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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-NCI-2001 Page 1 of 5 r NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES February 14, 2001 Present: Susan Blumenthal; Alan Cohen, Mayor; Josh Glasstetter, Patricia Pryor, Chair; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood Planner Others Attending: Khandikile Sokoni 1. Meeting called to order at 7:35 2. Additions/Deletions - Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund Applications, Vehicle and Traffic Ordinance 3. Public Comment Bonnie Blanding-May, a Northside resident of 17 years, expressed her support for the Nuisance Abatement Law, also known as the Lockdown Law, and her concern that the matter would be tabled by the committee. She spoke of a many-pronged approach to improving neighborhoods, that fines and building codes were good, but that the City needs something to clamp down on crack houses. She stated that predatory landlords remain a problem. She asked what other options the City has in place of the Lockdown Law. Fay Gougakis, a Fall Creek resident, stated that she would like to see the Lockdown Law adopted. She was worried about quality of life issues related to the Commons and downtown. She felt that the Post Office should not have been reduced and that it was insulting to our City. She was also concerned about the recent announcement that CVS was closing its Commons store. She read from a letter that CVS wrote in response to her concerns. She was also concerned that the Commons and its housing was too expensive. Lastly, she stated that she thought the new library was too noisy. 4. Committee Response The Mayor thanked Ms. Blanding-May for her comments. He pointed out that it is accurate to say that the Lockdown Law targets drug houses and that it was important for the City to be creative. He mentioned that at a recent Conference of New York Mayors, many cities expressed interest in learning more about our eviction law, which has survived in court. 5. Community Police Board - Report Marianne Graham, chair of the Community Police Board (CPB), presented the Year �./ 2000 Report of Activities and Summary of Complaints. She pointed out some of the QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\02 14 01.doc Page 2 of 5 highlights of the report. An increase in complaints has led to an increase in commissioners for the CPB. About half of the complaints named officers; of the officers who were named, most were named only once. The CPB concluded that most of the complaints stemmed from a breakdown in communication between the officers and the community. The report recommended further training. Ms. Graham also mentioned that there were many commendations. The CPB received 47 letters of appreciation about the Ithaca Police Department. She mentioned that the CPB was extending its outreach efforts to encourage youth participation and would like to recruit a City resident between the ages of 16-18 years old to fill a three year Youth Commissioner position on the board. She also mentioned that the CPB was working to reach out to the community through tabling, an open house, and regular contact with community organizations. The Mayor expressed his appreciation for the work of the board and recognized the number of officer commendations. He pointed out that though there has been an increase in the total number of complaints in the past few years, there has also been an increase in the number of unfounded complaints (complaints for which the CPB found no evidence). He felt that it was good that more citizens were using the CPB, but that he also felt it was good that many of the complaints were not founded. 6. 705 Giles Street - Property Exchange Proposal David Tyler spoke representing the family who owned the property before it was conveyed to its present owners. When the property was sold it was discovered that there was a problem with the lot boundaries and title. Part of the property that the owners had used for years was actually owned by the City. Proposed was a land swap to rectify the situation. The Mayor reminded the committee that the Board of Public Works had worked on this issue for a number of months and had approved the exchange. Likewise, the Natural Areas Commission had approved the proposal as well. Blumenthal pointed out that this action would require environmental review, as does any disposition of City owned property, and that it would require review by the Planning Board and the Conservation Advisory Council. On Blumenthal's motion and Spielholz's second, it was unanimously approved that the matter should be sent to Common Council for approval when the environmental review is complete. 7. Lockdown Committee Report This committee formed about a year ago in response to community residents, especially those in the Northside. Many issues had come up in committee including drug traffic and its blighting effect, and disregard of the City's property maintenance ordinance by certain landlords, property owners and tenants. The committee worked with the Building Department to review enforcement procedures. A majority of the committee felt that the Lockdown Law might not address the problem and that many of the current statutes might do the job. They Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\02_14_01.doc Page 3 of 5 felt like they needed more information and data. Pryor read through six recommendations for improved enforcement: 1) The committee recommends revision of the complaint log form to allow for better and more complete tracking of complaints and their outcome. Several additional items have been added to the form to assure that inspectors know the history of violations/complaints at a given property. Work is continuing to further refine the form to assure that inspectors can immediately determine whether or not a property's Certificate of Compliance is current, and to record the resolution of the complaint following court action. The goal is to finish refining the form and then computerize the process. 2) The committee recommends that regular reports of complaint activity be sent to Council, similar to the reports Council members now receive on building permit activity. 3) The committee recommends that there be a regular review of complaint activity by the Neighborhood and Community issues committee. A summary form will be developed to facilitate the report. 4) The committee recommends that the Building Department conduct its regular inspections either one or two days before the regular garbage pick-up in each area of the city. 5) The committee discussed with the Interim Director, Phyllis Radke, the possibility of Building Inspectors being able to issue exterior property maintenance warnings/tickets. A department policy regarding this issue will be developed. 6) The committee noted that the Exterior Property Maintenance committee is.in `./ the process of developing recommendations for an increased fine structure for exterior property maintenance violations, in addition to recommendations for other changes in exterior property maintenance ordinances. The work of these two committees, taken together, should be evaluated over a period of time to see if the goal of improved exterior property maintenance in the city is being met. To that end, the committee recommends that a Client Committee be formed to monitor and evaluate the recommended changes from both committees, reporting back to the Neighborhood and Community Issues committee no later than January 2002 or sooner if deemed appropriate be the Client Committee or requested by the Neighborhood and Community Issues committee. Pryor also mentioned three issues that the committee felt needed to be addressed before a Lockdown Law could be adopted. First, that the City currently has a Drug Eviction Ordinance and that it is not clear how a Lockdown Law would provide benefit beyond this ordinance. Second, that the Lockdown Law may not be applicable in many cases, for example, when an arrest for possession or sale of illegal substances does not take place within the perpetrator's residence. Third, that if a Lockdown Law was applied to part of a multiple unit dwelling, all residents of the building would be evicted for the crimes of one. Pryor stated that the core of the committee was herself, Tracy Farrell, and Khandikile Sokoni, but that they had consulted with members of the Police and Building Departments and the Prosecutor's Office. She noted that the recommended Client Committee would be composed of two people from East Hill, two people from downtown, two people from South Hill, Bonnie Blanding-May, QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community 1ssues\Minutes\02 14 01.doc Page 4 of 5 herself, and Susan Blumenthal. That group would act as the eyes and ears in the community to see if the recommended changes were making a difference in enforcement. Blumenthal stated that it may be a few months before some of the changes were implemented and before the committee would then have enough information to review. The Mayor thanked the committee for their work, but respectfully requested that some changes be made. He stated that the impetus for the Lockdown Law had nothing to do with exterior property maintenance, but rather drug houses. He pointed out that other communities have used a similar law effectively and that he might bring something else forward in the future. S. Draft Local Law Authorizing the Issuance of Appearance Tickets by Fire Department Personnel Sokoni, Chief Brian Wilbur, and Firefighter Mark Hassan spoke to the committee requesting authorization for the Fire Department to write appearance tickets for parking violations relating to fire prevention, public health, and/or safety. On Blumenthal's motion, and Glasstetter's second, the committee unanimously approved sending the draft local law to Common Council for approval. 9. Vehicle and Traffic Code Amendments A few years ago the entire vehicle and traffic ordinance was removed from the City \./ Code for a comprehensive review and update. Though the full review is not complete, sections of it are ready to be reinstated in the Code. Sokoni presented these sections of Chapter 346 (was Chapter 60) to the committee and highlighted a few points. First, a section was inserted delegating Council's authority to the Board of Public Works (BPW) to pass certain regulations without going through the ordinance procedure (e.g., schedules for parking or designation of truck routes). Common Council would, however, retain the right to review and overturn any of the BPW's decisions. Second, many definitions have been revised and updated (e.g., holidays, the Commons, the business improvement district, and schools). Third, parking rate schedules and areas of allowed parking have been updated. She pointed out that the changes that have been made since the last Council review were highlighted in gray. Some members of the committee were interested in having the BPW notify Council of changes, but Spielholz reminded the group that agendas and minutes were circulated to Council members and that Council had a liaison to the BPW. Blumenthal requested that an annual "end of the year" report be made by the BPW to Common Council. Sokoni agreed to add this to the amendments. Blumenthal also requested that copies of the Code amendments be double sided when sent to Council. 10. Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund Request Logue presented an application from the Latino Civic Association for the Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund. The Latino Civic Association requested Q:\PLANNWG\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community 1ssues\Minutes\02 14 01.doc Page 5 of 5 $300 for their Latino Heritage Month Celebration. On a motion from Blumenthal and a second from Glasstetter, the application was approved unanimously. 11. Neighborhood Planning Report Logue reported on his and Leslie Chatterton's work regarding neighborhood planning. He presented a map showing approximate boundaries of neighborhoods for planning purposes, noting that residents would be responsible for determining the actual boundaries. He also talked through a sketch outline of what the neighborhood-based planning process might look like. From one-on-one interviews and small "living room" meetings, neighborhood planners and others would begin promoting the process and recruiting people to serve on a Neighborhood Steering Committee. This committee would be responsible for reaching out to others in the neighborhood, advertising the process in the months preceding planning meetings, and helping further define the actual planning process. He discussed a possible trip to Rochester (for city officials, staff, and residents) to learn about that city's Neighbors Building Neighborhoods program and to participate in the Planner's Network conference in June 21-24th. After a couple of months of working with the Neighborhood Steering Committee, some small to medium sized meetings of residents would be held to (en)vision their neighborhoods and to identify issues for which we need more information. There are a number of visioning activities that we could pursue. One fun activity might be to hand out disposable cameras and have residents take pictures of the good, bad, and ugly parts of their neighborhoods. After sorting these pictures, residents could create maps identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their communities. From these maps, residents can brainstorm a list of projects and programs for revitalization and improvements, ranking their ideas (along with other community leaders) according to feasibility, resources, and neighborhood support. A neighborhood wide summit would cap the process, wherein we gathered as many neighbors as possible to verify the findings and endorse the proposals. 12. On Spielholz's motion, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20. L QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\02 14 01.doc U Lockdown Law Committee Status Report 1/10/41 The Lockdown Law committee was formed to address concerns expressed by community members, particularly from Northside neighborhoods, that the quality of life in their neighborhoods was being negatively impacted by the presence of homes whose residents were thought to be involved with illegal drug dealing activity and its concommitant blighting effects such as lack of attention to exterior property maintenance requirements regarding garbage, lawn mowing, litter,etc. At the March S meeting of the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee, material was presented from six New York State communities which currently have "Nuisance Abatement" ordinances designed to address similar concerns. Generally, those ordinances include types of activities ranging from violations of exterior property maintenance requirements, to criminal activity such as use/sale of controlled substances, prostitution, illegal weapons possession, etc. Procedures are described to address these violations which can result in the closing of the building where the illegal activity has taken place,otherwise known as "lockdown". At the first meeting of the Lockdown Law committee,in response to the question of why we are considering a lockdown law, the answer given was that trade in illicit substances needs a variety of options to remedy and that here in Ithaca we have encountered recalcitrant landlords who don't take responsibility for activities in/on/around their properties. Therefore, a lockdown law would provide another tool for dealing with situations where action is needed. In answering the question of whether a lockdown law would be appropriate and/or was needed here in Ithaca, the committee examined, in detail, the procedures which the city currently has in effect to enforce exterior property maintenance ordinances. Many of the complaints we heard from city residents involved the general category of exterior property maintenance,so the committee worked closely with the Building Department to examine current practices and consider suggestions for improvement. It should be noted that each member of the Building Department with whom we met was very cooperative and willing to work with the committee to assess and improve current practices. A number of ideas for improved enforcement were identified and those suggestions are enumerated below: 1. The committee recommends revision of the complaint log form to allow for better and more complete tracking of complaints and their outcome. Several additional items have been added to the form to assure that inspectors know the history of violationstcomplaints at a given property. Work is continuing to further refine the form to assure that inspectiors can immediately determine whether or not a property's Certificate of Compliance is current,and to record the resolution of the complaint following court action. The goal is to finish refining the form and then computerize the process. 2. The committee recommends that regular reports of complaint activity be sent to Council, similar to the reports Council members now receive on building permit activity. 3. The committee recommends that there be a regular review of complaint activity by the Neighborhood and Community Issues committee. A summary form will be developed to facillitate the report. 4. The committee recommends that the Building Department conduct its regular inspections either one or two days before the regular garbage pick-up day in each area of the city. 5. The committee discussed with the Intenm Director, Phyllis Radke, the possibility of Building Inspectors being able to issue exterior property maintenance wamings/tickets. A department policy regarding this issue will be developed. 6. The committee noted that the Exterior Property Maintenance committee is in the process of developing recommendations for an increased fine structure for exterior property maintenance violations,in addition to recommendations for other changes in exterior property maintenance u ordinances. The work of these two committees, taken together, should be evaluated over a period of time to see if the goal of improved exterior property maintenance in the city is being met. To that end, the committee recommends that a Client Committee be formed to monitor and evaluate the recommended changes from both committeees, reporting back to the N&CI committee no later than January 2002 or sooner if deemed appropriate by the Client Committee or requested by the N&CI committee. The possibility of a lockdown law to address criminal behavior was also considered by the committee. To this end, representatives of the City Prosecutor's Office and the Ithaca Police Departmentwere consulted. Discussion resulted in the identification of the following issues: 1. The City currently has a Drug Eviction Ordinance which provides a means of requiring landlords to evict tenants who engage in drug related behavior. This law has been successfully applied within the City. It is not clear that a lockdown law would provide substantial benefit beyond the Drug Eviction Ordinance. 2. Experience indicates that arrests for possession/sale of Illegal substances often do not take place within the perpetrator's residence,but at some other venue such as a street corner or in a vehicle. Therefore,the actual number of instances when a lockdown law would serve to close down a property was thought to be very small,perhaps even nonexistent. 3. If the lockdown law were to be applied to a residence which was part of a multiple unit dwelling it would be necessary to lockdown the entire dwelling,thus causing residents of other units to lose their housing. Fairness would suggest that the occupants of other units should not be punished for behavior of which they had no part. Following extensive deliberation, the committee decided to recommend that the City table the consideration of a lockdown law at this time. In regards to lockdown for exterior property maintenance, it was felt that time should be allowed to monitor the implementation of improvements in exterior property maintenance in order to determine if lockdown is needed to further strengthen enforcement efforts. In regards to lockdown for criminal behavior, it was felt that clear information supporting the need for/applicability of such a law was lacking. Further, concern was expressed that if the City were to pass such a law its impact would be negligible and would only contribute to a false sense that something constructive was being done to address neighborhood concerns. If further information supporting the need for/applicability of lockdown for criminal behavior is identified prior to the end of the monitoring period, the committee is willing to give further consideration to the lockdown option. Pagel of 4 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES March 14, 2001 Present: Alan Cohen, Mayor; Josh Glasstetter, Patricia Pryor, Chair; Diann Sams; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood Planner 1. Meeting called to order at 7:40 2. Additions/Deletions - update on Exterior Property Maintenance Ordinance, GIAC and Thomas Associates proposal 3. Public Comment Fay Gougakis, a Fall Creek resident, was angry that she had not seen the agenda for the meeting until just before the meeting. She stated that a woman was killed in San Francisco by a vicious dog and that there had been very little time for public comment on the proposed off-leash dog park. She felt that the Committee should wait on the proposal. She also was very upset and outraged that the Committee had tabled the Lockdown Law. She stated that many landlords exploit the community and that there are many drug houses. Bill Seldin, a resident of the Town of Ithaca and co-president of the Board of Directors for the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC), spoke about the evaluation of GIAC facilities. He mentioned that about $40,000 had been allocated years ago to repair the gym floor, but that the money had not been spent. The disrepair of the gym floor has since led to discussions of a full evaluation of GIAC's buildings. In December, Thomas Associates proposed to do the evaluation for $20,000. Mr. Seldin emphasized the point that GIAC has expanded to the point that the facilities are now too small. He said that the evaluation and renovation should not go the way of the gym floor. 