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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1968-06-19 PLANNING BOARD PROCEEDINGS City of Ithaca oz, Oma( Regular Meeting June 19, 1968 PRESENT: Vice Chairman Reps, Mrs. Margaret Hamilton, Mrs. Anne Jones, Messrs. Korf, Parkes and Putney. ALSO: Planning Director Kasprzak, Asst. Planner Francese, Jr. Planner Meigs, City Engineer Schlieder, J. Dougherty, G. Esolen, WHCU representative Stewart, WTKO representative Casbolt and two representatives from the League of Women Voters. ABSENT: Chairman Schmidt PUBLIC HEARING.- public EARING:public hearing was held regarding Cliff Park Subdivision, owned by Messrs. Gallagher, Agard, Agard and Dougherty, located in the West Hill area between Warren and Taylor Places. Planning Director Kasprzak read a letter from the owners of the subdivision in which they requested final approval from the Planning Board in- volving 21 lots on 10.6 acres of land. Necessary documents were submitted. Vice Chairman Reps asked for comments in favor of or opposition to the proposed develop- ment. There being no persons to be heard, the public hearing was closed. MEETING was called to order at 7:40 p.m. MINUTES of the last regular meeting, on April 17, 1968, were approved as published. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: Gary Esolen, on behalf of a group of citizens; presented a petition in support of good public housing which the group plan to send to the Regional Office of HUD sometime before July 1. He asked the Planning Board to support the petition. In the discussion which followed, it was explained that HUD has held firm on the amount of financial aid available to the Housing Authority for housing in Ithaca; thereby preventing the quality of the housing to be raised to a higher standard. Common Council had approved the development program for the Housing Authority, expecting quality housing. Mr. Putney MOVED, "that the Planning Board support the petition in ,principle," which reads as follows: "Therefore we urge the Ithaca Housing Authority to press for the funds necessary to build good public housing in Ithaca, and to explore all possible state and federal resources to obtain those funds. We pledge our full personal and collective support to this effort. And we urgently request the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make available the funds necessary to build food housing for Ithaca's low-income residents." Seconded by Mr. Korf. CARRIED. The Board instructed Director Kasprzak to send a letter to Common Council, The Housing Authority and others whose interests in good public housing may be of assistance in achieving this goal, to inform them that the Planning Board is in favor of the petition and its content. COMMUNICATIONS: Director Kasprzak read a memo from the City Clerk to the Board, reminding them of the termination of terms of all members of the Capital Improvements Committee as of June 1, 1968 and asking that the Board advise the mayor of who they wish to be represented by for the year ending June 1, 1969. Vice Chairman Reps instructed Mr. Kasprzak to call this to the attention of Chairman Schmidt. (The chairman, when contacted, appointed Mr. Parkes and himself. ) COMMITTEE REPORTS: Codes and Ordinances. 1. J. Parkes presented the Committee Report relative to two requests--from S. C. DeKay and R. S. Miller for rezoning of properties at 414 Spencer Rd. and 400, 404-406 Spencer Rd. from R-3 to B-4. (See past official Minutes. ) The Board, assuming that Codes and Ordinances Committee has conveyed its thoughts to the Board of Zoning Appeals regarding rezoning petitions in this area, has decided to reconsider the whole matter and make a recommendation to all concerned as to the policy of providing buffer zones between two incompatible zoning classifications. This, it is hoped, will provide guidance to the Board of Zoning Appeals not only in this area, but in future considerations on the city-wide basis. 2. Codes and Ordinances Committee has prepared a resolution for Planning Board's consideration regarding density control zoning in the R-1 classification. This consideration was brought about by the request of two property owners in the West Hill area, Crandall and Wilson, who claimed, that the difficult terrain will not permit economically feasible development under present density requirements of the city's Zoning Ordinance. In the discussion that developed it was revealed that Planning Board does not have any jurisdiction over such density controls under the present Section 37 of General City Law. Therefore, it has been concluded that this resolution be sent to the committee which tLan frill prepare a request to the Council to obtain such power, by Council's resolution, so that the amendment to the Zoning Ordinance can be submitted to the Council for approval. Mr. Putney MOVED, "that the Committee prepare such a request to the Council for the next regular meeting of this Board." Seconded by Mrs. Jones. CARRIED. OLD BUSINESS: 1. Regarding the request for final approval of the 21 lots presently under development in the Cliff Park Subdivision, Mr. Putney MOVED, "to grant final approval of Cliff Park Subdivision." Seconded by Mr. Korf. CARRIED. 2 2. Director Kasprzak made a statement giving the present status of Lake Shore Park Development - The Festival is going ahead with construction, having requested a building permit, the State is preparing final construction plans and the City will proceed with consultant's contracts as soon as the BOR monies are released to the City. NEW BUSINESS- 1. Director Kasprzak asked for comments on the outline for the Master Plan for the city, 'copies having been previously distributed to members of the Board. He was instructed by the Board to proceed with writing of the Plan per outline. 2. Mr. R. Korf, being a member of the Charter Revision Commission, re- quested some guidance from the members of the Board regarding the place of the Planning Board in the City's administration. In a brief discussion that followed, it was concluded that each member will convey his ideas on the matter to Mr. Korf and at the next meeting the Board will draft a statement regarding the position they will take collectively on this issue. MISCELLANEOUS: 1. Director Kasprzak informed the Board that he has hired 4 staff members in the department, one full-time and three summer employees, in addition to the A,.I..S.E.C. individual who will report for work in August. He introduced Peter , Francese, assistant planner and Jonathan Meigs, junior planner, two of the new staff members, and also informed the Board that Margaret Monroe and John Short are employed in the department. 2. Director Kasprzak reported briefly on his trip to the A.S.P.O. Conference in San Francisco last month and, after the regular meeting adjourned, showed slides of the trip to interested members of the Board. MEETING ADJOURNED at 10 p.m. Gregory Kasprzak 6.27.68 Planning Director 3