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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2015-09-28    BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. September 28, 2015 PRESENT: Mayor Myrick Commissioners (5) - Warden, Darling, Jenkins, Goldsmith, Greene OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent of Public Works – Thorne Asst. Supt. for Streets & Facilities – Benjamin Asst. Supt. For Water & Sewer – Whitney Parking Director – Nagy Information Management Specialist – Myers EXCUSED: Alderperson Fleming Director of Engineering West Call to Order/Agenda Review: There were no additions to or deletions from the agenda. Mayor's Communications: The Mayor had no communications for the Board at this time. Communications and Hearings from Persons Before the Board: No one appeared to address the Board. Reports: Planning and Development Board Liaison Darling reported that the Board had a long meeting recently at which the “Triangle Project” (proposed location of East State/Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Aurora Street) was discussed. It will be on the Board of Public Works agenda in the future as well. In addition, there was extensive discussion on a request for variances to the zoning requirement for parking at 416 East State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street. The property was the former Arnold Printing and Duncan Hines Factory; the applicant has proposed a lot of creative ways to meet parking needs – nothing has been approved yet. The Board has also been working on establishing priorities to focus on in the City’s recently approved Comprehensive Plan. Some of the proposed priorities being discussed are the city’s transportation plan and its flood management plan. There will be more information coming in the future and both he and the Mayor encouraged all Board members to review the plan carefully. It’s a very impressive document, which Common Council adopted on September 2, 2015. Asst. Supt. Benjamin reported that crews will begin the repaving of West Clinton Street at the end of the week. If the weather allows they plan to pour the Aurora Street bridge deck, and after that they will be working to repair the pavement on Old Elmira Road where there was a recent water main break as well as re-lay a portion of the storm water sewer there. Asst. Supt. Whitney reported that crews are beginning the work on a Capital Project to replace the bar screen at the effluent plant, Water Treatment Plant construction is proceeding along well, so the infrastructure work between the two plants is keeping crews busy. In addition, they are busy in reactive modes responding to blockages and breaks; there was a significant break by the new Re-Use building on September 21st. It was a brittle fracture (from a 1965 era pipe) that completely flooded the roadway which Asst. Supt. Benjamin’s crews will need to replace, and he’s not sure why it happened with such a newer pipe. In addition, there was a significant leak found on Route 13 by Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway that was causing twice the usual amount of water to be pumped into the storm sewer (about 900 gpm). Crews have completed the water main work on Pearl/Vine/Mitchell and have cleaned the system resulting in fresher water that went really well. They need to do similar work by Giles Street and connect the water lines between two pressure pumps. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes                                                                                September 28, 2015    2  Director of Parking Nagy reported on the recent parking revenue which included, for the week ending September 25, 2015, coin collection, Pro-Park collection, daily and weekend transaction counts. The projected revenue increase for the month of September was $28,336 over September 2014 collections; which almost pays for three more pay stations. Supt. Thorne reported that staff has a meeting with NYSEG to discuss utilities on Dryden Road/College Avenue, and Linden Avenue regarding undergrounding the overhead utilities, which will require some coordination. The City just closed the western section of Forest Home Drive because water is washing out the road underneath it. The City needs to determine where the water is coming from before repairing the road. Administration and Communications: Approval of the September 14, 2015 Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes -- Resolution By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Darling RESOLVED, That the minutes of the September 14, 2015 Board of Public Works meeting be approved as published: Carried Unanimously Buildings, Properties, Refuse & Transit: Resolution for Temporary Boat Storage on Inlet Island: By Commissioner Jenkins: Seconded by Commissioner Darling WHEREAS, wintertime boat storage is an important element of the boating industry in the City of Ithaca, and the recent closure of Johnson’s Boat Yard has significantly reduced boat storage capacity within the City; and WHEREAS, Finger Lakes Boating Center has been working with New York State Parks to provide new boat storage space near Treman Marina to make up for the loss of space resulting from the closure of Johnson’s Boat Yard; and WHEREAS, because there is a need for staging, contingency and overflow boat storage space during this transitional period, Finger Lakes Boating Center has requested use of the northern unpaved portion of the City-owned parking lot on Inlet Island to provide such space up to Memorial Day 2016; and WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Public Works and Director of Parking have determined that the unpaved parking area on Inlet Island currently has capacity for temporary boat storage, and that the request can most easily be accommodated through monthly parking passes for the number of parking spaces used for boat storage; and WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Public Works and Director of Parking have issued monthly parking passes for two of the three unpaved parking bays to Finger Lakes Boating Center from mid-September through mid-October at a rate equal to $22.64 per parking space, and recommend that the Board of Public Works allow continued use of this method up to Memorial Day of 2016; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby allows the Superintendent of Public Works to continue issuance of monthly parking passes to Finger Lakes Boating Center for the purpose of temporary boat storage up to Memorial Day 2016; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the temporary boat storage space be limited to the three unpaved parking bays at the north end of the City-owned parking lot on Inlet Island. Discussion followed on the floor regarding how the rate per parking space was determined, and whether it was fair market value. Director of Parking Nagy explained that staff took the total revenue the lot had produced in the past and divided the area by the number of spaces to arrive at the per space rate. He noted that cars would get $20.00 per space per day, and that both he and Supt. Thorne feel it is a fair rate. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes                                                                                September 28, 2015    3  Johnson Boatyard Business Partners, Steve Flash and Bob Hainey, joined the Board for the discussion. They explained that the City’s parking lot is being used right now as a transitional lot as boats get loaded and transported to the other lot they are renting from New York State. They have been working with Director of Parking Nagy to provide what the city needs. Some boats may take up more than 1 space, and they will pay comparable price per space as cars. In fact, right now, they are paying for the whole parking lot which is to the City’s advantage because it isn’t always full. They are also working with Island Health and Fitness to designate some spots to keep free for them, which they are already paying the City for on a month by month basis or by agreement/permit. A Vote on the Resolution Resulted As Follows: Carried Unanimously Highways, Streets & Sidewalk: Request to Install Telecommunication Conduit Within the Commons Telecommunication System Space - Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, as part of the Commons Project, the City installed a comprehensive structure to facilitate installation of telecommunications equipment by multiple providers; and WHEREAS, Chris Brooks, Manager of Plant Operations for Finger Lakes Technologies Group has submitted a request to occupy conduit space in the new telecommunication conduit system installed as part of the Commons rebuild project; and WHEREAS, Finger Lakes Technology Group has requested permission to place fiber optic cable and associated splice cases within the Commons telecom space as shown in the diagram attached here as Exhibit A; and WHEREAS, the Superintendent does not anticipate any conflicts in the near future with public works uses or needs; and WHEREAS, the fee schedule and additional terms of the agreement will be set by Board of Public of Works in a future meeting, now therefore be it RESOLVED, The Board of Public Works will determine a fee structure and additional terms of the agreement for continued use of the telecom system space in a subsequent meeting; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby grants Finger Lakes Technology Group permission to install fiber optic cable and associated splice cases subject to the following: 1) Finger Lakes Technology Group shall provide bonding or other sufficient security in amount that the Superintendent deems appropriate to compensate the City for damage to its property during the course of installation and in the event the City must effect removal of the equipment 2) Finger Lakes Technology Group shall submit its final installation plan for Superintendent of Public Works’ prior to installation 3) Finger Lakes Technology Group agrees to, and shall execute an agreement with the City for continued use of the telecom system space as authorized by Board of Public Works. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes                                                                                September 28, 2015    4  EXHIBIT A Finger Lakes Technology Group requests conduit space in the new City of Ithaca Telecommunications conduit system for the purpose of placing fiber optic cable and associated splice cases. Attached is an April 2013 partial copy of the proposed Telcom Conduit plan, where we have taken the liberty of naming the new Man Holes for identifying the proposed route. Said plan was conceptual and may or may not reflect the final as built conduit system. Here is a man hole section-by-section description of our request for 1/3 conduit space rental. Starting point is from Verizon MH 1K in City conduit; end point is 102 N Tioga (AKA 158 E State St.) Requested Sections Estimated Distance Proposed facilities Verizon MH 1K to MH “T1” 50’ Place new fiber in existing inner duct MH “T1” to MH “T2” 132’ Place (3) inner ducts and fiber cable MH “T2” to MH “S2” 181’ Place (3) inner ducts and fiber cable MH “S2” to 102 N Tioga 53’ Place (3) inner ducts and fiber cable     Extensive discussion followed on the floor regarding the use of the conduit by more than one tenant of a building, and the fact that there is no provision in this resolution for Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes                                                                                September 28, 2015    5  disputes, remediation, nor a way for the conduit to be used in different ways by various occupants of the building. Commissioner Goldsmith voiced his concern that the 4th Whereas clause being written too loosely, and the he would not support the resolution unless it says who, what, and why. Supt. Thorne responded that the city has license agreements with owners of the vaults on the Commons, and then agreements from building to building. The rental price is for the conduit where there is one or more than one cable in it. The City would have a license agreement with, for example, Time Warner, Finger Lakes Technology, NYSEG, who will be the ones to actually run wires through the conduit and will bill the user for that service; this is one conduit. There are questions still that need answers. The City does need to determine the fee structure and work it out with the City Attorney. This resolution allows the conduits to be used right now by Finger Lakes Technology to run lines through them to a new business on the Commons so it can get up and started; this would allow them to do that. A Vote on the Resolution Resulted As Follows: Carried Unanimously Approval of Proposed Amendments to the Street Vending Policy - Resolution By Commissioner Goldsmith: Seconded by Commissioner Darling WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works adopted the Street Vending Policy for the City of Ithaca on January 27, 2014, and WHEREAS, after a year of working with the policy, staff recommend amendments to increase efficiency and effectiveness, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works has reviewed and hereby adopts the proposed amendments to the Street Vending Policy dated September 1, 2015. Carried Unanimously Adjournment: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m. ______________________________ __________________________ Sarah L. Myers, Svante L. Myrick, Information Mgt. Specialist Mayor