4. Committee Response The Mayor stated for clarification and in response to Ms. Gougakis' comments that agendas were available to the public and that they are posted downstairs on the bulletin board. They are also available in the Clerk's Office. Meeting minutes, he said, may not be available in draft form, but once they are approved, they are available to the public. The Mayor also gave an update on GIAC in response to Mr. Seldin's comments. He said there were two issues. First, the gym floor has been waiting for a NYSEG QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\03 14 01.doc Page 2 of 4 analysis for a new Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. He said that the analysis should be done before tearing up the gym floor. Second, he said that the evaluation was part of a larger project that he is already working on it with the Superintendent of Public Works and other department heads. Currently, they are working on developing the scope of services for an evaluation of all City buildings. This scope will be sent out to department heads within three weeks in time for an April 10th department head discussion. When the scope of services is completed it will be put out to bid. The Mayor emphasized that the bidder must be experienced in working on and evaluating public buildings. After hearing that both GIAC and the Fire Department both wanted evaluations of their faciLtie;, he 'Alt that it made sense to include them in a larger study of all City buildings. With a comprehensive understanding of the City's building needs, the City can plan more effectively for the long term through the capital budget. He said that the evaluations themselves should be comprehensive, including assessments of bricks and mortar, HVAC, roof, etc., as well as from a programmatic perspective. Pryor stated in response to Ms. Gougakis' comments that discussion of appropriate uses for the Southwest Natural Area have been going on for snore than a year and that many people have been involved, including the Natural Areas Commission, the Conservation Advisory Council, the Board of Public Works, the Planning Board, the Department of Planning, the Town of Ithaca, and others. She stated that the idea of an off-leash dog park is not a new one and that there has been extensive review. 5. Approval of Past Minutes On Glasstetter's motion and the Mayor's second, minutes from the December 13, 2000 meeting of the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee were approved unanimously. On Spielholz's motion and Glasstetter's second, minutes from the February 14, 2001 meeting of the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee were approved unanimously. 6. Dog Park Proposal - Treman Marina and Southwest Natural Area Presenting the proposal were Heather Hofmeister of the City of Ithaca, John Bernstein of the Town of Ulysses, and Susanne Morgan of the City of Ithaca, all representing the Tompkins County Dog Owners' Group (TCDOG). They presented their proposal for two off-leash dog parks, one in the Southwest Natural Area (SWNA) and one in the Treman Marina. In order to create such dog parks, the City must provide an exemption to a City ordinance that mandates leashes for dogs. They showed a 10 minute video about the Point Isabel Dog Park in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Pryor mentioned that there were maps of the proposed dog parks in the Committee's materials. She also stated that there was an email from the Attorney's Office in regard to City liability in the proposed parks. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\03 14 0Ldoc Page 3 of 4 Spielholz asked why there were limited hours of use during the summer months. Hofmeister replied that they were limited in the summer to accommodate other users and the State Park's mowers. Dogs would still be allowed on-leash. Sams asked how the proposal would prevent dogs from going outside of the area. Pryor responded that it was generally understood that dogs seldom go too far from their owners. Also, there is thick brush along the southern boundary in the SWNA park. Lastly, there is a rule that dogs must stay under voice control at all times. Sams asked about patrol and oversight in the proposed parks. Morgan replied that in the Treman Marina park, TCDOG members will patrol the arca in collaboration with State Parks employees. There will be a siaii-in station with incident report forms available. Hofmeister added that there would peer monitoring as well. Besides peer monitoring, there were no plans for patrols in the SWNA. Pryor added that this park would be similar to other City parks in that it would not be patrolled at all times, but rules of use would still apply. Sams inquired as to if and when the Committee would hear status reports for the dog park. Pryor replied that none where included in the proposal, but could be added. Bernstein added that monthly reviews were scheduled with State Parks officials for the Treman pilot project. Spielholz stated that she felt that the Treman dog park proposal made clear and perfect sense and that she was comfortable with changing the lav for that area. She said she was inclined to change the ordinance for Treman, but to wait on the SWNA because the City had not accepted a proposed zoning change.for the L Southwest and because there were too many uncertainties still remaining. Pryor responded that TCDOG had approached her and that she felt it made sense to do both at one time for efficiency's sake, but that they could certainly be done separately. The Mayor read the proposed ordinance change without the SWNA language and stated that the City Attorney would still need to review the language. He added that the Board of Public Works would be responsible for land regulation, maintenance, permits, etc. On a motion by Glasstetter and a second by Sams, it was unanimously resolved that the codes be changed to allow an off-leash dog park in the Treman marina and the city owned land adjacent to it, with language to be developed or approved by the Attorney's Office. 7. Property Maintenance Update Pryor stated that the Property Maintenance committee had been contacted and that the first meeting of review was being scheduled. 8. New Business - Evaluation of GIAC Facilities Spielholz mentioned that she and Diann Sams were the GIAC liaisons to Common Council and that it had been brought to their attention that the right �-/ communication between the two bodies has not been happening in a timely Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\03_14_01.doc Page 4 of 4 manner. She stated that Thomas Associates is a local group, an asset to be proud of in our community, and that it was appropriate to try to come up with a way to expedite the process of bidding the project to evaluate GIAC's buildings. She said that Thomas Associates is a leading firm in the assessment of institutional buildings and that they had offered a decent range of price. She asked why we do not recognize that GIAC is a different type of building than other City buildings. She said that it should be assessed by a special agency with certain expertise and that it shouldn't be kept under the larger review of all City buildings. Pryor asked about process and said that there were genuine concerns that needed to be addressed. She agreed to have the Committee keep track uL protress in this area and asked about a specific plan or timeline for the nett month. Spielholz offered to form a subcommittee to pursue this issue, one that would include the Superintendent of Public Works, the Mayor, the Director of GIAC, staff from the Engineering Department, herself, and others. She said that there was a window of time within which Thomas Associates could work. Bill Seldin, co-president of the GIAC Board of Directors, stated that time is not on our side. He said that the Mayor is talking about a general contractor arrangement for studying all City buildings and that this would take too long. He said that things have dragged on for more than a year and that $20,000 is not much money. He said that GIAC needs to know that it is valued by the City and he asked that the study of its facilities not be folded into the larger project. Pryor said that a subcommittee would be formed with Spielholz as a chair. The subcommittee will be responsible for investigating the issues involved and should be prepared to report back to the Committee next month with a work plan. The Mayor repeated that this was a priority project and that this subcommittee would be a disincentive in managing City resources. He said that the City needs to be proactive, not reactive, and that he felt the City was being proactive in this instance. Jevon Garrett, co-president of the GIAC Board of Directors, stated that this evaluation is about being proactive and that delay might cost the City if someone gets hurt. He said that there are many needs in the building. Without the work, children and all who use it will feel that the City doesn't care about GIAC. He asked what would happen at and after the April 10th meeting that the Mayor had spoken about. He asked if all action would be delayed until all the buildings were evaluated. He stated that GIAC is an investment for the City in the community. He asked for the Committee's support and that this issue be put on the Committee's agenda for next month. 9. On Glasstetter's motion, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00. QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&community Issues\Minutes\03_14_01.doc Pagel of 4 r NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES April 11, 2001 Present: Alan Cohen, Mayor; Josh Glasstetter, Patricia Pryor, Chair; Joan Spielholz; Jana Taylor Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood Planner 1. Meeting called to order at 7:35 2. Additions/Deletions - Poster Committee 3. Public Comment Doria Higgins, a resident of the Town of Ithaca, spoke in regard to the proposed Cass Park off-leash dog park. She presented a letter from the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council urging a full environmental assessment before approval. Jen Bloom, a resident of the City of Ithaca, spoke about the Common Good Coalition's presentation, which was on the agenda. 4. Committee Response Spielholz and the Mayor responded to Ms. Higgins and her concerns about the dog park. Pryor responded to Ms. Bloom, stating that the Common Good Coalition was on the agenda. S. Approval of Past Minutes On Spielholz's motion and Glasstetter's second, minutes from the March 14, 2001 meeting of the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee were approved with one minor change 3-0-1, with Taylor abstaining. 