HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1969-01-15 PLANNING BOARD PROCEEDINGS
City of Ithaca
Regular Meeting January 15, 1969 7;30 p.m,
PRESENT: Chairman Schmidt, Vice Chairman Reps, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Hamilton, Messrs,
Parkes, Putney and Korf.
ALSO: Director Kasprzak, Alderman Nordhei�.:er, Consultants Egner and Niederkorn,
F. Baldwin, George B. Clay and Members of the Press and Radio.
MINUTES of the last regular meeting of the Board, November 20, 1968, and the special
meeting, January 2, 1969, were approved as published.
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: None
COMMUNICATIONS:
Director Kasprzak.xead the following*
1. Letter from the Ithaca City School District requesting that two members of the
Planning Board be designated as delegates to the Nominating Convention which will
be held in Culp Auditorium on Monday, January 20, 1969 at 8:00 p.m. for the
purpose of electing members of the Ithaca School Board Nominating Committee. Mrs.
Jones and Mrs. Hamilton volunteered.
2. Letter from Attorney Wiggins (Wiggins, Tsapis, Golder and Holmberg) who represents
Ceracche Television Corporation, requesting that the subject of annexation of
approximately 100 acres of land located in the Town of Ithaca on the Mecklenburg'
Road, contiguous to the City of Ithaca, which is owned by their client, be
considered by the appropriate committee of the City government.
3. Letter from Attorney A. Treman (Treman & Clynes) who represent Myron I. Hankin
of Philadelphia requesting that 70 acres of property belonging to their client
which lies next west of the west line of the City, next south of Mecklenburg Road,,
be considered for annexation to the City of Ithaca. They also request that this
property be zoned for apartment house use.
The preceding two communications were discussed together inasmuch as they both pertai
to the West area of the City and concern the same subject. After a brief discussion
the matter was referred to the Planning Director for study and report at the next
regular meeting of the Board.
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS:
At this point, Chairman Schmidt informed the Board that he had made the Committee
appointments for 1969 and that they were the same as in the year 1968.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. McGraw Housing presentation. Mr. Niederkorn, consultant to McGraw Housing, Inc. ,
presented the 99-unit, low- and middle-income elderly housing project to the
Board for their consideration and possible approval which is required by the State
under Article 2 of public finance law (Mitchell-Lama Law). Also, the approval is
needed from the Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals under the City's ADD
regulations. It will be presented to the Board of Zoning Appeals in February and
will include the recommendation of Planning Board.
The site of the project is the middle of 200 block on the west side of
S. Geneva Street. This area is fairly heavily built-up by residential structures,
The use in this area is changing from single to two and multiple-family occupancy
The 99-unit project will be located on a square parcel of land (dust under 1 acre
including a manager's apartment. Ground floor will contain a lounge, kitchen and'
dining facility where it is hoped that one hot meal per day will be served to the
residents. The front section facing the street would be 4 stories high with parka
ing adjacent to it and underneath the back 6 stories-section, elevators to be
located at junction of the two wings. The building will contain 3 elevators and the
whole structure is planned to be of fire-resistant construction. The parking is
planned for. 33 spaces (less than zoning required) , a small charge on a per month
basis will be collected per space rented. This building will not detract from
visual character of the area because the higher portion is adjacent to commercially
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zoned use.
The project will contain 1 bedroom apartments suitable for two persons and
efficiency apartments suitable for one person.
McGraw Housing Inc. would like to use State financing agency (Mitchell-Lama
Law), the project to be financed under 40-year mortgage. McGraw Housing Inc. will,
subsidize those persons to whom they are committed and who are presently living irk
the South Aurora Street home. When the transfer is completed to the S. Geneva
Street site, the property on S. Aurora Street will be sold, thus put back on the
tax role.
