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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2014-09-08BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:47 p.m. September 8, 2014 PRESENT: Mayor Myrick Commissioners (4) – Darling, Goldsmith, Morache, Warden OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent of Public Works – Thorne Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer – Whitney Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities – Benjamin Director of Engineering – West Director of Parking – Nagy Executive Assistant – Gehring EXCUSED: Commissioner Jenkins City Attorney – Lavine Common Council Liaison – Fleming DAC Liaison – Roberts ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: There were no additions to or deletions from the agenda. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS: The Mayor had no communications at this time. COMMUNICATIONS AND HEARINGS FROM PERSONS BEFORE THE BOARD: Nyan Gadepalli and Viswesh Swamimthan, co-owners of CladNetwork, addressed the Board to provide a follow-up report on their request to place trash receptacles on city property in Collegetown. The addressed several concerns expressed by the Board during their presentation held on August 18, 2014. RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC Mayor Myrick responded by stating he would ask the City Attorney’s office contact the owners, and would recommend the proposal be allowed at the Board of Zoning Appeals. Commissioner Goldsmith responded with additional locations to place the trash receptacles throughout the City. Commissioner Warden thanked CladNetwork for addressing the concerns expressed by the Board. REPORTS Superintendent and Staff Supt. Thorne reported that staff were evaluating the proposal for Commons maintenance from Downtown Ithaca Alliance, including equipment and storage needs, and would produce a recommendation for the Board in the near future. He further reported that six Requests for Proposals were submitted for the repair of Six Mile Creek Wall. Director of Engineering West reported that the City was looking into rehabilitating the Brindley Street Bridge in order to replace the Cecil Malone Bridge. He stated that Delta Engineer’s design team was looking into realigning Taughannock Boulevard, and a public information meeting was scheduled for September 22, 2014, at 4 p.m. in the second floor conference room in City Hall. Director of Engineering West further reported that the Old Elmira Road Complete Streets project had begun and noted that the entire sidewalk on the south side of the street was not eliminated, as the newspaper had reported. He further stated that the rehabilitation of Clinton Street from Cayuga Street to Corn Street would need to be completed through multi-modal, Sidewalk Improvement District, and CHIPS funding; The Sidewalk Program would begin late this week at Fair Street and Oak Avenue; and the owner of 304 Thurston Avenue recently built a driveway into the street without a street permit, and fines would be administered due to its poor condition. Board of Public Works Page 2 September 8, 2014 Regular Meeting Director of Parking Nagy reported that the parking revenue budget for 2014 had increased $393,000, and he was projecting a 19% increase in revenue for 2015, depending on the automization of Green Street Garage. He further reported that since the License Plate Recognition vehicles began, his staff had issued 2,343 tickets in July which constitutes a significant increase in parking tickets. Asst. Supt. Benjamin reported that two blocks of Richard Place would be paved this week, then the dredging of Six Mile Creek would be completed by the end of the month. He stated that Streets and Facilities crews would begin ten hour work days until the dredging was complete. Asst. Supt. Whitney reported that Buffalo Street at Park Street would be dug up to locate a large water leak; a Water Treatment Plant pre-construction meeting with the contractors would be held next week; the construction would require the closure to Water Street; due to rusty water on Woodcrest Road, crews installed an automatic flushing unit; crews were running fire service lines in Cornell Heights due to the installation of sprinkler systems; the Clinton Street water service replacements were mostly complete; and results from an Environmental Protection Agency inspection of the collection system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant included several tasks the City was required to complete. Discussion followed on the floor regarding whether it was a necessity to improve/replace Brindley Street Bridge. Director of Engineering West responded that it was staff’s hope that the improved bridges would allow more traffic to use them to get to Wegmans, taking traffic off of Fulton Street and Route 13. Also, the bridge does not have the capability to handle large trucks. He suggested that the one-lane bridge might be retained for pedestrian use. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of the August 25, 2014, Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes – Resolution By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Morache RESOLVED, That the minutes of the August 25, 2014, Board of Public Works meeting be approved as proposed. Carried Unanomously VOTING ITEMS: Buildings, Properties, Refuse and Transit: Request for Encroachment Agreement/License for Sign at Corner of First Street and Franklin Street – Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Goldsmith WHEREAS, through its Deputy Director, Tim Scott, The Sciencenter, the owner of the property at 601 First Street (Tax Map Parcel No. 25.