Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1979-06-26 MINUTES PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD June 26, 1979 PRESENT: Stuart Stein, Barbara Davis, Susan Cummings, Mary Crowley ALSO PRESENT: Tom Hoard, H. M. Van Cort, John Fuchs, Mrs. Slovik, Ferdinand Stanchi, Miriam and Harold Scheraga, Pauline Wilkinson, Gary and Dale Loomis, Jeffrey Kastel , Cass Petrillose, Richard Mellen-, David and Seymour Turk 1 . The meeting was called to order at 7:45 p.m. 2. Ms. Crowley MOVED to approve the minutes of the May 29, 1979 meeting. Ms. Cummings seconded. Passed unanimously, 3. None. 4. Mr. Stein announced that Mr. Cleveland has resigned from the Planning and Development Board and the Board of Public Works will appoint a replacement. 5. ZONING CASES: APPEAL 1261 : Mr. Fuchs presented a _drawing of the site. He explained that the garage is a 22 story structure that was previously used as an auto body shop. The structure is fully wired and has a concrete floor, Neighbors were sent a letter informing them of the proposed home occupation and Mr. Fuchs had not received any negative. comments. He further explained that he intends to live in the garage and rent the house. Sufficient parking is available on the site. Mrs. Slovik, a neighbor, presented a letter to the Board from neighbors at 604 and 608 Spencer Road who object to the granting of a variance in the neighborhood that reflects commercial use, Mr. Fuchs stated that he did not intend to advertise and he is not selling anything out of the building. Staff recommendation is to recommend approval , however, there is some concern about commercial extension into the area. The special permit could be revoked if misused but it would be hard to enforce, Mr. Hoard emphasized that the special permit given to owner-occupant for a particular type of activity cannot be changed if the property is sold. Ms. Cummings was concerned about the proposed sign and was informed that five square feet is allowable according to the sign ordinance. Ms. Davis MOVED to recommend approval of the use and area variance provided that the Planning and Development Department review the type of sign"so that it would be compatible with a residential neighborhood. Ms. Cummings seconded, Motion carried. Page 2 Planning and Development June 26, 1979 APPEAL 1262: Mr. Stanchi , stated that Mrs. Belcher, the owner of the property, would be moving into the house after the conversion is complete. According to the zoning ordinance there is sufficient parking. Ms. Wilkinson asked that as a resident of the area the board not-grant'l the variance to prevent further units from being changed to multiple dwelling units. Staff recommendation is to approve. Ms. Cummings MOVED to recommend approval . Ms. Crowley seconded. Motion carried. APPEAL 1263: Mr. Scheraga explained that his neighbors approved of the proposed plan, . Staff recommendation is to recommend approval . Ms. Crowley MOVED to recommend approval of the area variance. Ms. Davis seconded. Motion carried. APPEAL 1264: Mr. Loomis explained that the proposed changes will enable his brother to live in the upstairs of the barn while the house is rented, Parking is available for the proposed addition. Appellants have no intention of entering into a business in the workshop area in the lower part of the barn. Mrs,. Wilkinson, a neighbor, spoke very strongly against the variance. By changing the homes in the area to multiple dwelling units, the area is rapidly becoming a transient neighborhood. Other residents who live nearby are not in favor of the additional unit because of the increased congestion in the neighborhood. Staff recommendation is to approve based on the adequate parking and the fact that the owners intend to fix up the property preventing the deterioration of the present structures. Ms. Cummings MOVED to recommend denial . For lack of a second the motion died. Mr. Loomis was informed that his property is in the INHS target area for rehabilitation. It was suggested that he talk with Mr. Pearce to see if any funds could be made available to him. Mr. Loomis said that the interior of the property had been remodeled in accordance with 1970 standards and even though the outside of the building does not reflect many changes the structure is not a fire hazard. ` Ms. Davi.s MOVED to recommend approval of the appeal and based on a concern for the increased density of the neighborhood would like to stipulate that the home be owner occupied and have no more than 6 occupants. Ms. Crowley seconded. A PAQEE3 \\ Planning and Development June 26, 1979 vote was called; 3 for, 1 against (Stein)_° APPEAL 1265; Mr, Mellen explained that he has been doing business since January and neighbors have had an opportunity to see what his business entails. After talking to some of the neighbors, he has received no negative comments on his business. Mr. Mellea also read 2 letters from adjacent property owners in favor of the business. Staff recommendation is in favor of the special permit. Ms Crowley MOVED to recommend approval , Ms. Davis seconded. Motion carried. APPEAL 1266. Mr, Turk presented a drawing of the proposed two store structure, He explained that he had sent out for bids for the construction of the building, Mr Hoard said that the exterior of the building would have to be reviewed by the Design Review Board. Staff recommendation is to approve based on the fact that apartments were included in the proposal in an area in need of more housing, Mr, Van Cort noted that after looking at the plan for construction, the sidewalk appeared narrow. The sidewalks should be consistent with the existing sidewalk. Ms, Cummings MOVED to recommend approval of the variance with a strong recommendation that the structure be 2 story, Ms. Crowley seconded, Motion carried. 6, Communications Mr, Stein referred to a communication from the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission which was sent to the Board for information concerning the actions to date on the`Cornell University Agriculture Quadrangle matter, This material was sent to the Board for information in order to keep them abreast-of the situation and no action is required. 