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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1978-04-24 MINUTES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD 24 April 1978, Common Council Chambers PRESENT: Chairperson LeG. Benson, M. Crowley, R. Hildreth, R. Moran ALSO: H. M. Van Cort, H. J. Van Lent, L. K. Thaler, A. Smith, G. John, Mr. & Mrs. E. Simmons, A. Kelly, R. Holgate, J. Furman, Members of the Press and Others 1. The Chairperson called the meeting to order. 2. Mr. Hildreth MOVED to approve the minutes of the March 27 meeting. Ms. Crowley seconded. Minutes approved. 3. Special order of business: None. 4. Chairperson's report. Ms. Benson announced her resignation, as of the appointment by the Mayor of her successor, with the following letter: Dear Thys, I have today given Mayor Conley my letter of resignation from the Board of Planning and Development. This is necessitated by an increased involvement with some new academic projects which I have hoped to be able to do for a long time. We both came to Ithaca Planning at about the same moment, and it has been a pleasure to share these eventful years. There have habeen important developments, vigorously contested issues and a growing par- ticipation among citizens in influencing the direction and style of progress in Ithaca, including the crucial issue of what indeed con- stitutes progress and if that includes a high quality of life in a well-ordered environment. It has been good to work with you and with a staff of highly qualified professionals who were open to and respon- sive to lay opinion and advice.. Would you please convey to your staff my appreciation for their ex cellance and their willingness always to do more than bare require- ments. I hope Ithaca is aware of the exceptional quality we have in your department. And you are all good company, too. I could not have asked for a happier association. Warmest regards, LeGrace Benson P & D BOARD MINUTES . 24 April 1978 Page 2 Mr. Van Cort and members of the Board expressed their appreciation for the work she has done. 5. Zoning Cases: Appeal 1197: Request for an area variance to permit expansion of the restaurant at 526 West State Street in a B-2 district. The proposed expansion would extend the building to the west property line where a five foot side yard is required. The property does not conform to minimum side yard requirements, and has no off-,street parking. Staff reported that the addition would not appreciably increase the res- taurant's capacity, and would not 'reduce parking. The Board had previous- ly recommended in favor of granting the variance. Mr. Van Cort explained that this case was 'appearing for the second time because no representative , of the appellant appeared at the last Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. Mr. Hildreth MOVED to recommend approval. Ms. Crowley seconded. CARRIED. Appeal 1199: Request for an area variance to add an extension to the existing garage and add an enclosed stairway to the house at 231 Wood Street in an R-2b use district. The property-Is deficient in front yard setback and the additions would cause the maximum lot coverage to be exceeded. Staff recommended approval since the proposed additions would improve ex- isting use and would not increase density. The owner of the property said that they must now go into their yard to gain access to the cellar, and that the enclosure would permit them to enter the cellar from the house. She said they would like to enlarge the garage because their car does not fit into the present garage. They will use the original garage foundation extending it by two feet. Ms. Crowley MOVED t.9 recommend approval. Mr. Hi ldreth seconded. CARRIED. Appeal 1200: Request for an area variance to permit conversion of the attic at 508 University Avenue to an apartment. The property, which is located in an R 3a use district, has no off-street parking, and is deficient in meeting the minimum lot size, width, and side yard requirements. There are now five apartments in the existing structure. Staff recommended denial because of significant deficiency in lot area, lack of parking, and effect of parking lack on the neighborhood, in which many other properties have similar deficiency, requiring use of limited curbside space and interference with traffic on University Avenue. The owner of the house said he lives on the premises and maintains them, and that he has never had any problem parking. He said he is retiring and that it would be a hardship for him not to have the additional income. The proposed additional apjartment would have two bedrooms, and would be located in the attic. There are now six occupants in the building, including the landlord.. The fire escape mould be extended up to the attic apartment. P & D BOARD Minutes 24 April 1978 Page 3 Mr. Hildreth MOVED to recommend approval since it is a hardship and since the landlord lives on the premises, Ms. Crowley seconded. CARRIED, Appeal. 