HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-P&DB-1997-11-19 J?J' /
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PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
November 19, 1997
In attendance were: Susan Blumenthal, Chair;John Efroymson; Rick Gray; Torn Hanna;
Pam Mackesey; Jane Marcham;Diann Sams; Sara Shenk; Roey Thorpe; Pat Vaughan;
Alan J. Cohen, Mayor; and Joan Spielholz
Staff: Nels Bohn, Community Development Planner; Dominick Cafferillo, City Controller;
Mariette Geldenhuys, City Attorney; and H. Matthys Van Cort, Director of Planning and
Development
A Special Meeting of Common Council preceded the regularly scheduled Planning and Economic
Development Committee(P&EDC) meeting.
The first item on the agenda of the P&EDC,Lake Source Cooling Project,was handled in the
Special Common Council meeting. Council also took action on the City Budget.
Agenda Review
Efroymson asked that the process towards adoption of the Bicycle Plan and the Building
Department's proposed five-year inspection plan be added to the agenda.
1. Maintenance of Sidewalks and Adjoining Property
M.Geldenhuys explained that,under the City Charter,property owners have responsibility for
maintenance of both sidewalks and curb lawns adjacent to their property. The Charter further
stipulates that liability for sidewalks rests with the adjoining owner,rather than with the City,
but that the liability for curb lawns rests with the City. Geldenhuys said that Attorney Pat
Kennedy had discovered this in doing research on the City's ability to require homeowners to
maintain their curb lawns in accordance with City regulations. Geldenhuys suggested that the
City Charter he modified to assign the liability for the curb lawn to the adjoining property
owner. This would match the liability requirements regarding sidewalks and , in the opinion
of the City Attorney's office,make the whole package more consistent.
A spirited debate followed. Although several members of Common Council felt that the
liability for curb lawn areas should stay with the City, a majority favored transferring it to the
property owner. A vote was taken to give direction to the City Attorney's office. Seven
members voted in favor of amending the Charter to transfer liability for curb lawns to the
property owner. Hanna and Mackesey voted in the negative. Sams abstained. Accordingly,
' the Attorney's staff was directed to prepare the appropriate instruments for Common Council
to amend the Charter in accordance with the Attorney's recommendation.
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2. Canal Corridor Initiative
Nels Bohn explained that the City has been awarded a$59,243.0) grant for administration of
the Canal Corridor Initiative Program in the City of Ithaca. In addition, the City has been
awarded a$700,000.00 Public Improvement Grant which is given in the form of a loan. The
two resolutions before the Committee would authorize the Mayor to sign all necessary
instruments for funding agreements with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban
Development(HUD) to receive the above-described grants. The City would not begin to
draw down the administrative grant until it begins to work on the Public Improvement and
Private Sector portions of the Canal Corridor Initiative. Further clarification of the City's
obligation to repay any of the $700,000.00 in the event that HUD does not provide the
money, will he investigated.
On a motion by Mackesey, seconded by Hanna, the resolution regarding the $59,243.(0
administrative grant was approved unanimously. On a motion by Gray,seconded by Shenk,
the resolution authorizing the City to enter into a funding agreement for the $700,000.00
Section 108, Public Improvement Loan was approved unanimously. Staff was directed to
place these items on the consent agenda.
3. Cable Refranchise
Van Cort reported that a group of City employees,elected officials and volunteers have
solicited proposals and interviewed consultants,one of which will be recommended to
Common Council to assist the City in re-negotiating its franchise with the Cable Company.
The committee is down to two finalists. Van Cort also reported that the consortium
consisting of various jurisdictions throughout the county continues to work on refranchising
throughout the county. Efforts continue toward forming one coalition to negotiate with the
cable company. It was suggested that each jurisdiction could be asked to contribute to the
consultant contract in an amount not to exceed one year's franchise fee. The actual cash
amount would vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Efroymson said that both of the consultants now under consideration are over budget, which
will necessitate a choice by Council of having fewer services, allocating additional funds, or
sharing the costs of the consultants with the other jurisdictions. Committee directed staff and
involved elected officials to continue their work in this effort.
4. 1998 Department Work Program
Van Cort presented his memorandum of November 4, 1997 regarding the proposed Work
Program for 1998. There were several suggestions regarding the item identified as
"Electronic Infrastructure." It was suggested this item might he renamed"Information
Acquisition and Management".
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Vaughan suggested that some changes to residential zoning in the City should be added as a
high priority project under"Quality of Life". Hanna asked that support for neighborhood
organizations be added as an on-going Department effort.
A question was raised regarding the use of automation to improve work flow in the City.
Van Cort said that the Department of Planning and Development,particularly Doug Foster
and consultant, Ruth Aslanis, have been working with various other City departments to
improve the way the City handles information and work flow using computers for both work
flow and data management. A major effort toward process improvement would require a
substantial commitment of resources by Common Council. Van Cort said that had not been
made a priority, either through the budget process or by resolution at previous meetings.
Marcham said she thought inventory of sites suitable for development or re-development,
including the re-use of vacant buildings, was a very important work program item. Shenk
asked that Commons re-design be added.
Blumenthal asked Van Cort to distribute a copy of the Department's Mission Statement,
Goals and Work Program to Common Council at the next Planning and Economic
Development Committee Meeting. It was agreed that the proposed work program should he
referred to the Planning and Development Board and then back to Common Council for
action.
5. Bike Plan Adoption
Efroymson said that he was concerned that the Bike Plan had not yet been adopted and asked
what steps the Planning&Development Board would be taking toward adoption of the plan.
Van Cort stated that he had met with two of the more interested Planning Board members
who would he making a recommendation to the Planning Board at the November meeting.
Efroymson said that he thought Common Council should simultaneously be doing something
towards adoption of the plan.
Mackesey asked whether bike lanes had been a part of the Route 96 project. Van Cort said
that the Route 96 project only called for lanes to be shared by vehicles and hikes. No separate
hike lanes were part of the design of the project.
Mackesey asked whether the Route 79 bridge could be re-striped so that there would he hike
lanes on both sides with one moving vehicular lane in each direction, in addition to a center
turning lane. Van Cort said he would forward this suggestion to NYS DoT and the City's
traffic engineer.
The Committee then went into Executive Session.
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