HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-P&DB-1995-05-15 eft' Clei
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PLANNING COMMITTEE
May 15, 1995
Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Common Council Chambers
MINUTES
Present:
Committee Members: John Schroeder, Chair; Rick Gray,Pam Mackesey,Diann Sams.
Non-Voting Committee Member: Benjamin Nichols,Mayor.
Other Council Members: Dick Booth.
Staff: H. Matthys Van Cort, Director, Planning and Development; Charles Guttman, City
Attorney; Richard Eckstrom,Building Commissioner.
Others: Steve Ehrhardt,Joe Daley, Susan Hurwitz; press.
• Agenda Review.
By consensus,the Ithaca Commons twentieth anniversary celebration was moved from the
agenda and referred to the Economic Development Committee.
• Director's Report.
In response to a question from Sams, Van Cort reported that he was in the process of
working with the Mayor to set up the client committee for the Meadow/Fulton study.
L Regulation of"Adult"Bars.
Booth presented the proposed zoning amendment for the regulation of adult
entertainment. He explained that the proposed regulations would not regulate bookstores,
video rental outlets, magazine shops or the like. The ordinance would apply only to
establishments which permitted live performances or the display of specified anatomical
areas as defined by the amendment. Booth explained that the amendment as presently
drafted limited those establishments to I-1 use districts. He suggested that as an
alternative those establishments could be limited to an overlay zone along the northwest
side of a section of Elmira Road. He also suggested that in addition the ordinance could
specify that no such entertainment could be established within a given number of feet of
various kinds of uses, including residential zones, houses of worship, educational
institutions,water courses,parks or other recreational facilities.
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Planning Committee Minutes 2
May 15, 1995
After some discussion, the Committee recommended that an ordinance be referred to
Council for action which limited adult entertainment uses to the I zones but that an
additional restriction be imposed, which would prevent these facilities from being located
within a certain number of feet from residential zones, houses of worship, educational
institutions, water courses, parks or other recreational facilities. Staff was directed to
supply a map showing those areas within industrial zones that would remain after the
elimination of (a) 500-foot and (b) 250-foot buffer zones from the uses in the
just-mentioned list.
IL Report of Task Force on Traffic Issues.
At its April meeting, the Committee had considered the proposed"Resolution Concerning
the Final Report from the Task Force on Traffic Issues" and had recommended that the
last clause of the resolution be amended either by adding the words "where possible"
before "will take steps" or by adding the words "any significant" in place of the word
"these"between"mitigate"and"negative impacts."
These recommendations were referred to the Board of Public Works for their
consideration. Ehrhardt explained that the Board of Public Works discussed the proposed
changes and wished to communicate to the Council that the Board had already spent a
great deal of time on this issue and was not inclined to alter the language of their
resolution.
Ehrhardt also explained that one of the major findings of the task force report was that the
heaviest traffic impacts are on the major carriers in the city. Daley showed the Committee
a map of the city which highlighted the major carriers. This map demonstrates that most
of the major carriers in the city are in residential zones; therefore, if the city were not to
take steps to protect the houses along these streets there would be a major negative
impact on the city's residential neighborhoods.
Ehrhardt said that the task force strongly recommended that measures taken by the city
should not make things worse on these streets and that it should concentrate on mitigation
of impacts on the stressed streets. These could include changes in parking or provision of
curb bump-outs, speed bumps,etc.
After some discussion,the Committee agreed to add the words"any significant"to the last
line so that it would read"and will take steps to mitigate any significant negative impacts."
Upon a motion by Mackesey,seconded by Sams, the Committee unanimously referred this
resolution to Common Council and recommended its approval.
M. Zoning Strategies to Promote Affordable Housing.
Mayor Nichols explained that he had retained Colin Forth to work on possible
amendments to the zoning ordinance which would promote the creation of affordable
housing within the city. Forth is soon to graduate with a Master's Degree from Cornell's
City and Regional Planning Program.
Planning Committee Minutes 3
May 15, 1995
Forth explained that he and the Mayor sought guidance from the Planning Committee and
would be asking for help from the Planning Department in carrying out this assignment.
Schroeder asked that a work program for Forth be prepared for consideration by the
Committee at the June meeting. Among the changes to be considered were rewriting the
problematic cluster subdivision regulations, correcting problems with the R-2c zone, and
establishment of an affordable housing "floating" zone. The question of the Type I
threshold for housing units in the City's Environmental Quality Review Act was raised.
Mayor Nichols said that it was important that the city retain environmental regulations
necessary for protection of the quality of life within the city.
The conclusion of this discussion was that a draft work program for Forth would be
developed at a meeting involving Mayor Nichols, Schroeder (as Chair of the Planning
Committee), David Kay (as Chair of the Planning and Development Board), Shari
Woodard (as Chair of the Rental Housing Advisory Commission) and Van Cort. This
proposed work program would then be discussed by the three bodies mentioned above.
IV. Bed-and-Breakfast Ordinance.
Schroeder explained the latest draft of the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance
which would allow the creation of bed-and-breakfast homes and inns in residential zones
in the city. Schroeder thanked Hurwitz for her patience and participation in the process of
drafting the proposed ordinance. After a lengthy discussion, Sams moved and Mackesey
seconded that ordinance as revised be referred to the Committee of the Whole for
inclusion on the Council's agenda for June 7. A public hearing would be called at the June
7 meeting with earliest action on July 5.
V. Southwest Park Substitute Parkland.
After a brief discussion, the Committee recommended that Council pass a resolution
reaffirming its intention to use parcels Al and A2 as identified in Chapter 757 of N.Y.S.
Laws of 1985 as substitute parkland for Southwest Park. As noted in the agenda, these
parcels located in the City and the Town of Ithaca are also known as parcels SW1 through
SW8. On a motion by Mackesey, seconded by Gray, the Committee unanimously
recommended that such a resolution be referred to Council for action.
VI. Park-and-Ride Lots.
Van Cort explained the steps he and other county, city and town staff had taken to
investigate providing a park-and-ride system during construction of the Route 96 project.
He said he was pessimistic regarding the possibility of a joint effort involving city, town
and county because of an apparent lack of willingness on the part of the town and county
to allocate substantial funding for park-and-ride lots.
It was suggested by Schroeder that the issue be raised by Mayor Nichols at the
Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee meeting on May 16 to see whether
Planning Committee Minutes 4
May 15, 1995
there was any indication that the town, county or state would support such an effort.
There was a consensus on the Committee that the Mayor raise this issue at the MPO.
VIII. Enhancement of Local Court Authority in Land Use Matters.
Schroeder explained that the city had received a communication from the New York State
Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials explaining a proposed state act which
would allow the granting of preliminary injunctions and temporary restraining orders in
connection with certain violations of land use, building regulations or fire prevention
codes.
The Committee unanimously recommended that the city pass a resolution of support for
such legislation.
The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.