Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1971-11-30 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES City of Ithaca Regular Meeting November 30, 1971 7:30 P.M. ;postponed from 11/23/71) PRES'E'NT: Chm. Putney, Vice Chm. Doney (arrived late), Messrs. Shaw, Hemming, Conley and Austin (arrived late) . ALSO: Director Meigs, Chm. Jones of Council Committee on Planning, City Engineer Schlieder, Mrs. R. M. Putney, J. Aufheimer; P. Walsh, Ithaca Journal; J. Ellis, WHCU; and A. Pryor, WTKO. ABSENT: Mr. Burns. MINUTES of the last Regular meeting of the Board, October 26, 1971, were approved as published. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: None. COMMUNICATIONS: a) Letter dated November 8, 1971, from James D. Parkes preliminary to requesting City acceptance and paving of Williams Glen Road. Mr. Parkes and his neighbors will request paving of this road. Brief discussion followed the reading of the letter, and it was remarked that careful consideration should be given to this matter, due to terrain difficulties and the short length of road inside the city; emergency vehicle access and possible future development served by the road should be studied when the matter is officially presented. b) Mr. Meigs informed the Board of receipt of an Invoice for Professional Services :rendered from Raymond, Parish & Pine, consultants, for the completion of Study Design, Phase of the CRP in the amount of $7,000 less 5% withheld, or $6,650, under terms of Item VI-C of contract dated 7/9/71. she Committee of the Whole Board met on November 18 in a Special meeting and reviewed the study Design Phase of the CRP. It was MOVED by Mr. Shaw, seconded by Mr. Conley, "Planning Board accepts the Study Design Phase and recommend payment of the bill from Raymond, Parish & Pine, subject to approval by HUD, and the City of Ithaca receiving the first Grant payment from HUD." Carried. c) Chairman Putney read a letter received by him from City .Controller Russell regarding the University Avenue Study supposedly completed by Mr. Steven Peterson in 1969. According ,- to Mr. Russell's letter, he has checked and cannot find any evidence that the Board received the written report of the study even though Mr. Peterson was paid in full in 1969. The Agreement signed by Mr. Peterson and the City of Ithaca specified that "the contract shall terminate upon final presentation and acceptance of the findings to the City Planning Board and transfer of all reproducible maps, charts and written material." Since two years have elapsed since the completion date specified in the contract and all information and material referred to has not been transmitted to the City of Ithaca, Mr. Russell discussed the matter with City Attorney Fred Weinstein who wishes to know what action he should take. Mr. Russell suggested that the Planning Board should make that decision and advise him. Mr. Shaw MOVED, "the Planning, Director communicate with Steven Peterson and give him three weeks to fulfill his agreement with the City (submit the written report of the study) or the matter will be referred at that time to the City Legal Counsel for legal action to be taken." Seconded by Mr. Doney. CARRIED. d) Citg Engineer Schlieder expressed the desire that the subdivision procedure be re viewed and revised to include the review of minor subdivisions, citing as a case in point, the property involved in the request of Mr. Parkes and neighbors , above, part of which lies in the City and was subdivided some time ago, perhaps in violation of the City Subdivision regulations, but never approved for subdivision. OLD BUSINESS: a) Mazza/N. Meadow St. rezoning. As a result of Mrs. Mazza's latest request to rezone the 500 block, west side, of N. Meadow St. , as a B-4 zone, on which the Board recommended denial, Councilman Bangs proposed a motion to rezone the entire west side of N. Meadow St. as B-4s involving the 500, 400 and half the 300 blocks. Council requests the Planning Board to study the matter further and to report its findings to Council when such study is com- pleted. In the discussion which followed, reference was made to prior Planning Board recommenda- tions on rezoning the Mazza property, and to the recommendation contained in the proposed zoning ordinance revision. Mr. Conley maintains that to rezone the area to B-4 would change the character to auto-oriented uses, and says that if hardship exists, the property owners can appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals for variances. Both Messrs. Austin and Hemming think the Board should be realistic and favor the rezoning of the area to B-4 which would allow those who have the ability to buy the properties and operate businesses there, and which should protect the property values in other parts of the city by lessening pressure for commercial development elsewhere. Chm. Putney doesn't think anything can be done to Meadow St. to hurt it. Alderman Jones asked what would happen to the area if, with state re-routing , Meadow St. ceased to be Rt. 13, and she felt perhaps it is too soon to make the decision. Mr. Austin MOVED, "that Planning Board study the matter further and report its findings to the Common Council when its study is completed." Seconded by Mr. Shaw. VOTE: Ayes - 4. opposed by Mr. Doney. CARRIED. The matter was referred to the General Plan and Capital Improvements Committee for study. b) Copies of the General Plan were distributed to Board members and Alderman Jones. Mr. Meigs informed the Board that the printer has overprinted the colored Maps and have offered the excess to the Board for the flat price of $69,56/1600 maps if they wish to purchase them. It was felt that there would be considerable demand for them, especially if they could be resold at a nominal fee of 10¢ apiece, and having them on hand would save reproduction time. Mr. Doney MOVED, seconded by Mr. Conley, "that the Board buy the maps." CARRIED. c) Mr. Meigs informed the Board that he has not yet solved his residency problem; he is still looking for a home in the city to purchase but has found a tight market. Mr. Shaw MOVED, "the Planning Board grants an extension of six months to Mr. Meigs to resolve the matter." Seconded by Mr. Conley. CARRIED. 2 NEW BUSINESS: a) Mr. Meigs informed the Board that Junior Planner Martinez had to resign 'due to her husband accepting a position elsewhere. Mr. Meigs has placed an ad in the ASPO TAB Journal for a junior planner, and as a result has received several inquiries from applicants. He expects , within two or three weeks, that he and the Board can meet to review some of the applications submitted and hopefully choose a junior planner to fill the vacancy created by Mrs. Martinez' resignation. b) Mr. Conley asked about the status of the circulation study, what progress has been made to date, and how traffic will be handled as a result of the closing of S. Tioga Street as agreed to by Common Council. He asked when Council can expect a report on the circulation study. Mr. Meigs said he has not been approached in any way in regard to the study. He understands the engineers are working on basic data and expects to be contacted when the enineers need to consult with him. City Engineer Schlieder commented that Corson Council agreed to close Tioga St. without a recommendation from Engineering, He said the problem is in getting traffic off Green St. to Aurora St. and feels there should be a ramp from .Green St. to S. Aurora to alleviate traffic. d) Mr. Austin expressed the opinion that the housing needs in Ithaca should be reviewed by a competent group of people, with a view toward rehabilitation of existing housing. MISCELLANEOUS: a) Zoning The Codes & Ordinances Ccamittee reviewed the following appeals and recommended to the Board: 1) BZA Appeal 962 - Request by Iry Lewis, Inc. for a variance to use premises at 303 W. St. for a small electric appliance repair shop. The current appeal was reviewed, taking into account the concerns of business in the area, the possibility of open storage, possible parking requirements (unknown and undetermined), and the need to maintain existing space in front of the building in decent condition so as to have no ill effects on adjacent properties. The Committee RECOMMEND approval of the variance for specific use of small electric appliance repair operation, provided: there be no open storage; the Board of Zoning Appeals assure itself there is adequate parking; that the green area in front of the building be maintained in a neat fashion; and that any sign to be required by the business be in character with the existing sign on the adjacent business to the west (Cayuga Electric Co. ) in general size and style, and not obtrusive on the neighborhood. Mr. Doney MOVED, "the Board accept the Committee's recommendation." Seconded by Mr. Austin. CARRIED. 2) BZA Appeal 963 - Request by West Seneca Corp. for a Special Permit to erect signs in excess of the 50 sq. ft. allowable, at 602 W. Seneca St. The appeal for a 41 x 6' road sign (double-faced fluorescent lighted) in addition to a building sign of 50 sq ft. , the total of which is 98 sq. ft. , or in excess of the 50 sq. ft. allowed by the, Zoning Ordinance, was reviewed by the Committee who RECOMMEND the appeal be granted with the proviso that the location of the street sign be such that it does not inter- fere with traffic movement or visibility. 3 Mr. Doney MOVED, "the Board accept the omit, °s re)oo=endati0n " Seconded by Pri Austin. CARRIED. 3} BZA Appeal .964 - Request_by John Lowry for an bcceRt on to construct a four-unit apartment building at 110 Hawthorne Pl. - The Committee strongly RECOMMEND this exception be denied because the "lot size Is definitely underside for this type of development-.- # is not wide enough, does not contain 064'gh basic area (the lot being only 54° wide: would not allow groper yards all around), there is no design submitted with the application., and ,no .assurarice that the development would be either in character with the neighborho"od", or conform to- :other requirements of .applio-able regulations, Mr. Dorney MOVED, "the $oard accept the Committee's recormendatt- Seconded by Mr. Austin:, CARRIED. 4) BZA Appeal 965_ Re uQst by Pfir, Aufheimer,. agent for Chicken house of Ithaca,, ,Ino r_ for ,Special Permit to alter aexisting sign to .a size in exeess .of the 50 a1low�ble, at 367 Elmira Rd. The Committe"e RECOMMEND this permit be panted nth t proviso that the "total ariaunt of sign area, on the, property, including both sides, of, this sign and the size o:f .all existing signs on the buildig, be nat an ;excess of 250 sq. ft. Mr. Doney MOVED, "the, Board accept the C"omm tt.eers recorimendSeconded by Mr. Austin. CARRIED:. MEETING ADJOURNED 10 P.M. The December Regular Meetingg will be held on December -. st 7.30 P.M. Respect: l submitted, than C. Meigs 12.6.71 atnng Director ' 4