HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-24-12 Planning & EDC Meeting Agenda
MEETING NOTICE
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
SPECIAL MEETING
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 – 5:15 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
A. Agenda Review
B. Action Item
1. Waterfront Zoning Ordinance – nonsubstantive change
(revised concept memo, ordinance sent separately)
C. Adjournment (5:30 pm)
Direct questions about the agenda to Jennifer Dotson, Chairperson, (jdotson@cityofithaca.org or
351-5458) or the appropriate staff person at the Department of Planning & Development (274-6550).
Back-up material is available in the office of the Department of Planning & Development. The
agenda order is tentative and subject to change.
If you have a disability and require accommodations in order to fully participate, please contact the
City Clerk at 274-6570 by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, October 24, 2012.
CITY OF ITHACA
108 East Green Street — 3rd Floor Ithaca, New York 14850-5690
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
PHYLLISA A. DeSARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Telephone: Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6559
Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura@cityofithaca.org
Fax: 607-274-6558 Fax: 607-274-6558
To: Planning and Economic Development Committee
From: JoAnn Cornish, Director of Planning and Development
Date: October, 23, 2012
Re: Revised Proposed Minor Non-Substantive Waterfront Zoning Amendment
The purpose of this memo is to provide information regarding a proposed minor non substantive
zoning amendment to the Waterfront Zoning Districts, which will be discussed this afternoon at
a brief special meeting of the Planning Committee for a possible vote by Common Council on
November 7, 2012.
The existing waterfront zoning ordinance lists a maximum height limit of 5 stories. The
ordinance also lists a maximum height per floor, for a total maximum height limit of 63 feet.
The City has recently been approached by a developer interested in constructing a building
within the waterfront zone that is within the allowable height limit (63’), but exceeds 5 stories.
In the Waterfront Zone, it has been the city’s vision to promote density, pedestrian access, and
mixed use, consisting of commercial, retail, and housing. The height and story maximum in the
current waterfront zone was intended to limit the height of buildings and protect the view-shed
while motivating higher quality design, and providing public access to the waterfront;
• the 5 story, 63’ maximum is intended to mitigate the effect of “squeezing” the
maximum amount of living space under the 63’ height restriction while allowing
sufficient space for mechanical equipment and ducts;
• developable space in the waterfront district is at a premium and surface parking is not
the highest and best use for the land available. A 63’ high building with 5 levels over
parking can still have the required 12’ ground level (to accommodate first floor
commercial and/or office space) and 5 stories above with 10’ floor-to-floor, allowing
ample space for mechanical equipment while maintaining the 63’ height limit without
having inadequate floor-to-ceiling distances;
• any possible undesired consequences of this non-substantive change would still be
captured in the mandatory design review process;
The City attorney has advised that the zoning ordinance may be clarified to state 5 stories, with a
maximum of 15’ for the first floor and a maximum of 12’ per additional story or 63’ maximum.
Given that the maximum height requirement will not change, and therefore the overall intent of
the regulation will not change, the City attorney has advised that this is a non substantive change
and can be put through an expedited process. The expedited process requires an action by the
Common Council, but does not require an environmental review.
Enclosed for your consideration is a draft ordinance. If you have any questions, feel free to
contact me at 274-6566.
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10/24/2012
J:\GROUPS\Planning and Econ Dev Committee\2012 Planning and Economic Development Committee\10 October\2012-WFOrdinance-08-
29.doc Page 1 of 1
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF
ITHACA, CHAPTER 325, ENTITLED “ZONING” TO AMEND THE WATERFRONT
ZONING DISTRICT.
BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Common Council of the
City of Ithaca that Chapter 325, Section 325-8 Waterfront Zoning
Amendment be amended as follows.
Section 1. Section 325-8 of the Municipal Code of the City of
Ithaca is hereby amended as follows to correct the maximum
building height to read as follows:
Maximum Building Heights:
Waterfront – WF-1a, no building allowed.
Waterfront –WF-1b, one story, 12 - 15 feet with an
additional 5 feet for cornice
allowed.
Waterfront – WF-1c, Maximum 3 stories with 12 – 15 feet for
the first story measured from grade, 12
feet for each additional story, with an
additional 5 feet for cornice allowed
or a maximum building height of 39’.
Waterfront – WF-1d, Maximum 5 stories with 12 – 15 feet for
first story measured from grade, 12
feet for each additional story, with an
additional 5 feet for cornice allowed,
or a maximum building height of 63’.
Section 2. The City Planning and Development Board, the City
Clerk and the Planning Department shall amend the zoning map and
the district regulations chart in accordance with the amendments
made herewith.
Section 3. Effective date. This ordinance shall take affect
immediately and in accordance with law upon publication of
notices as provided in the Ithaca City Charter.
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