HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1974-10-22 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
City of Ithaca
Regular Meeting October 22, 1974 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Chm. Doney, Mrs. :Benson, Messrs. Brock, Hildreth,-Moran Saggese and Stein.
ALSO: Planning Director Van Cort, and members of the press and radio.
Chm. Doney called the meeting to order at.:7:30 P.M.:.
Mr. Hildreth MOVED and Mr. Saggese seconded, "approval of the Minutes of the
Regular meeting of September 24, 1974.91 The motion CARRIED unanimously.
ZONING CASES: None.
SPECIAL ORDER OF-BUSINESS: None.
0014MICATIONS:...
Petition for Opening Hancock Street: . The General Plan and Capital Improvements
Committee, regarding-the petition for opening of Hancock Street read at the. October
9., 1974 meeting of the. Common Council, made the following recommendations:
1) The Committee reiterates its recommendation of September 25, 1974 that it finds
no reason for the city's retaining ownership .of the street.- It further finds that
opening the street could have the effect of fragmenting: an already haphazard land use
pattern in'the area and of exacerbating instead of correcting the area's circulation
problems:.
2) The Committee further recommends that the,following steps be taken to improve the
area's circulation:
a) That truck turning movements between Meadow and Cascadilla Streets be facili-
tated by investigating the possibility. of improving curb -radii at the appropri-
ate corners.
b.) That efforts be made to convince New York State. Department of Transportation of
.the necessity of installing. a traffic control signal at the intersection .of
Meadow,and Cascadilla Streets.
c) That the hazard created by cars entering and exiting the commercial properties
on the west, side of Meadow Street north "of Cascadilla Street be eliminated by
providing an entrance and exit to these properties from Cascadilla Street:
Mr. Stein MOVED and Mr. Brock seconded-, "that these recommendations be accepted and
passed on to the Common Council." The motion CARRIED unanimously.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
General Plan and Capital Improvements Co ittee:
1) Recommendation on plan for new city street to link Cascadilla Street Extension to
Third Streets west of Route 13: Mr. Van 11ort presented a map illustrating the pro-
posed new street. Mr. Stein explained that the Bureau of Public Works was concerned
about the need for this street and had asked for a report from the Planning Board.
He recommended that the Planning Board:
a) accept the report of the planning staff and approve alignment,
b) amend the General Plan to show this new street,
C) explore the procedures for official mapping, and
d) investigate cost-sharing of the road with abutting property owners.
Mr. Stein MOVED and Mr. Brock seconded, "that these recommendations be approved and
be referred to the General Plan and Capital Improvements Committee." The motion
CARRIED unanimously.
2) RRe ort on Plain Street and Monroe Street Bridges: The Committee explained That the
Plain Street Bridge currently is indang r of failing and cannot even be used for
pede. strian,traffic. The Monroe Street B idge is no longer safe for vehicles and can
be used by pedestrians only. On referral from the Board of Public Works, the Planning '
Department did a preliminary investigation of the need for these bridges to serve
vehicles, pedestrians, or utilities. Based on this investigation the Committee
recommended the following:
a)- That the Plain Street and Monroe Street Bridges should be retained for pedestrian
and utility crossings both for their role as neighborhood connectors and thEir
recreation potential.
b) That efforts should be made to develop the bridges for recreation, relating
this development to the adjoining cr nearby parks and the creeks which the
bridges cross.
c) That NYSEG should be asked to pay their equitable share of rehabilitation or
reconstruction of the crossings, a d that the possibility of using Federal or
State subsidies for development of the bridges and their creeks and parks
should be investigated.
d) That the Plain Street Bridge has t e higher priority of the two bridges, because
of its greater importance to the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Mr. Hildreth PROVED and Mr. Stein seconde , "that the recommendations be approved and
referred to the Board of Public Works." The motion CARRIED unanimously.
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3) Capital Budget: The Committee presented "for your information only" a list of
priorities under the Capital Budget. Th s Committee suggested that no recommendations
be made concerning this list. After discussion, the Board agreed by consensus with
this suggestion.
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OLD BUSINESS:
a. Progress Report on Routes 96 & 13: Mr. Van Cort reported that certain
buildings in the Route 96-13 corridors are being considered for rational Registry .
status. Under Section 106 of National Environment Policy Act of 1969, buildings so
designated cannot be modified or destroyed with federal money unless modification,or
destruction is approved after an exhaustive investigation. Since federal money
probably will be used to demolish these buildings. in the 96-13 corridor, the buildings
must go through a 106 investigation. Mr. Van Cort noted that. in his opinion even
if the party which originally requested consideration of National Registry status
revoked its request, the progress would continue to its conclusion. Consequently, .
the Route 96-13 project will be delayed at least two months.
b. Progress Report on Community Development Grants Application: Under the
provisions of the Community Development Act, to receive a.-federal grant, the city
must set up a community participationprocess which meets federal regulations. To
meet this requirement, it was recommended that a community participation process be
established including representation of the followings poor, minorities, young,
elderly, women and residents of Community Development target areas, and human service
recipients.
Mrs. Benson MOVED and Mr.- Moran seconded, "that thisrecommendation be approved."
