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Home My WebLink About08-10-16 Planning & Economic Development Committee Meeting AgendaPEDC Meeting Planning and Economic Development Committee Ithaca Common Council DATE: August 10, 2016 TTIME: 6pm LOCATION: 3rd floor City Hall Council Chambers AGENDA ITEMS Item Voting Item? Presenter(s) Time Start 1) Call to Order/Agenda Review 2) Public Comment and Response from Committee Members 3) Announcements, Updates, and Reports a) Collegetown Construction b) Collegetown Design Guidelines c) Water Issues 4) Action Items (Voting to send on to Council) a) Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund – National Night Out b) Community Investment Incentive Tax Abatement Program (CIITAP) – Diversity Requirements 5) Action items (Voting to Circulate) a) Maguire TMPUD Application 6) Review and Approval of Minutes a) July 2016 7) Adjournment No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Seph Murtagh, Chair Megan Wilson, Planning Staff Nels Bohn, IURA Lisa Nicholas, Planning Staff 6:00 6:05 6:20 6:40 6:45 7:15 7:45 7:50 If you have a disability and require accommodations in order to fully participate, please contact the City Clerk at 274-6570 by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, August 9th, 2016. CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green St. — Third Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, ZONING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Division of Planning & Economic Development JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT PHYLLISA DESARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT T elephone: Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6559 Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura@cityofithaca.org TO: Planning & Economic Development Committee FROM: Megan Wilson, Senior Planner RE: Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund DATE: August 2, 2016 Attached are two applications for the Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund (NIIF) for this year’s National Night Out (NNO) events, held on Tuesday, August 2, 2016. The applicants, the Ithaca Housing Authority Tenant Council and the Family Sites Tenant Council, represent low- moderate income residents living in the South of the Creek and Northside neighborhoods who spend considerable hours of volunteer time organizing and conducting the NNO events. Both groups have sponsored the annual NNO event in their respective neighborhoods for more than 15 years. In past years, the Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund has supported celebrations in city neighborhoods for this national occasion that focuses attention on neighborhood safety and solidarity. Expenditures related to the event include food, beverages, sound equipment, DJs, t- shirts, and give-aways for kids, all of which meet criteria for reimbursement. Both of these groups have had success procuring donations from local businesses in past years. Through this endeavor they are furthering the aims of the fund to support resident initiatives to strengthen city neighborhoods. Proposed Resolution Planning & Economic Development Committee August 10, 2016 RESOLUTION: Request for Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Funds from the Ithaca Housing Authority Tenant Council and the Family Sites Tenant Council for National Night Out, August 2016 WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Common Council established the Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund in 1995 to provide financial assistance to city residents seeking to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods, and WHEREAS, the fund is intended to support residents' interest in community improvement and to encourage, not replace volunteerism, and WHEREAS, the funds are intended to be used for projects or events that provide a general neighborhood benefit and not for the limited benefit of individuals or a select few residents, and WHEREAS, activities specified by the Council as eligible for the funding include but are not limited to items such as neighborhood clean-ups, planting in public places, and organizing neighborhood events like block parties or meetings, and WHEREAS, neighborhood groups are required to submit a completed application specifying other project donations, estimated volunteer hours, estimated costs to be covered by the fund and signatures of residents in the immediate neighborhood, and WHEREAS, to streamline the process the Council has delegated authority to approve applications to the Planning & Economic Development Committee, and WHEREAS, each neighborhood group is eligible to receive up to $300 per year as a reimbursement award payable on the submission of original receipts or invoices for approved activities, and WHEREAS, the City cannot reimburse residents for sales tax expenses, and WHEREAS, the Ithaca Housing Authority Tenant Council and the Family Sites Tenant Council have submitted completed applications for reimbursement funds to off-set expenses that in past years have generally ranged from $500 – $1,000 for their annual National Night Out events, held this year on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, and WHEREAS, this annual event is sponsored by the Ithaca Housing Authority Tenant Council at Titus Towers and by the Family Sites Tenant Council at Conway Park, and the events provide opportunities for socializing with diverse groups of both South of the Creek and Northside residents; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Planning and Economic Development Committee approves the request from the Ithaca Housing Authority Tenant Council and the Family Sites Tenant Council in an amount up to $600.00 ($300.00 per neighborhood group) for reimbursement upon presentation of original invoices and/or receipts. To: Planning & Economic Development Committee of Common Council From: Nels Bohn, Director of Community Development RE: Proposed Diversity & Inclusion Amendments to CIITAP - Update Date: August 5, 2016 A circulation memo on proposed diversity amendments to the City CIITAP policy was distributed on July 19th. To date, I have received no written comments. Based on suggestions received at a meeting with City’s Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee on July 14th, I have made non-substantive corrections and clarifications to the proposed resolution and self-reporting forms contained with the 7/19/16 circulation memo. The revised materials are attached for your consideration. Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency To: Svante Myrick, Mayor Common Council Planning & Development Board Dan Cogan, Chief of Staff Aaron Lavine, City Attorney Steve Thayer, City of Ithaca Controller Schelley Michell Nunn, City of Ithaca Director of Human Resources JoAnn Cornish, City of Ithaca Director of Planning & Development Phyllisa DeSarno, City of Ithaca Deputy Director for Economic Development Heather Filiberto, Tompkins County Area Development Edward Marx, Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency CC: Downtown Ithaca Alliance CIITAP-Working Group Workforce Advisory Committee Tompkins County Workforce Investment Board Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency Tompkins County Area Development From: Nels Bohn, Director of Community Development, IURA RE: CIRCULATION MEMO - Proposed Diversity & Inclusion Amendments to CIITAP Date: July 1 9, 2016 Comments are being solicited on proposed amendments to the City of Ithaca Community Investment Incentive Tax Abatement Program (CIITAP) to incorporate new diversity and inclusion requirements for single-use end users, such as hotels and corporate headquarters. Please find attached the following documents for review: Proposed Common Council resolution Proposed self-reporting forms The Planning & Economic Development Committee (PEDC) of Common Council plans to consider this matter at their August 10, 2016 meeting, where there will be an opportunity for public comment. Written comments may be sent to me at Nbohn@cityofithaca.org or delivered to the Planning office. The PEDC is sequentially considering reforms to the CIITAP policy in response to the Mayor’s charge to broaden community benefits resulting from projects assisted through the program, while retaining the program’s effectiveness as an incentive for smart growth. To date, the PEDC has supported reforms addressing: Local labor construction Energy performance, and Creation of a community benefit fund. CITY OF ITHACA 108 East Green Street — 3rd Floor Ithaca, New York 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT PHYLLISA A. DeSARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Telephone: Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6559 Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura@cityofithaca.org Fax: 607-274-6558 Fax: 607-274-6558 In summary, the proposed amendments require the following on-going actions: 1. Active membership in the Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County; 2. Establishment of workforce diversity goals and strategies; 3. Implementation of workforce diversity strategies; 4. Implementation of actions to address unconscious workplace bias; and 5. Workforce demographic reporting. To address concerns that new diversity and inclusion requirements may impact the attractiveness and effectiveness of the program, only single-tenant projects are subject to these requirements and failure to satisfy diversity and inclusion requirements will not be grounds for recapturing financial assistance. The proposed diversity and inclusion requirements only apply to single-use, project end-users, such as a hotel or corporate headquarters. Residential, mixed-use, or office projects with multiple tenants that receive CIITAP incentives are not subject to the diversity and inclusion requirements. The amendments specifically request that diversity and inclusion requirements not be subject to the Industrial Development Agency’s Project Recapture Policy to recapture past, or rescind future, financial assistance in instances when a company violates terms of a project agreement. Rather, the Workforce Advisory Committee will be expected to report instances of non-compliance to the Common Council, who may then recommend revisions to the policy for new applicants. Please submit any written comments to me by Tuesday, August 9th. Please contact me at NBohn@cityofithaca.org or (607) 274-6547 with any questions. Mayor’s Charge to CIITAP Reform Committee Deliver recommended reforms to the CIITAP to the Common Council that will: 1. Retain the program as an effective tool to incentivize smart growth and discourage sprawl 2. Improve the program’s ability to deliver broad community benefits that may including: An increased use of local labor An increase in living wage job creation More environmentally friendly building Increased economic opportunities for people of all backgrounds Proposed Resolution Planning & Economic Development Committee August 10, 2016 Inclusion of Diversity & Inclusion Requirements in the City of Ithaca Community Investment Incentive Tax Abatement Program (CIITAP) - Resolution 1. WHEREAS, at the City’s request, the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (“IDA”) established a program to provide financial incentives for development of multi-story buildings in the greater downtown, and 2. WHEREAS, in 2015 the Mayor formed a working group to recommend reforms to CIITAP to: A. Retain the program as an effective tool to incentivize smart growth and discourage sprawl and B. Improve the program’s ability to deliver broad community benefits that may include: An increased use of local labor; An increase in living wage job creation; More environmentally friendly building; Increased economic opportunities for people of all backgrounds, and 3. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Common Council amended the City CIITAP policy to require documentation of the actual level of local construction labor participation on CIITAP projects and require solicitation of construction bids from local subcontractors utilized on CIITAP projects, and 4. WHEREAS, the IDA incorporated the City’s local construction labor requirements into the CIITAP program, and 5. WHEREAS, additional CIITAP requirements to enhance energy performance of buildings and require a developer contribution to a community benefit fund have received preliminary support from the Common Council; and 6. WHEREAS, the Planning & Economic Development Committee has had substantial dialog with the City’s Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee (WDAC) regarding how to structure appropriate and reasonable diversity and inclusion requirements in the CIITAP policy; now, therefore, be it 1. RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council does hereby amend the City CIITAP policy to require applicants to satisfy the following diversity and inclusion requirements: Diversity and Inclusion In order to meet diversity requirements, single use project end-users (projects developed specifically for one corporate end-user such as a hotel or bank) must commit to the following: A. Action: The single-use project end-user will: Become active members of the Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County, attend the bi- annual Diversity Roundtable, and participate in the Diversity Consortium’s annual workshops and events. Active membership is defined as paying annual membership dues, attending a minimum of four meetings of the Consortium per calendar year, participating in at least two of the approximately six trainings offered per year and attending the bi-annual conference when offered; Establish and implement management strategies for hiring, retention and promotion of women, people of color and people with disabilities for part-time, internship, and full- time positions at all levels of their organization with the goal of employing a workforce in which the number of women, people of color, and people with disabilities meets or exceeds a number in proportions equal to that of the population of the City of Ithaca demographics; Identify and implement specific actions designed to reduce and address unconscious workplace biases, such as annual staff training; and, B. Reporting: The single-use project end-user will provide to both the IDA and the Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee, on March 1st of each year of the abatement period, annual reports detailing: Workforce diversity goals, and strategies utilized each year to increase hiring, retention and promotion of women, people of color, and people with disabilities; Actions taken to reduce and address unconscious workplace biases; Workforce demographics by gender, race/ethnicity, age, disability, job class and gender, and job class and race/ethnicity; and Compliance with active participation in the Diversity Consortium, and be it further 2. RESOLVED, that the above CIITAP diversity and inclusion requirements not be subject to the IDA recapture policy in recognition that adoption and implementation of workforce diversity and inclusion strategies is more an on-going process than an easily measured outcome, and be it further 3. RESOLVED, that the Common Council hereby requests the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) require CIITAP applicants, and their single-use project end-users, to satisfy the City’s’ diversity and inclusion policy as a condition of approval, and be it further 4. RESOLVED, The Common Council hereby recommends the IDA to apply similar diversity and inclusion requirements as a condition for approval of tax abatements on a county-wide basis, and be it further 5. RESOLVED, that the City Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee (WDAC) is hereby requested to develop a workforce diversity and inclusion resource toolkit to assist employers meet CIITAP diversity and inclusion requirements, and be it further 6. RESOLVED, the City CIITAP application be expanded to require any applicant for a single-use end-user project to describe their strategy for ensuring diversity in hiring. Page 1 of 3 CIITAP Annual Self-Reporting Forms – Diversity & Inclusion CIITAP Applicant Name: Date: CIITAP Project Name: Due date: March 1st Reporting Period: Prior Calendar Year Public Record Note: This report may be made available for public inspection. Do not include confidential information in your responses. CIITAP REQUIREMENT YES NO 1. Have you provided workforce diversity goals on the following page? 2. Have you provided workforce diversity strategies on the following page? 3. Have you provided actions taken to address unconscious workforce bias on the following page? 4. Have you completed and submitted the workforce demographic profile? 5. Have annual DCTC dues for the prior calendar year been paid? 6. Has a representative from your firm attended at least 4 meetings of the DCTC in the prior calendar year? 7. Has a representative from your firm participated in at least 2 DCTC trainings offered in the prior calendar year? 8. Has a representative from your firm attended the bi-annual DCTC conference (if held)? If you answered “No” to any of the above questions please explain why : Page 2 of 3 Identify workforce diversity goals to increase hiring, retention, and promotion of women, people of color, and people with disabilities: Identify workforce diversity strategies utilized in the prior calendar year: Identify actions taken to reduce and address unconscious workplace biases in the prior calendar year: Do you seek technical assistance on diversity and inclusion workforce initiatives? Certification I certify that the information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Name: Title: Page 3 of 3 Attach workforce demographic profile and submit to both the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (TCIDA) and the City of Ithaca. Workforce Demographic Profile Data accurate as of: CIITAP Applicant Name: CIITAP Project Name: Identity of Employer for Reported Workforce Data (fill in one name below) Employer: Company Workforce Permanent Employees Labor Force Estimates Employer Workforce Data City of Tompkins City of Tompkins Number Percent Ithaca County Ithaca County Permanent Employees,by Gender Male #DIV/0!53% 51% 50% 50% Female #DIV/0!47% 49% 50% 50% Total 0 #DIV/0!100% 100% 100% 100% Permanent Employees,by Race White #DIV/0!76% 86% 67% 80% Black or African American #DIV/0!5% 3% 6% 4% American Indian or Alaskan Native #DIV/0!1% 0% 0% 0% Asian #DIV/0!13% 7% 16% 9% Pacific Islander #DIV/0!0% 0% 0% 0% Some other race #DIV/0!2% 1% 0% 0% Two or more races #DIV/0!3% 2% 4% 3% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) NA NA NA NA 7% 4% Total 0 #DIV/0!100% 99% 100% 100% Permanent Employees,by Ethnicity Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race)#DIV/0!8% 4% Not Hispanic or Latino #DIV/0!92% 96% Total 0 #DIV/0!100% 100% Permanent Employees,by Age <25 #DIV/0!52% 27% 25 44 #DIV/0!31% 35% 45 64 #DIV/0!16% 33% 65+#DIV/0!1% 4% Total 0 #DIV/0!100% 99% Permanent Employees,by Disability Disabled #DIV/0!6% 7% Not Disabled #DIV/0!94% 93% Total 0 #DIV/0!100% 100% Permanent Employees,by FT Status Full time #DIV/0! Part time #DIV/0! Total 0 #DIV/0! Source for community labor force estimates:2007 2011 American Community Survey,reported by the Cornell Program on Applied Demographics Source for population demographics:2010 Decennial Census 2010 Population See above Community Comparisons WorkforceDemographicProfile(continued)Dataaccurateasof:CIITAPApplicantName:CIITAPProjectName:NumberofPermanentEmployeesJobClass Gender EthnicityRaceJobCategories Total Female Male Hispanic Not White Blackor AmericanAsian Pacific SomeTwoorHispanic African IndianorIslander other moreAmerican Alaskan race racesNativeABCDEFGHI JKLExecutivesandManagersProfessionalsTechniciansSalesWorkersOffice&ClericalWorkersCraftWorkers(skilled)Operatives(semiskilled)Laborers(unskilled)ServiceworkersTotals000000000000CertificationIcertifythattheemploymentdataprovidedistrueandaccuratetothebestofmyknowledgePrintName:Title:Signature: JOB CATEGORIES Officials and managers: Occupations requiring administrative and managerial personnel who set broad policies, exercise overall responsibility for execution of these policies, and direct individual departments or special phases of a firm's operations. Includes: officials, executives, middle management, plant managers, department managers, and superintendents, salaried supervisors who are members of management, purchasing agents and buyers, railroad conductors and yard masters, ship captains, mates and other officers, farm operators and managers, and kindred workers. Professionals: Occupations requiring either college graduation or experience of such kind and amount as to provide a comparable background. Includes: accountants and auditors, airplane pilots and navigators, architects, artists, chemists, designers, dietitians, editors, engineers, lawyers, librarians, mathematicians, natural scientists, registered professional nurses, personnel and labor relations specialists, physical scientists, physicians, social scientists, teachers, surveyors and kindred workers. Technicians: Occupations requiring a combination of basic scientific knowledge and manual skill which can be obtained through 2 years of post high school education, such as is offered in many technical institutes and junior colleges, or through equivalent on-the-job training. Includes: computer programmers, drafters, engineering aides, junior engineers, mathematical aides, licensed, practical or vocational nurses, photographers, radio operators, scientific assistants, technical illustrators, technicians (medical, dental, electronic, physical science), and kindred workers. Sales: Occupations engaging wholly or primarily in direct selling. Includes: advertising agents and sales workers, insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents and brokers, stock and bond sales workers, demonstrators, sales workers and sales clerks, grocery clerks, and cashiers/checkers, and kindred workers. Office and clerical: Includes all clerical-type work regardless of level of difficulty, where the activities are predominantly non-manual though some manual work not directly involved with altering or transporting the products is included. Includes: bookkeepers, collectors (bills and accounts), messengers and office helpers, office machine operators (including computer), shipping and receiving clerks, stenographers, typists and secretaries, telegraph and telephone operators, legal assistants, and kindred workers. Craft Workers (skilled): Manual workers of relatively high skill level having a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the processes involved in their work. Exercise considerable independent judgment and usually receive an extensive period of training. Includes: the building trades, hourly paid supervisors and lead operators who are not members of management, mechanics and repairers, skilled machining occupations, compositors and typesetters, electricians, engravers, painters (construction and maintenance), motion picture projectionists, pattern and model makers, stationary engineers, tailors and tailoresses, arts occupations, handpainters, coaters, bakers, decorating occupations, and kindred workers. Operatives (semiskilled): Workers who operate machine or processing equipment or perform other factory-type duties of intermediate skill level which can be mastered in a few weeks and require only limited training. Includes: apprentices (auto mechanics, plumbers, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, machinists, mechanics, building trades, metalworking trades, printing trades, etc.), operatives, attendants (auto service and parking), blasters, chauffeurs, delivery workers, sewers and stitchers, dryers, furnace workers, heaters, laundry and dry cleaning operatives, milliners, mine operatives and laborers, motor operators, oilers and greasers (except auto), painters (manufactured articles), photographic process workers, truck and tractor drivers, knitting, looping, taping and weaving machine operators, welders and flamecutters, electrical and electronic equipment assemblers, butchers and meatcutters, inspectors, testers and graders, handpackers and packagers, and kindred workers. Laborers (unskilled): Workers in manual occupations which generally require no special training who perform elementary duties that may be learned in a few days and require the application of little or no independent judgment. Includes: garage laborers, car washers and greasers, groundskeepers and gardeners, farmworkers, stevedores, wood choppers, laborers performing lifting, digging, mixing, loading and pulling operations, and kindred workers. Service workers: Workers in both protective and non-protective service occupations. Includes: attendants (hospital and other institutions, professional and personal service, including nurses aides, and orderlies), barbers, charworkers and cleaners, cooks, counter and fountain workers, elevator operators, firefighters and fire protection, guards, door-keepers, stewards, janitors, police officers and detectives, porters, waiters and waitresses, amusement and recreation facilities attendants, guides, ushers, public transportation attendants, and kindred workers. TO: Planning and Economic Development Committee FROM: Lisa Nicholas, Senior Planner DATE: August 5, 2016 RE: Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development Application for Carpenter Business Park with Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan and the Community Gardens On July 25, 2016, the City of Ithaca received an application from Tom Schickel, agent for Carpenter Business Park LLC, for a Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development (TMPUD) for the Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan with the Community Gardens. In accordance with §312-13 of the City Code, applications for any development within the TMPUD will be evaluated using the following criteria, among others: (1) Is the project in accordance with the City Comprehensive Plan, which specifically lists the following: (a) Promoting mixed-use development, including commercial and housing. (b) Emphasizing waterfront activities. (c) Reducing impacts of parking. (d) Providing for additional employment opportunities. (e) Promoting public access to the waterfront. (f) Enhancing and preserving any environmentally sensitive areas. The proposed project is primarily the development of an auto dealership consisting of a new 40,000+/- SF LEED Gold certified building with a rooftop garden and cafe, and a large landscaped parking area for employees, customers, auto display and service. Other major project components include the permanent relocation of the Community Gardens (and associated elements), the extension of Fifth Street across NYS Route 13 and the installation of approximately 1,250 linear feet of sidewalk and landscaping along the property frontage on NYS Route 13. The applicant is proposing zoning for the site that is identical to the Industrial (I-1) Zoning District. The project site is 10.933 acres and is comprised of seven tax parcels. The community gardens currently occupy 2.12 acres of the site with the remaining 8.813 largely undeveloped with the exception of a 7,000 SF building (to be removed) and an access road (to be relocated). The proposal will result in the following program: Project Element* Acres % of site Community Gardens (same as existing) 2.120 19.4% Building s (approx. 40,000SF) .918 8.4% Landscaping .711 6.5% Paving/ Parking /Roads 7.187 65.7% Total 10.936 100% *Does not include proposed off-site improvements CITY OF ITHACA 108 E. Green Street — 3rd Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOANN CORNISH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PHYLLISA A. DeSARNO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Telephone: Planning & Development – 607-274-6550 Community Development/IURA – 607-274-6559 Email: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org Email: iura@cityofithaca.org Fax: 607-274-6558 Fax: 607-274-6558 The Project Sponsor states many project benefits in the application such as:  Establishing a productive tax-revenue generating use on a site with significant spatial constraints  Implementing objectives of Plan Ithaca. As one of the four Enterprise districts within the City of Ithaca, the plan states that Carpenter Business Park "has great potential for business development and employment opportunities"  Creating a significant number of new well-paying jobs (refer to TCAD Economic Impact Report, dated January 29, 2016)  Bringing new life to the adjoining Waterfront District including the Ithaca Farmers Market.  Creating a tree-lined Rt. 13 corridor with a pedestrian sidewalk protected from Route 13 by a decorative fence.  Extending Fifth Street across Rt. 13 with a traffic light and pedestrian crosswalk into the heart of the site providing a through route to Third Street and the Ithaca Farmers Market. A Fifth Street Extension with a traffic light is one of the specific objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. The application has been reviewed by staff for completeness and has been found to be satisfactorily complete for distribution and review. Should the committee be in agreement, this application will be circulated for comments and a public information session will be held, in accordance with the Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development (TMPUD) requirements. The tentative date for the Public Information Session is Wednesday August 31, 2016 at 6pm in Common Council Chambers. If the Committee is in agreement, staff will begin this process and return in September with any comments that are received. Please see the attached resolution for your consideration. If you have questions or require additional information, please feel free to contact me at lnicholas@cityofithaca.org. Draft Resolution for the Planning and Economic Development Committee to Authorize the Circulation of and Public Information Session for the Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development Application for Carpenter Business Park with Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan and the Community Gardens August 10, 2016 WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca received an application from Tom Schickel, agent for Carpenter Business Park LLC, for a Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development (TMPUD) for the Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan with the Community Gardens, and WHEREAS: the project site is in the waterfront study area, which the City rezoned to a Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development (TMPUD) Zone in DATE for a period of eighteen months until the Area Plan is complete and new zoning is in place, and WHEREAS: the applicant proposes the development of an auto dealership consisting of a new 40,000+/- SF LEED Gold certified building with a rooftop garden and cafe, and a large landscaped parking area for employees, customers, auto display and service. Other major project components include the permanent relocation of the Community Gardens (and associated elements), the extension of Fifth Street across NYS Route 13 and the installation of approximately 1,250 linear feet of sidewal k and landscaping along the property frontage on NYS Route 13, and WHEREAS: The applicant is proposing zoning for the site that is identical to the Industrial (I-1) Zoning District, and WHEREAS: The project site is 10.933 acres and is comprised of seven tax parcels. The community gardens currently occupy 2.12 acres of the site with the remaining 8.813 largely undeveloped with the exception of a 7,000 SF building (to be removed) and an access road (to be relocated), and WHEREAS: the application has been found to be satisfactorily complete for the purpose distribution and review, now therefore be it RESOLVED: that the Planning and Economic Development Committee does hereby agree to authorize and direct staff to circulate the proposal for review and comment from City boards/committees, the Tompkins County Planning Department, and any neighboring property owners within 500 feet of the proposed project. Comments and concerns will be forwarded to the applicant and to the Common Council for their consideration and a Public Information Session shall be held on August 31, 2016 at 6pm in Common Council Chambers. Planned Unit Development Application for CARPENTER BUSINESS PARK with MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSAN an Independent Cafe Insurance Offices and the COMMUNITY GARDENS Submitted to City of Ithaca Common Council on behalf of Carpenter Business Park, LLC July 22, 2016 SCHICKEL ARCHITECTURE Project No. 15117 330 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850 607.277.0845 PROPOSED MAGUIRE CARPENTER BUSINESS PARK Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan and the Community Gardens APPLICATION FOR PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD) PROJECT DESCRIPTION · Proposed for Carpenter Business Park Enterprise District MAP OF ZONING DISTRICTS LETTER OF INTENT · Letter of Intent signed by Project Growing Hope, Inc., Carpenter Business Park, LLC and Maguire Automotive Group, LLC RECORDED DEED SCHEDULE A: CBP PROPERTY DESCRIPTION TCAD - ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT NYSDOT RELATED CORRESPONDENCE · Letter from NYSDOT to Senator Thomas O'Mara · Letter from Senator O'Mara to Governor Cuomo · Letter from Congressman Tom Reed to Governor Cuomo MAGUIRE DEVELOPMENT TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY by SRF Associates MAGUIRE DEVELOPMENT ACCESS MODIFICATION REPORT by SRF Associates PRESENTATION DRAWINGS OF PROPOSED PLAN · Concept Images and Site · Proposed Site Plan · Parcel Diagram · View South toward Community Gardens · View from Route 13 Looking South · Birdseye View · Power Lines Setback · Planned Unit Development Zone · Context Plan · Existing Site · Topographic Map 1 of 2 · Topographic Map 2 of 2 OWNER AUTHORIZATION FOR SCHICKEL ARCHITECTURE TO BE APPLICANT · Authorization by Carpenter Business Park, LLC · Authorization by City of Ithaca 4 Part 1. – Applicant Information Application Date: 07 / 22 / 2016 1. Applicant Information Applicant Name(All principal owners of 15% or more must be listed): _______ Thomas M. Schickel, dba Schickel Architecture___________________________ Address:_330 E. State Street______City:_Ithaca____State:_NY___Zip:_14850__ Phone:_607-277-0845______________Email:_tms@schickel.com____________ Property Owner (If different from applicant):_Carpenter Business Park, LLC___________ Address: _370 Elmira Road__City:_Ithaca___State:_NY_____Zip:_14850_____ Phone:_607-257-1515, Ext. 1268___Email:_pmaguire@maguirecars.com______ 2. Property Information (Applicant must provide either proof of ownership or an owner’s authorization) Property Street Address: Carpenter Business Park: Third Street and NYS Route 13 742 Cascadilla Street Tax Parcel Number: 36-1-2 36-1-3.3 36-1-3.4 36-1-3.5 36-1-3.6 43-2-5.23 43-2-6.22 Legal description of Property: See attached Schedule A: CBP Property Description for Carpenter Business Park and recorded Deed for 742 Cascadilla St. Zoning District : I-1 (TMPUD) _____Area: 10.933 Acres____Frontage: 1,250.66 feet on Rt. 13 & 34, 239.87' on Third Street 5 Current Uses: Vacant Lot, Community Gardens and 7,000 SF storage building. 3. Project Information Project Name: Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan with the Community Gardens ________________________________________________________________________ Project Narrative and Summary of Community Benefits (attach additional sheets as needed): ________________________________________________________________ _________See Attached__________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Project Location: Route 13 & Third Street, and 742 Cascadilla Street Property Size (acres) – both existing & proposed: Existing: 8.813 Acres Community Garden: 2.120 Acres Proposed: 10.933 Acres Building Size (square feet) – both existing & proposed: Existing: 7,000 SF (to be demolished) Proposed: 40,000 SF Proposed Project Start & Completion Dates: Nov. 1, 2016 to Nov. 1, 2017 Approx. # of rental housing units: 0 Approx. # of for-sale housing units: 0 6 Approx. SF of office: 300 Approx. SF of retail/commercial: 30,000 Approx. SF of community/non-profit use: 300 (Community Gardens) Approx. SF of light industrial/high-tech: 0 Approx. SF of industrial/manufacturing: 0 Approx. SF of other uses specify: Service 9,700 Part 4. – Project Costs Cost of New Construction: $6,350,000 Value of Improvements: $0 Value of Equipment to Be Acquired: $200,000 Contribution to Community Gardens $200,000 Remove 7, Add 3 New Power Poles $150,000 Sidewalk, Trees & Fence on Rt. 13 $150,000 Traffic Light at Fifth Street Ext. $500,000 Soft Costs $568,459 Land Acquisition $2,704,000 Option to Purchase Community Gardens $150,000 Other Closing Costs $527,541 Total: $11,500,000 Part 5. – Criteria and Potential Project Benefits Minimum Qualification Criteria A PUD can only be established if the following criteria are all determined to have been met: Does the project further the health and welfare of the community; and 7 Is the project in accordance with the City Comprehensive Plan Does the project create at least one long term community benefit Is the property located in an area of the City currently zoned industrial PUD Approval Considerations In addition to meeting the minimum criteria, the following will also be considered when evaluating whether to grant a PUD for a proposed project: (1) Please demonstrate why this project can’t move forward under existing zoning. Why should a PUD be a desirable way to regulate development on this site? The PUD is mandatory on a temporary basis as determined by Common Council. A PUD would not be required for this project under the current I-1 Industrial Zone. If the Temporary Mandatory PUD were suspended for this development, as designed it would be in full compliance with the I-1 Industrial Zone. PUD sought for this project: I-1 Zone without amendment. (2) Will the project provide for public access pedestrian linkages (active recreation)? Yes. An important component of the proposed project is to develop the urban corridor along the west side of Route 13 in front of the site with a sidewalk, tree lined street and decorative fence on the highway side of the sidewalk that would provide a beautiful walkway from near Cascadilla Street to Third Street and the Ithaca Farmers Market. In addition, it appears likely (see attached letter from NYSDOT to Sen. Thomas O'Mara) that NYSDOT will permit Fifth Street to be extended across Route 13 with a traffic light. This will have the benefit of calming traffic and cutting the 1,500 feet distance approximately in half between the pedestrian crossings at Cascadilla and Third Streets, a significant convenience for pedestrians. (3) What are the heights of buildings in this project? How do building masses and locations compare to each other and to other structures in the vicinity? The heights of the building will be as follows: Ford Lincoln Nissan 24' typical to approximate maximum of 32' Solar Charging Station 14' to 20' Garden Toilets & Shed 14' Garden Shed 14' 8 Garden Gazebo 14' The massing of the buildings would be similar to the one or two story buildings in the vicinity. The Ford Lincoln Nissan building would be the main building with the solar charging station being subordinate to it. The Toilets, sheds and gazebo for the Community Garden are quite far away and would relate more to each other and the gardens. (4) Are there available and adequate transportation systems within the PUD for pedestrians, bicycles, and motor vehicles, including transit? What is the impact on the external transportation network? A feature of the site design is a driveway with curb and sidewalk that would extend across the back of the site near the railroad from Third Street to the south end of the property where right of ways are available to Cascadilla Street. This driveway would intersect with the extension of Fifth Street on the south side of the Ford Lincoln Nissan building. This would allow through traffic of pedestrians, bicycles and motor vehicles to and from the Ithaca Farmers Market to avoid the intersection at Route 13 and Third Street, traveling through the PUD to or from the intersection at Route 13 and Fifth Street. For additional information regarding traffic and prospective traffic light please refer to a draft Traffic Impact Study and Access Modification Report, both prepared by SRF Associates (attached). Please note that the Traffic Impact Study was based on an earlier version of the site plan with the Community Gardens remaining at their current location, however it does include a section on the impact of a traffic light at Fifth Street, concluding that a light along with sidewalk and trees would be a significant improvement of the Route 13 corridor. (5) What is the character of the neighborhood in which the PUD is being proposed? Are there safeguards provided to minimize possible detrimental effects of the proposed use on adjacent properties and the neighborhood in general? The PUD is in an I-1 Industrial Zone under zoning and in an Enterprise District under the City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. The existing neighborhood is a mixture of business, retail, industrial and recreational uses including the Ithaca Waste Water Treatment, Aldi, Ithaca Farmers Market, NYS Department of Transportation, Mirabito Petroleum, Cornell and Ithaca College Boathouses, Cornell University Press, Palisade, Mirabito Gas Station, Purity Ice Cream, Realty USA, All Stone and Tile and a NYSEG Substation. As noted in Item #4 above the driveway and walk thought the site from Third Street to the intersection of Fifth Street and Route 13 would mitigate that primary concern of the Ithaca Farmers Market as expressed in a meeting with them. 9 Our site plan reflects the relocation of a portion of the Community Gardens to the northern most portion of Carpenter Business Park. We have a Letter of Intent with Project Growing Hope, Inc. for the concept of moving part of the Gardens within Carpenter Business Park. Relocation of the Community Gardens will improve our development and promote a more harmonious long term relationship, and minimize traffic through the garden. Our plan and discussions have included providing some security for the location of the Community Gardens in Carpenter Business Park, and providing an option for Project Growing Hope, Inc. to own the property. How do the proposed open space and recreational systems function within the PUD and in relation to the City’s overall open space and recreational systems? The proposed plan would give better access to the waterfront with the through route. A roof garden would be provided for customers of the dealership and the independent cafe/restaurant that would provide wonderful views overlooking the Cayuga Inlet. Approximately 26% of the combined site would be landscaped, twice what is typical along the Route 13 (Meadow Street & Elmira Road) Corridor. (6) What is the general ability of the land to support the development, including such factors as slope, depth to bedrock, depth to water table and soil type? The land is suitable for development of a two-story retail building. Site topography is gently to moderately sloping. Due to the proximity to the inlet, groundwater may be at shallow depths but bedrock should not be encountered. A geotechnical evaluation will be performed to determine soil types and to make recommendations for the final foundation systems. (7) What potential impacts are there on environmental, historical, and architectural resources? Does the proposed PUD serve to protect these resources? The proposed plan, pending agreement with Project Growing Hope, would preserve a valuable community asset that has served the Ithaca community for 40 years. (8) What potential impacts are there on local government services? No major impacts on local government services are anticipated. (9) Is there available and adequate water service? A City owned 12” ductile Iron water main and series of hydrants located in Carpenter Circle will provide adequate water service to the site. 10 (10) Is there available and adequate sewer service? A City owned 8” PVC sewer main and series of manholes located in Carpenter Circle will provide adequate sanitary sewer service to the site. (11) Will the PUD provide several of the community benefits listed below that contribute to making the project a long-term asset for the community? Yes, see below. Potential Community Benefits Resulting from the PUD Project (1) What will be the increase to the tax roll value of new real property? $5.75 million according to TCAD Economic Impact Report (attached) on page 2. (2) How many FTE jobs will be created as a result of the project? Will the project result in job creation of positions that pay at least a living wage? 18.5 FTE jobs (15 direct and 3.5 mulitplier) will be created, with average direct wages ($44,300) and average multiplier wages ($38,800). Refer to TCAD Economic Impact Report (attached) page 4. (3) Will the project result in job creation of which at least 51% will be held by persons earning 80% or less of Area Median Income? Yes, refer to item 2 above. (4) Will the applicant provide affordable housing at rents that do not exceed Fair Market Rents occupied by households earning no more than 80% of Area Median Income, adjusted for family size (must determine duration)? No, there will be no housing constructed as a part of this project. It should be noted that this site would be very problematic for housing due to numerous site constraints. The site is situated between a noisy highway in front and a railroad at the rear. In addition a significant portion of the site toward the rear and north end cannot be built on due to the significant number of overhead power lines coming from the substation across Route 13. While the land below these powerlines are ideal for parking cars of employees, service customers and cars for sale, this large site area would not be pleasant as part of a residential development. NYSEG was approached by T.G. Miller Engineers and has rejected the idea of burying the lines. A pole here or there could be adjusted slightly at great expense but the overhead lines need to remain on the site as an important component of the regional infrastructure. Further, the soil conditions in this area are very poor so that only two or at most three story housing could be constructed without a very expensive pile foundation system. 11 (5) Will the project fill vacant store fronts? No. There are no stores located on the site. (6) Will the project involve environmental remediation? An existing 7,000 SF building will be demolished and would need to be tested for hazardous materials before demolition and if found mitigated legally. (7) Is the project a historic preservation project (in accordance with the Secretary of Interior's standards)? No. (8) Will the project be assisting/contracting/renting to MWBEs? It is likely that the project will be contracting with MWBEs as may be selected by the general contractor during the construction phase. (9) Will the project provide free (reduced cost) community space in the project (for example to a 501c3 non-profit)? The Community Gardens would be provided with at least a $200,000 cash contribution and some construction related services. (10) Will the project produce large-scale alternative energy, local energy or combined heat/power that results in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emission? Yes. Solar power will be generated by solar panels on the roof for building electricity. A solar charging station will be provided to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles. (11) Will the project result in high tech job creation? Some high tech jobs will be created. The bulk of jobs will be in sales, service and administration. (12) Does the project contain the redevelopment of a Brownfield site? No, the site is currently ready for construction. (13) Will this project provide any other community wide benefits? The project is planned as a LEED Gold project as would be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The site would be beautifully developed and landscaped with hardwood trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. An infusion of stone along Route 13, would create a wonderful public walkway along a tree lined street with a decorative fence from near Purity Ice Cream, along Ford Lincoln Nissan, an 12 independent cafe/restaurant, insurance offices and finally beside the relocated Community Gardens to the Ithaca Farmers Market and the Cayuga Waterfront. The rear and sides of the building would be covered with ivy. Columns of 8-foot tall grasses would be interspersed with cars along the "front line" and on the landscaped islands. This development will allow Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan to remain in the City of Ithaca as Phase I of a three phase project. Phase II would be the addition and renovation of the existing Ford Lincoln Nissan building at 504 S. Meadow Street for Hyundai Subaru. Phase III would be the demolition of the current Hyundai Subaru store at 320 Elmira Road which is in poor condition to allow the expansion of the adjoining Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram & Fiat facilities. In addition new supplemental jobs would be created at other Maguire locations in the City of Ithaca, Town of Lansing and Town of Ulysses. As noted in the TCAD report together the three phases plus the supplemental employment at other sites would create a total of 77.7 direct and multiplier jobs. MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSAN WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS Carpenter Business Park, LLC June 24, 2016 PROJECT DESCRIPTION Proposed for Carpenter Business Park Enterprise District The Maguire Family of Dealerships plans to construct a new approximately 50,000 SF Ford Lincoln Nissan dealership on the open site that it purchased in 2015 in Carpenter Business Park. Construction is planned to start in November 2016 and be complete in November 2017. The project has been designed in compliance with the I-1 Industrial Zone of which it is a part. Likewise the proposed design would implement many of the objectives of Plan Ithaca, the recently adopted City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. As one of the four Enterprise districts within the City of Ithaca, Carpenter Business Park "has great potential for business development and employment opportunities" according to the Comprehensive Plan under the heading of Future Land Use Categories. