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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-P&DB-1996-02-26 • PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE February 26, 1996 Regular Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Common Council Chambers MINUTES Present: Committee Members: Susan Blumenthal,Chair;Rick Gray;Tom Hanna; John Johnson; Jane Marcham. Other Council Member: Pam Mackesey. Staff H.Matthys Van Cort,Director of Planning and Development;Herman Sieverding, Deputy Director of Planning and Development;Paul Stevenson,Community Development Administrator. Others: Steven Ehrhardt;George Frantz;Jeff Furman;David Nutter, Cynthia Yahn. • Chairperson's Report. Blumenthal said she hoped to schedule bi-monthly reports from individual planning staff members so that committee members would become more familiar with Planning Department activities. Chairperson Blumenthal said that she had rescheduled Leslie Chatterton's presentation to the Committee for the March meeting because the Mayor was unable to attend this evening. She said she would be working with Clarence Reed,Chair of the Planning and Development Board,to coordinate the work of the Planning and Development Board with the Planning and Economic Development Committee. Pam Mackesey asked that the Viewshed Ordinance be put on the agenda for the next Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting. Blumenthal said she would take this request under advisement. She also said that next month or soon thereafter work would begin on the Economic Development Plan. • Public Comment on Any Planning Issues. David Nutter asked that the Cornell Area Parking Study take into account needs of bicyclists. He said the Bicycle Advisory Council would be looking into the traffic calming devices cataloged in a recent report by the Planning Department to a evaluate whether they are compatible with bicycle safety. Finally,he encouraged the City to construct off-street parking on Cliff Street so that cars could be removed from the sidewalks. i Planning amd Economic Development Committee Minutes February 26, 1996 Meeting 2 It was requested that a privilege of the floor item be added to future agendas so that committee members could bring up items of concern. L 1996 Community Development Block Grant Application. Paul Stevenson explained the programs and budget proposed for this year's three-year comprehensive grant. There were questions from committee members on West Buffalo Street parking, Southside Center,Red Cross Shelter,Battered Women's Shelter,Neighborhood Policing and Landlord Training Programs. Herman Sieverding explained the third year proposals which include various programs for West State Street and the West End. There were questions on the proposed commercial revolving loan fund and about the east end of the block of State Street between Corn and Meadow,which seems to be left out of both the Route 96 plan and the City's West State Street Revitalization Program Stevenson reminded Council members that our ability to get new funds is in part contingent on the rate at which the City is able to draw down existing funds. Hanna moved and Johnson seconded the motion. Passed unanimously. IL City Hall Annex. Sieverding explained the proposal by Schickel Builders to buy the City Hall Annex. After a brief discussion,Johnson moved and Gray seconded a resolution concurring with the IURA on the sale of the property to Schickel Builders. Passed unanimously. III. Community Reinvestment Act. Jeff Furman reported on the work of the committee that has been meeting with M&T Bank regarding the implementation of the contract between the bank and the City. Furman said that he had developed a list of items which the bank had agreed to. Generally speaking,the bank has carried out its commitments as set forth in the contract,although Furman thought there were some areas that needed further follow-up by the City. He felt that the bank had met the letter of the agreement but was not providing the kind of credit to the community that he had hoped would be provided as a part of the contract. Hanna suggested that the City do a credit needs assessment as a part of its Economic Development Plan. Furman distributed a resource guide for Tompkins and Cortland Counties prepared by M&T. Committee members asked for copies of Furman's list of contract items and the contract between the City and M&T. Planning amd Economic Development Committee Minutes February 26, 1996 Meeting 3 IV. Revision of City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance. Sieverding explained that the State SEQRA law has recently been amended. He reported that Blumenthal suggested that a student intern be hired this summer to analyze how the new SEQRA law differs from the existing City CEQR law and to make recommendations regarding possible amendments to the City's law. The Committee supported this recommendation. V. Cliff Street Parking. Van Cort explained the proposal to provide off-street parking on Cliff Street. After some discussion,the Committee unanimously directed that staff bring back proposals for the construction of a parking area on Cliff Street to be used by the area's residents and their guests. This proposal will be brought to the Planning and Economic Development Committee,as well as the B&A Committee,at their March meetings. At the end of the discussion,Doug Gillogly suggested that his company might be able to work with the City in accomplishing this goal. Van Cort asked that Gillogly call him. The Committee agreed with this recommendation. George Frantz answered questions from the Committee. VL Traffic Calming. Van Cort explained that the Planning and Development Department had been directed to make an inventory of traffic calming devices and programs. This report was completed during 1995 and submitted to the Planning Committee. It is recommended that the question of location of prototype devices be referred to the BPW Committee for Traffic Issues. Steve Ehrhardt,Chair of the BPW Committee for Traffic Issues, said that their committee is swamped with routine requests but they plan to make time for new proposals. Traffic calming would be included in the latter category. He said that although he and Van Cort differ about traffic calming,they do agree that there is perhaps no optimal location for an experiment with traffic calming devices,but it is useful to proceed in selecting a location which will provide some benefit without causing harm to adjacent streets. Hanna moved and Marcham seconded that this issue be referred to the BPW Committee for Traffic Issues. Marcham said that it would be very important to get community input before any traffic calming measures are put in place. She questioned whether it would be possible to do this on Buffalo Street since it is a major commuter route. VII. Cornell Area Parking Study. Van Cort explained that the boundaries for the Cornell Parking Area Study had been expanded in accordance with the City's request to include the properties east Planning amd Economic Development Committee Minutes February 26, 1996 Meeting 4 of Linn Street; between State Street and Six Mile Creek; and those properties east of Cornell Street between State Street and Mitchell Street. These properties could be added to the survey without appreciable additional costs because the data is being gathered by aerial photography. The Committee directed that staff ascertain whether the resident parking permit area and the Cornell Area Parking Study boundaries are coterminous, and if they are not,whether this causes a problem. This should be discussed with the City Attorney and a recommendation brought back to the next Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting.