HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1973-05-15 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
City of Ithaca
Special Meeting May 15, 1973 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Vice Chm. Shaw (chaired the meeting) , Messrs. Austin, Clynes, Schickel and
Stein.
ALSO: Planning Dir. Van Cort; Aldermen Jones and Spano; Attorneys Wiggins and
Pfann, Messrs. Kimball and Sarkus; Ralph Barnard, J. Fane, M. Van Marter
and members of the press and radio.
ABSENT: Chm. Doney, Airs. Benson.
1. Request for subdivision--777 Stewart Avenue: This was a request for approval of
a subdivision. After considerable discussion of the proposed subdivision, condi-
tional approval was given, and it was decided that a notice of public hearing
should be published in the Ithaca Journal for next Tuesday, May 22, 1973, to
consider final approval.
Several of the questions that came up at the last meeting were again dis-
cussed, such as, whether the sale and development were covered by the subdivision
regulation and if so, what is .required in a subdi,.ision application. The appli-
cant's attorney expressed the opinion that even though they were there, he was
not ready to concede that it was a subdivision and even if it is a subdivision,
he need only provide for the Board the materials that he brought to the hearing,
and that a site plan and a proposed topo are not requirements of the ordinance.
Some members of the Board and citizens that were present felt that this was
too restrictive a reading of the ordinance, and that, in fact, the applicants,
should be required to show how they intend to solve questions of access, drainage,
and other site planning problems. It was hoped that the applicants would bring
to the final hearing as much information as they could provide regarding their
subdivision. A motion was made by Mr. Clynes and seconded by 11r. Austin, "to
grant conditional approval to the applicants and to set a final hearing date for
Tuesday, May 22, 1973." This motion was unanimously CARRIED.
Mr. Stein stated that he wanted to make sure this project is a credit to the
community "I want to feel comfortable I voted for it."
2. BZA Appeal 1015--Request by Vincent Giordano for Variance from Sec. 7, Col. 2 of
the Zoning Ordinance at 122 Coddington Road, in a R-2 district: This is a request
for a variance allowing commercial use in a residential zone. The applicant pre-
sented a site plan for a proposed convenience foods store at 122 Coddington Road
and informed the Board that he had notified nearby property owners -as required
by the ordinance. The applicant expressed the opinion that such a store was badly
needed in the area and he said he had gotten very positive response from the
people in the neighborhood. Thr. Stein said that he felt that since this was not
a case of hardship, it shouldn't come before the Board as a request for a
variance, but instead the applicant should apply for a zoning change. Mr. Shaw
expressed the opinion that this would be spot zoning. Alderwoman Jones stated
that she differed with Mr. Giordano as to the feelings of the people in the
neighborhood, regarding the desirability of a store at that location. Mr. Clynes
P41OVED, seconded by Mir. Schickel, "the Board recommends approval of the variance
to the Board of Zoning Appeals." The motion CARRIED with 3 Ayes, 1 Nay.
3. Ralph Jordan, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, presented a proposal
for a tourist information booth to be located west of Rte. 13 on N. Cayuga Street
near the entrance to Stewart Park. This item did not require formal Planning
Board approval, but Mr. Jordan felt he would like to inform the Board of his
intentions and get their opinions on the de='tirability of such a facility. He
also told the Board that he had not been granted permission by N.Y.S. Dept. of
Transportation to erect a tourist information sign below a highway sign on Rte.
13, and therefore he said the Chamber of Commerce would not be able to :sect a
tourist booth this year.
The Board asked Director Van Cort to determine whether the land in question
is park land.
4. Proposed change in text of Zoning Ordinance: This text change is intended to
strengthen the parking requirements of the zoning ordinance. Passed by Common
Council of the City of Ithaca May 3, 1973, as follows:
RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ITHACA TO PROVIDE FOR
ADEQUATE PRIVATE OFF-STREET PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS
WHEREAS, there exists a shortage of private off-street parking in certain areas
of the City of Ithaca, which causes inconvenience to drivers and to residents
of the areas, and
WHEREAS, the continued conversions of existing buildings, redevelopment and
new development of parcels within the residential areas of the City will put
further burdens on parking facilities in these areas, and
WHEREAS, the parking requirements contained in the City's existing zoning;
ordinance, by being tied to dwelling units, do not satisfy the possible demand
for such parking in many situations,
KNOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council Of the City Of Ithaca
hold a public hearing on May 23, 1973, at 7:30 p.m. in Common Council Chambers,
to consider amendments to the zoning ordinance of the City of Ithaca as follows:
Section 2 - Definition: Add "bedroom or sleeping room. A habitable
space all or part of which is used for overnight sleeping."
Section 7 - District Regulations Chart (Column 5, Off-street Parking
Requirement) : Delete from use District R1 471. One space per dwelling unit.'