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, the proposed LEED Gold Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan dealership would develop the entirety of the open site and create a significant number of new well-paying jobs (refer to TCAD Economic Impact Report, dated January 29, 2016). Customers and employees would bring new life to the adjoining Waterfront District including the Ithaca Farmers Market. The proposed plan would feature three new showrooms along with a cafe/restaurant and outdoor merchandise display all fronting the tree-lined Rt. 13 corridor with a pedestrian sidewalk in front protected from Route 13 by a decorative fence. This would immediately extend the walkway from approximately Purity Ice Cream near Cascadilla Street, past the front entries to Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan, a gate to the relocated Community Gardens, to Aldi and the Ithaca Farmers Market at Third Street . Given NYSDOT's tentative approval to construct the sidewalk, this would go a significant way toward fulfilling the Comprehensive Plan objective to connect uses along the Rt. 13 corridor for pedestrians. Efforts are underway with NYSDOT to extend Fifth Street across Rt. 13 with a traffic light and pedestrian crosswalk into the heart of the site providing a through route to Third Street and the Ithaca Farmers Market. A Fifth Street Extension with a traffic light is one of the specific objectives of the Comprehensive Plan that would be realized by this project. An Access Modification Report prepared by SRF Associates has been completed that supports the need and the benefit of a traffic light. Page 2 MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSAN WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS Carpenter Business Park LLC June 24, 2016 Our site plan reflects the relocation of a portion of the Community Gardens to the northern most portion of Carpenter Business Park. We have signed Letter of Intent with Project Growing Hope, Inc. with the concept of moving part of the Gardens within Carpenter Business Park. Relocation of the Community Gardens will improve our development and promote a more harmonious long term relationship, and minimize traffic through the garden. Our plan would provide security for the location of the Community Gardens in Carpenter Business Park, and provide an option for Project Growing Hope, Inc. to own the property. We have had two meetings to discuss this site plan and discussions will continue. The Gardens organization has not endorsed any site plan to- date, and implementation of this design is subject to approval and cooperation of Project Growing Hope, Inc. The effort here is to create a commercial front consistent with an urban corridor with the stores in front and the service bays toward the heart of the Enterprise area. The car display areas along with the relocated Community Gardens would maintain relatively open views toward the Farmers Market, Cornell and Ithaca College boathouses as well as the proposed Residential/Mixed-Use Development on the NYSDOT site which currently occupies a premium waterfront site on the Cayuga Lake side of the railroad tracks. Columns of 8 foot tall grassed would be interspersed the front line of cars as well as the plentiful landscaped islands. The proposed site would include extensive Green Features (some of which were implemented in the LEED Platinum Maguire Automotive store at 370 Elmira Road) such as: Green roof garden & observation deck overlooking Cayuga Lake Rain water harvesting for washing cars, irrigation, toilets/urinals Solar charging station for electric cars Solar panel array for renewable electrical energy for building Porous asphalt and/or pavers in areas suitable for installation Below-ground infiltration/detention basins Rain gardens and/or bioretention filters Significant plantings: hardwood trees, tall grasses, shrubs, and perennials Ivy covered side and rear walls All of these sustainable practices are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; solar charging stations are specifically noted under Efficiency & Innovation and renewable energy is specifically noted under Energy. While the site is currently zoned I-1 Industrial, the zoning is subject to the recently approved Temporary Mandatory Planned Unit Development (TMPUD) which would be guided in its administration by the Comprehensive Plan. Since the proposed plans have been developed to be consistent with the City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan it is anticipated that zoning approval would proceed unencumbered by significant changes. The proposed plan would be in full compliance with the I-1 zoning, so that is what we are now proposing for the PUD. Page 3 MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSAN WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS Carpenter Business Park LLC June 24, 2016 Due to the existence of many site constraints development has not occurred on this site, however a car dealership offers the opportunity to fully develop the site in a beautiful manner due to some of the unique characteristics of car dealerships. To give a better idea of the site constraints faced by a site that is sandwiched between a railroad track and a highway the below report was prepared by T.G. Miller, P.C. Engineering. SITE CONSTRAINTS In 2015 the Maguire Family of Dealerships purchased 6 properties that comprise the Carpenter Business Park. These properties total approximately 8.8 acres and include Tax Parcels 36.-1-2, 3.3, 3.5 and 3.6 as well as 43.-2-5.23 and 6.22. They also acquired an option at that time to purchase Tax Parcel 36.-1-3.4, the 2.1 acre site with the Community Gardens. The Improvements to the Park, including the construction of Carpenter Circle, were made in the early 1990’s by the City of Ithaca in an attempt to attract businesses to the park. Despite efforts by private entities to purchase and develop the park the site has remained vacant. Being in the Industrial Zone (I-1) District the Park is surrounded by a mix of retail and industrial uses including the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant, Aldi Foods, B&W Supply, Mirabito Petroleum Storage, Palisade Corporation, Cornell Press, Mirabito Gas Station, Realty USA, Ithaca Ice Company, All Stone and Tile, the NYSEG Substation, and an office complex at 402- 410 3rd Street. Physical constraints including overhead electric transmission lines and the indirect vehicular access limit the development potential of the Carpenter Business Park. The largest of these constraints includes the overhead transmission lines owned and operated by NYSEG. These lines begin at the substation on the east side of Route 13 and feed major portions of the City as well as West Hill. NYSEG holds easements totaling 150’ in width along these lines and prohibits the construction of any structures within these easements. Surface improvements such as parking facilities, landscaping, roads, and pedestrian facilities are allowed with certain height restrictions. However, deep excavations are not allowed within 25’ of a pole or guy wire thus limiting the location of on-site stormwater management systems. Recent discussions with NYSEG were held to discuss the possibility of burying these lines or moving them. NYSEG has indicated they will not consider burying the transmission lines, due to the potential for longer service outages to repair below ground facilities, nor will they allow any of the poles to be moved. They will allow the removal of a as many as 7 poles with as few as 3 poles without guy wires being installed new. This plan is currently being pursued with NYSE&G. Page 4 MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSAN WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS Carpenter Business Park LLC June 24, 2016 The presence of the NYSEG easements, combined with the yard setbacks in the current I-1 zone, restricts the allowable building envelope for Tax Parcels 36.-1-3.5 and 43.-2-6.22 (which comprise 6.0 acres of land over the two lots south of the Community Gardens) to approximately 3.7 acres. The railroad tracks to the west prohibit access from 3rd Street Extension. Currently access directly from Route 13 is limited to vehicular access to Carpenter Circle from Third Street. There are access easements through the Cornell Press parcels to Cascadilla Street but such access is not ideal for the amount of traffic that would be accessing the site. The constraints on the site severely limit its potential for housing as the site is surrounded by railroad tracks, electrical poles and wires, the sewage treatment plan, DOT storage, gas station, petroleum storage, etc. To make housing feasible, even with State support, there needs to be a density, which is only profitable when buildings are tall, over 3 stories. If the site has soils that are like so much of the flats and the valley (we are currently pursuing a geotechnical analysis) the project would require either piles or unusual foundation systems which makes conventional housing unaffordable to build without some subsidy. The above report was put together with the assistance of T.G. Miller P.C. Engineering. Carpenter Business Park - Planned Unit Development Appeal Number N/A Address Carpenter Business Park and 742 Cascadilla St Use District I-1 (TMPUD)Date 8/5/2015 Applicant Schickel Architecture Owner Carpenter Business Park, LLC Application Type:PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT Column Number 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14/15 16 Column Title Use Accessory Use Off-Street Parking Off-Street Loading Lot Area (Sq. Feet) Lot Width (Feet) Number of Stories Height in Feet % of Lot Coverage Front Yard Side Yard Other Side Yard Rear yard: % of depth or number of feet, whichever is less Minimum Building Height I-1 District Regulations for Proposed Industrial & Business Same as Business 48 3 5,000 50'4 40 50%20'12'6'15% or 20' but not less than 10'None Proposed Condition and/or Use Motor Vehicle Sales & Service Solar Charging Station 50 3 383,875 885'2 35'9%51'220'306'157'N/A PUD District Regulation for Proposed Industrial & Business Same as Business 48 3 5,000 50'4 40 50%20'12'6'15% or 20' but not less than 10'None Notes: JUNE 24, 2016 MAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSANCARPENTER BUSINESS PARK LLC, 504 SOUTH MEADOW ST. ITHACA NY 14850 SCHICKEL ARCHITECTURE PROJECT NO. 15117 JUNE 24, 2016EFB.2A.1A.2C.1C.2 C.3GHDB.1742(742 CASCADILLA ST.)EXISTING: CARPENTER BUSINESS PARKEXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENSA.1 A.2B.1B.2TOTAL: EXISTING VACANT LOT & 742 CASCADILLA STREETC.1C.2C.3DEFGH 742 TOTAL: EXISTING29,977 SF8,418 SF26,899 SF27,049 SF92,343 SF52,228 SF16,106 SF6,846 SF28,815 SF205,618 SF29,445 SF8,964 SF10,515 SF25,338 SF383,875 SF0.688 ACRES0.193 ACRES0.617 ACRES0.621 ACRES2.120 ACRES1.199 ACRES0.370 ACRES0.157 ACRES0.662 ACRES4.720 ACRES0.676 ACRES0.206 ACRES0.24 ACRES0.582 ACRES8.813 ACRESPROPOSED: CARPENTER BUSINESS PARKRELOCATED COMMUNITY GARDENSA.2B.2C.2DH TOTAL: AFTER RELOCATIONMAGUIRE FORD LINCOLN NISSANA.1 B.1C.1C.3EFG742 TOTAL: MAGUIRE 8,418 SF27,049 SF16,106 SF28,815 SF10,515 SF92,343 SF29,977 SF26,899 SF52,228 SF6,846 SF205,618 SF29,445 SF8,964 SF25,338 SF383,875 SF0.193 ACRES0.621 ACRES0.370 ACRES0.662 ACRES0.241 ACRES2.120 ACRES0.688 ACRES0.617 ACRES1.199 ACRES 0.157 ACRES4.720 ACRES0.676 ACRES0.206 ACRES0.582 ACRES8.813 ACRES742(742 CASCADILLA ST.)A.1A.2C.1B.2C.2 C.3GHDB.1FE Tompkins County Clerk Recording Page Return To MILLER MAYER,LLP Document Type:DEED Grantor (Party 1) INLET ALCHEMY LLC Fees Recording Fee $20.00 Pages Fee $30.00 State Surcharge $20.00 TP-584 Form Fee $5.00 RP-5217 Form Fee $250.00 State Transfer Tax $1,216.00 County Transfer Tax $608.00 Total Fees Paid:$2,149.00 Maureen Reynolds,County Clerk Tompkins County Clerk 320 North Tioga Street Ithaca,NY 14850 (607)274-5431 Receipt Number:15-104011 Grantee (Party 2) CARPENTER BUSINESS PARK LLC Transfer Amt:$304,000.00 Instrument #:2015-11796 Transfer Tax #:000388 Property located in City of Ithaca State of New York County of Tompkins Recorded on September 30th. 2015 at 4:24:16 PM with a total page count of 6. J Y Puajlla. Tompkins County Clerk 77i»s sheet constitutes the Clerk's endorsement required by section 319 of the Real Property Law of the State of New York Do Not Detach C 09/30/2015 04:24:17 PM Mission: TCAD is dedicated to building a thriving and sustainable economy that improves the quality of life in Tompkins County by fostering the growth of business and employment. 1 Economic Impact Report Maguire Family of Dealerships City of Ithaca Renovation & Expansion UPDATED July 21, 2016 The Maguire Family of Dealerships is a local, second generation company established in 1977 in Trumansburg, Maguire is the #1 retailer and generator of sales tax in Tompkins County. The family owned company has 426 employees, placing them as the eleventh largest employer in Tompkins County. The Maguire Family of Dealerships proposes an $18M investment in the City of Ithaca that will upgrade existing facilities and build a new facility to meet increasing quality standards set by the vehicle manufacturers. The reinvestment is critical to maintain existing levels of business and meet increasing demand. The project will be rolled out in phases over the next three years consisting of: • Phase I (2016) – a $11.5M investment relocating Maguire Ford Lincoln Nissan from 504 S. Meadow Street to a new, LEED Gold certified building at Carpenter Business Park. This is a 8.4 acre vacant parcel that currently generates only $19,296 in annual property tax revenue for the City. • Phase II (2017) – a $4M renovation and upgrade to 504 S. Meadow Street and relocating Maguire Hyundai Subaru from 320 Elmira Rd. • Phase III (2018) – a $2.5M purchase, renovation and upgrade to 320 Elmira Rd. to expand the Maguire Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat located on an adjacent parcel. This report evaluates the following net new economic impacts: • New property tax revenues • New sales tax revenues from service department and vehicle sales • New jobs, new income and multiplier effect of creating direct jobs at Maguire This analysis considers the new construction at the Carpenter Park site and renovation of two existing facilities, all located in the City of Ithaca. The impact analysis considers projected incremental growth in business at all three locations. Maguire provided all sales and employment figures. Projections were estimated by TCAD. Any additional information supplied is noted in the document. SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS (ANNUALLY) Property Tax (City) Sales Tax (City) New Jobs New Wages Phase I – Carpenter Park $74,118 $171,547 15 $664,500 Phase II – 504 S. Meadow $25,780 $152,486 10 $443,000 Phase III – 320 Elmira Rd. $6,445 $95,304 18 $797,400 TOTAL $106,343 $419,338 43 $1,904,900 * Assumptions are detailed at the end of document Mission: TCAD is dedicated to building a thriving and sustainable economy that improves the quality of life in Tompkins County by fostering the growth of business and employment. 2 Economic Impact Report Maguire Family of Dealerships City of Ithaca Renovation & Expansion UPDATED July 21, 2016 OTHER COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS • Creation of 20 additional jobs at Maguire locations in the City of Ithaca, Town of Ulysses and Town of Lansing. These jobs would be a mixture of technician, reconditioning, accounting, clerical, sales and management jobs that would pay an additional $886,000 in wages annually and create 4.7 indirect jobs with wages of $182,360. • Development of an underutilized site that is constrained by existing energy substation and overhead power lines • Complimentary parking for community gardens and Ithaca Farmer’s Market • Maguire has a track record with commitment to renewable energy and green design. Significant items planned for Carpenter Park site include: - Green roof and lake viewing observation deck - Rain water recycling - Solar charging station - Impervious pavement planned in areas suitable for installation - Aesthetic design with significant tree plantings • Increases Maguire partnership with Challenge Workforce Solutions to provide job opportunities to persons with barriers to employment. • Expands opportunities for company funded training and advancement • Increases sales to adjacent businesses via supply chain and employee purchases DETAILED ANALYSIS AND ASSUMPTIONS Property Tax Revenue The developer projects an $18M investment, $1.5M of which is site acquisition. Based on TCAD’s experience with other IDA projects, the increase in assessment is usually about half of he construction cost. Therefore we estimated the increase in assessment at $8.25M (50% of $16.5M). These projections reflect the increase in assessment only. The current land and/or building value associated with all three parcels located in the City of Ithaca (Carpenter Park, 504 S. Meadow, and 320 Elmira Rd.) are not evaluated. Property tax generation for $9M net new assessed value (Annually) Invest- ment New Value City County School TOTAL Tax Rate 12.89/1,000 6.734093/1,000 18.1611/1,000 Phase I – Carpenter Park $11.5M $5.75M $74,118 $38,721 $104,426 $217,265 Phase II – 504 S. Meadow $4M $2M $25,780 $13,468 $36,322 $75,570 Phase III – 320 Elmira Rd. $1M* $.5M $6,445 $3,367 $9,081 $18,893 TOTAL $16.5M $8.25M $106,343 $106,343 $149,829 $311,728 * Does not include $1.5M site acquisition cost. Mission: TCAD is dedicated to building a thriving and sustainable economy that improves the quality of life in Tompkins County by fostering the growth of business and employment. 3 Economic Impact Report Maguire Family of Dealerships City of Ithaca Renovation & Expansion UPDATED July 21, 2016 Retail Sales Tax Revenue a. Sales tax formula The formula for retail sales tax distribution of County sales tax revenue is quite complex. Rick Snyder, the County Director of Finance provided a full page diagram of the sales tax distribution. However, he suggested using the actual distribution ratio in 2015 for the City of Ithaca would be the most realistic approach to estimating the distribution of new sales tax revenue generated by the Maguire project. In 2015, the total tax receipts in the County (4% of the purchase price) were $59,350,643. The distribution is as follows: • County: $33,385,002 (or 56.3%) • City of Ithaca: $12,419,075 (or 20.9%) • All town/villages: $13,546,566 (or 22.8%) It is reasonable to assume the City of Ithaca gets about 1/5 (or 20.9%) of the 4% sales tax revenue. b. Revenues subject to sales tax Vehicle sales tax revenue is distributed to the county of the purchaser, so for example, if someone from Broome County purchases a vehicle in Tompkins County, the sales tax is distributed to Broome County. Maguire provided an estimate of 70% of vehicle sales to Tompkins County residents, which is based on historical vehicle sales revenue. Maguire also provided a breakdown of 80% of revenue from vehicle sales and 20% of revenue from services. Sales tax generation for new revenues as a result of expansion (Annually) Revenue Subject to Sales Tax Local Sales Tax (4%) City Sales Tax (20.9%) Phase I – Carpenter Park $20,520,000 $820,800 $171,547 Phase II – 504 S. Meadow $18,240,000 $729,600 $152,486 Phase III – 320 Elmira Rd. $11,400,000 $456,000 $95,304 TOTAL $50,160,000 $2,006,400 $419,338 Jobs and Wages With the new development, Maguire will increase its employment at the three locations in the City of Ithaca by 43. These jobs will pay an average annual wage of $44,300 (provided by Maguire), generating a total of $1,904,900 of new wages. Maguire’s expansion will create other work locally for their suppliers and their new employees will spend their income locally. Both of these increases in economic activity generate a multiplier effect, creating new jobs and income beyond the direct increases at Maguire. A multiplier of 1.235 (IMPLAN Tompkins County 2012; Retail Stores: Motor Mission: TCAD is dedicated to building a thriving and sustainable economy that improves the quality of life in Tompkins County by fostering the growth of business and employment. 4 Economic Impact Report Maguire Family of Dealerships City of Ithaca Renovation & Expansion UPDATED July 21, 2016 Vehicle and Parts) was used to estimate an additional 10 jobs with an average wage of $38,800, resulting in a total of $392,074 in new wages. The combined direct and indirect jobs total 53 new jobs with new wages of $2,296,974. In addition to the jobs at the three facilities, Maguire projects creating another 20 jobs at other locations in the City of Ithaca, Town of Ulysses and Town of Lansing. These jobs would be a mixture of technician, reconditioning, accounting, clerical, sales and management jobs that would pay an additional $886,000 in wages annually and create 4.7 indirect jobs with wages of $182,360. New jobs and annual wages Direct Jobs Direct Wages ($44,300) Multiplier Jobs (1.235) Multiplier Wages ($38,800) Total Jobs Total Wages Phase I – Carpenter Park 15 $664,500 3.525 $136,770 18.525 $801,270 Phase II – 504 S. Meadow 10 $443,000 2.35 $91,180 12.32 $534,180 Phase III – 320 Elmira Rd. 18 $797,400 4.23 $164,124 22.23 $961,524 TOTAL (City) 43 $1,904,900 10 $392,074 53 $2,296,974 Supplemental (Maguire jobs in Tompkins County) 20 $886,000 4.7 $182,360 24.7 $1,068,360 TOTAL (all locations) 63 $2,790,900 14.7 $574,434 77.7 $3,365,334 Senator O'Mara Aprif 18,2016 Page 2 from walking along highways due to the speeds and volume of traffic. Pedestrian connections are located between the west and east side of NYS 13 at the intersections, which is a safe place to cross. As soon as sidewalks are constructed, it would be a concern that pedestrians would take risks and cross the highway at unsafe locations. NYSDOT may be agreeable to a sidewalk that is on the west side of a fence, which would prevent pedestrians from crossing NYS 13 anywhere other than the signalized intersection. Plant a continuous row of hardwood trees along NYS 13t34: This idea was discussed with the Maguire's consultant. NYSDOT is not opposed to trees being pfanted, as long as they do not create ahazard forthe driving public and are appropriate species for an urban highway area. Remove the existing chain link fence along the west side of NYS 13134: NYS 13134 is a limited access highway, and it is NYSDOT's policy to place right- of-way fencing to discourage crossing of the highway at unsafe locations. For this reason, the fence must remain. NYSDOT has allowed different types of decorative fence in place of right-of-way fencing, but we must review the type and style of fence to ensure it is crashworthy and does not create a hazard for motorists. Thank you for your interest in this matter. lf you have further questions, feel free to contact me at 315-428-4351 or your staff may contact Betsy Parmley at 31 S-428-4}BZ. Acting Regional Director Attachment cc:Svante L. Myrick, Mayor, City of lthaca Timothy J. Maguire, Maguire Family of Dealerships Philip J. Maguire, Maguire Family of Dealerships Thomas M. Schickel, Schickel Architecture 3. 