Mr. Parkes MOVED, "on the basis of the presentation before the Planning Board
by Mr. Niederkorn, it is recommended that the Council grant necessary approval t4'
implement the project as proposed by McGraw Housing Inc. , also that the exception$
to the height and parking requirements requested under the Zoning Ordinance of the
City of Ithaca be granted and it is so recommended to the Board of Zoning Appeals,"
2. Director Kasprzak presented the "Southwest Parkway" proposal which would connect
Meadow Street and Floral Avenue south of Wood Street, and which would include a
two-lane bridge at the Flood Control Channel (third proposed crossing of channel. )
3. Director Kasprzak presented proposal for Hillview Place Extension from the-point of
Hillview Place and Hudson Street to connect with Giles Street west of Six Mile Creek
to provide access between East and South Hills.
"The Planning Board has approved a request to the Council for an appropriation of
$5,000 each for the Engineering Study for the following two roads: (1) "Southwest
Parkway" connecting Meadow Street and Floral Avenue, paralleling the old southern
city boundary, and (2) "Hillview Place Extension" connecting the Hillview Place
with Giles Street west of Van Natta Dara. These two roads have been discussed and .
approved by the Planning Board and the Capital Improvement Review Committee of the
Council. The Engineering Study that is requested is necessary to determine the
exact location of these roads, the quality of the roads, and the purpose that they
will serve. This financial commitment is requested for 1969 so that the Engineeripg
Department can determine the above questions regarding these roads."
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NEW BUSINESS:
1. Director Kasprzak presented a progress report for 1968 as follows:
(1) Inlet Park - Northern portion under design by architects and engineers. Stage I
has been approved by BOR and $250,000 received. Appalachia has not released
money as yet. Stage II, submitted in March 1968, is presently being reviewed
by Washington offices of BOR.
(2) Belle Sherman and Wood Street Park applications submitted in summer of 1968 axe
presently being reviewed by Regional Office of HUD in New York.
(3) CRP program is ready for presentation to Council.
(4) Application submitted under State Transportation Bond Issue for purchase of
three new buses to replace some of old buses and for use on possible new route.
Application is presently under consideration by the State.
( 5) Zoning Review is about 75% completed. Hope to have preliminary draft ready
for presentation to Board by Easter and to Common Council by summer.
(6) Master Plan is about 60% complete. Staff is presently working to complete
sections on land use, transportation and education. Also, sections on utilities,
administration and special projects have yet to be completed.
(7) Highways - Route 13 (Fulton Street area) , Routes 96 North and 13 interchange
at Court Street--State Regional Office in Syracuse is trying to finalize plana
to submit to Albany Office in February.
City streets - Southwest Parkway and Hillview Place Extension are under con-
sideration for study by the City.
(8) Workable Program - Non-residential blight study and study on community facility
ties to be completed by June 1969.
(9) Capital Improvements - Annual program - Capital Improvements Review Committee
have yet to meet with Finance Committee and yearly report then to be completed.
(10) Impact Study - is presently being edited and I expect to present it to the
Board in a preliminary form in February or March.
Mr. Kasprzak also outlined projects to be worked on in 1969 as follows:
(1) Complete and publish Master Plan.
(2) Complete review of Zoning Ordinance.
(3) Submit CRP to Federal government after approval by the Common Council.
(4) Explore possibility of another Urban Renewal project in the city.
(5) Complete Workable Program requirements.
(6) Complete annual Capital Improvements program.
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(7) Initiate District Plan after completion of Master Plan.
(8) Further investigate Federal programs under which City can participate in its
development.
2. Report to Board of Zoning Appeals:
(1) Received request for Special Permit at 215-223 S. Geneva Street under ADD
requirements from McGraw Housing Inca The proposal has been reviewed by the
Planning Board who recommend the granting of exception to height and parking
requirements. This conclusion was reached after presentation under Item
Old Business (1).
(2) Received request for an Exception at 406-410 Eddy Street, from Hardee's Food
System, Inc. (site of old Heidleberg), for front yard and off-street loading
requirements. The Board reviewed the request and finds that since the Zoning
Ordinance does not specifically require the Planning Board to review on
requests for Exception, therefore the Board feels that the basis for recommenda-
tion does not exist and none are made in this case.
Chairman Schmidt mentioned that he would like to have Dick Fisher appear at the
next meeting of the Board to discuss the preservation of open space.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 11:15 p.m.
G. Kasprzak
2.3.69 Planning Director
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