HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-19-16 P&D Board - Project Review Committee Meeting Agenda“An Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to workforce diversification.”
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TO:City of Ithaca Project Review Committee (Planning &Development Board)
FROM:Lisa Nicholas,Senior Planner
DATE:July 13th,2016
SUBJECT:Agenda for Project Review Committee Meeting:TUESDAY,JULY 19TH,2016
Meeting is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.in the Third Floor Conference Room (behind Common Council Chambers),City
Hall,108 E.Green St.Please call Charles Pyott at 274 6550,if you cannot attend or you require additional information.
9:30 Project:Apartment Building
Location:201 College Ave.
Applicant:Noah Demarest,STREAM Collaborative,for Visum Development Group
Anticipated Board Action(s)in July:Potential Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval
Project Description:The applicant proposes to build a 5 story apartment building on a 0.173 acre lot at the corner
of College Avenue and Bool Street.The building will contain 44 dwelling units with approximately 76 bedrooms.The
basement level will have a trash room,a fitness room with windows looking out to the street,and a bicycle garage
for approximately 20 bikes with ramp access from a doorway on Bool Street.Other proposed amenities include
landscaping,lighting,4 outdoor bike racks,and street trees.The site has a 17’difference in elevation from the
southwest corner to the northeast corner,rising from 690.00 to 707.00.Site development will require the removal
of the existing 2 story wood framed house containing 1 apartment with 12 bedrooms,gravel parking area,and five
trees.The project is proposing a curb bump out that will require approval form the Board of Public Works.The
project is in the MU 1 Collegetown Area Form District (CAFD).The project has been revised so that it no longer
requires an Area Variance.This is a Type 1 Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance
(“CEQRO”),§176 4 B(1)(k)&(h)[4],and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”),§617.4(b)(11),for
which the Planning Board made a negative declaration of Environmental significance on May 24,2016.
10:15 Zoning Appeals
#3037,Area Variance,112 114½Ferris Place
10:30 Adjournment
cc:Mayor Svante Myrick &Common Council
Dr.Luvelle Brown,Superintendent,ICSD
Jay Franklin,Tompkins County Assessment
CITY OF ITHACA
108 E. Green St. — 3rd Floor Ithaca, NY 14850-5690
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, BUILDING, ZONING, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Telephone: Planning & Econ. Development – 607-274-6550 | Community Development/IURA – 607-274-
6559
E-Mail: dgrunder@cityofithaca.org E-Mail: iura@cityofithaca.org
Fax: 607-274-6558 Fax: 607-274-6558
ACCESSING ONLINE DOCUMENTS
Site Plan Review &Subdivision Application Documents
(&Related Materials)
Site Plan Review application documents are accessible electronically via the “Document Center”on the City web
site (www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter),under “Planning &Development”>“Site Plan Review Project
Applications,”and in the relevant year/month folder.Subdivision application materials can be similarly located,but
in the “Subdivision Applications”folder.
Zoning Appeals
Zoning Appeals are accessible electronically via the “Document Center”on the City web site
(www.cityofithaca.org/DocumentCenter),under “Board of Zoning Appeals”>“Zoning Appeal Applications,”and in
the relevant year’s folder.
1
ZONING APPEAL #3037 112-114½ FERRIS PLACE
(112-114 FERRIS PLACE, LLC)
Appeal of 112-114 Ferris Place, LLC for Area Variances from Article V, Section 3 a), b), and d),
Front Yard, Side Yard, and Lot Size and Article V, Section 5, Off-Street Parking, requirements of the
1950 Zoning Ordinance.
The owner of 112-114½ Ferris Place purchased the property in 2015 without knowledge that this
property it is an illegal non-conforming use. Under the City Zoning Ordinance, a property becomes a
non-conforming use when the Zoning District where a property is located is changed so that under
the new regulations the use of that property is no longer permitted. A non-conforming use can
continue operating in the new Zoning District, provided it conformed to the zoning regulations in
effect before the Zoning District was changed.
The property at 112-114½ Ferris Place was converted without a Building Permit from a two-family
dwelling to a multiple dwelling around 1955, when the 1950 Zoning Ordinance was in effect. At that
time, 112-114½ Ferris Place was located in the “A” Zoning District, which allowed multiple
dwellings as of right. However, the conversion of the existing two-family home to a multiple
dwelling also required compliance with the “A” zone’s area regulations. Unfortunately, the property
at 112-114½ Ferris Place did not meet the requirements for lot size, yard setbacks, and parking when
the building was converted to a multiple dwelling in 1955. Consequently, in 1977 when the Zoning
District where 112-114½ Ferris Place is located changed to an R-2a zone, a zone that prohibits uses
classified as multiple dwellings, this property became an illegal non-conforming use.
The applicant wants 112-114½ Ferris Place to be zoning-compliant and is therefore requesting
variances from the 1950 Zoning Ordinance’s lot size, front yard, side yard, and off- street parking
requirements. The property at 112-114½ Ferris Place has a lot size 6,185.2 SF; the required lot size
under the 1950 Zoning Ordinance for a three-unit multiple dwelling is 7,500 SF. The front yard has a
depth of 9.7 feet. The 1950 Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum 10-foot front yard. The side
yards are 5 feet and 1.5 feet. The 1950 Ordinance requires the side yards to be no less than 5 feet, but
also requires that the sum of both side yards be no less than 15 feet. Finally, the property at 112-
114½ Ferris Place has one off-street parking space. The 1950 Zoning Ordinance requires one parking
space for each dwelling unit, or three parking spaces.
The property at 112-114½ Ferris Place is in an R-2a zone, where multiple dwellings are not a
permitted use. Variances are needed for the conversion to a multiple dwelling under the 1950 Zoning
Ordinance in order for the building to be classified as a legal non-conforming use and its occupancy
as a multiple dwelling to continue in the same manner as it has, since being converted more than 60
years ago.
CITY OF ITHACA
Board of Zoning Appeals – Notice of Appeal
City of IthacaAppeal Number: BZA-3037 112-114½ Ferris Place (current zoning district is R-2a, one- and two-family)Use District:"A" Residence District 1950 Zoning OrdinanceProperty Address:112-114½ Ferris Place Application Type:Area Variance from requirements of 1950 Zoning OrdinanceArticle 5 1 3a 3b 3d 5Column Title UseFront Yard*Side YardsLot Area ( SF)Parking FacilitiesExisting Condition and UseMultiple Dwellings9.7 5, 1.5 6,098 1 spaceDistrict Regulations for ExistingMultiple Dwellings1057,5003 spacesNote Non-Conforming ConditionsO.K. DEF DEF DEF DEFNOTES: * Combined width of side yards minimum-15 Feet.
3037
8/2/16
51877
3037