4. CHAIRMANTHESENATEROOM307LEGISLATIVEOFFICEBUILDINGENVIRONMENTAL,CONSERVATIONSTATEOFNEWYORKALBANY.NEWYORK12247COMMITTEES(518)455-2091AGRICULTURE“%,J4’FAX.(5181426-6976BANKSftCODES‘‘(..333EWATERSTREET.SUITE301ENERGYANDTELECOMMUNICATIONS1133.>1’ELMIRA.NEWYORK14901INSURANCE(607)735-9671INVESTIGATIONS&.“••FAX.1607)735-9675GOVERNMENTOPERATIONSE-MAILomara@nysenatogovIUDICIARYTHnAACUfl’TRANSPORTATIONSENATOR58THDISTRICTMarch15,2016TheHonorableAndrewM.CuomoGovernor,StateofNewYorkStateNYSStateCapitolBuildingAlbany,NY12224Re:ProposedMaguireFordLincolnNissanCarpenterBusinessParkEnterpriseDistrict,Ithaca,NYDearGovernorCuomo:TheMaguireFamilyofDealerships,locatedinmyStateSenateDistrictinTompkinsCounty,hasrecentlyacquired8.4acresoflandintheCarpenterBusinessParkEnterpriseDistrictintheCityofIthaca.ThecompanyintendstoconstructabeautifullydesignedandenvironmentallysensitiveLEEDGold$12million50,000SFfacilityalongNYSRoutes13&34.Thisprojectwillcreate31newjobswithanaverageannualwageof$44,300.TheMaguireFamilyisseekingyoursupporttoobtainrequisiteapprovalsfromtheNYSDOTtomakeimprovementsintheNYShighwayrightofwayasfollow:I.InstallatrafficlightthatwouldextendFifthStreetacrossRoutes13&34.ThetrafficlightwouldprovidedirectaccessfromthehighwaytothesiteandwouldconnecttheNorthsideneighborhoodwiththewaterfrontalongtheCayugaInlet.WithouttheproposedtrafficlightthereisaconcernthatThirdStreetwouldbetheonlyaccessoffRoutes13&34tothesitewhichcouldbeaproblemonSaturdaysinparticularwhentheIthacaFarmersMarketisactive,leavingthepossibilityoftrafficbackingupalongtheStateHighway.2.ConstructasidewalkalongthewestsideofRoutes13&34.ThesidewalkwouldextendfromCascadillaStreetatthesouthtoThirdStreetatthenorth,providingpedestrianandbicycleaccessfromthecontinuoussidewalkgridoftheCityallthewaytotheIthacaFarmersMarketwithconvenientaccesspointsintothedealershipalongtheway,includingaplannedcoffeeshopaspartofthedevelopment.3.PlantacontinuousrowofhardwoodtreesalongRoutes13&34.ThetreelineintheNYSrightofwaywouldcreateabeautifullylandscapedentrytotheCityaswellasshadeforpedestriansgoingfromDowntowntotheWaterfront.4.RemovetheexistingchainlinkfencealongwestsideofRoutes13&34.‘a TheremovaloftheunattractivechainlinkfenceonthewestedgeofthehighwayrightofwayfromMirabitogasstationnorthofCascadillaStreetnorthtoThirdStreetwouldcreateamostattractivelandscapewithviewsthatwouldflowfromthehighway,acrossthesitetowardtheCayugaInletwaterfront.PleasenotethatalloftheaboveproposeditemsareobjectivesoftheCityofIthacaComprehensivePlanadoptedonSeptember2,2015.AlsopleasenotethattheMaguireFamilyisworkingtogetherwiththeIthacaCommunityGardens,whicharelocatedonthenorthsideoftheproposedsite,tocreateamutuallybeneficialrelationshipthatwouldsecurethelongtermviabilityoftheCommunityGardens.TheMaguireFamilyhassoughttheseapprovalsfromtheregionalNYSDOTauthoritiesinSyracusewithoutsuccess.AtthispointtheyareseekingtheassistanceofyourOfficetoseeifthereisawaythattheseimprovementscouldbemade,consistentwiththeCity’sComprehensivePlan,andwiththeaddedbenefitofcreatingathrivingbusinessintheCityofIthaca.Theproposedsitehaslainvacantforovertwenty-fiveyearsduetothelackofdirectaccessfromthehighwayandtothemajorsiteconstraintofseveraloverheadpowerlinesthatseverelylimitthebuildableareaonthesite.Acardealershipisanidealuseforthissitebecausethelargeareasunderthepowerlinescanbeusedforemployee,serviceanddisplayparking.Yourassistanceinthismatterwouldbegreatlyappreciated.Pleasefeelfreetocontactmeifyouhaveanyquestionsconcerningthismatter.Sincerely,Z2ifThomasF.OMaraNYSSenator,58thDistrictEnclosures:•TCADEconomicImpactReport,January29,2106cc:MatthewJ.Driscoll,CommissionerofNYSDOTKevinBush,P.E.,RegionalDirector,NYSDOT,Region3ElizabethParmley,P.E.,Permits,NYSDOT,Region3TimothyJ.Maguire,MaguireFamilyofDealershipsPhilipJ.Maguire,MaguireFamilyofDealershipsThomasM.Schickel,SchicketArchitectureSvanteL.Myrick,Mayor,CityofIthaca f o r t h e p r o p o s e d Maguire Development C i t y o f I t h a c a T o m p k i n s C o u n t y , N e w Y o r k March 2016 Project No. 36005 Prepared For: 3 7 0 E l m i r a R o a d I t h a c a , N Y 1 4 8 5 0 A t t n : M r . P h i l i p M a g u i r e , P r e s i d e n t M r . A n d y S c i a r a b b a , P . E . , T . G . M i l l e r , P . C . Prepared By: 3 4 9 5 W i n t o n P l a c e B u i l d i n g E , S u i t e 1 1 0 R o c h e s t e r , N e w Y o r k 1 4 6 2 3 Traffic Impact Study i March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. iv I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 II. LOCATION ............................................................................................................................. 1 III. EXISTING HIGHWAY SYSTEM ......................................................................................... 1 IV. EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ................................................................................. 3 A. Peak Intervals for Analysis ......................................................................................................3 B. Existing Traffic Volume Data ..................................................................................................3 C. Field Observations ....................................................................................................................3 V. FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GROWTH ....................................... 3 VI. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................. 4 A. Description .................................................................................................................................4 B. Site Traffic Generation ............................................................................................................4 C. Site Traffic Distribution ...........................................................................................................5 VII. FULL DEVELOPMENT VOLUMES ..................................................................................... 5 VIII. CAPACITY ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................... 5 IX. TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROUTE 13 CORRIDOR ............................................. 8 X. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................... 9 XI. FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... 9 ii March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY LIST OF TABLES TABLE I SITE GENERATED TRIPS ...................................................................................................5 TABLE II CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS: TYPICAL OPERATIONS .....................................6 TABLE III CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS: FARMERS MARKET OPERATIONS .................7 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 SITE LOCATION & STUDY AREA FIGURE 2 LANE GEOMETRY & AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC FIGURE 3 PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – 2016 EXISTING CONDITIONS FIGURE 4 PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – 2017 BACKGROUND CONDITIONS FIGURE 5 CONCEPT SITE PLAN FIGURE 6 TRIP DISTRIBUTION FIGURE 7 SITE GENERATED TRIPS FIGURE 8 PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS LIST OF APPENDICES A1. COLLECTED TRAFFIC VOLUME DATA A2. MISCELLANEOUS TRAFFIC DATA AND CALCULATIONS A3. LOS CRITERIA/DEFINITIONS A4. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – EXISTING CONDITIONS A5. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – BACKGROUND CONDITIONS A6. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS LIST OF REFERENCES 1. Highway Capacity Manual, Fifth Edition. Transportation Research Board. National Research Council, Washington, DC. 2010. 2. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Traffic Data Viewer. 2014. Retrieved from https://www.dot.ny.gov/tdv. 3. Trip Generation, Ninth Edition. Institute of Transportation Engineers. Washington, DC. 2012. 4. Plan Ithaca: A Vision for Our Future. City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. City of Ithaca Planning Division. 2015. iii March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OVERVIEW The purpose of this report is to identify the potential traffic impacts associated with the proposed Maguire Development (automobile dealership) in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The operating characteristics of the proposed access point and impacts to the adjacent roadway network are identified and mitigating measures, if any, are provided to minimize capacity or safety concerns. In an effort to define traffic impact, this analysis establishes existing traffic conditions, projects background traffic flow including area growth and/or additional traffic resulting from new development in the area, and determines the traffic operations that would result from full development of the proposed project. The proposed development is located southwest of the intersection of North Meadow Street (NYS Route 13) and Third Street in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The site is currently vacant as part of the Carpenter Business Park and is accessible via Carpenter Circle. It should be noted that Ithaca Community Gardens is located along Carpenter Circle, north of the proposed dealership building. Surrounding the proposed development is Third Street to the north, North Meadow Street to the east, commercial development to the south, and railroad tracks to the west. Land uses in the vicinity of the project site include light industrial, commercial, the Ithaca Farmers Market, Ithaca Community Gardens, and residential. The study area consists of the intersections of:  North Meadow Street/Third Street  North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street The proposed project consists of constructing a 50,000 square foot (SF) automobile dealership building to service Ford, Lincoln, and Nissan. Also proposed on-site are complimentary uses for customers, namely a coffee shop, rental car business, and insurance agency. This project is part of a multi-phase development scheme proposed by the Maguire Family of Dealerships. This first phase will relocate the three brands from the existing site at 504 South Meadow Street to the proposed location. Primary access to the site will be provided via Carpenter Circle off of Third Street. There is a southerly access point between the proposed site and the gas station, however, this is proposed to be used only by employees fueling up the vehicles and not by the general public. Construction of the proposed Maguire Development is anticipated to be constructed within a year. City of Ithaca officials were contacted to discuss projects within the study area that are under construction and/or approved. No projects were identified. To account for any background growth in the area, including any unforeseen developments in the project study area, a conservative 0.5% per year growth rate has been applied to existing traffic volumes at the study area intersections for the one year build-out period. Concept Site Plan iv March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS This study evaluates the potential traffic impacts resulting from the proposed Maguire Development. Based upon the analyses, the results indicate that the proposed development will not have significant adverse traffic impacts on the existing roadway network. The following sets forth conclusions and recommendations based upon the results of the analyses: 1. A total of 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. The SAT peak hour driveway distribution is based on the ITE data for automobile dealerships. 2. The capacity analyses indicate that all study area intersections will operate at acceptable operating conditions during the PM, SAT (typical conditions) and SAT (Farmers Market conditions) peak hours under full development conditions. No mitigation is warranted or recommended as a result of the proposed development at the study area intersections. 3. Any future consideration of the Route 13 Corridor transformation plan should be coordinated with the NYSDOT, the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC), and any interested agencies. 4. The proposed development will not result in any potentially significant adverse traffic impacts to the study area intersections. 1 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY I. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to identify the potential traffic impacts associated with the proposed Maguire Development (automobile dealership) in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The operating characteristics of the proposed access point and impacts to the adjacent roadway network are identified and mitigating measures, if any, are provided to minimize capacity or safety concerns. In an effort to define traffic impact, this analysis establishes existing traffic conditions, projects background traffic flow including area growth and/or additional traffic resulting from new development in the area, and determines the traffic operations that would result from full development of the proposed project. II. LOCATION The proposed development is located southwest of the intersection of North Meadow Street (NYS Route 13) and Third Street in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The site is currently vacant as part of the Carpenter Business Park and is accessible via Carpenter Circle. It should be noted that Ithaca Community Gardens is located along Carpenter Circle, north of the proposed dealership building. Surrounding the proposed development is Third Street to the north, North Meadow Street to the east, commercial development to the south, and railroad tracks to the west. Land uses in the vicinity of the project site include light industrial, commercial, the Ithaca Farmers Market, Ithaca Community Gardens, and residential. The study area consists of the intersections of:  North Meadow Street/Third Street  North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street The site location and study area are shown in Figure 1 (all figures are included at the end of the report). III. EXISTING HIGHWAY SYSTEM North Meadow Street (NYS Route 13) is functionally classified as an urban principal arterial highway under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Within the study area, motorists travel northeast and southwest using two travel lanes in each direction with auxiliary lanes at the intersection with Third Street. The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) on North Meadow Street is approximately 31,383 vehicles per day (vpd) according to the most recent data collected by the NYSDOT in 2012. The posted speed limit is 30 miles per hour (MPH) south of Third Street and 40 MPH north of Third Street. It should be noted that North Meadow Street functions as a one -way pair from approximately 500 feet north of Cascadilla Street to West Clinton Street. Concept Site Plan 2 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Third Street is functionally classified as local highway under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel northwest and southeast using one travel lane in each direction. The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) is approximately 3,000 vpd south of North Meadow Street and 2,000 vpd north of North Meadow Street according to an extrapolation of turning movement count data collected by SRF & Associates in 2016. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Cascadilla Street is functionally classified as an urban collector highway under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel east and west using one travel lane in each direction. The ADT on Cascadilla Street is approximately 1,100 vpd east of North Meadow Street and 900 vpd west of North Meadow Street according to an extrapolation of turning movement count data collected by SRF & Associates in 2016. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Pedestrian Facilities The City of Ithaca is noted for high levels of walking for daily transport. Sidewalks are present throughout the CBD. In relation to the proposed site, sidewalks are located at and adjacent the North Meadow/Third Street and North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street intersections. Pedestrian crosswalks and countdown signals are present at the study intersections. Bicycle Facilities The city is expanding its bicycle infrastructure in terms of on-street bicycle lanes, shared lane markings (“sharrows”), and a bicycle boulevard plan. Bike lanes are proposed along Third Street to provide a connection between the Waterfront Trail/Farmers Market and neighborhoods to the southeast. Bicycling along NYS Route 13 between Dey Street and Warren Road is prohibited by law. Transit Facilities Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) has 33 bus routes, operates 22 hours a day, and services an area-wide population of over 100,000. Ridership has grown every year since 2006 and accounts for over 10% of daily commuter trips (ACS, 2012). Specifically to the proposed site, Route 13 provides service in the area Monday through Saturday. The following graphic illustrates the transit route. TCAT Transit Routes and Stops 3 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Figure 2 illustrates the lane geometry at each of the study intersections and the AADT volumes on the study roadways. IV. EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS A. Peak Intervals for Analysis Given the functional characteristics of the land use proposed for the site (automobile dealership), the peak hours selected for analysis are the weekday commuter PM and Saturday midday peaks. The combination of site traffic and adjacent through traffic produces the greatest demand during these time periods. B. Existing Traffic Volume Data Weekday commuter PM (4:00-6:00PM) and Saturday midday (11:30AM-1:30PM) peak hour volumes were collected by SRF & Associates at the study intersections of North Meadow Street at Third Street and Cascadilla Street on Wednesday, February 17 and Saturday, February 20, 2016. The peak hour traffic periods generally occurred between 4:30-5:30PM and 11:45AM-12:45PM at the study intersections. All count data was collected on a typical weekday and weekend while local colleges, universities, and public schools were in session. However, given the time of year, the local Farmers Market located at the end of the Third Street was closed for the season. Therefore, traffic information obtained from the City of Ithaca along Third Street was used to compare and adjust the traffic volumes at the study intersections to reflect times when the Farmers Market is operational versus typical conditions. The Farmers Market related traffic volumes have been added to the SAT peak hour volumes. The weekday PM and SAT peak hour volumes during both typical and market-related operational conditions are reflected in Figure 3. C. Field Observations The study intersections were observed during both peak intervals to assess current traffic operations. Signal timing information was obtained from the NYSDOT to determine peak hour phasing plans and phase durations during each interval. V. FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GROWTH Construction of the proposed Maguire Development is anticipated to be constructed within a year. City of Ithaca officials were contacted to discuss projects within the study area that are under construction and/or approved. No projects were identified. To account for any background growth in the area, including any unforeseen developments in the project study area, a conservative 0.5% per year growth rate has been applied to existing traffic volumes at the study area intersections for the one year build-out period. The background traffic volumes are depicted in Figure 4. 4 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY VI. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT A. Description The proposed project consists of constructing a 50,000 square foot (SF) automobile dealership building to service Ford, Lincoln, and Nissan. A coffee shop, rental car business, and insurance agency are also included on-site for customers. This project is part of a multi- phase development scheme proposed by the Maguire Family of Dealerships. This first phase will relocate the three brands from the existing site at 504 South Meadow Street to the proposed location. Primary access to the site will be provided via Carpenter Circle off of Third Street. There is a southerly access point between the proposed site and the gas station, however, this is proposed to be used only by employees fueling up the vehicles and not by the general public. Figure 5 illustrates the proposed concept plan. B. Site Traffic Generation The volume of traffic generated by a site is dependent on the intended land use and size of the development. Trip generation is an estimate of the number of trips generated by a specific building or land use. These trips represent the volume of traffic entering and exiting the development. Trip Generation, 9th Edition is used as a reference for this information. The trip rate for the peak hour of the generator may or may not coincide in time or volume with the trip rate for the peak hour of adjacent street traffic. Volumes generated during the peak hour of adjacent street traffic, in this case, the weekday AM and PM peaks, represent a more critical volume when analyzing the capacity of the system; those intervals will provide the basis of this analysis. All trip generation information has been included in the appendix. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the following steps are recommended when determining trip generation for proposed land uses: 1. Check for the availability of local trip generation rates for comparable uses. 2. If local trip data for similar developments are not available and time and funding permit, conduct trip generation studies at sites with characteristics similar to those of the proposed development. Trip generation estimates for the proposed automobile dealership are, therefore, based on existing trip rates from existing dealerships in the Finger Lakes region. These trips were compared to data contained in the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual. Trip generation estimates for the SAT peak hour were based in part on the PM peak hour rate and increased by 50%. Based on information provided by the applicant, as well as local data, these information sets compared favorably to the ITE data for the PM and SAT peak hours. Table I shows the total site generated trips for the weekday AM and PM peak hours for the proposed project. The coffee shop, rental car, and insurance agency business entities will be complimentary of the proposed development and will not be destinations for off-site visitors, thus any trips associated with these uses are included within the projected site generated trips. 5 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY T A B L E I S I T E G E N E R A T E D T R I P S DESCRIPTION SIZE PM PEAK HOUR SAT PEAK HOUR ENTER EXIT ENTER EXIT Automobile Dealership 50,000 SF 27 41 52 50 A total of 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. The SAT peak hour driveway distribution is based on the ITE data for automobile dealerships. C. Site Traffic Distribution The cumulative effect of site traffic on the transportation network is dependent on the origins and destinations of that traffic and the location of the access drive serving the site. The proposed arrival/departure distribution of traffic to be generated at this site is considered a function of several parameters, including the following:  Residential clusters in the local area and region;  Site access drive location;  Existing highway network;  Existing traffic patterns; and  Existing traffic conditions and controls Figure 6 shows the anticipated trip distribution pattern percentages for the proposed development traffic and Figure 7 illustrates the peak hour site generated traffic based on those percentages for the PM and SAT peak hours. VII. FULL DEVELOPMENT VOLUMES The projected design hour traffic volumes were developed for the weekday PM and weekend SAT peak hours by combining the future background traffic conditions (Figure 4) and projected site generated volumes for full build-out of the proposed development (Figure 7) to yield the total traffic conditions expected at full development. Figure 8 illustrates the total weekday PM and weekend SAT peak hour volumes anticipated for the proposed development at full development conditions. Additionally, Figure 8 also depicts the full development volumes during the peak Farmers Market time period during the SAT peak hour. VIII. CAPACITY ANALYSIS Capacity analysis is a technique used for determining a measure of effectiveness for a section of roadway and/or intersection based on the number of vehicles during a specific time period. The measure of effectiveness used for the capacity analysis is referred to as a Level of Service (LOS). Levels of Service are calculated to provide an indication of the amount of delay that a motorist experiences while traveling along a roadway or through an intersection. Since the most amount of delay to motorists usually occurs at intersections, capacity analysis typically focuses on intersections, as opposed to highway segments. 