6. GIAC Sub-committee Report Spielholz reported that the sub-committee was formed and included Audrey Cooper, Jevon Garrett, Marcia Fort, Michael Thomas, and herself. They were scheduled to meet April 12th with Superintendent Bill Gray and Tom West to discuss the scope of services for a Request For Proposals (RFP) to do a full QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community IssuesNinutes\2001\04_1101.doc r Page 2 of 4 Ir assessment of the GIAC facilities. She also mentioned that NYSEG had finished its assessment of the gym floor. The Mayor followed up, stating that the Engineering Department had drawn up bid documents for the gym floor repairs. The documents are currently in the Attorney's Office for review; he expected them to be sent out by the end of the month. Similarly, he reported that the scope of services for a RFP to assess City buildings was being reviewed at a department head meeting. Though they are working to revise the schedule for the study, the Mayor expects the RFP to be sent out by the end of the month. Hopefully, the results from the study should be back in time for projects to be included in the Mayor's FY 2002 budget ?. Review of Salt Policy Rick Ferrel, Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities updated the Committee on the City's Salt Policy and how the streets had been treated this winter with sand, salt, and treated salt. He stated that this winter had been a little out of the ordinary, with 29 snow events and only 3 of them producing over 2 inches of snow. January and February were especially mild, with March producing most of the snow. In warmer temperatures, straight salt activates well and so it was used in such instances. In colder temperatures, DPW used two different products to treat the salt: Ice Ban Magic and a Cargill product called Clear Lane. On two heavy snow days in March, sand was applied to save money because material was being plowed up as fast as it was being applied. Crews seemed to like 11-� both salt treatment products because they cleared the streets with one application. Ferrel only received public comment from one individual and in passing many people had commented to him that the streets looked cleaner. Moreover, spring street cleaning and catch basin cleaning was moving ahead quickly because there is less material left behind in the streets and sewers. Data on purchases was included in the materials handed out to the Committee and Ferrel reviewed purchases and stocked material. He said that in the future he would use mostly straight salt and treated salt for different conditions, with sand being used only rarely. The Mayor mentioned that the Board of Public Works had discussed the same issues earlier that day. They found that the treated salt sticks better to the streets, thus saving material and keeping tree lawns clear. Dust clouds produced by passing traffic were less present this spring because the City had not used sand as much as in the past. BPW also had calculated that in the past the City, in using sand to treat the streets, was in effect dumping 4 1/2 million pounds of sand into the lake because the catch basins were only catching 1 1/2 million of the 6 million pounds of sand we applied to the streets. The Committee asked for another review of the Salt Policy in June of 2002, so as to hear the City's experience after two full years of winter events and catch basin cleaning. QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\04_1 l_Ol.doc s 7 Page 3 of 4 S. Common Good Coalition - Economic Development Principles Pryor began by stating that she expected this to be an informal discussion on the principles for economic development that the Common Good Coalition had presented to Common Council earlier this month and was now presenting to the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee. Representing the Common Good Coalition were Joe McNearny of the Cornell Organization for Labor Action, Jen Bloom of the Mid-State Central Labor Council, John Gillis of the Tompkins- Cortland Counties Trades Council, Daniel Kim of the Living Wage Coalition, and Ed Ritchie, President of the Building Trades Council. The Mayor began by stating that it was not hard to like many of the development principles that the Coalition had presented, but that some of the implications of the principles might raise some questions. He proceeded to talk through the individual proposals. He stated that the first principle (Project Labor Styled Agreements) would impact the private sector more than the public sector because of the public sector's responsibility to pay prevailing wages under Wickes Law. On the second principle of hiring local labor, he asked how one would define local - within the City, county, tri-county area? The third principle of hiring goals for women and people of color he thought made good sense. He had a number of questions about the fourth principle of living wages. For example, if the City adopted a policy of demanding living wages, who would have to pay it - the City, any contractor with the City, any private organization with relations with the City? How would it be adjusted over time, if at all? How would benefits be incorporated into the wage? Who would receive a living wage - union, non-union, part-time seasonal workers? The fifth principle, that development that harms the environment harms the community, he felt was the most subjective. Who would define "harm" and how? Would it include mitigations and changes made under site plan review? The Mayor ended by saying that he was committed to moving forward and looking into each of the principles, though he still had many questions. He suggested that the Coalition also approach other municipalities in Tompkins County. He also stated that the principles don't necessarily have to be explored as a package; they could be broken up into individual items. Pryor asked if the Coalition had connected with local vocational programs, such as BOCES for apprentice programs. Glasstetter asked about the logistics of a project labor agreement and discussion ensued. Bloom stated that a PLA makes sense in complex projects, but not necessarily in small projects. Each PLA is negotiated separately for each project; the main goal is to set wages and benefits packages for each trade for both unionized and non-unionized labor. Bloom mentioned that hiring goals can be included in a PLA and oftentimes a PLA can produce cost savings because projects are organized better and come in sooner. Kim stated that the issue of a living wage must be studied on a countywide basis. He talked about how tax abatements and government subsidies can affect wage scales. There is a lot of information on how to make living wages a policy, starting with Baltimore, which adopted a living wage ordinance seven years ago. Los u Angeles County and Buffalo, NY have also adopted living wage policies. Kim said QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community IssuesWinutes\2001\04_1l_01.doc • Page 4 of 4 i that these places were more complex that Ithaca and Tompkins County. He described a living wage as a bottom floor for the private sector, similar to anti- discrimination legislation, which does not dictate to the private sector whom they must hire, but rather sets a minimum standard for hiring practices. The Mayor asked a few more questions about living wage standards, including how to accommodate different types of households. He agreed that there were precedents for pro-active governmental policy, citing HUD's requirements for use of funds. He emphasized that the City of Ithaca has made strident efforts to shake its anti-business reputation of yesteryear and that the public sector should set an example of good practices and not dictate or impose on the private sector. Spielholz responded that the public sector makes choices and that those choices make statements to society at large. Glasstetter added that the public sector has the opportunity to influence the market and that it must use those opportunities well. Taylor also added that the government has a duty to ensure that the community can make a wage that they can live on and that there is often a fine line between the public and private sectors. She asked about how the City could begin internally. Pryor stated that this discussion needs to be inclusive with the rest of the community and that the business community needs to be a part of the deliberations. Progress on these issues needs to be sensitive to impacts on economic development. She then asked what options were available for next steps. Discussion ensued and the Committee decided to circulate materials to other Council members and continue discussions at the next Committee meeting 9. Poster Committee Spielholz reminded the Committee that a client committee was working on a program for message boards and poles. Kathleen Frankle, an environmental/ landscape planner no longer with the City of Ithaca, circulated a memo in late February. The client committee never received a recommended plan. The issue will be discussed at next months meeting. Glasstetter added that some people find the posters helpful as a means of communication and that not everyone found them to be a nuisance. 10. On Spielholz's motion, the meeting was adjourned at 9:45pm. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\04_1101.doc Page 1 of 6 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES May 9, 2001 Present: Susan Blumenthal; Josh Glasstetter; Patricia Pryor, Chair; Diann Sams; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood Planner; Khandikile Sokoni, Associate Attorney 1. Meeting called to order at 7:40 2. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Glasstetter and a second by Spielholz, the April 11, 2001 Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee minutes were approved unanimously, with the revision that the last sentence of the first paragraph of the GIAC sub-committee report be changed to read that NYSEG had finished its assessment of the electrical needs of the building, not of the gyro floor. `-/ 3. Review of Agenda - No additions or deletions 4. Public Comment Jevon Garrett, co-president of the GIAC Board of Directors asked the Committee to have an in depth discussion about the GIAC building assessment. He said he was afraid that the assessment would be lumped in with the larger project to assess other City buildings. He felt that GIAC was spinning their wheels and getting the run around, perhaps in part because GIAC serves the greater Ithaca area and not just City residents. He hoped that the $20,000 for the specific assessment of the GIAC facilities could come out of the larger project. He stated that the GIAC Board was able and willing to raise the necessary funds for future improvements. Fay Gougakis, a resident of the Fifth Ward, stated that she was at the Ithaca Downtown Partnership's meeting the night before and heard that Common Council had approved the IDP's Ten Year Plan for downtown. She was disappointed that there was not a public hearing. She said that the Mayor had scheduled one, but that it was canceled. She stated that the public has a right to comment on it. Second, she mentioned that she had made comments to the Board of Public Works earlier that day about how petrified she was to be a biker in this town. She said that most people were rude to bicyclists and that someone was going to get seriously hurt. In her mind, it was not just about bike lanes, but also about a holistic consciousness to slow down traffic and respect bikers. She begged the QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community 1ssues\Minutes\2001\05_9_01.doc • Page 2 of 6 Committee to look at this issue and stated that she wants a Council member to ride with her one day. Barton Smith, a resident of West Hill, spoke about lead poisoning among children. He acknowledged that it is a national issue, but wondered what we can do here at the local level. He asked about further prevention measures for the City of Ithaca, with its many rentals, low-income residents, and older homes. He asked about a city-wide and affordable blood test sponsored by Kiwanis, and said that such tests should be made available, if possible. 5. Committee Response Sams stated that Kiwanis already has a lead testing program, but that she would talk with Mr. Smith after the meeting. Spielholz responded to Mr. Garrett, saying that the GIAC update was later on the agenda. 