as determined by the Superintendent and the City Controller. Carried Unanimously NEW BUSINESS: Planning Department Presentation of the “6 Point Plan” Study and Recommendations Alderperson Pryor began the presentation by thanking Economic Development Planner Kusznir and Neighborhood and Economic Development Planner Logue for their work on the Six Point Plan She also extended her thanks to the Board on their action regarding the children at play sign. Alderperson Pryor stated that traffic calming alone would not have been an appropriate method to address the traffic problems in the Southwest area of the City. She added that the Six Point Plan was included in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement to specifically address traffic mitigation. Alderperson Pryor thanked the Resident Client Committee that worked diligently with the consultant to develop the comprehensive plan. Planning Director VanCort noted that the DGEIS and Common Council members identified the six points and the study resoundingly endorsed five of the six points. Planners Logue and Kusznir presented several aspects of the plan. Traffic counts from the GEIS and current counts were incorporated into a demand model. The model that also included future development traffic demands on the area was then projected over twenty years at an annual 1.2% increase per year. Those final projection figures were then incorporated into the current configuration that became the Six Point Model. Alderperson Hershey stated that regardless of future development in the area a major piece of this model would need to be implemented to address current problems. Planning Director VanCort went on to describe the proposed Southwest Benefit Assessment District. He noted that the City can charge a special assessment to specific benefitted properties. The Commons business owners were asked to fund 18% of the Commons construction in 1974 and the General Fund absorbed another 20%. Additional funding covered the balance. The Collegetown Garage construction was funded similarly with 20% business owners and 80% City funds. Common Council is in the process of creating the special assessment district that will include properties along Route 13 and old Elmira Road as well as the new development in the interior of the area. Residences will be excluded. Since the traffic flow was determined to be 40% pass-by and 60% spread about, the 60% will be charged out to business owners based on their building’s square footage. The mitigation payment that was initially expected to be the responsibility of the contractor is no longer obtainable. The Controller’s Office is responsible for designing the format for the fees. Board of Public Works – November 14, 2001 - Page 4 Commissioner Beach supported Alderperson Pryor’s comment that traffic mitigation be constructed through the development process. He added that the residential neighborhood would be lost if these issues are not incorporated into the construction. Comissioner Jenkins expressed concern for the small business owners that might not be able to afford this. Planning Director VanCort confirmed that the charge is billed to the landlord. Lease agreements would not be affected until they would be re- negotiated. He added that the fee may reflect an estimated 5% increase in rental costs. This percentage should not cause the closing of any established business. Alderperson Hershey stated that small business location shifts would occur when properties become more valuable due to the economic impact on the area. Commissioner Korherr confirmed the need to have the costs detailed sooner than later. Alderperson Hershey stated that acting on the Six Point Plan would require further mitigation such as the Plain Street Bridge component. Alderperson Pryor noted that the additional bridge would allow emergency access to the area during the construction phases. Alderperson Hershey discussed the impact on the residents that would be losing their homes as a result of this development. Power to Act – Support of the Six Point Plan By Commissioner Leonardo :Seconded by Commissioner Gutenberger RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works grant themselves the Power to Act at the December 5, 2001 Board of Public Works meeting to address the Six Point Plan. Carried Unanimously REPORTS OF SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF: Superintendent Ferrel reported on the following projects: Cliff Street construction has begun. Signage giving advance notice to residents is in place. The North Cayuga Street Bridge project at Fall Creek is scheduled for 2002. The reason for the renovation is to remove the 12-ton limitation on the structure to allow fire truck access, strengthen the structural frame and repair rust damage. The project will be bid out in May and the work will begin in June. The bridge will stay closed until November 2002. The top pavement on North Cayuga Street was not done over the summer due to other projects and the need for the work to be completed by the time the school year began. The work will be done during the summer of 2002. Commissioner Gutenberger questioned the status of the public relations piece for DPW projects. Superintendent Gray stated that the Board Vice-Chair could be included as a guest columnist for the Ithaca Journal. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Robin L. Korherr Joseph Leonardo Deputy City Clerk Vice-Chair