HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PLED-1994-01-24 PLANNING COMMITTEE
January 24,1994
Regular Meeting, 7:30 pm.,Common Council Chambers
MINUTES
Present:
Committee Members: John Schroeder,Chair;Pam Mackesey,Diann Sams,Roey Thorpe.
Non-Voting Committee Member: Benjamin Nichols,Mayor.
Staff`. H. Matthys Van Cort, Director, Planning and Development; Charles Guttman, City Attorney;
Richard Eckstrom,Building Commissioner.
Others: Ken Vineberg,David Nutter,Joe Daley,Betsy Darlington,Jan Douglas,Doria Higgins,press.
• Chairperson's Report.
After discussion with the Comnrittee, Schroeder scheduled the February meeting of the
Planning Committee for Monday,February 21,although this is a City holiday.
• Public Comment on Any Planning Issues.
Doria Higgins spoke on the proposed expansion of Treman Marina stating that,in her opinion,
state parks should not be expanded since maintenance should be a higher priority. She also
said that spending public money on boat slips was a poor allocation of governmental resources.
Her final comment was on the Mayor's new committee system which she felt was a bad idea.
Guttman brought two items to the attention of the Cow. He said that the Special
Children's Center had notified the Mayor's office that it planned to locate a home for four
people at 412 Hook Place. He said there would be a community meeting and if the Council
wished to take any action, they would need to do so by the February Council meeting. This
item would be brought back to the Committee of the Whole for action, if necessary. The
City's options in commenting on the location of such facilities are very limited under State law.
Planning Committee Minutes 2
January 24, 1994 Meeting
Guttman then reported that the Six Mile Creek Advisory Committee had asked Council to
immediately take up the question of the ren diation of the Varsol spill in Six Mile Creek. The
Committee decided that this matter would be discussed at the February Planning Committee
meeting.
L Configuration of Mutual Housing Project/Northside Park.
Jan Douglas spoke for the Mutual Housing Association. She said that the residents in the first
phase of the Mutual Housing development in the Northside triangle have asked for a review of
the site plan previously approved by Common Council and the Planning and Development
Board. These residents would like the City to consider a different configuration for the
proposed residential units and open space that would allow more units to be built.
Douglas said there were serious social issues in the neighborhood such as drug traffic on one of
the bridges-over Cascadilla Creek. She said the new housing was a strong stabilizing influence
in the neighborhood and an asset to the community. It is the residents' opinion that
reconfiguration of the site would strengthen the neighborhood.
Mayor Nichols spoke in favor of reconsidering the entire Northside Land Use Plan. He
pointed out that several circumstances have changed since the time of the agreement regarding
the MHA site. For example, the Senior Center is no longer interested in the DPW site next to
Cascadilla Creek and the Sciencenter wishes to acquire this parcel for its future expansion.
Joe Daley said that he had been asked by the Mayor to serve as the Chair of the reconstituted
Northside Land Use Committee. He said the Mayor would try to get new representatives on
the committee since many of the old members had moved from the neighborhood or were no
longer in the organizations for which they served as representatives when the plan was first
developed.
Sams asked that a Mutual Housing representative be included on the committee. Schroeder
suggested the Parks Commission also be represented. Schroeder suggested a plan which had a
`U' configuration of houses with a park open to the creek. Sams said the loading dock behind
the P&C was a serious problem in that configuration.
The Mayor said his Administrative Assistant,Theresa Alt, would set up an initial meeting of a
reconstituted Northside Land Use Committee.
H. Revision of Board of Zoning Appeals Ordinance.
Because of changes in State law concerning local boards of zoning appeals, the City is
considering passing a local law which would allow the City to supersede certain new provisions
in the New York State General City Law. Two alternative new drafts of the proposed local
law were circulated to Committee members. Lengthy discussion followed concerning a variety
of modifications to the preferred draft. Among the items discussed were: how much detail
Planning Committee Minutes 3
January 24, 1994 Meeting
should be included in the ordinance rather than in the Board of Zoning Appeals regulations; the
issue of the size of the BZA and whether it should be reduced from 6 to 5;and the fee structure
(since there's a difference between the present local fees and the fees proposed by the State).
Mackesey moved, and Thorpe seconded, a motion to forward the proposed local law to
Council as amended. This motion passed unanimously.
III. Feasibility Study for Upper-Story Development.
Van Cort explained that he and Herman Sieverding had visited Auburn, New York to
investigate the possibility of establishing a local Economic Development Zone in Ithaca..
During the course of the visit, the issue of redevelopment of older downtown properties was
raised. The Auburn officials expressed an interest in doing a joint feasibility study with the City
of Ithaca regarding the rehabilitation of downtown structures. Van Cort explained that there
were physical, legal, and economic impediments to such rehabilitation, all of which should be
investigated. Committee members asked whether other upstate cities should be included in the
study. Van Cort said he would discuss this with R. Eckstrom. The Committee recommended
that staff move ahead with this study and report back as soon as possible.
IV. ISTEA Transportation Enhancement Program Application.
Schroeder noted that an April application deadline for ISTEA Transportation Enhancement
Applications was approaching. Suggestions for new applications for ISTEA funding include:
restoration of a walkway up lower South Hill to Terrace Hill;a downtown path along Six Mile
Creek;a waterfront walk around the NYS DoT site and the Farmers'Market along the Cayuga
Inlet handicapped access to Six Mile Creek; and a bridge over the Flood Control Channel to
serve the proposed Cayuga Inlet Trail. Darlington and Nutter suggested the possibility of
acquiring scenic easements along the Town of Ithaca Recreationway. Nutter read a list of
possible items.
Van Cort noted that a 20% local cash match was required, but said that projects could vary
greatly in size.
Staff was directed by the Committee to conduct further research, including talking to David
Boyd,Director of the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council. A report will be made
to the Committee at its February meeting.
V. Review of Major Ongoing Planning Issues.
a. Inlet Island Land Use Plan. Schroeder distributed copies of the Report of the Inlet
Island Land Use Committee and gave a presentation of the highlights of the report.
b. Southwest Area Land Use Study. Mayor Nichols explained that, at the Common
Council's direction, he had appointed a committee to prepare a land use plan for the
Southwest portion of the City. He suggested that it might be advisable to begin the
Planning Committee Minutes 4
January 24, 1994 Meeting
alienation process for Southwest Park before the formal adoption of the Southwest
Area Land Use Study.
The remaining items under this heading-- Downtown Design Plan, and Development of Allan
Treman Marina Master Plan --were held over to a future meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 11:15 p.m.
/Pp
P&DComm#2/NotesJ24