HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1975-03-25 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
City of Ithaca .
Regular Meeting March 25, 1975 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT: Chm. Doney, Mesdames Benson and Meyer, Messrs. Hildreth and Stein.
ALSO: Alderwoman Nichols, Planning Director Van Cort, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tones,
and members of the press and radio.
Chm. Doney called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.
Ms. Meyer- MOVED, and Mr. Hildreth seconded, that the Minutes of the meeting of
February 25 be accepted.
ZONING CASES:
a. Appeal 1074: Appeal by Beatrice Dennis and William Freund at 1021 and 1023
N. Tioga St. , for a variance in R-3 district. The appellants have been operating a
mimeograph, reproduction, and letter writing office in the building as a home occupa-
tion. Recently the family member formerly involved has left the. business. Therefore
this is an appeal to continue a non-conforming office use in a residential zone.
Mr. Van Cort explained the history of the business use of the building and recommended
acceptance of the appeal. Board members discussed the case with reference to the
following considerations: that the appeal was for continuance of .a non -conforming
use, that there was little apparent negative effect from the use on the surrounding,
properties, and whether the case could be construed as setting. a precedent for other
cases involving home occupation or non-residential use in resident neighborhoods.
Mr. Hildreth MOVED, and Ms. Meyer seconded, "the Board recommend approval of
BZA Appeal 1074.1" Mr. Van Cort reminded the Board that the variance runs with the
approved use, and if different use was sought, the owners would have to re-appeal.
The motion CARRIED 4-1, with Ms. Benson voting in opposition.
b.. Mr. Thomas Jones spoke to the Board about the hardship caused him and his
wife when their property, 122-124 Buffalo Street, was changed from a B-1 to a R-3
zoning. Because they are having trouble renting the property and because the front
of the property is on Buffalo, they requested that the zoning be reverted to .its
original B-1 status. Mr. Van Cort explained, referring the Board to the zoning map,
that the property had been so zoned because the abutting property on Geneva Street
was zoned as R-3.
Ms. Benson MOVED, and Ms. Meyer seconded, that "the Planning Board recommend to
Common Council that the property be restored to &-1 status." The motion CARRIED
unanimously.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Mr. Van Cort discussed a memo from Council concerning a request from Zikakis
Chevrolet on Elmira Road to purchase property at the end of Spencer Road. On
October 23, 1973 Common Council decided to rent the property to Zikakis Chevrolet
while the questions of ownership, future use, etc. were examined. Discussion with.
County planning officials indicate thatthe land is within a corridor for an essential
segment of the proposed Cross Town Road!. Mr. Van Cort recommended that a committee
from the Board work with the Planning Office on this. He outlined two possibilities:
selling the land with a restrictive covenant in order to limit the extent of improve-
ment to this land, or continuing the leasing arrangement with longer terms for
Zikakis Chevrolet. Ms. Meyer suggested that the question be studied by the Planning
Office staff. Mr. Van Cort agreed.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: None.
OLD BUSINESS:
a. Ithaca Bikeway: Mr. Van Cort reported that Cornell landscape architecture
graduate students were almost finished IIheir research and ready to make a presenta-
tion to the planning boards of the Town Iand City of Ithaca. The Board agreed to
meet on `Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 with the Town Planning Board in the Town offices.
Ms. Meyer suggested that the Environmen al Commission also be invited to attend. Mr.
Van Cort agreed to do this.
b. Waterways. Mr. Van Cort said hat the City had almost completed its pro-
posal for the waterways when OPS was abolished. There will be a new officer reviewing
701 request in the Department of State. Council has voted that a study be done, but
no money has been approved as yet.
Ms. Meyer raised the question of continued care of the waterways, recalling that
15 ,years ago the decision was made that this was a State function.
c. The report on request for proposed zoning text changes was held for a future
meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
a. Request for preliminary approval of rF�-lzrdivlsion of rarcels in Maxshall-
Hershfeld Subdivision on Oakwood Lane. Mr. Van Cort explained the history of the lots
in question, the original subdivision haling been approved in 1964. This request is
for the purpose of enlarging two other adJ acent, existing lots. Final approval will
be made on the basis of a public hearing.)
Ms. Benson MOVED, and Mr. Done, seconded, "conditional approval of the request
for resubdivision of parcels in the Marshlall--Hershfeld Subdivision as indicated on
documents submitted to the Board be recomI�ended." The motion CARRIED unanimously.
b. Alderwoman Nichols asked the Boa�dls consideration of two matters presently
before the Charter and Ordinance Committee. The first matter involved property on
North Aurora Street. Ms. Nichols requested that the Board review its allowance of
doctor's offices in areas where other professional offices are prohibited. Mr. Van
.Cort explained that the Planning Office felt that differentiation between doctors
and other professions was justifiable, eslIbecially to encourage doctors to stay in
neighborhoods, providing easily accessiblf. health care to families who do not own
cars and cannot afford taxis. Van Cort further stated that one of the problems most
frequently mentioned at citizen input meeIngs is the need for easy access to medical
facilities. The trend in location of mediatl facilities is. toward the hospital,
accessible only by private car or taxi. He also mentioned that for the above reasons
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the Board had in 1973 recommended that a primary health care center be centrally
located in the city. Ms. Nichols and Mr. Stein disagreed, saying that allowing
doctors in R-3 zones would not necessarily encourage doctors to have offices in
neighborhoods and that this was giving one group of professionals a right not given
to others. Mr. Stein said that medical facilities should have the right, but not
doctors as a distinct group .sf professionals.
Mr. Doney discussed the relationship of this situation with the William Sullivan
case and expressed his agreement with i.x. Van Cort and the Planning Office,
Mr. Hildreth stated that having raised a good sized family in the city he would
rather have a doctor's office nearby than a lawyer.
Ms. Benson MOVED, and Ms. Meyer seconded, that "the Planning Board recognizes
differences among the purposes of professions." The motion CARRIED 3-1 with Mr.
Stein voting in opposition.
c. Ms. Nichols then raised the question of rezoning certain areas in the
present B-4 zone. A moratorium on building permits in the subject areas was passed
by Common Council on March 5, but the Charter and Ordinance Committee would like to
act as rapidly as possible on the issue of rezoning.
The discussion which followed generally agreed with the decision to rezone the
area, but suggested that more study be done to determine whether provision could be
written into the proposed zone which would control curb cuts. The Board was in
general agreement with these suggestions. Van Cort stated that simply requiring set-
backs was fairly straightforward and that staff could have a draft zone ready to
Common Council action for the May meeting. But he .added that writing a new zone
might require more time.
d. Ms. Nichols raised briefly the question of Mr. Rothschilds proposed gift
of land to the City. The land is a triangle west of Aurora and south of State Street.
She suggested that the Planning Department should examine this issue and make
recommendations to the City.
ADJOURIRVIENT: Mr. Stein MOVED, and 11r. Doney seconded, that "the meeting adjourn."
The motion CARRIED unanimously. 9:15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
H. Ma.tthys],an Cort "(!!
Planning Director
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