1201: Request for an area variance to construct a dwelling unit over the restaurant at 319 Taughannock Boulevard. The property, located in an M-1 (marine) use district, is deficient in both side yards and has no off-street parking. Staff recommended approval. Parking is not a problem in. that area. Alder- person Meyer spoke in favor of the variance noting th&.:housing in .that area would upgrade the neighborhood. She said the property owner had already im- proved the area greatly. Appellant said he had had six break-ins last year, and felt an apratment would help curb this problem. Ms. Crowley MOVED_to recommend approval. Mr. Hildreth seconded. CARRIED. Appeal 1202: Request for an area viarnace to erect a greenhouse on the. triangular corner lots at 912-914 West State Street, in a B-4 use district. Construction of the greenhouse will result in deficiencies in required lot dimensions and off-street parking. Mr. 'Van Cort noted that the proposed greenhouse is a display model of the type the appellant plans to sell. They would allow. the Men's Garden Club to use the greenhouse. The lot as planned would require curb cuts. The appellant said he intends to imrpove the. appearance of the lot. Mr. Hil dreth MOVED to recommend approval. Mr. Moran seconded. CARRIED unanimously. In later discussion of this. case Mr. Moran MOVED to amend this motion, making its passage conditional upon situating the proposed corner sign so'..that it would not block the view of cars entering the intersection of West State and West Seneca Streets, moving toward the Octopus. Ms. Crowley seconded. CARRIED unanimously. Appeal 1203: Request for a use variance to permit conversion of the wash and dry cleaning establishment at 204 West Seneca Street to a convenience grocery store and delicatessen. The property is located in anR-3a use district, where delicatessens are not per- mitted, and only neighborhood' convenience groceries are permitted, under special permit. Staff noted that all neighboring uses are commercial except for the Salva- tion Army, and felt the proposed use would serve the neighborhood. Mr. Van Cort stated that it would not be reasonable to try to convert this structure for residential use The requisite parking will be provided. Staff recommended approval. The proprietor said that all food would-be sold for off-premise consumption, that they would be open seven days a geek, and that there were ten park.ing_-spaces,. Mr. Moran MOVED to recommend approval.. Mr. Hildreth seconded. CARRIED unanimously. P & D BOARD Minutes 24 April 1978 Page 4 Appeal 5-1-78: Request for a variance under Section 34.5 of the Sign Ordinance to replace the existing signs on the building at 204 West Seneca Street with two new signs with a total square footage of less than 45 square feet. The property is located in an R-3a use district, where such commercial signs are not permit- ted Mr. Van Cort noted that this proposal would remove non-conforming signs. There would be a sign in the corner of the building, just above the build- Ing. He felt they could make the sign smaller, but noted that the appeallants were proposing a considerable reduction in the overall amount of signage. Staff recommended approval, but recommmended the pylon sign be reduced to a diameter of three feet. The appellant said he had to compete with the large signs of his neighbors, and realized that when the signage requirements change in 1979 he might be asked to reduce the size of his sign. Mr. Moran MOVED to recommend approval. Ms. Crowley seconded. CARRIED unanimously.. 6. Communications: None. 7. Committee reports: None. 8. Old business: _ UFAIR Subdivision report. Mr. Van Cort said staff had discovered that an environmental assessment must be prepared for the UFAIR Subdivision, if it is found that the subdivision may have environmental impact, the seller will be required to do an environmental impact state- ment. Cornell should be submitting its environmental assessment to the department shortly. The EIS would be an in depth analysis of the environ- mental effects of allowing the subdivision. Mr. Moran MOVED that the Plan- ning and Development Board support Mr. Van Cort in. his assessment of the UFAIR subdivision's environmental impact. Mr. Hildreth seconded. CARRIED unanimously. It was agreed that a copy of this resolution would be for- warded to the Mayor. 9. New business: Mr. Van Cort reported on the progress of the applications for UDAG and Small Cities Grants. He noted that the Small Cities Grant is a continuation of the Community Development Block Grant, but that it is competitive. The Small Cities .Grant will permit the city to continue many of its current CD activities, and would concentrate funds in the CD area of housing rehabilitation,' neighborhood improvements, community facilities, and historic preservation. He noted that a public hearing will be held on these grant applications Monday, May 1. Mr. Van Cort explained that the UDAG grant now being requested would provide the city with. $800,000. $2.00,000. ;would be used to improve the area around Ithaca Center. $600,000 would be used to provide a second mortgage to the developers. This would reduce their first mortgage, -and make the pro- ject more appealing to banks. The second mortgage would be a long-^term mortgage and the returned money would be used either to set up a downtown development corporation, or for low cost home improvement loans for low-in- come owincome persons. Mr. Van Cort was optimistic about the city's chances of ob- P & D BOARD Minutes 24 April 1978 Page 5 taini.ng a UDAG grant for this project, and said the city could apply for such grants qua.rterT He then thanked Ms. Benson again for helping both the Board and the Planning and Development Department in her tenure as Chairperson. At 8:40 the meeting adjourned.