6 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Six Levels of Service are defined for analysis purposes. They are assigned letter designations, from "A" to "F", with LOS "A" representing the best conditions and LOS "F" the worst. Suggested ranges of service capacity and an explanation of Levels of Service are included in the Appendix. The standard procedure for capacity analysis of signalized and un-signalized intersections is outlined in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2010) published by the Transportation Research Board. Traffic analysis software, Synchro 8, which is based on procedures and methodologies contained in the HCM, was used to analyze operating conditions at study area intersections. The procedure yields a Level of Service (LOS) based on the HCM 20 10 as an indicator of how well intersections operate. Existing and background operating conditions during the peak study periods are evaluated to determine a basis for comparison with the projected future conditions. The future traffic conditions generated by the proposed development were analyzed to assess the operations of the intersections in the study area. Capacity results for typical existing, background, and full development conditions are listed in Table II. The discussion following the table summarizes capacity conditions. All capacity analysis calculations are included in the Appendices. Capacity analysis results for the Farmers Market condition during the SAT peak hour are listed in Table III, following Table II. T A B L E I I CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS : TYPICAL OPERATIONS INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITIONS BACKGROUND CONDITIONS FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS PM SAT PM SAT PM SAT North Meadow Street/Third Street (S) Eastbound – Third Street D(42.2) C(30.5) D(42.2) C(30.5) D(46.8) D(44.8) Westbound – Third Street D(37.9) D(42.1) D(37.9) D(42.1) C(32.3) D(48.0) Northbound left – North Meadow Street D(42.3) D(44.2) D(42.3) D(44.2) D(42.9) D(44.9) Northbound thru/right – North Meadow Street B(16.5) B(18.1) B(16.5) B(18.2) B(19.9) B(19.1) Southbound left – North Meadow Street D(44.6) D(44.7) D(44.6) D(44.7) D(44.6) D(44.7) Southbound thru/right – North Meadow Street B(15.9) B(16.1) B(16.0) B(16.1) C(20.0) B(18.2) Overall LOS B(19.8) C(21.0) B(19.9) C(21.0) C(23.4) C(23.9) North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street (S) Eastbound – Cascadilla Street D(38.5) D(40.9) D(38.5) D(40.9) D(38.5) D(40.9) Westbound – Cascadilla Street D(38.5) D(38.5) D(38.5) D(38.5) D(38.5) D(38.5) Northbound – North Meadow Street A(2.9) A(2.7) A(3.0) A(2.7) A(3.0) A(2.7) Overall LOS A(5.5) A(4.9) A(5.5) A(4.9) A(5.5) A(4.9) Notes: C(15.6) = Level of Service(Delay in seconds per vehicle) (S) = Signalized North Meadow Street/Third Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during both peak hours under all conditions. The overall LOS operates at LOS “C” or better during both peak hours. Between background and full development conditions, the eastbound approach during the SAT peak hour increases from LOS “C” to “D”. Actual delays may be less based upon a review of traffic simulations performed 7 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY using an extension of the Synchro intersection analysis software called SimTraffic. SimTraffic is a dynamic simulation model that takes into account the traffic flow and gap conditions at intersections and can more accurately reflect actual operating conditions. Further, the southbound thru/right approach increases in LOS from “B” to “C”; however, the change is borderline as the threshold between “B” and “C” is 20.0 seconds of delay per vehicle. No other change in level of service is projected, and therefore, no mitigation is warranted or recommended. North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during the both peak hours under all conditions. The LOS for any of the approaches is not projected to change as a result of the proposed development. Additionally, the overall LOS is “A” during both peak hours under all conditions. No mitigation is warranted at this intersection. T A B L E I II CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS : FARMERS MARKET OPERATIONS INTERSECTION EXISTING CONDITIONS BACKGROUND CONDITIONS FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS SAT SAT SAT North Meadow Street/Third Street (S) Eastbound – Third Street D(44.8) D(44.8) D(42.5) Westbound – Third Street D(35.4) D(35.4) C(28.4) Northbound left – North Meadow Street D(45.3) D(45.3) D(45.5) Northbound thru/right – North Meadow Street C(24.7) C(24.9) C(29.8) Southbound left – North Meadow Street D(44.8) D(44.8) D(47.0) Southbound thru/right – North Meadow Street C(28.1) C(28.2) D(40.3) Overall LOS C(30.0) C(30.1) D(36.2) North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street (S) Eastbound – Cascadilla Street D(40.8) D(40.8) D(40.8) Westbound – Cascadilla Street D(36.9) D(36.9) D(36.9) Northbound – North Meadow Street A(2.7) A(2.7) A(2.8) Overall LOS A(4.9) A(4.9) A(4.9) North Meadow Street/Third Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during both peak hours under all conditions. The overall LOS is projected to decrease in LOS from “C” to “D” between background and full development conditions. The southbound thru/right approach decreases in LOS from “C” to “D” as a result of the proposed project. However, a closer inspection of traffic simulations and a review of the signal operations show that the southbound traffic queues are frequently serviced on the southbound green phase throughout the peak hour. It should be noted that the NYSDOT has coordinated signal timing settings for the months and days out of the year when the Farmers Market is in operation so as to provide better service to the intersection during these seasonal conditions. The proposed use and increased delays during the Saturday midday peak hour are temporal in nature. Those choosing to visit the dealership on the weekend when the Farmers Market is 8 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY operating at its peak may adjust their travel behavior to avoid these temporary congested conditions. Therefore, based on these results and nature of the proposed land use, no mitigation is warranted or recommended. North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during the both peak hours under all conditions. The LOS for any of the approaches is not projected to change as a result of the proposed development. Additionally, the overall LOS is “A” during both peak hours under all conditions. No mitigation is warranted at this intersection. IX. TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROUTE 13 CORRIDOR As part of the Plan Ithaca Comprehensive Plan for the City of Ithaca, the Route 13 Corridor has been identified as an ideal candidate for conversion “into a Complete Street/urban boulevard (with sidewalks, street trees, bike lanes and safe pedestrian crossings) for the purpose of reconnecting areas of the site (e.g., the lakefront) that have been separated by this functionally limited-access stretch of highway” (Plan Ithaca, 2015). A feasibility analysis is recommended for this Comprehensive Plan recommendation within the next five years. As part of this plan, a future intersection is conceptually proposed to connect Fifth Street to the Corridor. The proposed concept site plan (Figure 5) illustrates the future Fifth Street connection onto NYS Routes 13/34 via development of a four-way signalized intersection. The intersection would consist of pedestrian signalized crosswalks. In addition, a new sidewalk would be installed along the west side of NYS Route 13/34 from Cascadilla Street to Third Street in conjunction with street trees and the removal of the existing fence. The redevelopment of this Corridor as an urban boulevard would have positive impacts to the surrounding neighborhood and, regionally, could act as an inviting gateway into the City of Ithaca. Currently there is a pedestrian crossing at Cascadilla Street and Third Street for those to cross NYS Routes 13/34. The distance between these two points is over 1,500 feet. The construction of a new signalized intersection at Fifth Street will provide a new pedestrian crossing, thereby reducing the crossing points to approximately 800-foot intervals, increasing the availability of connections between the waterfront and the adjacent neighborhood. This pedestrian crossing will also facilitate bicycle access for those using the greater trail network. The new intersection will also offer a new, convenient access route for people travelling to the Farmers Market. The installation of street trees will further enhance the look and feel of the Corridor from a driver’s, pedestrian’s, and bicyclist’s perspective offering shade for those walking along the sidewalk and providing a traffic calming effect by narrowing the perceived width of the Corridor. Environmentally, the trees will help reduce air pollution and act as stormwater reduction agents (i.e., Green Infrastructure). The trees will also act as a visual buffer between the neighborhood east of NYS Routes 13/34 and the proposed development. This enhanced entry into the City will reflect the desires and vision of the community through the recently developed Comprehensive Plan. Constructing a new intersection that creates new and alternative routing options for drivers can help reduce traffic congestion at nearby intersections. As it relates to the proposed project, a new intersection offering access into the site will help reduce the added traffic at the North 9 March 2016 Traffic Impact Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Meadow Street/Third Street intersection particularly during the peak Farmers Market operating time periods. These improvements can help revitalize an underutilized area of the City, all the while creating a more walkable, bikeable, and livable environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. Any future consideration of this plan, should be coordinated with the NYSDOT, the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC), and any interested agencies. X. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS This study evaluates the potential traffic impacts resulting from the proposed Maguire Development. Based upon the analyses, the results indicate that the proposed development will not have significant adverse traffic impacts on the existing roadway network. The following sets forth conclusions and recommendations based upon the results of the analyses: 1. A total of 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. The SAT peak hour driveway distribution is based on the ITE data for automobile dealerships. 2. The capacity analyses indicate that all study area intersections will operate at acceptable operating conditions during the PM, SAT (typical conditions) and SAT (Farmers Market conditions) peak hours under full development conditions. No mitigation is warranted or recommended as a result of the proposed development at the study area intersections. 3. Any future consideration of the Route 13 Corridor transformation plan should be coordinated with the NYSDOT, the Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC), and any interested agencies. 4. The proposed development will not result in any potentially significant adverse traffic impacts to the study area intersections. XI. FIGURES Figures 1 through 8 are included on the following pages. ! ! ! !3 !2 !1 3 rd St Esty StState Hwy 13Cascadilla St 5 th S t Hanc oc k S tN Fulton St1 s t S t 2n d S tTaughannock BlvdFrank lin S tM adiso n St Park PlCarpenter Cir4th S t Adam s St N Plain StN Meadow StWashington StOld Taughannock BlvdMorr is Av e Lak e Ave4t h S t PROPOSED MAGUIRE DEVELOPMENT ·CITY OF ITHACA, NY 0 400 800200 Feet Legend !Study Intersection !Proposed Intersection Site Location Study Area FIGURE 1 - SITE LOCATION AND STUDY AREA PROPOSEDPROPOSED MAGUIREMAGUIRE DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT FIGURE 5 - CONCEPT SITE PLAN for the proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca Tompkins County, New York May 2016 Project No. 36005.1 Prepared For: 370 Elmira Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Attn: Mr. Philip Maguire, President Mr. Andy Sciarabba, P.E., T.G. Miller, P.C. Prepared By: 3495 Winton Place Building E, Suite 110 Rochester, New York 14623 Access Modification Report 1 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................................. iv I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 7 II. LOCATION ............................................................................................................................... 7 III. EXISTING HIGHWAY SYSTEM ........................................................................................... 8 IV. EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS .................................................................................10 A. Peak Intervals for Analysis ....................................................................................................... 10 B. Existing Traffic Volume Data................................................................................................... 10 C. Field Observations ..................................................................................................................... 10 D. Accident Investigation ............................................................................................................... 11 V. FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GROWTH ......................................12 VI. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................13 A. Description .................................................................................................................................. 13 B. Site Traffic .................................................................................................................................... 14 C. Site Traffic Distribution ............................................................................................................ 15 D. Pedestrian & Bicycle Access And Accommodations ......................................................... 15 VII. TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROUTE 13 CORRIDOR ............................................16 VIII. FULL DEVELOPMENT VOLUMES .....................................................................................17 IX. BREAK-IN-ACCESS/ACCESS MODIFICATION ............................................................18 X. CAPACITY ANALYSIS ..........................................................................................................19 XI. GAP ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................23 XII. SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS ........................................................................................24 XIII. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................27 2 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY XIV. FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................28 3 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY LIST OF TABLES TABLE I INTERSECTION ACCIDENT RATES ..............................................................11 TABLE II SITE GENERATED TRIPS ....................................................................................14 TABLE III CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS ......................................................................20 TABLE IV CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION ...22 TABLE V PEAK HOUR GAP ANALYSIS RESULTS.........................................................23 TABLE VI TRAFFIC SIGNAL WARRANT SUMMARY ...................................................26 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 SITE LOCATION & STUDY AREA FIGURE 2 LANE GEOMETRY FIGURE 3 PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – 2016 EXISTING CONDITIONS FIGURE 4A PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – 2026 BACKGROUND CONDITIONS WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 4B PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – 2026 BACKGROUND CONDITIONS WITH NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 5 CONCEPT PLAN FIGURE 6A TRIP DISTRIBUTION WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 6B TRIP DISTRIBUTION WITH NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 7A SITE GENERATED TRIPS WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 7B SITE GENERATED TRIPS WITH NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 8A PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION FIGURE 8B PEAK HOUR VOLUMES – FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS WITH NEW INTERSECTION LIST OF APPENDICES A1. COLLECTED TRAFFIC VOLUME DATA A2. MISCELLANEOUS TRAFFIC DATA AND CALCULATIONS A3. LOS CRITERIA/DEFINITIONS A4. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – EXISTING CONDITIONS A5. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – BACKGROUND CONDITIONS A6. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – FULL DEVELOPMENT WITH NEW INTERSECTION A7. LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS – FULL DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION 4 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY LIST OF REFERENCES 1.Highway Capacity Manual, Fifth Edition. Transportation Research Board. National Research Council, Washington, DC. 2010. 2.New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Traffic Data Viewer. 2014. Retrieved from https://www.dot.ny.gov/tdv. 3.Trip Generation, Ninth Edition. Institute of Transportation Engineers. Washington, DC. 2012. 4.Plan Ithaca: A Vision for Our Future. City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. City of Ithaca Planning Division. 2015. 5.Part 2: Applying the Character Code. Form Ithaca. Retrieved from www.formithaca.org. 2015. 5 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY OVERVIEW The purpose of this report is to assess the benefits/dis-benefits that would result from a break-in-access at the proposed new intersection location on North Meadow Street (NYS Route 13) opposite an extension of Fifth Street proposed in conjunction with the proposed Maguire Development. The study shows that a New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Break in Access (BIA) is warranted to provide a driveway connection at the proposed new intersection location along North Meadow Street in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The operating characteristics of the proposed new intersection and impacts to the adjacent roadway network are identified. The proposed project consists of constructing a 50,000 square foot (SF) automobile dealership building to service Ford, Lincoln, and Nissan. Also proposed on-site are complimentary uses for customers, namely a coffee shop, rental car business, and insurance agency. This project is part of a multi-phase development scheme proposed by the Maguire Family of Dealerships. This first phase will relocate the three brands from the existing site at 504 South Meadow Street to the proposed location. Primary access to the site is proposed at a new intersection that would be signalized and located along North Meadow Street opposite an extension of Fifth Street. The new connection will require a NYSDOT Break in Access to provide a new signalized intersection. The new signalized intersection will also provide crossing opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists. Secondary access to the site will be provided via Carpenter Circle off of Third Street. There is a southerly access point between the proposed site and the gas station, however, this is proposed to be used only by employees fueling up the vehicles and not by the general public. This study evaluates existing safety conditions, existing traffic conditions, 2026 background traffic conditions at the time of full development, and 2026 full development conditions. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS This Study addresses the traffic impact that can be expected from the proposed Maguire Development in the City of Ithaca as described in this Report. It indicates that the existing transportation network can adequately accommodate the projected traffic volumes from the proposed development and resulting impacts to study area intersections. The following list summarizes conclusions and recommendations to be considered as a result of this development: 1.The predominant factors for the reported study area crashes were a combination of following too closely and driver inattention, followed by unsafe lane changes and failure to yield the right-of-way. The corridor experiences heavy traffic volumes and, at times, can become congested, particularly in the northbound direction at North Meadow Street/Third Street. The new signalized intersection will reduce overall traffic volumes at the North Meadow Street/Third Street 6 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY intersection and can potentially reduce the frequency of rear end crashes at this location. 2.The site will be designed to provide pedestrian and bicycle accommodations and connections to the existing street network. A rear access roadway tied into the proposed access road from North Meadow Street will be constructed with access onto Third Street and destinations west of this location. A new sidewalk along the west side of North Meadow Street is proposed. The new signalized intersection will provide crosswalks across North Meadow Street and both side streets, thus more aligned with NYSDOT crosswalk spacing guidelines. 3.Constructing a new intersection that creates new and alternative routing options for drivers can help reduce traffic congestion at nearby intersections. As it relates to the proposed project, a new intersection offering access into the site will help reduce the added traffic at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection particularly during the peak Farmers Market operating time periods. It’s important to note that in addition to Saturday and Sunday market operations, starting July thru September 2016, the Farmers Market will be operating additionally on Thursdays from 5-8PM. 4.These improvements and overall master plan for this area can help revitalize an underutilized part of the City, all the while creating a more walkable, bikeable, and livable environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. 5.A total of 49 entering/16 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the AM peak hour, 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. 6.Based on the field observations, gap study, and projected site generated traffic volumes with the traffic diversion in place, it is anticipated that there will be sufficient gaps to accommodate right turns exiting the proposed site and left turns entering the site under the full development during all peak hours. For left turns exiting the site, there are sufficient gaps during the AM and PM peak hours; however, there is a deficit and insufficient number gaps (-14) during the Saturday peak hour. 7.Projected weekday full development conditions may not point to the need for a traffic signal, while Saturday periods with the Farmers Market in operation satisfy various warrants. It’s noted that a traffic signal will aid in the platooning and progression of vehicles along North Meadow Street between the existing Third Street and Cascadilla Street intersections. This may reduce the current propensity for rear-end accidents at the Cascadilla Street intersection. The gap analysis indicates that there will be limited gaps in through traffic on North Meadow Street during all three peak hours. There is a need to provide alternate ingress and egress for both the existing Farmer’s Market as well as future development of the waterfront properties. Considering the economic and safety benefits of extending 7 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Fifth Street and providing a new pedestrian crossing at this location along North Meadow Street, a three-colored traffic signal is recommended for this intersection. 