6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council - Report David Henderson of East Spencer Street and Steve Kellerman of Center Street reported to the Committee on the status of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC). Henderson read BPAC's charge from the City Code book and urged the Committee to help BPAC be a more active and functioning group. He emphasized that he did not want to dwell in BPAC's past problems, but rather would like to be forward thinking and constructive. He presented a hand out listing seven steps to that end: 1) Pound on desks - insist on BPAC involvement and review; 2) Develop efficient procedures; 3) Develop channels for BPAC-initiated reports; 4) Do not duplicate BPAC efforts; 5) Find the original or copy of the BPAC sidewalk and crosswalk map; 6) Activate the currently dormant sidewalk review; and 7) Fully appoint the BPAC. Kellerman concurred with Henderson's comments, noting a feeling of paralysis among BPAC members. He read from a statement, stressing the importance of BPAC, especially with many redevelopment projects on the City's horizon. He said that he has been talking with possible candidates for the BPAC and has a list of potential recruits. He said that it was his intent and sincere desire to make the group work. Spielholz thanked them for bringing this item back to Council's attention and stated that the list of names would be especially helpful in fully appointing the current vacancies on the BPAC. She added that Cornell University and Ithaca College students might also be interested in serving on the BPAC and that it would make sense to reach out to them. Glasstetter mentioned that he was the Council liaison to the BPAC and that he was attending meetings at first, but after a while it was clear that the group could not get a quorum together. He stressed the importance of making sure that BPAC's actions and resolutions get communicated to the appropriate bodies and that they are incorporated into the decision making process in a timely fashion. It took a Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\05_9_O1.doc • Page 3 of 6 long time, he noted, to get changes made to the 407 College Avenue construction project after the BPAC had made recommendations. Glasstetter agreed to follow up on the sidewalk project, consultant's report, and lost maps. Pryor stated that BPAC could report to the Committee at anytime and it can submit reports to Common Council, which regularly receives reports and recommendations from other committees, boards, and councils along with agenda items for Council meetings. Blumenthal discussed the importance of linking pedestrian considerations to construction projects through the building permit and site plan review processes. She recommended that the BPAC work with the Attorney's Office to work these types of concerns into the City Code. If it is already in the Code, she stated, it then becomes an enforcement issue. Sams asked about the sidewalk survey that the Disability Advisory Council did and its whereabouts. Henderson asked the Committee to circulate the BPAC's charge, as written in the Code, to other City boards, councils, committees, etc. 7. Southside Neighborhood Preservation Update John Simon and Lynne Jackier, Cleveland Avenue residents, came before the Committee to speak about neighborhood preservation in the Southside. Simon reported on a recent meeting at the Southside Community Center that focused on the history of the neighborhood and different proposals for neighborhood conservation. Simon believed there was a strong consensus at that meeting to preserve and protect this fragile part of the City. One of the outcomes of the meeting, he said, was that a group of neighbors will be getting together to form a neighborhood association in the near future. He presented pictures of the neighborhood showing before and after views from 220 Cleveland Ave., looking southward toward the properties owned by Bill Lower, where houses have been demolished. He said that Council had left off by voting to create a park on those properties. Jackier expressed her excitement for the park idea, stating that could be a gateway to the neighborhood and could-highlight the neighborhood's history with markers, for example. She said that there was currently a little glitch in the park plan, namely, that there was a road developing through the cleared lots. She handed out pictures of the cleared lots behind Sonja Hicks' house and Bill Lower's commercial property, stating that people have been driving through this land to access Cleveland Avenue and that the lots had been cleared of snow this winter. She also noted that the fence separating the commercial property and the residential neighborhood was misplaced by 17 feet and was in disrepair. In response to the pictures, Spielholz said that the area looked more and more like possible City land, as it was already developing into a throughway. She reaffirmed her commitment to making this area into a neighborhood park. QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\059 01.doc Page 4 of 6 Sams said that she had met with Alderwoman Farrell and the City Attorney about the park proposal. She added that she would call the City Attorney about the "new road" and the fence. Gossa Tsegaye, a resident of the City of Ithaca, came forward and voiced his interest in purchasing the house at 219 Cleveland Avenue. He said that conversations with Bill Lower continue, though nothing has been signed yet. He cautioned about the cost, in terms of money and time, of litigation and asked the Committee to consider what kind of legacy this would leave in this historic neighborhood. Simon mentioned that 219 Cleveland had been reconnected to water and sewer services and that there was a new tenant in the blue house behind 219 Cleveland who might be interested in talking with Mr. Lower about purchasing the property. S. Unsafe Building Provisions Sokoni presented some proposed amendments to the Unsafe Building Code [Sections 146-8 and 146-52 of the City Code] that are meant to clarify and update the code. She also circulated a memorandum clarifying some of the language that was to be deleted as part of the amendments. Sams inquired as to whether penalties accrued daily as separate offences. She was answered affirmatively. She also asked whether a building can be boarded up for a long time and what recourse the City might have in such a situation. Sokoni responded saying that as long as the property owner keeps the building from �-/ becoming unsafe, the City has little remedy. - Blumenthal asked for some clarification of paragraph C (2) of Section 146-8, in regard to why a Building Commissioner might order structures adjacent to unsafe buildings be vacated. On a motion by Sams, seconded by Glasstetter, it was unanimously approved to send the amendments on to Common Council for approval. 9. Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund Application On a motion by Sams, seconded by Glasstetter, the Washington Park Neighborhood Association application for funding for an Association newsletter was unanimously approved. Glasstetter asked about the possibility of creating space on the City's webpage for neighborhood information, meeting dates, and newsletters. 10. Neighborhood Planning Initiative Update Logue update the Committee on the status of the upcoming Neighborhood-based Planning Initiative. He said that Leslie Chatterton and he would be presenting the initiative to the Planning Committee at their May meeting, the following week. The Planning Committee will be presented a resolution of support for the process, Q:\PLANNWG\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issueswinutes\2001\059 01.doc Page 5 of 6 which would set policy for the City and direct the Department of Planning and Development to follow through on facilitating a process to get neighborhood residents involved in writing a neighborhood plan. The first neighborhood planning process will be in the Northside neighborhood and some work has already begun in identifying candidates for a resident Steering Committee that will help direct the process. That group will be responsible for determining the boundaries of the neighborhood, aiding in the development of the planning process, and in reaching out to other neighbors to get them involved. A participatory planning process will follow, bringing out a diverse group of people to create and prioritize an action plan for improving the quality of life in the neighborhood. One of the objectives of the planning process is to empower residents to take ownership and commit to implementing the plan. 11. GIAC Renovations Update Spielholz reported that an assessment proposal for GIAC facilities was brought to the Budget & Administration Committee last year, with a price tag of$20,000 from Thomas Associates. It was acknowledged at that time that many other City buildings needed an assessment, but that an assessment of GIAC, being a school building and institution, would have different objectives than the assessment of other City buildings. It was also understood that the proposal from Thomas Associates included a good deal of pro Bono work and that they were trying to do a service to the community. Spielholz said there was currently $150,000 in the budget for the City building assessment and that a Request for Proposal committee had assembled in the Engineering Department to determine a scope of services that would include GIAC in the larger project of assessing City buildings. She felt that including GIAC in the larger project would break promises made to GIAC staff. Since the RFP was not out yet (and responses might not be back to the City until late in the summer) and because Thomas Associates as been ready since January, she felt that that GIAC should be released from the larger project and be allowed to proceed with a separate assessment. She stated that funds were available in a restricted contingency and that the process would probably entail creating a separate capital project and transferring the $20,000 to the new project. When Blumenthal asked of the purpose of the building assessment, others responded that it was for both safety and programmatic review - to assess how the facility's space serves its activities. She mentioned that she thought that the Youth Bureau and GIAC serve the public in different ways than other City buildings and that it made sense to separate GIAC from the larger assessment. She worried, however, that moving forward on the GIAC project before the other City buildings might raise expectations that GIAC would then be first in line for repairs, improvements, or whatever might result from the assessment. Spielholz responded that GIAC understood this and that they were prepared to raise funds as necessary for improvements. Pryor agreed that it made sense to plan for City building improvements holistically and not to pit department against department. On a motion by Blumenthal, seconded by Glasstetter, it was unanimously approved to direct Spielholz to develop a resolution to bring to Common Council to QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\059 Ol.doc • Page 6 of 6 separate the GIAC assessment from the larger project of assessing other City buildings, to proceed with the assessment proposal of Thomas Associates, but to caution that this does not necessarily commit public funding to GIAC improvements in advance of other City building assessments and City building improvement projects. 12. On Glasstetter's motion, the meeting was adjourned at 9:50pm. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\059 0I.doc Page 1 of 6 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES - UNAPPROVED July 11, 2001 Present: Alan Cohen, Mayor; Josh Glasstetter; Patricia Pryor, Chair; Diann Sams; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood and Economic Development Planner Other staff in attendance: William Gray, Superintendent of Public Works; Norma Schwab, City Attorney 1. Meeting called to order at 7:36 2. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Glasstetter, seconded by Sams, the May 9, 2001 Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee minutes were approved unanimously. Nl.-/ 3. Review of Agenda - No additions or deletions 4. Public Comment Fay Gougakis, a resident of the Fifth Ward, spoke about what she felt was a lack of safety in the City for bicyclists. She stated that the new CVS on Clinton Street did not have bike racks. She stated that the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council was not a bicycle committee because it also had to deal with pedestrian issues. She said that the $80,000 could be used for signage or public service announcements. Lastly, she stated that she would like a forum for bicyclists concerns and that she felt that there was no commitment from Common Council on these issues. Kathy Young-McGriff, a resident of the Second Ward, stated that in regard to the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council, she has heard people in the Second Ward speaking for bike lanes and that people want to be included in those discussions. She also spoke about the Common Good Coalition, stating that she has support for them. She recommended that Common Council adopt the coalition's statement of development principles. David Henderson, of East Spencer Street and a member of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council, stated that he thought it made sense for the BPAC to take responsibility for the Bike Plan implementation, but that current members of the Steering Committee should be encouraged to join BPAC for continuity and experience. He stated that BPAC should be fully constituted and communications QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\07_1101.doc Page 2 of 6 improved, which, he mentioned, is happening and is on the road to getting resolved. Carl Feuer, 310 First Street and a member of the labor coalition, urged the adoption of the development principles on moral and economic grounds. He contrasted a high road to development to a low road to development. The former, he said, looks not only at the quantity of jobs provided, but also the quality of jobs and the impact on the quality of life in the community reflected in those jobs. He stated that the principles promote inclusiveness, emphasizing the importance of including women and persons of color in development projects. Similarly, they include people living in the city in those projects. He called for partnerships with unions in local construction projects and for living wages in publicly subsidized projects for construction workers and for those who would work in the new building once it was built. He asked for accountability in these projects and questioned the record of development companies on environmental and labor standards. Tom Ceiling (sp?), of Newfield, echoed Mr. Feuer's statements, noting that there are plenty of people living in trailer parks in Newfield, working for seven or eight dollar an hour jobs along Route 13. Pete Meyers, 104 Utica Street, stated his support for the development principles. He is on the steering committee for the Living Wage campaign and is a social worker with Catholic Charities, working with people transitioning from welfare to work. He expressed his sadness that there are so many people making five or six dollars an hour. Ed Ritchie, president of the local Building Trades Council, but not a resident of the City, stated his support for the Common Good Coalition's development principles. He spoke about the Council's efforts to actively recruit women and persons of color in the trades and about his interests in supporting local workers at living wages. He said that he wants career jobs for people. 5. Response to Public by Committee members The Mayor stated that there were some very interesting comments made by the public and that he wanted to acknowledge them, but that he would save his comments for discussions later on the agenda. 6. Bike Plan Steering Committee Pryor gave a short history of the Bike Plan Implementation Steering Committee (BPISC) and the Bike Plan. She mentioned the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council's (BPAC) recent request to rejuvenate the group to be an active citizen advisory group within the City. David Kay, Robin Korherr, and David Nutter came before the Committee as members of the BPISC to give a status report. Kay stated that he had some written materials that he had not circulated before. He said that he was a little anxious about moving BPISC's work to the BPAC QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\07 11 01.doc Page 3 of 6 because of the latter group's history. He said that the BPISC's work should not be lost. He emphasized that the BPISC has covered a lot of ground and there has been some consensus within the group on some issues. He said that he would like some time to summarize what they have agreed on and what they have not, stressing that some people on the steering committee seem interested in writing up a final report. Korherr said that when John Beach resigned as chair of the BPISC, she became the default coordinator. Recently, she too has submitted her resignation from the group. She said that without a chair it was difficult to organize the group and that there has been a lack of consensus within the group, sometimes even after a meeting when things seem to have been agreed upon. She said that she liked Kay's idea of a final summary and stated that Pryor and Logue have been very helpful. She spoke a bit about the two routes that the group has been working on, noting that the low-volume route was not described well in the Committee's materials and that the high-volume route should be about ready to be sent to NYSDoT for review, as the low-volume route was recently. Nutter stated his appreciation for the opportunity to speak before the Committee without a three minute limit, with room for a back and forth discussion. He said that he doesn't understand the reasons for the proposal to move BPISC's work to BPAC and that it doesn't take into account the history of the two groups. He said that he understands Korherr's desire to leave the group, that it is frustrating to see the lack of progress, but that there are still four members of the group, which constitutes a quorum. He stated that the BPISC has detailed route options that need to be reviewed by engineers at NYSDoT. He stated that an addendum to the Bike Plan needs to be passed by Common Council and that it has been a major stumbling point. He said that he has heard that some Council members think the Bike Plan is unfeasible and that some people think the BPISC has not met regularly, which, he said, is not true though at times it has been difficult to meet. He said that some might perceive the City as not wanting to implement the Bike Plan. Nutter stated that Ron Chapman is listed as the current chair of the BPAC and characterized him as a dissident who has worked against the Bike Plan in years past. Nutter said that he should have a voice, but perhaps should not have power over the process. Common Council should pass the addendum, he said, and should ask engineers at the City and NYSDoT for help. He suggested that City staff should take minutes and call meetings for the BPISC and that there should be written regulations, approval of minutes, votes, and overall better structure. Pryor thanked members of the BPISC, those present and those not present, for their work with the group, noting that there has been a good deal done. She agreed that a written summary of the group's work would be beneficial. She stated that the remaining members of the BPISC are David Kay, David Nutter, Delores Chorba, and Phil Koons, mentioning that neither Chorba nor Koons have been able to make many meetings over the months. Sams noted that many other things are moving forward in the City and that the Bike Plan should, too. She agreed that a summary of the group's work was needed and emphasized the importance of getting people together on consensus issues, to make progress for the best product. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\07_1 l_Ol.doc Page 4 of 6 To Glasstetter's question of what the plan was if everything went well, Kay responded that the group was working on two routes for two different kinds of riders to connect Cass Park with the Commons. He stated that NYSDoT won't release money for implementation until the addendum is passed by Council. He also stated that the lack of definition of the BPISC's responsibilities and expected schedules made it a difficult group to work in. He said that if BPAC is to take over the work, they might have to form a sub-committee within their group because there are so many details to deal with and because they would still have other issues to work on besides the Bike Plan. Kay also emphasized the importance of having the BPAC "plugged in" to the City, so that they know what is going on and that lines of communication are open and effective. He noted that there would probably be some delay in getting the group up to speed as they get to know each other and get to know the Bike Plan. When the question arose, the Mayor clarified that in general the BPAC reports to Common Council and acts as an advisory board to the Board of Public Works and to the Planning and Development Board. He said, for example, that the BPAC could work on the plan, reporting to Council and allowing the BPW an opportunity to comment. Spielholz suggested that the BPISC have until September to put together a final report, which it would bring back to the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee and which it would deliver to the BPAC. In that time, she suggested, the BPAC could be fully constituted and get back up on its legs. With Glasstetter opposing, it was approved 4-1 to recommend to Common Council that work on the implementation of the Bike Plan be moved to the BPAC from the BPISC, that the BPISC should report to the Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee at the regularly scheduled meeting in September, and that Council should make efforts to fully appoint the BPAC by that same time. 7. Common Good Coalition's Development Principles Pryor recounted that the Common Good Coalition (CGC) had presented to the Committee at its April meeting and at that point there had been no interest from Committee members to form a sub-committee to discuss the CGC's development principles. In the interim, she has conducted some research and written a memo outlining some of her findings on how the City has aimed to be a good employer and what limits the City faces in its opportunities to force its contractors into certain behaviors. Spielholz stated her appreciation for the letter and she read the third paragraph about how the City is working to become a better employer. She also praised the relatively new Human Resources Department for their work. She then asked the