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PLANNING COMMITTEE
July 17, 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.
Staff Richard Eckstrom,Building Commissioner, Charles Guttman,City Attorney;H.
Matthys Van Cort,Director of Planning and Development; Doug Foster,Planning
Systems Manager; Colin Forth,Intern; Tim McHarg,Planning Intern.
Others: John Johnson,Shirley Egan,Bill Wendt,John Guttenberger,Eric Dicke,press.
I. Public Comment on Proposed Bed-and-Breakfast Ordinance.
The following people spoke on the Bed-and-Breakfast Ordinance: Sue Hurwitz,
Jill Brantley,Lynn Metrulis,Pat Frantz,Jerome O'Connell,Joe Daley,Betsy
Darlington,Fred Somkin,Mary Adelman,John Johnson,Rose Hilbert,Lillian
Tuskui, Susan Blumenthal, and Ken Vineberg. Eight spoke in favor,three were
opposed, and the rest had questions or comments without taking positions for or
against.
Those in favor felt that the ordinance would help strengthen the City's
neighborhoods,provide incentives for the restoration of older homes and add to
the stock of affordable tourist accommodations without negative impacts on
residential surroundings.
Those against felt that the proposed ordinance would introduce commercial uses
into residential zones,would contribute to the deterioration of the quality of life in
residential neighborhoods and would violate the purely residential character of the
City's limited R-1 zoning districts.
There was also some discussion as to whether notice should be sent to all those
owners living within 500 feet or the standard 200 feet of a proposed bed-and-
breakfast property. After discussion by the Committee, Sams moved that the
ordinance be amended to require notification of all those owners within 500 feet.
Planning Committee Minutes 2
July 17, 1995 Meeting
Mackesey seconded the motion, and the motion failed by one to three, Sams
voting in favor.
On a motion by Mackesey,seconded by Gray,the Committee unanimously
recommended that the ordinance be referred back to Council unamended.
IL Authorization to Prepare Business Improvement District Plan.
Arthur Pearce of M&T Bank and members of the Business Improvement District
Steering Committee addressed the Planning Committee regarding the
establishment of a Business Improvement District in Ithaca's Central Business
District. Pearce noted that the establishment of a BID was a recommendation of
the Downtown Revitalization Leadership Committee and that the private sector
had raised money for this second BID attempt.
Pearce said that a survey had been conducted in which most of the respondents
were in favor of the establishment of a BID. He briefly described the process by
which a BID could be established under New York State law.
Charlie Schlough, also of the BID Steering Committee, said that the function of
the BID would be to encourage cooperation between the public and private sector,
provide funding for marketing the downtown,represent the Central Business
District to the City and work toward unified shopping hours.
Pearce and Schlough asked that Common Council authorize preparation of a BID
plan. He said this plan preparation might require as much as $900 of
out-of-pocket City expenses which would be reimbursed by the BID if it were
successfully established.
On a motion by Mackesey,seconded by Gray,the Committee unanimously
recommended that a resolution authorizing preparation of a BID plan be referred
to Council for action.
III. Rezoning of Cornell University.
Referring to a memorandum on the subject of the Cornell zoning amendment, Van
Cort briefed the Committee. Most Committee members felt it would be best to
establish a new zoning district called the University Zone (i.e., U-1).
Van Cort then explained the proposed boundaries for the University Zone. Some
time was spent discussing those areas where the proposed U-1 zone boundary
would not be coterminous with the existing P-1 boundary.
Planning Committee Minutes 3
July 17, 1995 Meeting
There was some discussion of whether retail activities on the campus should be
allowed as of right and whether they should be controlled by a contract between
the City and the University.
The Committee then spent a good deal of time talking about proposed new
parking requirements. Wendt explained the University's recommendation
regarding required parking on the campus. He said that the following figures seem
to coincide roughly with demand: four spaces per five employees,one space per
six students and one visitor space for each 50 employees and students combined.
For the purpose of these calculations,anyone who is primarily an employee would
be considered an employee regardless of whether they were taking courses.
Similarly, a student who worked at the University would be counted as a student.
There was some discussion as to whether graduate and undergraduate students
should be counted differently.
Carol Reeves noted that the BPW has some concerns about parking which it will
share with the Committee as discussions proceed. She said she would write a
memorandum expressing some of these concerns.
The Committee directed that staff prepare an outline of the proposed zoning
ordinance with specific recommendations for its review at its next meeting.
IV. Revised Agreement with Mutual Housing Association.
Guttman explained the proposed new option agreement between the City of Ithaca
and Mutual Housing Association. The new option agreement covers a different
land configuration than the old expired option agreement. Upon recommendation
of the City Attorney,Diann Sams recused herself from the vote on this matter
because of an appearance of conflict. On a motion by Mackesey, seconded by
Gray,the Committee referred the proposed new option agreement to Common
Council for action. The Committee with Sams abstaining recommended approval
by a vote of 3-0-1.
V. Inventory of City-Owned Properties.
Tim McHarg explained the work that he had done this summer compiling a list of
City-owned properties. He explained the methodology that had been used and
gave a brief description of the two spreadsheets he had prepared,the first
presenting a(nearly)complete list of all properties owned by the City,and the
second showing 54 properties (from among the 187 on the first list) that may be
underutilized. The next step is for City departments and boards to comment on the
list of 54 to see whether any of these are in fact unnecessary for municipal
purposes,in which case they will be considered for disposition.
Planning Committee Minutes 4
July 17, 1995 Meeting
VL Zoning Strategies to Promote Affordable Housing.
Colin Forth explained his work so far which was concentrated mostly on
revamping the Zoning Ordinance's cluster provisions and its R-2c zone.
VII. Inlet Island Land Use Plan.
Foster explained the process necessary for continued work towards
implementation of the Inlet Island Land Use Plan. The Committee directed that a
public meeting for comment on the proposed parkland conversion be scheduled for
the next Committee meeting. Although the public has had many previous
opportunities to comment on the proposed Land Use Plan,the federal government
desires a separate opportunity for comment on the federal parkland conversion
process.
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