8.The analyses contained in this report indicate that a Break in Access is justified to provide access at two locations for the proposed development. Providing these access driveways will not have a significant adverse impact on the National Highway System. I. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to assess the benefits/dis-benefits that would result from a break-in-access at the proposed new intersection location on North Meadow Street (NYS Routes 13/34) opposite an extension of Fifth Street proposed in conjunction with the proposed Maguire Development. The study shows that a New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Break in Access (BIA) is warranted to provide a driveway connection at the proposed new intersection location along North Meadow Street in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The operating characteristics of the proposed new intersection and impacts to the adjacent roadway network are identified. In an effort to define traffic impact, this analysis determines the extent of existing traffic conditions, projects background traffic flow including area growth, and projects changes in traffic flow due to operation of the proposed development with and without the proposed new intersection. II. LOCATION The proposed development is located southwest of the intersection of North Meadow Street (NYS Routes 13/34) and Third Street in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The site is currently vacant as part of the Carpenter Business Park and is accessible via Carpenter Circle. It should be noted that Ithaca Community Gardens is located along Carpenter Circle, north of the proposed dealership building. Surrounding the proposed development is Third Street to the north, North Meadow Street to the east, commercial development to the south, and railroad tracks to the west. Land uses in the vicinity of the project site include light industrial, commercial, the Ithaca Farmers Market, Ithaca Community Gardens, and residential. The study area consists of the intersections of: North Meadow Street/Third Street North Meadow Street/Hancock Street North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street North Fulton Street/Cascadilla Street Third Street/Adams Street Third Street/Hancock Street The site location and study area are shown in Figure 1 (all figures are included at the end of the report). An aerial of the site is shown on the following page. 8 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY III. EXISTING HIGHWAY SYSTEM North Meadow Street/North Fulton Street (NYS Routes 13/34) is functionally classified as an urban principal arterial highway under the jurisdiction of the NYSDOT. Within the study area, motorists travel northeast and southwest using two travel lanes in each direction with auxiliary lanes at the intersection with Third Street and Cascadilla Street. The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) on North Meadow Street/North Fulton Street is approximately 30,891 vehicles per day (vpd) according to the most recent data collected by the NYSDOT in 2014. The posted speed limit is 30 miles per hour (MPH) south of Third Street and 40 MPH north of Third Street. It should be noted that North Meadow Street functions as a one-way pair from approximately 500 feet north of Cascadilla Street to West Clinton Street. Third Street is functionally classified as local highway under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel northwest and southeast using one travel lane in each direction. The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) is approximately 3,300 vpd south of North Meadow Street and 1,789 vpd north of North Meadow Street according to an extrapolation of turning movement count data and Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) counts collected by SRF & Associates in 2016. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Cascadilla Street is functionally classified as an urban collector highway under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel east and west using one travel lane in each direction. The ADT on Cascadilla Street is approximately 1,400 vpd according to an extrapolation of turning movement count data collected by SRF & Associates in 2016. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Farmers Market Image 1 – Site aerial 9 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Hancock Street is functionally classified as an urban collector highway under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel northeast and southwest using one travel lane in each direction. The AADT on Hancock Street is approximately 2,576 vpd according to the most recent data collected by the NYSDOT in 2014. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Adams Street is a local street under the jurisdiction of the City of Ithaca. Within the study area, motorists travel northeast and southwest using one travel lane in each direction. The ADT on Adams Street is approximately 900 vpd according to an extrapolation of turning movement count data collected by SRF & Associates in 2016. The posted speed limit is 30 MPH. Pedestrian Facilities The City of Ithaca is noted for high levels of walking for daily transport. Sidewalks are present throughout the CBD. In relation to the proposed site, sidewalks are located at and adjacent the North Meadow/Third Street and North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street intersections, as well as throughout the neighborhood to the southeast of the project site. No sidewalks are located along North Meadow Street between Cascadilla Street and Third Street. Pedestrian crosswalks and countdown signals (only at the signalized intersections) are present at the study intersections. Bicycle Facilities The city is expanding its bicycle infrastructure in terms of on-street bicycle lanes, shared lane markings (“sharrows”), and a bicycle boulevard plan. Bike lanes are proposed along Third Street to provide a connection between the Waterfront Trail/Farmers Market and neighborhoods to the southeast. Bicycling along NYS Routes 13/34 between Dey Street and Warren Road is prohibited by law. Transit Facilities Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) has 33 bus routes, operates 22 hours a day, and services an area-wide population of over 100,000. Ridership has grown every year since 2006 and accounts for over 10% of daily commuter trips (ACS, 2012). Specifically, to the proposed site, Route 13 provides service in the area Monday through Saturday. The following graphic illustrates the transit route. 10 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Figure 2 illustrates the lane geometry at each of the study intersections and the AADT volumes on the study roadways. IV. EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS A. Peak Intervals for Analysis Given the functional characteristics of the corridor and the land use proposed for the site (automobile dealership), the peak hours selected for analysis are the weekday commuter AM and PM peaks as well as the Saturday midday peak hour. The combination of site traffic and adjacent through traffic produces the greatest demand during these time periods. B. Existing Traffic Volume Data Weekday commuter AM (7:00-9:00 AM), PM (4:00-6:00 PM) and Saturday midday (11:30 AM-1:30 PM) peak hour volumes were collected by SRF & Associates at the study intersections previously noted on Thursday, May 12 and Saturday, Saturday, May 14, 2016. The peak hour traffic periods generally occurred between 7:30-8:30 AM, 4:30-5:30 PM and 12:30-1:30 PM at the study intersections. All count data was collected on a typical weekday and weekend while local colleges, universities, and public schools were in session. Additionally, the Farmers Market at Steamboat Landing was in operation at the time of the Saturday, May 14 traffic count. The weekday AM, PM and SAT peak hour volumes are reflected in Figure 3. C. Field Observations TCAT Transit Routes and Stops 11 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY The study intersections were observed during both peak intervals to assess current traffic operations. Signal timing information was obtained from the NYSDOT to determine peak hour phasing plans and phase durations during each interval. D. Accident Investigation An accident investigation was completed to assess the safety history at the intersections of North Meadow Street/Third Street, North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street, and Cascadilla Street/North Fulton Street from January 2013 through December 2015. The data was provided by the New York State Department of Transportation through a Freedom of Information request. A total of 54 accidents were reported. Two of the accidents did not have sufficient data to locate them in the project area. The rest of the data is discussed below. During the three-year investigation period the following accidents were documented at the intersections as follows: A total of 32 accidents at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection with the following severity: 4 Reportable – Injury 18 Reportable – Non-injury 10 Non-Reportable A total of 14 accidents at the North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street intersection with the following severity: 1 Reportable – Injury 8 Reportable – Non-injury 5 Non-Reportable A total of six (6) accidents at the Cascadilla Street/North Fulton Street intersection with the following severity: 0 Reportable – Injury 4 Reportable – Non-injury 2 Non-Reportable Accident rates were computed for the project study intersection and compared with NYSDOT average accident rates for similar intersections, as summarized in the Table I. Intersection rates are listed as accidents per million entering vehicles (Acc/MEV). TABLE I INTERSECTION ACCIDENT RATES 12 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY North Meadow Street/Third Street The accident rate calculated at this intersection is more than four times higher than statewide averages for similar intersections. Of all the crashes that occurred at the intersection, 18 were rear end collisions; 13 of which occurred in the northbound direction, four in the southbound direction, and one in the westbound direction. The remaining crashes were other (7 – northbound direction), overtaking (2 northbound, 2 westbound, 1 southbound), right angle (1 – southbound), and sideswipe (1 – eastbound). North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street The accident rate calculated at this intersection is more than 1.5 times higher than statewide averages for similar intersections. The crashes that occurred were right angle (3 – northbound, 1 – westbound), rear end (3 – northbound), overtaking (3 – northbound), other (2 – eastbound, 1 northbound), and left turn (1 – northbound). North Fulton Street/Cascadilla Street The accident rate calculated at this intersection is less than statewide averages for similar intersections. The crashes that occurred were rear end (2 – southbound), overtaking (2 – southbound), right angle (1 – southbound), and right turn (1 – eastbound). The predominant factors for these crashes was a combination of following too closely and driver inattention, followed by unsafe lane changes and failure to yield the right- of-way. The corridor experiences heavy traffic volumes and, at times, can become congested, particularly in the northbound direction at North Meadow Street/Third Street. The new signalized intersection will reduce overall traffic volumes at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection and can potentially reduce the frequency of rear end crashes at this location. V. FUTURE AREA DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GROWTH Construction of the proposed Maguire Development is anticipated to be constructed within a year. However, because of the nature of this report in analyzing the benefits/dis- benefits of a BIA at the proposed intersection along North Meadow Street, a long-term traffic forecast is used; this is typical of future roadway projects and analyses. Therefore, a 10-year traffic forecast is used for this analysis. INTERSECTION NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS ACTUAL PROJECT RATE ACC/MEV NYSDOT AVERAGE RATE ACC/MEV N Meadow St/Third St 32 .99 0.23 N Meadow St/Cascadilla St 14 .75 0.47 N Fulton St/Cascadilla St 6 .36 0.47 13 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY City of Ithaca and Tompkins County officials were contacted to discuss projects within the study area that are under construction or approved. Two projects were noted for inclusion within the study: 1) The 210 Hancock Street and 2) the potential redevelopment of the NYSDOT waterfront property. 210 Hancock Street (formerly the Neighborhood Pride Grocery Store) is a mixed- use/commercial development. The NYSDOT property redevelopment project consists of the relocation of the existing NYSDOT facility to an already chosen site in the Town of Dryden and the construction of a mixed-use development. Form Ithaca, “an initiative to help support the ongoing efforts of the City and Town of Ithaca to update land use regulations to meet the goals and objectives of their comprehensive plans”, and the City’s Comprehensive Plan (Plan Ithaca) have identified this area adjacent the project site as a comprehensive waterfront redevelopment opportunity. Three alternatives been conceptually presented to the public for this property: Concept 1) hotel with mix-used residential/commercial, Concept 2) mixed-use residential/commercial, and Concept 3) mixed-use residential developed to the highest allowable density, as per City Zoning Code. At this time, Concept 2 is the preferred plan; however, it should be noted that this development scheme is subject to variation as no developers have approached the City and County. Traffic related to these developments have been added to the study area intersections. To account for any background growth in the area, including any unforeseen developments in the project study area aside from the previously mentioned projects, a conservative 0.5% per year growth rate has been applied to existing traffic volumes at the study area intersections for the 10-year forecast. Figure 4A shows the background traffic volumes without the new intersection, while Figure 4B illustrate the background traffic volumes with the new intersection access. VI. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT A. Description The proposed project consists of constructing a 50,000 square foot (SF) automobile dealership building to service Ford, Lincoln, and Nissan. A coffee shop, rental car business, and insurance agency are also included on-site for customers. This project is part of a multi-phase development scheme proposed by the Maguire Family of Dealerships. This first phase will relocate the three brands from the existing site at 504 South Meadow Street to the proposed location. Primary access to the site is proposed at a new intersection that would be signalized and located along North Meadow Street opposite an extension of Fifth Street. The new connection will require a NYSDOT Break in Access to provide a new signalized intersection. The new signalized intersection will also provide crossing opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists. Existing crosswalks are approximately one-third mile apart, between Third 14 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY Street and Cascadilla Street. With the new signalized crossing in place, the distance between crosswalks will be almost cut in half. Secondary access to the site will be provided via Carpenter Circle off of Third Street. There is a southerly access point between the proposed site and the gas station, however, this is proposed to be used only by employees fueling up the vehicles and not by the general public. Figure 5 illustrates the proposed concept plan. B. Site Traffic The volume of traffic generated by a site is dependent on the intended land use and size of the development. Trip generation is an estimate of the number of trips generated by a specific building or land use. These trips represent the volume of traffic entering and exiting the development. Trip Generation, 9th Edition is used as a reference for this information. The trip rate for the peak hour of the generator may or may not coincide in time or volume with the trip rate for the peak hour of adjacent street traffic. Volumes generated during the peak hour of adjacent street traffic, in this case, the weekday AM and PM and Saturday midday peaks, represent a more critical volume when analyzing the capacity of the system; those intervals will provide the basis of this analysis. All trip generation information has been included in the appendix. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the following steps are recommended when determining trip generation for proposed land uses: 1. Check for the availability of local trip generation rates for comparable uses. 2. If local trip data for similar developments are not available and time and funding permit, conduct trip generation studies at sites with characteristics similar to those of the proposed development. Trip generation estimates for the proposed automobile dealership are, therefore, based on existing trip rates from existing dealerships in the Finger Lakes region. These trips were compared to data contained in the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual. Trip generation estimates for the SAT peak hour were based in part on the PM peak hour rate and increased by 50%. Based on information provided by the applicant, as well as local data, these information sets compared favorably to the ITE data for the AM, PM and SAT peak hours. Table II shows the total site generated trips for the weekday AM and PM peak hours for the proposed project. The coffee shop, rental car, and insurance agency business entities will be complimentary of the proposed development and will not be destinations for off-site visitors, thus any trips associated with these uses are included within the projected site generated trips. TABLE II SITE GENERATED TRIPS 15 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY DESCRIPTION SIZE AM PEAK HOUR PM PEAK HOUR SAT PEAK HOUR ENTER EXIT ENTER EXIT ENTER EXIT Automobile Dealership 50,000 SF 49 16 27 41 52 50 A total of 49 entering/16 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the AM peak hour, 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. The SAT peak hour driveway distribution is based on the ITE data for automobile dealerships. C. Site Traffic Distribution The cumulative effect of site traffic on the transportation network is dependent on the origins and destinations of that traffic and the location of the access drive serving the site. The proposed arrival/departure distribution of traffic to be generated at this site is considered a function of several parameters, including the following: Residential clusters in the local area and region; Site access drive locations (new signalized intersection and Third Street access); Existing highway network; Existing traffic patterns; and Existing traffic conditions and controls Figure 6A shows the anticipated trip distribution pattern percentages for the proposed development traffic without the new intersection; Figure 6B show the percentages using the new intersection access. Figure 7A illustrates the peak hour site generated traffic based on those percentages for the AM, PM and SAT peak hours under the access without the new intersection; Figure 7B shows the site generated traffic with access. D. Pedestrian & Bicycle Access and Accommodations The Cayuga Waterfront Trail is an off-road trail for walking, running and bicycling along the Cayuga Inlet. It is part of a larger network of trails that meander through the City and Town connecting people to popular destinations, such as Stewart Park, Buttermilk Falls State Park, and Allen H. Treman State Marine Park. According to the Cayuga Waterfront Trail website, the trail is approximately 5.5 miles in length and “Visitors to Ithaca's Waterfront will find playgrounds, picnicking, boating, summer theater, birding, and gardens along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, a great multi-use path for walking, biking, running, skating, and strolling. There are also quiet places to relax and take in the views. Look for ducks, dragon boats, and sailors on the water; baseball, soccer, or hockey in the popular parks; and two venerable academic 16 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY institutions on the surrounding hills.” This trail is key to providing an active transportation network The site will be designed to provide pedestrian and bicycle accommodations and connections to the existing street network. A rear access roadway tied into the proposed access road from North Meadow Street will be constructed with access onto Third Street and destinations west of this location. A new sidewalk along the west side of North Meadow Street is proposed. The new signalized intersection will provide crosswalks across North Meadow Street and both side streets. VII. TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROUTE 13 CORRIDOR As part of the Plan Ithaca Comprehensive Plan for the City of Ithaca, the NYS Routes 13/34 Corridor has been identified as an ideal candidate for conversion “into a Complete Street/urban boulevard (with sidewalks, street trees, bike lanes and safe pedestrian crossings) for the purpose of reconnecting areas of the site (e.g., the lakefront) that have been separated by this functionally limited-access stretch of highway…Consider the merits of adding a new intersection in the vicinity of the Carpenter Business Park.” (Plan Ithaca, 2015). A feasibility analysis was recommended for this Comprehensive Plan recommendation within the next five years. Since the adoption of the Plan, a NYSDOT Maintenance Facility Relocation & Redevelopment Feasibility Study (February 2016) has been completed solely for the NYSDOT property. As part of this plan, a future intersection is conceptually proposed to connect Fifth Street to the Corridor. The proposed concept site plan (Figure 5) illustrates the future Fifth Street connection onto North Meadow Street via development of a four-way signalized intersection. The intersection would consist of pedestrian signalized crosswalks. In addition, a new sidewalk would be installed along the west side of NYS Route 13/34 from Cascadilla Street to Third Street in conjunction with street trees and the removal of the existing fence. The redevelopment of this Corridor as an urban boulevard would have positive impacts to the surrounding neighborhood and, regionally, could act as an inviting gateway into the City of Ithaca. Currently there is a pedestrian crossing at Cascadilla Street and Third Street for those to cross North Meadow Street. The distance between these two points is over 1,500 feet. The construction of a new signalized intersection at Fifth Street will provide a new pedestrian crossing, thereby reducing the crossing points to approximately 800-foot intervals, increasing the availability of connections between the waterfront and the adjacent neighborhood. This pedestrian crossing will also facilitate bicycle access for those using the greater trail network. The new intersection will also offer a new, convenient access route for people travelling to the Farmers Market. The installation of street trees will further enhance the look and feel of the Corridor from a driver’s, pedestrian’s, and bicyclist’s perspective offering shade for those walking along the sidewalk and providing a traffic calming effect by narrowing the perceived width of the Corridor. Environmentally, the trees will help reduce air pollution and act as stormwater 17 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY reduction agents (i.e., Green Infrastructure). The trees will