City Attorney about what the City can do to force developers to do things like pay living wages or only hire union labor. QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community IssuesWinutes\2001\07 11 OLdoc Page 5 of 6 Schwab stated that the City must comply with State law on competitive bidding procedures for public works projects and similar contractual procedures. She said that Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) have been reviewed by the courts on a case- by-case basis and have only been upheld where there has been a clear demonstration of cost savings and project uniqueness or complexity. She stated that she felt that if the City couldn't do something in public works projects, then we shouldn't be forcing private developers in to similar actions. The Mayor reiterated his statement from the last meeting that the CGC's principles are important, but that they should be looked at individually. He said that he has and will continue to encourage the developer of the downtown office building to look into a PLA for the project. He said further research on apprenticeship programs with trader unions, living wage ordinances in other New York cities, and what steps the City can take internally would all be interesting and helpful. He said that City wage studies in the past have only looked at hiring wages and have not investigated long term service; there should be recognition for long term employees and this point should be integrated into future studies. Lastly, he said that the City may not be able to increase the hiring of underrepresented people in the bidding process, but that internally, the City is using City lists more and more in its hiring. Glasstetter asked about the ways tax breaks can be used to motivate developer behavior and Schwab suggested talking with TCAD or the IDA. He also asked about the definition of responsible bidders and Schwab responded that it is a relatively undefined term, usually based on moral character, criminal records, and past records with projects. Sams asked the Attorney if the courts had tested a denial of a bid on the grounds of moral character based on an argument that the contractor did not have a diverse enough workforce. She reminded the Committee of the City's commitment to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. She talked about possibly using a point system to rank proposals in this way. Schwab responded that the courts have not tested this to her knowledge, and stated that bids must go to the lowest responsible bidder by law and that the courts might not make this same interpretation of"responsible." If the bids come in "on level," however, she said, that would allow the City to pick the consultant according to the City's principles. Sams recommended that a sub-committee be formed to further discuss the development principles. Spielholz said that she was willing to work on the sub- committee and that she felt that the group could work to pass the principles on to the full Council to be adopted as principles, as a moral statement. Glasstetter said that he too was willing to work on the sub-committee, but that he felt that the discussion had devolved to "feel good" principles, without the means of actually enforcing them. He said he would not be in favor of passing something without more substance. 8. Clarification of Solid Waste Handling Superintendent Gray presented materials in regard to the policy for handling solid waste and recycling violations and asked the Committee if they were interested in QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community IssuesWinutes\2001\07 1 101.doc Page 6 of 6 reviewing the policy in light of numerous complaints that he has received over the years. He said that in the last few years most of the complaints have been about recycling, where people have put their bins out on the wrong week and have left them out for more than the allowed 24 hours. The fine is $20. He said that he usually declines requests for fine relief. Pryor stated that she hasn't heard complaints about people getting tickets for recycling, but that she has heard many complaints about exterior property maintenance issues, as a major quality of life issue. Recently, the City has moved to revise the Exterior Property Maintenance section of the Code and that she was not in favor of then stepping back and excusing violations of this part of the Code. The Committee voted unanimously to keep the policy as it currently stands. 9. On Spielholz's motion, the meeting was adjourned at 10:35pm. QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\07 I 1 01.doc 1 Page 1 of 2 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES - UNAPPROVED September 12, 2001 Present: Susan Blumenthal; Patricia Pryor, Chair; Diann Sams; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood and Economic Development Planner 1. Meeting called to order at 7:09pm Pryor introduced Committee members. She took a minute and extended her sincere and heartfelt sympathies to all those who lost in the previous days events in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. She asked for a moment of silence in remembrance. 2. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Sams, seconded by Blumenthal, the July 11, 2001 Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee minutes were approved unanimously. 3. Public Comment - There was no public comment. 4. Review of Agenda - The Bicycle Implementation Steering Committee Report was moved to after Agent Authorization. 5. Response to Public by Committee members With no public comment, there was no response from Committee members. 6. Tow Truck Hearings Khandikile Sokoni, Associate City Attorney, presented the Attorney's Office's suggested modifications to the City Code in regard to hearings and investigations of towing tickets. She explained a change in the memo where the Attorney's Office pulled out the part that would diminish the powers of Council, which would need a referendum. As the Code currently stands, a citizen can request an investigation and/or a hearing if he or she is dissatisfied with the circumstances under which the vehicle was ordered towed by the Superintendent of Public Works or the Ithaca Police Department. The problem is that investigations are being done by the City Clerk and, if a hearing is requested, it too is being done by the City Clerk. Though the Clerk has been doing an admirable job, a problem could arise if the matter went to court. So, the Attorney's Office has suggested dropping the hearing altogether. Also, the Attorney's Office has suggested that requests for investigations QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\09_12_Ol.doc .r1V Page 2 of 2 have to be made within 15 days of being towed (currently, there is no time limitation) and that the investigator have 15 days to complete the investigation (currently, only 5 days are allowed). Sams asked for a clarification of the terms review and investigation. She also asked for a clarification of the process for investigations (a checklist of actions, consistent guidelines, or standard procedures). Pryor suggested that language be added under § 317-8(c) about how a request for an investigation is made. On a motion by Blumenthal, and a second by Spielholz, the Committee voted unanimously to move this Code revision to Common Council, including the recommendations made by Sams and Pryor. 7. Agent Authorizations Sokoni presented a memo and draft Agent Authorization Ordinance for inclusion in the City's Housing Code. Similar to the Exterior Property Maintenance Ordinance amendments recently made by Council, this ordinance would require "absentee landlords" to designate a local agent for the purposes of carrying out the responsibilities outlined in the law, as well as for purposes of accepting service of process on behalf of the landlord. If a landlord does not reside in Tompkins County or a contiguous county, the landlord would be required to designate a local agent who lived or maintained a business in Tompkins County. Under § 210-81, compliance with this section would be a pre-condition of obtaining a Certificate of Compliance. Spielholz asked whether "maintain a business" was strong enough and whether it should be changed to read "maintain a principle place of business." Blumenthal suggested that Sokoni speak with Susan Brock, who worked on the amendments to the Exterior Property Maintenance Ordinance, about changes in the language. Sokoni agreed. On Blumenthal's motion, and Sams' second, the Committee voted unanimously to move the matter on to Common Council. 8. Bicycle Implementation Steering Committee Report Nobody from the Bicycle Implementation Steering Committee was present, so the matter was tabled until next month's meeting. Some discussion ensued on the Addendum to the Bicycle Plan, though it too was tabled. Blumenthal was concerned about bike routes against the flow of traffic on one way streets and asked where those routes were. She asked about the possibility of addressing those routes in different manners, potentially by allowing bicyclists to ride on sidewalks in certain areas. Logue agreed to provide maps of the two routes that the Steering Committee has worked on, to include a map of the Bike Plan's routes in next month's packet, and to talk with the Director of Planning and Development about contra-flow bike routes. 9. On a motion by Sams, the meeting was adjourned at 8:01 pm. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\09 12 Ol.doc Page 1 of 4 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE MINUTES - UNAPPROVED October 10, 2001 Present: Susan Blumenthal; Alan J. Cohen, Mayor; Patricia Pryor, Chair; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood and Economic Development Planner 1. Meeting called to order at 7:36 pm 2. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Spielholz, seconded by Cohen, the September 12, 2001 Neighborhood and Community Issues Committee minutes were approved unanimously. 