In. response to Mrs. Benson's question, Mr. Van Cort explained how the community
participation plan would be implemented .,:The planning Board would contact recognized
organizations, invite press coverage, publish legal notices, and advertise to :the
general public in order to ensure that,each category of people specified,by federal
regulations would be represented. Responding, to another question,. Mr :,Van Cort ex-
plained that federal grants.provided .under this Act could be used for homesteading,
although this would probably not be, an important use in Ithaca which has few
abandoned houses. The motion CARRIED unanimously.
c. Ithaca Commons: Resolution. .regarding establishment of a Commons Advisory
Board: The lull Committee's recommendation about the membership of the Commons
Advisory Board was read as follows:
RESOLVED, That a Commons Advisory Board,be established l) to set policy for the
Ithaca Commons on the following matters and others:
appropriate Commons activities
aesthetic and preservation considerations regarding, new construction
and improvements
to the Commons itself
to the Commons secondary district which includes all blocks in
the tax benefit district
level of maintenance and replacement
for daily activities--care of plantings,'trash disposal, etc.
for special activities (e.g. , outdoor dining, sidewalk sales)
vehicular circulation and deliveries '
. Commons contributions
2) to make recommendations on:
maintenance of order
improvements to facades of Commons buildings
The Commons Advisory Board wile consist of 9 voting members composed of
representatives from the following groups: 1 from the Common Council, 1
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from the Board of Public Works, 1 from the Area Beautification Council,
1 from the Downtown Businesswoen's Association, 3 from the Downtown .
Businessmen's Association, and 2 at-large. Board members will be appointed
by the Mayor with Common Council approval for staggered 2-year terms.
Preference in appointments shall be given to. those persons presently
serving on the Mall Steering Committee.
The Board will also include as ex-officio members the Supt. of Public Works,
the Planning Director, the Co ons Administrator, the Building Commissioner,
and a representative of the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission. '
The Mall Steering Committee also recommends that the Downtown Businessmen's
Association be responsible for
scheduling and close supei7ision of Commons activities.
advertising and promotion for the Commons.
These functions may be performed by a Commons Administrator who will be
hired and paid by the Downtown Businessmen's Association.
Concern was expressed that only members of the Downtown Businessmen's Association
gold serve on this body. Consequently, Mrs. Benson MOVED, "that the Planning Board
endorses the Tull Committee's recommendation in principle, but recommends.that if
necessary the Commons Advisory Board be enlarged to incorporate interests of several
groups who might be included,- for example, theater and nightclub owners, restau: -
raiteurs and bankers." Mr. Stein seconded. The motion CARRIED unanimously.
d. Report on liaison with County P-anning Commission:
l) Mrs. Benson reported on the publication of Feasibility Study: Cross-t�*n. Road,
Ithaca Urban Area by the Planning and Public Works Committee Board of Representatives
of Tompkins County. : She noted that the study does not .deal with mass transit con-
sideration. Mr. Doney and Mr. Stein each recommended that the County be informed of
the _Planning 'Board's interest in contrib ting input to the planning of the road.
Accordingly, Mr. Van Cort was requested o review the proposal and make a recommenda-
tion to the Board for their action.
2) Ors. Benson further reported that the NYS Office of Planning Services has offered
a, $14,000 grant to assist in a surface water runoff study for the county. The Study
will present guidelines and objectives for use by planning boards and will include a
handbook of runoff criteria, will presen mathematical models on design of runoff
structures of typical subbasins and will include model ordinances.
e. Zoning Ordinance: Mr. Van Cort noted that the final zoning ordinance has a
few minor changes from the preliminary copy. Specifically, he noted the following
-changes.-
1)
hanges:1) P. 30.13, definition 85, has been added as follows: "Transfer Station for
Recyclable MaterialsiP: Completely enclo ed facility for sorting and/or packaging of
glass and paper. Further processing of these materials is not allowed in said station.
2) P. 30,52; Sec. 30.41 has been changed to read as follows: "I.. All production or
processing of materials or substances shall be enclosed by a fence or other safe
barriers for the public safety and visual screening."
3) P• '30.59, Sec. 30.52 been changed to read as foll�--- "Notwithstanding any
other provisions of thi; iapter, any a omobile wreckin; rd or junk yard in
existence in any Residential or Business District on the date of enactment of this
Chapter shall at the expiration of six (6) years from such date become a prohibited
and unlawful use and shall be discontinued but this shall not apply to completely
enclosed transfer stations for recyclable materials in B-4 Districts."
Pyr. Van Cort explained that these changes have been enacted 'by the Common Council.
Mr. Brock T4OVED "that the adoption of the Zoning Ordinance as amended be recommended
to the Common Council." 1,4ss. Benson seconded. The motion CARRIED unanimously.
NE14 BUSINESS:
Fountain Place as a Historical District: Mrs. Benson MOVED and Mr. Horan
seconded, "that the Fountain Place be designated as a historic place." The motion
CARRIED unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Brock MOVED and Mr. Stein seconded, "that the meeting adjourn."
The motion CARRIED unanimously. 9:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
A-h.All r
H. Matthys Van Cort
Planning Director
11.13.7+
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