Section 7 - District Regulations Chart (Column 5): Add "One space for the
first three bedrooms or sleeping rooms or part thereof plus one space for
each additional two bedrooms or sleeping rooms, or part thereof,41 and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Planning Board of the City of Ithaca is hereby
requested to review the proposed amendments and to submit its recommendation
thereon to this Council prior to May 23, 1973, and
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk of the City of Ithaca be, and he
hereby is, authorized and directed to advertise in the Ithaca Journal for a.
public hearing for the above purpose as directed by the Council, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk also send a copy of this notice
to the Clerk of the Town of Ithaca, the Clerk of the Board of Representatives,
the Clerk of the Village of Cayuga Heights, Tompkins County Planning; Department,
Greater Ithaca Regional Planning Board and the Finger Lakes State Park
Commission.
After a discussion of the proposed text change, Mr. Jason Fane asked for -
a chance to be heard on the proposed change. Pair. Fane expressed the opinion that
parking requirements near Cornell and Ithaca College should. not be increased.
Instead, he felt they should be relaxed, for the following reasons: 1) There is
a lower percentage of car ownership among students living near the university
than in the general student population. Mr. Fane also told the Board that the
main impediment to new housing construction was the zoning ordinance and, to a
lesser degree, the policies of the city's lending institutions.
Mr. Van Marter expressed the opinion that the change in the ordinance would
be counterproductive since it is impossible for builders to provide the amount
of parking space required, and it would, in fact, become a further block to
housing construction.
Mr. Austin said that he felt that the tightening of the regulations was a
good idea and that he felt the Common Council had not gone far enough.
Accordingly Mr. Austin MOVED and Mr. Clynes seconded, F9the Planning Board approves
the text change with the recommendation that the ordinance be strengthened by
requiring; the following change: Instead of one (1) parking space for three (3)
bedrooms plus one (1) for each following two (2) , it should be one (1) for each
three bedrooms plus one (1) for each following single bedroom.r4 CARRIED
unanimously.
5. Proposed change to Zoning Map: The Board next heard a change in the zoning map
recommended by Common Council which reads as follows:
RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF ITHA-41 TO EXTEND AREA DESIG-
NATED AS B-3
WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca has by previous resolution
deemed the provision of public parking in and adjacent to the Central Business
District (CBD) of the City to be a City responsibility, and
WHEREAS, the approved Urban Renewal plan of the City of Ithaca designatz-' for
public parking the southern half of the block bounded by Seneca, Buffalo,
Aurora and Tioga Streets, which is within the Urban Renewal Project 1 area,
and with a B-2 zone designated by the zoning map of the City of Ithaca, and
WHEREAS, the Common Council herewith, and by action previously taken
approving the construction of such structure as a mechanism for providing
needed pu'.lic parking without removing excessive amounts of valuable and
revenue--providing commercial land from the City's land stock, and
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WHEREAS, a private developer, acting in conjunction with the New York State.
Urban Development Corporation, has made a proposal to the City of Ithaca to
build a multi-story public parking structure on the property mentioned, which
proposal has been accepted by the City, and
WHEREAS, the current zoning map of the City of Ithaca imposes certain restric-
tions on buildings, primarily regarding height and lot coverage, in B-2 zones
which would be excessive if applied to this proposed parking structure, and.
which would act to hinder development of proposed projects and thereby damage
the economic visability of the CBD if applied thereto.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Ithaca hold
a public hearing on May 23, 1973, at 7:30 p.m. in Common Council Chambers to
consider the rezoning of the southern half of the block bounded by Seneca,
Buffalo, Aurora and Tioga Streets from B-2 to B-3, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Council request the City Planning Board to
consider the proposed rezoning and to present its recommendations thereon to
Common Council prior to the time of such public hearing,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ci�- Clerk also send a copy of this notice
to the Clerk of the Town of Ithaca, the Clerk of the Board of Representatives,
the Clerk of the Village of Cayuga Heights ;. Tompkins County Planning Department,
Greater Ithaca Regional Planning Board', and'.the Finger Lakes State Park
Commission.—'2
While not disagreeing with the substance of the proposed change, some Board
members expressed dissatisfaction with being asked to approve the change in such
a hurried manner while the building is actually under construction. Nonetheless
lir. Schickel MOVED and Mr. Stein seconded, "the Planning Board recommend
approval of the proposed map change." This motion CARRIED unanimously.
6. Avramis--Spencer St.--Review of Site Plans: This is a review of site plan for a
proposal for development of 24 units at 609-61" Old Spencer Road. The Planning
Director explained that although this development did not need to come before
the Board for formal approval, it had come anyway, informally, as a courtesy to
the Board.
It seemed to the Board that the proposal didn't violate any provisions of
the zoning ordinance although there was some question as to the slope of the
parking areas as shown on the site plan. It was felt that unless quite a bit of
excavation was done the parking areas would be too steep to permit parking in
snowy weather.
7. Item Not On The Agenda: The Planning Director reported that progress is being
made on proposal for the design of the mall. Job specifications have been 1
written and architects contacted for interviews by the Mall Steering Committee
next week.
He also reported that a Mall Steering Committee has been established with
representation from the Planning Board, Common Council, and the Downtown
Businessmen's Association, Downtown Businesswomen's Association and the Area
Beautification Council. This Committee will be consulted on all major decisions
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concerning the mall. They will start by interviewing the architects. Director
Van Cort, Mayor Conley and Controller Daley are to be ex-officio members of the
Committee.
FETING ADJOURNED 10:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
H. M. Van Cort
5.21.73 Director
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