3. Review Agenda A Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund application from the South Hill Civic Association was added between Committee Response and the Bike Plan. 4. Public Comment Barton Smith, a resident of West Hill and a new member of the City's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC), shared his vision of improving bike trails in the City. He mentioned that there were a lot of exciting things happening for recreational ridership: the Waterfront Trail, the Black Diamond Trail, and the Bicycle Plan. He talked about the importance of improving safety for bicyclists in the City and stated that he felt that bike lanes were a good way to do this. He said that the City spends $5,000,000 per year on streets and that even if a small part of this went for bicycle signage, paint, and safety education, it would improve safety for many riders, especially students and riders in the flats. Jennifer Dotson, a South of the Creek resident and BPAC member, stated that she is looking forward to the report from the Bicycle Plan Implementation Steering Committee and hopes that those who have been active get involved with BPAC, especially in an official capacity, and especially David Nutter because of his experience. Steve Kellerman of Center Street, also a BPAC member, encouraged the continued support from the N&CI Committee for implementation of the Bike Plan. He stated that he felt the plan was instrumental, would have a high impact, and would better our community for the long term. He told about a long bike ride he took across the country and how he was encouraged by what other places are doing, especially QAPLANNWG\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community IssuesNinutes\2001\10 10 01.doc Page 2 of 4 i Minneapolis. He said he didn't want to be confrontational or accusatory, but car IN../ drivers don't always think about the bicyclists' perspective. David Whitmore of Lake Avenue spoke of his walking and talking with residents of the Second Ward neighborhoods and about traffic plans. He said he was excited about alternative modes of transportation and was interested in seeing these types of connections made to the Southwest Area development. He said that the Bike Plan should be an important piece of the Six Point Plan. S. Response to Public by Committee members Cohen said that he would save his response for a back and forth discussion during the Bicycle.Plan item. 6. Neighborhood Improvement Incentive Fund The South Hill Civic Association applied for $300 to pay the South Hill Church of the Nazarene for meeting space for the period August 2001 through July 2002. Logue mentioned that he had included an email from the Attorney's Office stating that there should be no problem with using the City grant money to rent meeting space at a church. He also said that the SHCA meets monthly to work on issues affecting the neighborhood and that Planning Department staff fully support and recommend approval of the application. The application was approved unanimously. 7. Bike Plan David Nutter of the Bicycle Plan Implementation Steering Committee (BPISC), and Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC) members Steve Kellerman, Barton Smith, and Jennifer Dotson joined the Committee for discussion of this item. David Kay of both groups joined the conversation late. Pryor stated that there were two pieces to this agenda item. One was a report from the Bicycle Plan Implementation Steering Committee. The other was an action item: an addendum to the Bicycle Plan as required by the New York State Department of Transportation for the release of state funds. Nutter gave some background to the addendum and work on the first phase of the Bike Plan implementation, stating that the group has tried to work with engineers and has tried to provide multiple options for some segments to provide flexibility. Blumenthal asked about the east/west route, pointing to the first full paragraph on page two of the report, and noted that there may be some concerns about parking impacts on Route 366. Also, she asked about how the retiming of lights in the West End would work. Nutter responded that there are metal detecting sensors in the West End, added as part of the Route 96 project. These sensors are not functioning reliably to detect bicyclists, except on Park Road, where the sensors where adjusted. Other sensors need to be adjusted to be more sensitive. NYSDoT engineers can do this work by Q:\PLANNWG\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\10 10 Ol.doc Page 3 of 4 stenciling the trigger points and then adjusting the sensors. Kellerman added that some of the pedestrian buttons might not be functioning properly. Blumenthal recommended bringing these concerns to the Board of Public Works. Smith spoke about the proposed bike plans, stating that he felt they made important connections to Cass Park, the Commons, and the West End. He said he would like to see bike planning be a priority of a staff person in the Planning Department. He stated that if 1% of the streets budget for the City were redirected to bicycle concerns, that would yield $50,000. He said that everyone should feel comfortable cycling in the City, including children and mothers with children. Pryor stated that Nutter had done a very good job, especially keeping track of the many details. She also acknowledged the efforts of the other members on the committee, especially David Kay and Robin Korherr. Pryor pointed to the second to last paragraph on page two of the Bike Plan Implementation Steering Committee memo and read it out loud. She then conveyed some comments from Robin Korherr, who had a different perception about how things had happened in a meeting with Lou Ferrone of NYSDoT and in regard to the issue of whether bike lanes should be put on the left or right side of Green and Seneca Streets. She felt that Nutter had refused to cooperate and include options in the proposal and so she had worked on the alternative herself. Nutter responded that there was no quorum at that meeting and that at a later meeting with a quorum the committee decided against the left side bike lanes, based on the opinions of national experts and the grounds of safety. Spielholz said that in passing on this work from the Steering Committee to BPAC, she hoped that this debate and the reasons behind the disagreement were recognized. She was glad to hear the other points and was aware of the difficulties of putting together a plan. She thought that it was good for BPAC to hear, but that the Committee did not need to dwell on it. Smith said that it would be helpful for BPAC to have a better working relationship with the Department of Public Works and the Traffic Engineer. Better contact and involvement would lead to better collaboration. Pryor said that staff time was a question that often came up with the BPISC. She said that professionals were involved and consulted earlier in the process, but that their input was sometimes disregarded when it was not popular. She emphasized that there needs to be collaboration on both sides, professional and volunteer, and that input from both should be respected. Spielholz asked if the Traffic Engineer would be involved with BPAC and the Mayor said that he is a member of BPAC according to the City Code. The Mayor asked about the addendum and the intent of the committee for its use. He asked about the addendum's point on contraflow bike lanes (against the flow of vehicular traffic). Pryor stated that NYSDoT would not agree with that point. Nutter stated that it could be dropped from the plan with no loss or that the lanes could be painted with a double yellow line, thus creating a two way street - one way for vehicular traffic and one lane for bicycles. Pryor said the addendum should be changed to QAPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\10 10 Ol.doc Page 4 of 4 remove the contraflow paragraph and that new language should be added stating U that the City will not create bike lanes against the flow of traffic. She added that point number three in the addendum was unclear, asking if it was about putting bike lanes where DoT didn't want them or is it about notifying drivers on narrow streets about the possible presence of bicyclists. She asked that the addendum be sent back to the Planning Department to review and revise. Smith then spoke about bike safety education, stating that school districts in New York are required to dedicate time for bicycle education. He said that the Ithaca Police Department is doing bicycle rodeos at schools. He would like to see more collaboration with Cornell University, Ithaca College, GIAC, RIBS, and IPD so that the City can take on more education. Nutter added that Sandy Wold, a former BPAC chairperson, had put together an excellent proposal for bike safety education. Blumenthal asked how the County would fit in to something like this and asked if, perhaps, they should even take the lead on such a project. 8. On a motion by Spielholz, the meeting was adjourned at 8:59 pm. Q:\PLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\10 10 0i.doc Page 1 of 2 NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY ISSUES COMMITTEE u MINUTES - UNAPPROVED December 12, 2001 Present: Susan Blumenthal; Alan J. Cohen, Mayor; Patricia Pryor, Chair; Diann Sams; Joan Spielholz Staff: Tim Logue, Neighborhood and Economic Development Planner 1. Meeting called to order at 7:15 pm 2. Approval of Minutes Pryor explained that since the October minutes were not included in this month's mailing, they would be held off until January. There are no minutes from November because the meeting was cancelled. 3. Review Agenda There were no additions or deletions. 4. Public Comment Fay Gougakis, a resident of the City of Ithaca, announced viewing times for the previous evening's Planning and Development Board meeting, which will be shown on Channel 78: Sunday, December 16th at 4:30pm; Monday, December 17th at 7pm; and Tuesday, December 18th at Spm. The tape runs 2 hours and 4 minutes. She also spoke about bicycle issues, stating that Tioga and Cayuga Streets were like raceways. She felt this was a generic community concern, a quality of life issue, that she hasn't heard the City yet address. David Nutter, 243 Cliff Street, stated that he was a member of the former Bicycle Plan Implementation Steering Committee. A year and a half ago an issue came up when Lou Ferrone, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for NYSDoT's Region 3, came down to Ithaca. Nutter said that Ferrone had said that the state would not release grant monies until the City had officially incorporated DoT's comments on the plan and the City's responses into the Bike Plan itself. Nutter stated that he was happy that this addendum was going forward, but that he was not happy that it took so long. He also was not happy about one point in the addendum, which stated that the City would not create bike lanes against the flow of traffic. He understood that the City wants to work with DoT, but he felt that contraflow lanes were a legitimate tool and that the City should not cut itself off from possible options. L WPLANNING\GROUPS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\12 12 01.doc f Page 2 of 2 5. Response to Public by Committee members Blumenthal said she would discuss the bike issues during the next item. 6. Bike Plan Addendum Pryor noted that two points had changed since the Committee last saw this addendum. Though NYSDoT's comment on point number three was unclear, the City's response had been clarified to reflect the City's interest in addressing safety issues throughout the implementation of the Bike Plan. Spielholz stated that this was a good response and that implementation will have to deal with different treatments on a street by street basis. Pryor stated that the fourth point had also been changed to deal with the issue of bike lanes against the flow of traffic. Blumenthal made a motion to add "on streets designated in the bike plan" to the end of the last sentence in that paragraph. Sams.seconded the motion for discussion. Blumenthal stated that her intent was to talk specifically about the bike plan and the streets that had been designated for bike lanes against the flow of traffic, and not to limit the City's options in other situations. The amendment carried unanimously. Spielholz then moved that the addendum, as amended, be forwarded to Common Council and recommended for approval and inclusion in the Bicycle Plan. Blumenthal seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Blumenthal then asked about environmental review of this addendum and Logue said that he would look into it before the next Council meeting. 7. On a motion by Spielholz, the meeting was adjourned at 8:59 pm. Q:\PLANNING\GROWS\Neighborhood&Community Issues\Minutes\2001\12 12 Ol.doc