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
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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