-2-1.1), in the City of Ithaca, has requested an encroachment agreement/license from the City into the adjacent First Street right-of-way; and WHEREAS, the encroachment consists of the following: A curved monument sign, as proposed to the Board of Zoning Appeals on August 5, 2014, constructed of Llenroc stones laid to a height of three feet, approximately one foot in width, and commencing at a distance of 1 foot from the inner edge of the curb approximately 12 feet northwest of the corner of the existing grassy area within the City right of way, adjacent to the intersection of First and Franklin Streets, and running southeast approximately 12 feet, and rounding the corner approximately 26.5 inches from an existing utility pole, and then continuing northeast toward Franklin Street for a total length of approximately 20.5 linear feet on the outside curve, thereby encompassing an encroachment into the right of way by approximately 21 square feet, which is shown on a drawing stamped March 7, 2014 and entitled “New Front Entrance Comer Sign Sciencenter.” WHEREAS, it appears that the proposed sign is inside the current location of the existing First Street right of way and will not interfere with the right of way as currently constituted; and WHEREAS, the Superintendent does not anticipate any conflicts in the near future with public works uses or needs; and Board of Public Works Page 3 September 8, 2014 Regular Meeting WHEREAS, the 2013-14 schedule of fees for use of City-owned property requires an initial application fee of $100 for new licenses, but stipulates that the annual use fee shall be waived for minor encroachments, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby grants the request for an encroachment at the corner of First Street and Franklin Street, as proposed, contingent upon the execution of a license/agreement and submission of the required application form and fee (and renewal fees for any subsequent terms) and proof of required insurance, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor, upon consultation with the Superintendent and City Attorney, is hereby authorized to execute a license agreement allowing said encroachment, revocable upon 90 days’ written notice by the City in the event that the encroached upon City property is required for any City purpose, and containing the usual terms and conditions, including those specified in Chapter 170 of the City’s Municipal Code. Carried Unanomously Highways, Streets and Sidewalks: Approval of the Schedule of Assessments Constituting the 2015 Sidewalk Assessment Roll – Resolution By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Warden WHEREAS, Section C-73 of the City Charter creates five Sidewalk Improvement Districts (each a “SID”) for the construction and repair of sidewalk, and provides for an assessment against each property located in each SID for the benefits received by the property from such construction and repair; and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is responsible for recommending to the Common Council a budget and schedule of work for each SID district for each fiscal year, following a public hearing; and WHEREAS, the Board has received a proposed SID assessment roll, budget, and schedule of work for Fiscal Year 2015; and WHEREAS, the City provided public notice of the SID assessment roll, budget, and schedule of work in August 2014; and WHEREAS, owners of assessed properties were provided an opportunity to file written objections with the City Clerk, and present evidence to the Board at a public hearing on August 25, 2014; and WHEREAS, the Board has given due consideration to the objections, if any, presented by the property owners in accordance with Section C-73; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board recommends, subject to amendment and approval by the Common Council, the 2015 budget and schedule of work attached hereto, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board finally approves the schedule of assessments constituting the 2015 assessment roll, which are reflected on the assessment roll kept on file with the City Clerk, which roll the Superintendent of Public Works shall on behalf of the Board file with the Common Council in the form of an upcoming Committee agenda thereof, and which roll shall thereafter be confirmed, as amended, by the Common Council by local law after a public hearing, creating a lien upon the real property so assessed. Amending Resolution By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Warden RESOLVED, That the last Whereas clause be amended to read as follows: “WHEREAS, the Board has given due consideration to the objections presented by the property owners in accordance with Section C-73; now, therefore, be it” Carried Unanomously Discussion followed on the floor regarding when funds were borrowed for completing sidewalk work and charged to the Sidewalk Improvement District the subsequent year. A Vote of the Amended Resolution Resulted as Follows: Carried Unanomously Board of Public Works Page 4 September 8, 2014 Regular Meeting DISCUSSION ITEMS: Appeal of Water Service Bill for 508 Taughannock Boulevard Gene Little, Flotilla 2-2 representative, joined the Board for the discussion of this topic. He explained the charter that regulates their organization, which states maintenance and repairs to the building and grounds around it were the responsibility of the organization. He reported that an open house was held at the facility in the spring by the Hydrilla Task Force to field questions from the public. Asst. Supt. Whitney explained that there are two water mains on Old Taughannock Blvd. and when the line that services the Coast Guard building (508 Taughannock Blvd.) had a leak over a weekend, crews disconnected the water service and provided a list of licensed plumbers to the resident organization. He stated that the hired plumber replaced the water service that was located on the property, and the city was to replace the service located in the road. The service was replaced with a ¾” line. Discussion followed on the floor regarding notification of the magnitude of the leak, and that the organization would be responsible for the costs of repairs. Commissioner Warden explained that once the water service was upgraded to a certain size, it would be the City’s responsibility from the water main to the meter box. He noted that the service from the meter box to the building has always been the responsibility of the property owner. Further discussion followed on the floor regarding the amount of labor that was charged, which cost close to $3,000 for ten hours of work by the City and the fact that the private plumber cost approximately the same. Commissioner Warden stated that at first glance, the labor hours listed on the bill did not surprise him because more labor was required when working in the street. The Board agreed to deny the appeal, with a resolution at its next meeting. ADJOURNMENT: On a motion, the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m. Kathrin D. Gehring Svante L. Myrick Executive Assistant Mayor