also act as a visual buffer between the neighborhood east of North Meadow Street and the proposed development. This enhanced entry into the City will reflect the desires and vision of the community through the recently developed Comprehensive Plan. Constructing a new intersection that creates new and alternative routing options for drivers can help reduce traffic congestion at nearby intersections. As it relates to the proposed project, a new intersection offering access into the site will help reduce the added traffic at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection particularly during the peak Farmers Market operating time periods. Form Ithaca captured the vision for the waterfront in Part 2: Applying the Character Code report with a discussion about the current challenges and opportunities for growth. The following are excerpts from the report. Throughout Form Ithaca’s project, citizens have told us that the waterfront represents a significant opportunity for mixed-use growth. A barrier, many agree, is Route 13, which could be remade into a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly boulevard. With that change, land adjacent to Cayuga Inlet opens for redevelopment. The waterfront has economic development potential. On the Farmers Market: It is one of the best public spaces in the city. The market is often too crowded and the managers would like to expand…One of the new buildings could be a multiuse space that accommodates winter market operation.” On Constraints and Connectivity: By turning a part of Route 13 into a boulevard, the plan allows for more connections to the site and a network of streets. Connectivity is now restricted by Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and two waterways. Development of the waterfront would require at least secondary access for emergency vehicles. …A waterfront redevelopment could be designed in countless ways according to a form-based code, which would be geared to ensure walkability and a human-scale public realm. The most important elements to keep intact would be changing the character of Route 13 to connect the city to the water, creating compelling waterfront public spaces, and providing housing and places for businesses to thrive. On Connecting Jobs to a Neighborhood: The economic development potential for Ithaca’s Water-front includes housing, connecting the city with the water, public spaces with tourism potential, agriculture goods marketing, alternative energy, and jobs. These improvements and overall master plan for this area can help revitalize an underutilized part of the City, all the while creating a more walkable, bikeable, and livable environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. VIII. FULL DEVELOPMENT VOLUMES 18 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY The projected design hour traffic volumes were developed for the weekday AM and PM and Saturday midday peak hours by combining the future background traffic conditions (Figure 4) and projected site generated volumes for full build-out of the proposed development (Figure 7) to yield the total traffic conditions expected at full development. Figure 8A illustrates the total weekday AM, PM and Saturday midday peak hour volumes anticipated for the proposed development at full development conditions without the new intersection access; Figure 8B shows full development volumes with the new intersection access. The reassignment of the traffic volumes using the new intersection access are included in the Appendices. IX. BREAK-IN-ACCESS/ACCESS MODIFICATION A NYSDOT Break-in-Access is required when an entity other than the NYSDOT would like to add an access point to an access controlled highway. Access-controlled highways are typically expressways that primarily serve to move large volumes of traffic at relatively high speeds. In this case, the proposed new intersection falls within the NYSDOT right of way that exists due to the heavy volumes of traffic that utilize this section of North Meadow Street. A break-in-access is therefore required in order to construct the proposed new intersection. The development scheme is described in Section VI. This site is very unique because it is constrained by an active rail line to the west of the property, adjacent the heavily visited Farmers Market (when it is in season), and bordered by a limited access highway to the east. This site, as well as the larger waterfront area, is desired by the City and its residents as a location for future growth. Based on the Form Ithaca Charette held June 3-6, 2015, a waterfront master plan scheme was developed, as illustrated below. The waterfront plan is highly conceptual in nature, but is also supported by the City’s Comprehensive Plan and will advance the goals and vision established within. This area is Image 2 – Waterfront Plan, Form Ithaca 19 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY a gateway into the City, both from land and by water. Waterfront mixed-use development with well integrated and quality public spaces has been proven as revitalization tool (e.g., Buffalo Canalside and North Tonawanda, NY). This plan can tap into an underused resource while offering a destination for the City’s projected significant growth. All improvements required to create the new signalized intersection will be paid for and constructed by the Developer of the Maguire site. X. CAPACITY ANALYSIS Capacity analysis is a technique used for determining a measure of effectiveness for a section of roadway and/or intersection based on the number of vehicles during a specific time period. The measure of effectiveness used for the capacity analysis is referred to as a Level of Service (LOS). Levels of Service are calculated to provide an indication of the amount of delay that a motorist experiences while traveling along a roadway or through an intersection. Since the most amount of delay to motorists usually occurs at intersections, capacity analysis typically focuses on intersections, as opposed to highway segments. Six Levels of Service are defined for analysis purposes. They are assigned letter designations, from "A" to "F", with LOS "A" representing the best conditions and LOS "F" the worst. Suggested ranges of service capacity and an explanation of Levels of Service are included in the Appendix. The standard procedure for capacity analysis of signalized and unsignalized intersections is outlined in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2010) published by the Transportation Research Board. Traffic analysis software, Synchro 9, which is based on procedures and methodologies contained in the HCM 2010, was used to analyze operating conditions at study area intersections. The procedure yields a Level of Service (LOS) based on the HCM 2010 as an indicator of how well intersections operate. Existing and background operating conditions during the peak study periods are evaluated to determine a basis for comparison with the projected future conditions. The future traffic conditions generated by the proposed development were analyzed to assess the operations of the intersections in the study area. Capacity results for existing, background, and full development conditions are listed in Table III. The discussion following the table summarizes capacity conditions. All capacity analysis calculations are included in the Appendices. 20 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY TABLE III CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS INTERSECTION 2016 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2026 BACKGROUND CONDITIONS FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS AM PM SAT AM PM SAT AM PM SAT North Meadow Street/ Third Street (S) Northeastbound Left – N. Meadow D(40.3) D(39.2) E(62.8) D(36.9) D(41.8) F(80.9) E(58.3) D(38.8) C(31.2) Northeastbound Thru/Right – N. Meadow B(11.1) C(32.1) D(42.8) C(30.0) D(38.4) D(47.1) C(24.1) D(36.8) C(34.3) Southwestbound Left – N. Meadow D(47.6) C(35.8) D(39.4) D(36.6) D(35.6) D(38.6) D(36.6) D(35.6) D(38.6) Southwestbound Thru/Right – N. Meadow A(8.3) B(18.7) D(44.3) B(13.3) C(29.8) E(75.2) B(13.5) C(30.8) E(58.0) Eastbound (SB) – Third St Ext. C(28.0) D(40.4) E(69.8) C(23.7) D(46.2) F(*) C(24.1) D(46.2) E(60.1) Westbound (NB) – Third St. C(34.7) C(24.3) C(23.5) B(17.5) C(25.3) C(26.7) B(17.5) C(24.9) C(24.0) Overall LOS/Delay B(12.0) C(26.6) D(47.3) C(22.8) C(34.7) F(82.9) C(20.0) C(34.4) D(45.8) North Meadow Street/ Cascadilla Street (S) Northbound – N. Meadow A(4.4) A(4.5) A(4.0) A(3.9) A(4.7) A(4.2) A(3.9) A(4.7) A(4.3) Eastbound Thru/Left – Cascadilla C(32.9) D(44.4) C(33.9) C(30.8) D(46.0) C(31.2) C(23.5) D(46.9) C(31.0) Westbound Thru/Right – Cascadilla C(32.8) C(35.0) C(33.6) C(26.8) C(32.6) C(33.3) C(27.6) C(32.6) C(33.3) Overall LOS/Delay A(5.8) A(6.8) A(6.0) A(4.4) A(6.2) A(5.6) A(4.5) A(6.2) A(5.6) North Fulton Street/ Cascadilla Street (S) Southbound Thru/Left – N. Fulton A(5.5) B(10.4) C(20.1) A(4.3) B(14.5) C(30.6) A(7.5) B(13.7) D(40.3) Southbound Right – N. Fulton A(2.2) A(3.0) A(3.2) A(1.2) A(4.0) A(2.8) A(2.3) A(4.0) A(3.6) Eastbound Thru/Right – Cascadilla B(13.5) C(30.4) C28.8) B(18.9) C(31.9) C(31.8) B(18.9) C(31.9) C(31.8) Westbound Thru/Left – Cascadilla C(20.8) C(34.2) C(33.8) D(38.0) D(37.4) C(32.1) D(37.6) D(38.0) C(32.2) Overall LOS/Delay A(6.5) B(12.3) C(20.6) A(5.4) B(16.2) C(30.5) A(8.4) B(15.4) D(39.9) North Meadow Street/ Hancock Street (U) Westbound Right – Hancock C(19.1) C(18.1) C(16.5) C(19.5) C(19.3) C(17.5) C(19.7) C(19.4) C(17.7) Proposed Driveway/ North Meadow (S) Northbound Left – N. Meadow N/A N/A D(38.1) D(39.5) D(43.4) Northbound Thru/Rt – N. Meadow B(16.9) B(10.2) C(25.0) Southbound Left – N. Meadow D(39.2) C(26.6) C(34.5) Southbound Thru/Right – N. Meadow C(20.4) A(6.1) C(32.6) Eastbound – Proposed Driveway B(20.0) C(22.8) D(42.5) Westbound – Fifth Street C(23.8) C(22.8) B(19.7) Overall LOS/Delay B(19.0) A(7.8) A(9.7) Notes: C(15.6) = Level of Service(Delay in seconds per vehicle) (*) = Delay greater than two minutes (S) = Signalized; (U) = Un-signalized N/A = Approach was not analyzed and/or does not exist under this condition 21 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY North Meadow Street/Third Street The overall LOS operates at LOS “C” or better during the weekday AM and PM peak hours and LOS “D” during the Saturday peak hour. Between background and full development conditions, the northbound (N. Meadow St) approach during the AM peak hour increases from LOS “D” to “E” primarily due to the protected only operation of the left turn movement. During the Saturday peak hour, the same movement improves from LOS “F” to “C” as a result of traffic diverting to the new intersection opposite Fifth Street. Analyses completed previously by Fisher Associates for the NYSDOT Site re- development indicated that “The Route 13/Third Street intersection is projected to experience high delays, long queues, and poor LOS, representational of conditions outside the threshold of acceptable operations, during the Farmers Market season both before and after the construction of the three alternatives.Due to the seasonal nature of the Farmers Market and the acceptable operations during all other peak periods, improvements at the Route 13/Third Street intersection may not be justified.” The study went on to recommend potential intersection improvements to alleviate these operating conditions. It is also noted that improving the internal connections to the new signalized intersection opposite Fifth Street would encourage more traffic to use the new signal as opposed to the signal at Third Street. It is noted that the new intersection opposite Fifth Street will significantly relieve future traffic volumes at this intersection by providing an alternative entrance/exit to service all of the uses on the site including the Farmer’s Market. Motorists will choose to use this new intersection at times of congestion at the Third Street intersection. North Meadow Street/Cascadilla Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during the both peak hours under all conditions. The LOS for any of the approaches is not projected to change as a result of the proposed development. Additionally, the overall LOS is “A” during both peak hours under all conditions. No mitigation is warranted at this intersection. North Fulton Street/Cascadilla Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during the both peak hours under all conditions. The southbound approach is project to decrease from LOS “C” to “D” during the Saturday peak hour with a corresponding increase in delay of 5.4 seconds per vehicle. Given that this occurs on Saturday when the Farmer’s Market is in operation, as well as the small increase in delay, no mitigation is warranted or recommended at this intersection as a result of the proposed development. North Meadow Street/Proposed Driveway-Fifth Street All approaches operate at LOS “D” or better during all three peak hours under all conditions. The approaches to North Meadow Street were analyzed using a single exiting lane, however, it may make sense to provide an eastbound right turn lane exiting the Maguire development. 22 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY It should be noted that the NYSDOT has coordinated signal timing settings for the months and days out of the year when the Farmers Market is in operation so as to provide better service to the intersection during these seasonal conditions. The proposed use and increased delays during the Saturday midday peak hour are temporal in nature. Those choosing to visit the dealership on the weekend when the Farmers Market is operating at its peak may adjust their travel behavior to avoid these temporary congested conditions. As previously noted, this new intersection will provide entrance and exit alternatives for all motorists using the site including patrons of the Farmer’s Market. An additional analysis was performed that compares the study area intersections with and without the new intersection in place under full development conditions. The results are show Table IV. TABLE IV CAPACITY ANALYSIS RESULTS WITHOUT NEW INTERSECTION INTERSECTION FULL DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS without NEW INTERSECTION AM PM SAT North Meadow Street / Third Street (S) Northeastbound Left – N. Meadow D(39.3) D(44.6) F(*) Northeastbound Thru/Right – N. Meadow C(34.0) D(45.0) E(70.2) Southwestbound Left – N. Meadow D(38.2) D(36.9) D(39.0) Southwestbound Thru/Right – N. Meadow B(17.0) D(38.7) E(75.1) Eastbound (SB) – Third St Ext. C(22.5) D(50.4) F(*) Westbound (NB) – Third St. B(19.1) C(26.0) C(32.7) Overall LOS/Delay C(26.5) D(41.5) F(*) North Meadow Street/ Cascadilla Street (S) Northbound – N. Meadow A(4.0) A(5.0) A(4.4) Eastbound Thru/Left – Cascadilla C(34.2) D(44.6) C(33.0) Westbound Thru/Right – Cascadilla C(29.7) D(35.5) C(34.2) Overall LOS/Delay A(4.8) A(7.2) A(6.2) North Fulton Street/ Cascadilla Street (S) Southbound Thru/Left – N. Fulton A(4.9) B(15.9) D(39.2) Southbound Right – N. Fulton A(1.4) A(4.0) A(3.4) Eastbound Thru/Right – Cascadilla C(20.4) C(31.3) C(29.9) Westbound Thru/Left – Cascadilla D(36.3) C(34.4) C(33.6) Overall LOS/Delay A(6.2) B(17.3) D(37.9) North Meadow Street/ Hancock Street (U) Westbound Left – Hancock C(19.9) C(19.9) C(18.0) The results indicate an increase in overall intersection delay during the AM peak hour at North Meadow Street/Third Street, a decrease in LOS from “C” to “D” during the PM 23 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY peak hour, and an increase in delay from 84.4 seconds to over two minutes during the SAT peak hour between full development conditions with the new intersection and those without the new intersection. Notably, the northeastbound left approach during the SAT peak hour under full development conditions with the new intersection operates at LOS “E”; under full development conditions without the new intersection, the approach operates at “F” with delays greater than two minutes. All other intersections do not change in overall LOS with the approaches operating within acceptable thresholds. Therefore, based on these results and nature of the proposed land use, no mitigation is warranted or recommended. XI. GAP ANALYSIS A Gap Analysis was performed along North Meadow Street at the proposed intersection location to determine the availability of gaps for traffic to enter (left-turns) and exit (left and right turns) the proposed access road. For intersections such as this, gap availability can be used as a surrogate methodology for evaluating the ability of side road traffic to enter and exit the fronting traffic stream. The availability of gaps within the traffic stream primarily determines the side road driver behavior and delay for both entering and exiting motorists. A gap study counts the actual gaps in existing traffic available for a vehicle to enter or exit the side road. The difference between the actual number of gaps and the projected demand for a particular traffic movement can then be calculated as a reserve or deficit capacity. The 2010 Highway Capacity Manual provides data relative to gap sizes that motorists find acceptable to execute the required maneuver. SRF & Associates performed a gap analysis at the proposed driveway location along North Meadow Street on Wednesday, May 18, Thursday, May 19, and Saturday, May 21, 2016 during the AM, PM, and SAT peak hours to evaluate potential future operating conditions. Table V indicates the acceptable gap duration, the actual number of gaps based on the duration, the projected traffic volume for the movement, and the resulting reserve (or deficit) capacity during the AM, PM, and SAT peak hours. TABLE V PEAK HOUR GAP ANALYSIS RESULTS INTERSECTION MOVEMENT ACCEPTABLE GAP DURATION EXISTING GAPS BASED ON COLLECTED DATA RESERVE CAPACITY FULL BUILD Right turns exiting site 6.9 sec 218(203)[161] 183(179)[112] 24 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY North Meadow Street/Proposed Driveway Left turns exiting site 6.5 sec 72(30)[14] 54(4)[-14] Left turns entering site 4.1 sec 403(316)[299] 359(296)[254] Note: 00(00)[00] = AM(PM)[SAT] Peak Hour Based on the field observations, gap study, and projected site generated traffic volumes with the traffic diversion in place, it is anticipated that there will be sufficient gaps to accommodate right turns exiting the proposed site and left turns entering the site under the full development during all peak hours. For left turns exiting the site, there are sufficient gaps during the AM and PM peak hours; however, there is a deficit and insufficient number gaps (-14) during the Saturday peak hour. Under full development conditions, motorists making an exiting left turn movement may find alternate routes to exit the site and reach their destination; in this case, the existing North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection. Therefore, considering the insufficient gaps as well as the speed of traffic traveling through the four lane section of North Meadow Road, a traffic signal should be considered for this location at full development. XII. SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS A traffic signal warrant analysis was completed at the North Meadow Street/Proposed Driveway-Fifth Street intersection as part of this report. The need for a traffic signal is determined by comprehensive investigation of existing and projected traffic conditions and physical characteristics at the location. The Standard Specifications Update for the adoption of the National MUTCD (FHWA) and the New York State Supplement were reviewed to investigate the need for a traffic control signal at this location. There are nine (9) warrants and they are as follows: Warrant 1 Eight-Hour vehicular volume Warrant 2 Four-Hour vehicular volume Warrant 3 Peak Hour Warrant 4 Pedestrian Volume Warrant 5 School Crossing Warrant 6 Coordinated Signal System Warrant 7 Crash Experience Warrant 8 Roadway Network Warrant 9 Intersection Near a Grade Crossing Detailed signal warrant calculations are attached for full build development conditions. Prior to applying warrants, the MUTCD suggests consideration of the effects of right-turn volumes on the minor street approach, and a reduction taken in the number of right turning vehicles, where appropriate. A certain number of right-turn vehicles will execute a right-turn on the red indication without actuating a traffic signal (if one were in place). For purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that none of the vehicles exiting the proposed 25 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY driveway will execute a right-turn on red maneuver given that the approach is a single lane and right turns may be blocked by left turn and through traffic. Signal warrant analyses were completed for both weekday as well as Saturday time periods given the heavy volumes of Saturday traffic associated with the Farmer’s Market and the expectation that a portion of the traffic projected to use Third Street will divert to the new intersection to avoid congestion at Third Street. Warrant 1 is subdivided into Condition A and Condition B. The Minimum Vehicular Volume, Condition A, is intended for application at locations where a large volume of intersecting traffic is the principal reason to consider installing a traffic control signal. The Interruption of Continuous Traffic, Condition B, is intended for application at locations where Condition A is not satisfied and where the traffic volume on a major street is so heavy that traffic on a minor intersecting street suffers excessive delay or conflict in entering or crossing the major street. These conditions are satisfied when, for each of any eight hours of an average day, anticipated volumes on the artery and side road are in excess of the minimum values presented in Tables 4C-1 in the MUTCD. On weekdays, Condition A is not met for any of the hours while Condition B is met for one hour out of the eight hours required under the full development conditions. Hence Warrant 1 is not met for the weekday condition. On Saturdays while the Farmer’s Market is operating Condition A is met for 5 hours and Condition B is met for 7 hours. Warrant 2, the Four-Hour Vehicular Volume signal warrant conditions, are intended to be applied where the volume of intersecting traffic is the principal reason to consider installing a traffic control signal. This warrant stipulates that for any four hours of a day, minimum threshold volumes are met on the artery and side road. This warrant is not met during the weekdays however, Saturday conditions while the Farmer’s Market is operating meet this warrant. Warrant 3 is intended for application where minor street traffic suffers undue delay in entering or crossing the major street for one hour of the day. It stipulates that the warrant shall be applied in unusual cases (high-occupancy vehicle facilities – i.e., shopping centers) where a large number of vehicles discharge over a short period of time. Based on the proposed development, this warrant may be applicable. This warrant is not met. Warrant 4 is met when pedestrians experience excessive delay in crossing the major street (North Meadow Street) because the traffic volumes are so heavy. The intersection is expected to have relatively low pedestrian activity. This warrant is not met during the weekdays however, Saturday conditions while the Farmer’s Market is operating meet this warrant. Warrant 5 is met when a sufficient number of gaps in traffic do not exist for certain size and frequency of school children to cross the major roadway. Based on the proposed condition, this warrant is not applicable at this location and is not met. Warrant 6 is met when a traffic signal is needed to maintain progressive movement and vehicle platooning in a coordinated signal system. The proposed intersection is located 26 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY approximately 900 ft south of Third Street and 1,000 ft north of Cascadilla Street. Based on the current signal system along North Meadow Street, this signal is approximately equidistant between two coordinated signals and would aid in improving vehicle platooning along North Meadow Street. Therefore, this warrant is met. Warrant 7 is met when the severity, frequency, and types of crashes are such that it is a condition susceptible to correction by a traffic signal. Given that the intersection does not currently exist, there is no accident data upon which to base evaluation of this warrant. Therefore, this warrant is not applicable. Warrant 8 is met when a traffic signal might encourage concentration and organization of traffic flow on a roadway network. This warrant primarily focuses on two major intersecting roadways, which is not the case at the study intersection. Therefore, this warrant is not met. Warrant 9 is applicable when an intersection is located near an at-grade rail crossing. This warrant is not applicable at this location. TABLE VI TRAFFIC SIGNAL WARRANT SUMMARY WARRANT # DESCRIPTION FULL BUILD CONDITONS (WEEKDAY) FULL BUILD CONDITONS (SATURDAY) 1 Eight-Hour vehicular volume NOT MET NOT MET* 2 Four-Hour vehicular volume NOT MET MET 3 Peak Hour NOT MET MET 4 Pedestrian Volume NOT MET NOT MET 5 School Crossing NA NA 6 Coordinated Signal System MET MET 7 Crash Experience NA NA 8 Roadway Network NOT MET NOT MET 9 Intersection Near a Grade Crossing NA NA * Seven of eight hours is met for Condition B. Table VI summarizes each warrant and the result of the investigation. Projected full development conditions on most weekdays do not indicate a need for a traffic signal. Saturday conditions while the Farmer’s market is operating meet several of the signal warrants and Sunday traffic counts while the Farmer’s Market is operating are similar to Saturday. It is noted that a traffic signal will also aid in the platooning and progression of vehicles along North Meadow Street between the existing Third Street and Cascadilla Street intersections. The gap analysis indicates that there will be limited gaps in through traffic on North Meadow Street during all three peak hours. Considering all of the relevant factors: the benefits of extending Fifth Street and providing a new pedestrian crossing at this location along North Meadow Street, the need to provide alternate ingress and egress for the Farmer’s Market, the need to provide alternate ingress 27 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY and egress for development of the waterfront properties, and the signal warrants that are met for the both the weekday and Saturday time periods, a three-colored traffic signal is recommended for this intersection. XIII. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS This Study addresses the traffic impact that can be expected from the proposed Maguire Development in the City of Ithaca as described in this Report. It indicates that the existing transportation network can adequately accommodate the projected traffic volumes from the proposed development and resulting impacts to study area intersections. The following list summarizes conclusions and recommendations to be considered as a result of this development: 9.The predominant factors for the reported study area crashes were a combination of following too closely and driver inattention, followed by unsafe lane changes and failure to yield the right-of-way. The corridor experiences heavy traffic volumes and, at times, can become congested, particularly in the northbound direction at North Meadow Street/Third Street. The new signalized intersection will reduce overall traffic volumes at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection and can potentially reduce the frequency of rear end crashes at this location. 10.The site will be designed to provide pedestrian and bicycle accommodations and connections to the existing street network. A rear access roadway tied into the proposed access road from North Meadow Street will be constructed with access onto Third Street and destinations west of this location. A new sidewalk along the west side of North Meadow Street is proposed. The new signalized intersection will provide crosswalks across North Meadow Street and both side streets, thus more aligned with NYSDOT crosswalk spacing guidelines. 11.Constructing a new intersection that creates new and alternative routing options for drivers can help reduce traffic congestion at nearby intersections. As it relates to the proposed project, a new intersection offering access into the site will help reduce the added traffic at the North Meadow Street/Third Street intersection particularly during the peak Farmers Market operating time periods. It’s important to note that in addition to Saturday and Sunday market operations, starting July thru September 2016, the Farmers Market will be operating additionally on Thursdays from 5-8PM. 12.These improvements and overall master plan for this area can help revitalize an underutilized part of the City, all the while creating a more walkable, bikeable, and livable environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. 13.A total of 49 entering/16 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the AM peak hour, 27 entering/41 exiting vehicle trips are projected during the weekday PM 28 May 2016 Access Modification Study Proposed Maguire Development City of Ithaca, NY peak hour, while during the SAT peak hour, a total of 52 entering/50 exiting vehicle trips are projected. 14.Based on the field observations, gap study, and projected site generated traffic volumes with the traffic diversion in place, it is anticipated that there will be sufficient gaps to accommodate right turns exiting the proposed site and left turns entering the site under the full development during all peak hours. For left turns exiting the site, there are sufficient gaps during the AM and PM peak hours; however, there is a deficit and insufficient number gaps (-14) during the Saturday peak hour. 15.Projected weekday full development conditions may not point to the need for a traffic signal, while Saturday periods with the Farmers Market in operation satisfy various warrants. It’s noted that a traffic signal will aid in the platooning and progression of vehicles along North Meadow Street between the existing Third Street and Cascadilla Street intersections. This may reduce the current propensity for rear-end accidents at the Cascadilla Street intersection. The gap analysis indicates that there will be limited gaps in through traffic on North Meadow Street during all three peak hours. There is a need to provide alternate ingress and egress for both the existing Farmer’s Market as well as future development of the waterfront properties. Considering the economic and safety benefits of extending Fifth Street and providing a new pedestrian crossing at this location along North Meadow Street, a three-colored traffic signal is recommended for this intersection. 16.The analyses contained in this report indicate that a Break in Access is justified to provide access at two locations for the proposed development. Providing these access driveways will not have a significant adverse impact on the National Highway System. XIV. FIGURES Figures 1 through 8B are included on the following pages. City of Ithaca Planning & Economic Development Committee Wednesday, July 13, 2016 – 6:00 p.m. Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street Minutes Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Graham Kerslick, Ducson Nguyen, Cynthia Brock, and Josephine Martell Committee Members Absent: None Other Elected Officials Attending: Mayor Svante Myrick Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Department of Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development; Nels Bohn, Director, Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA); Nick Goldsmith, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Ithaca; Phyllis Radke, Director of Zoning Administration; Deborah Grunder, Executive Assistant Others Attending: Peter Bardaglio, Ithaca 2030 District; Sue Kittel, Workforce Diversity Advisory Commission (WDAC) Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. 1) Call to Order/Agenda Review 2) Public Comment and Response from Committee Members 3) Special Order of Business a) Presentation – Ithaca 2030 District Peter Bardaglio and Nick Goldsmith presented the ‘Ithaca 2030 District’ to the group. Why a 2030 District? There are twelve (12) established districts in addition to Ithaca, New York. A 2030 District will monitor common targets and meters, shows efficie ncies of scale, and has an information sharing platform. These districts are private-sector led; public-sector supported. Participation is voluntary. The goal is that all new buildings will be carbon neutral by 2030. Existing buildings will be 50% carbon neutral across the board. The Energy Star Portfolio Manager now available and is user friendly. 4) Announcements, Updates, and Reports a) Old Library Project The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) and the Ithaca Planning and Development Board held a joint meeting on July 12, 2016 to discuss the old library project. The ILPC thinks the building is too big. There is not variance possible and no certificate of appropriateness was issued. b) City of Ithaca Water Issue Discoloration – Dan Cogan, City of Ithaca Chief-of-Staff, addressed the committee to discuss and inform them about the discoloration in the City’s water supply and what it being done to alleviate the situation. The discoloration is caused by the iron in the pipes. The Water & Sewer Division is working hard to adjust the processing of the water without having to chlorinate it. Permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have been difficult of obtain. Lead Testing – Recent tests have showed high levels in some a reas of Cass and Stewart Parks. The City must decide what to do with these areas – do we take off line or replace? Lead testing in City facilities must be done every three (3) years. All levels are below the guidelines except one (1) faucet in City Hall tested too high and was replaced. Alderperson Brock asked for confirmation that the City didn’t test or are not required to test. She stated it’s unclear whether there is a law that states this needs to be done. Cogan stated he will check on that, but further stated that the City has always tested thirty homes. They will now test 60 homes. Water and Sewer estimates that 500 homes likely have lead piping. 5) Action Items (Voting to Send onto Council) a) Mural Proposal – ‘Portals to Peace’ Resolution to Select Artwork for a Mural Installation on the West-Facing Entry Wall of the Green Street Parking Garage Moved by Alderperson Nguyen; seconded by Alderperson Kerslick. Carried unanimously. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has be en established to, among other duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of public art in the City’s public spaces, and WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls within the city, while providing local artists from all sections of the community an opportunity to showcase their work, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved several locations for future murals and street art, including walls in the City garages on Green Street and Seneca Street, by resolution on May 19, 2010, and WHEREAS, local artist Lachlan Chambliss has submitted his mural proposal “Portals to Peace” as part of the PAC’s Mural and Street Art Program, and WHEREAS, Mr. Chambliss was selected by a group of community members to paint a mural that celebrates Muslim culture, and WHEREAS, the PAC held a public comment period on the mural design and location at its meeting on June 22, 2016 to gather input on the proposed installation, and the pub lic responses to the proposal have been positive, and WHEREAS, the mural will be privately funded, and the installation will be budget -neutral to the City, and WHEREAS, while a quorum was not present at its meeting on June 22, 2016, a majority of the members in attendance supported sending the proposal to Common Council for its consideration; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council selects Lachlan Chambliss’s mural proposal “Portals to Peace” to be installed on the west -facing entry wall of the Green Street Parking Garage and to be added to the City of Ithaca’s public art collection; and be it further RESOLVED, That the selected artist may proceed with the installation of his mural upon the execution of an agreement with the City as reviewed by the City Attorney. Mural Proposal for the Green Street Parking Garage: “Portals to Peace” by Lachlan Chambliss MURAL DESCRIPTION: “Portals to Peace” creates five doorways that pull the viewer into different scenes representing the journey to peace. The scenes are inspired by Muslim culture yet represent universal themes; they include details to celebrate various international geographic areas and traditions. The detailed archway of each portal reflects the accurate architecture of the respective regions referenced below. Doorway 1) Market scene with money, goods and food items symbolic of charity/alms giving. Items like coconuts, bananas and dates salute West African ideas of charity and sustenance. Doorway 2) Journey to truth with scene of mountainous valley references North Africa. Doorway 3) Mea l under moonlight hosts a Western European picnic spread; symbolic of sharing with others and the body as a vessel of peace. Doorway 4) Tranquil domestic scene reflecting the daily effort to find peace. The scene implies a space to mediate, relax and read with a library in vision. Window design and decor salute Asia. Doorway 5) Light. Our internal light of peace we seek to discover, the external guidance from the universe we seek to know. This mural would be completed by Summer/Fall 2016 at the Downtown Ithaca Green Street Parking Garage. The mural is a door design, a path to someplace which is appropriate for a ramp space literally meant to take you into a different space. The mural will brighten the dark area and the dark area will add to the whimsical nature of the design. b) Public Art Projects: Commons Electrical Boxes and Rainwater Art Resolution to Select Artwork for Commons Boxes: An Electrical Box Mural Project Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Martell. Carried unanimously. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among other duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of public art in the City’s public spaces, and WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls within the city while providing local artists from all sections of the community an opportunity to showcase their work, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved several locations for future murals and street art, including municipal electrical boxes throughout the city, by resolution on May 19, 2010, and WHEREAS, in 2012 the PAC launched a project to beautify 21 municipal electrical boxes through the creation of mini-murals by selected artists, and a second round of the project was completed in 2014, and WHEREAS, due to the success of the two projects, the PAC has initiated a third round of electrical box murals to be completed in 2016, including the three new electrical boxes installed on the Commons, and WHEREAS, the project will be funded through a grant from the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County and will be budget-neutral to the City, and WHEREAS, the PAC issued a Request for Proposals earlier this spring and after reviewing all of the submissions with the Commons Management Team, distributed 3 proposals for public comment, and WHEREAS, the PAC held a special meeting on July 7, 2016 to review public comment, and while a quorum was not present, all members in attendance as well as the liaisons supported Common Council’s selection of the artwork submitted by Erica Brath, Jennifer Gioffre and David Todd, and Catherine Montgomery to be installed on the 3 new electrical boxes on the Commons; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council selects the submissions of the following artists for Commons Boxes: An Electrical Box Mural Project: Erica Brath, Jennifer Gioffre and David Todd, and Catherine Montgomery (as shown in “Common Boxes Mural Proposals (2016)”); and be it further RESOLVED, that the selected artists may proceed with the installation of their murals on their appointed electrical box upon the execution of an agreement with the City (as reviewed by the City Attorney). Commons Boxes Mural Proposals (2016) Box #1 – North Cayuga Street: “Commons’ers” by Erica Brath Description: “With this design I hope to illustrate the energy of the newly redesigned Commons, a central gathering spot for people from around Ithaca and beyond. I’ve incorporated several elements of downtown culture, including the Ithaca Festival parade, with the main dancers and performers; Press Bay Alley with the strung lights, Circus Culture acrobats and, probably the most popular new attraction for the block-long stretch, the now-annual Wizarding Weekend with a Quidditch rider on a Boxy Bike; and the Apple Festival—the stilt walker is juggling apples. I’ve also incorporated the surrounding elements of Taughannock Falls in the center, and Cornell University and Ithaca College by red in the left (Cornell side of the Commons) corner and blue (Ithaca College side of the Commons) on the right.” Box #2 – Bank Alley: “Cayuga Migration” by Catherine Montgomery Description: “This figurative work features the silhouettes of local birds set in a black and copper background. This piece has a sense of place bringing a graphic urban ascetic and softening it with out abundant and prominent local fauna.” Description: “We’d like to transform the North Aurora street electrical box into a delicious display of treats. Inspiration came to us from two sources. First was the proximity of the electrical box to Madeline’s, everyone’s favorite dessert stop on the commons. Second, the shape and metallic case of the box itself reminded us of a classic dessert refrigerator. We think this design is unique because instead of simply covering the electrical box, we would be incorporating the form into the design, including its locked doors as part of the art work.” Resolution to Select Artwork for the Public Art Commission’s Rainwater Art Project Moved by Alderperson Kerslick; seconded by Alderperson Martell. Carried unanimously. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among other duties, review and advise the Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of public art in the City’s public spaces, and WHEREAS, the PAC has proposed the installation of rainwater art – artwork that is only visible during periods of rain – on City-owned sidewalks around downtown Ithaca, and WHEREAS, the installation will be temporar y, and the artwork will wear away with foot traffic, weather, and shoveling, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved nine locations for the project b y resolution on April 25, 2016, and WHEREAS, the PAC wanted community involvement in the project and released an online survey in June 2016 that allowed the public to vote for the favorite rainwater art designs, and WHEREAS, the project will be funded through a grant from a private foundation and will be budget-neutral to the City, and WHEREAS, at its meeting on June 22, 2016, the PAC reviewed the top 10 designs selected by the communit y and unanimously voted to recommend that the Common Council approve the designs, as shown in “2016 Rainwater Art,” for installation on City-owned sidewalks around downtown Ithaca, as approved by the Board of Public Works; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Common Council selects the design shown in “2016 Rainwater Art,” as recom mended by the Public Art Commission, for installation on approved City-owned sidewalks around downtown Ithaca as part of the Rainwater Art Project. c) Residential Energy Score Project DRAFT Resolution to Endorse Tompkins Residential Energy Score Program - July 13, 2016 Moved by Alderperson Martell; seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried unanimously. WHEREAS the City of Ithaca has goals of reducing energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and according to the March 2016 Tompkins County Energy Roadmap, in order to meet the goal of reducing GHG emissions 80% by the year 2050, the community will need to achieve at least a 35% reduction in energy use in existing buildings through retrofits and upgrades; and WHEREAS the Comprehensive Plan recommends that the City “collaborate with Tompkins County and/or local municipalities to explore required disclosures of energy use for all properties” and the adopted Energy Action Plan recommends to “investigate point of sale energy audits” and to “explore voluntary certification programs and incentives such as Energy Star or HERS Index;” and WHEREAS the NYS Reforming the Energy Vision initiative has a goal of helping consumers make better and more informed energy choices; and WHEREAS a residential energy score program would benefit residents of all income levels by providing the ability to better understand and reduce energy-related living costs; and WHEREAS a project team, composed of representatives of the Towns of Caroline, Danby, Ithaca, Ulysses and the City of Ithaca, with consultation from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County and the Tompkins County Planning Department, was formed in 2013 to work on a residential energy score project; and WHEREAS the Town of Ithaca, working on behalf of the project team, submitted and was awarded grant funding from NYSERDA’s Cleaner, Greener Communities program, and contracted with subject matter experts Performance Systems Development to develop deliverables for the project; and WHEREAS the original project proposal was to develop and adopt a local law or ordinance to require a home energy rating to be disclosed at the time of listing for sale, however due to pubic feedback and the lack of incontestable legal authority to enact such a law, the project team opted to develop a voluntary program and phased implementation plan; and WHEREAS extensive public outreach guided the creation of the first draft report of the program and implementation plan, completed on February 24, 2016. The second draft was informed by more than 250 comments collected from additional public outreach, and was presented to the governing boards of the five partner municipalities between May 23 and June 15, 2016, with a comment period ending on June 17, 2016, and comments on the second draft were incorporated into the final report, titled “Tompkins Residential Energy Score Program and Implementation Plan;” and WHEREAS the grant contract with NYSERDA requires the project team to present the final report to the governing boards of each of the five partner municipalities for consideration of adoption, including a formal vote; and WHEREAS funding for implementation of the RESP program will be primarily sought from outside sources, and the City’s endorsement of the program will strengthen funding requests; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Ithaca endorses the Tompkins Residential Energy Score Program and Implementation Plan, dated July 6, 2016. 6) Discussion a) Community Investment Incentive Tax Abatement Program (CIITAP) – Diversity Members of the Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee (WDAC) were present to continue the discussion from the previous meeting. It’s the WDAC that in order to believe in diversity, you must work hard to accomplish diversity. There are a large number of people who do not feel involved or important. There is a concern that the City can approve this at the City level, but it’s the IDA that won’t for the entire county. Alderperson Brock suggested a possible meeting between the City and the IDA to try to agree to have this approved not only at the City level but at the county level as well. The City agrees and accepts the WDAC recommendations. Nels Bohn will generate a resolution to bring back to the August Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting. The WDAC’s recommendations will be circulated. Moved by Alderperson Kerslick; seconded by Alderperson Martell. Carried unanimously. b) Off- Street Parking Rentals Phyllis Radke, Director of Zoning Administration, attended the meeting to clarify certain zoning regulations regarding the renting of residential parking. It is not legal to rent residential parking for commercial use. Collegetown parking requirements have been changed to having a ‘no parking’ requirement. The CPOZ zone was taken out in the 1990s. Now more people have more parking. When a parking lot is built, there has to have enough spaces to accommodate the needs of the building. 7) Review and Approval of Minutes a) May and June 2016 – Moved by Alderperson Kerslick; seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. Passed unanimously. 8) Adjournment Alderperson Kerslick motioned to adjourn; seconded by Alderperson Martell. Passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.