7, Committee Reports Ms. Cummings presented a report from the Urban Design and Preservation Committee, The report summarized the Committee's meeting to review the proposed map of down- town points of interest and landmarks which is being prepared under the City graphics contract with Carreiro Design, The Committee,_ in reviewing the proposed map, felt that it could be revised and further detailed so that persons seeing it at the locations where it's proposed to be displayed, the bus shelters around downtown and also in the form of handouts, would be better able to understand the geography of the central business district, Several suggestions were made for additions or modifications to the proposed map including possible changes to the selection of key colors, the perspective viewpoint from which the map is drawn, and certain other PAGE 4 Planning and Development June 26, 1979 points of interest which seem to be points which the average person unfamiliar with Ithaca would need to know. Ms. Cummings stated that she would return this matter to her Committee and discuss it further with the consultant. Signage for City. Parking Structures Ms. Cummings' Committee also reviewed with Mr. Turner of Carriero Graphics the matter of signage for the city parking structures, particularly for the Green Street structure. The Commons Advisory Board and other interested parties have made a strong recommendation that directional signage to and within the structures be made a priority item for the City. Ms. Cummings' Committee agrees .with this feeling and recommends that the consultant be requested to prepare design proposals for such a system of graphics, which would include signs on the streets leading to the structures, and then indicating circulation direction and point of exit from the structures. She requested that the Committee be given power to act for the Board in reviewing this matter and in making recommendations to Common Council for funding for this purpose. The motion was seconded by Ms. Davis and passed with a condition that the proposed limit of funding be $600 rather than the lesser amount estimated by Mr. Turner for the complete job of designing and manufacturing the resulting signage, but exclusive of installation, which presumably would be effected by city forces. There was further discussion concerning the possibility that temporary signage be erected to ease the traffic and circulation system while this matter is being finalized but the consensus of the staff was that the exist- ing signage is temporary and was intended to serve the purpose until a final signage system could be devised; therefore the suggestion was discarded. A motion was approved unanimously to give the Committee the power to review and act for the Board. Historic Signs The Codes and Ordinances Committee met with interested members of other city agencies on proposed revisions to the Sign Ordinance to permit certain historic signs to remain past the date for which the .ordinance provides removal of non= conforming signs. Committee Chairman Davis reported-that the meeting which her committee had with the City officials and representatives::of various committees and commissions resulted in agreement that the first draft specification for standards for historic signs would be revised and tightened, so that relatively few of the existing nonconforming signs would qualify for consideration for historic designation, She reported that the proposed revision to the ordinance would make the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission responsible for first determining whether a particular sign in question was historic, according to the standards, and that after the Commission had made their ruling, the Building Commissioner would act on the sign permit request, referring any further matters of question to the Board of Zoning Appeals in the normal method. The Planning Board would, of course, also be consulted in case of such appeals. There was discussion on the floor concerning methods of notification to owners of historic signs, to alert them to. the fact that they had a potentially historic sign, and to permit them to decide whether they wished to begin the process of determining whether the sign in question would be eligible, Mr. Van Cort noted that the draft of the revision had been presented to the Charter and Ordinance PAGE 5 Planning and Development June 26, 1979 Committee of Common Council , where it received a mixed response, since there is a certain feeling among members of Council that the ordinance has been sufficiently tested and discussed in the nearly seven years that it has been in effect, and that it would be potentially unfair to the owners of remaining nonconforming. signs to be given variances where many others have already removed such signs. He noted also that the proposal would provide basically that neon signs, signs painted directly on buildings, and signs which are in a sense integral with the design or construction of a building or its facade, such as those which are incised into Carrara glass facades. The other criterion for determining a historic sign threshold is that any sign which may be considered for historic status must have been erected prior to 1950. Building Commissioner Hoard stated that in notices to sign owners, mention of the potential historic nature of a sign will be made when the ordinance goes into effect. After further discussion, Ms. Davis moved that the Planning Board recommend enthusiastically the adoption of the proposed amendment to the Sign Ordinance to permit variances for certain historic signs in accordance with standards as specified in the most recent draft of the proposed ordinance amendment. Ms. Cummings seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. 8. Old Business Mr. Stein called for items of old business of which there were none. 9. New Business There were no items of new business. 10 Miscellaneous Mr, Van Cort informed the Board that Rosalind Williams had resigned her position on staff, and that he was beginning the process of seeking a replacement for herr, He noted that it is a somewhat involved process to advertise and to make a selection among applicants for this position, which is a regular Civil Service position with the City. Chairman Stein requested that this matter be a subject of consideration by the entire Board, if possible, and asked the Director to notify him and other Board members when it would be appropriate to have such a discussion, Mr. Stein requested that, in view of Ms. Williams' long and outstanding period of service, a letter of appreciation be sent to her, There was no further business and the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Plana MEMORANDUM TO Planning and Development Board FROM; Sue Cummings, Chairman, Urban Design and Preservation Committee SUBJECT; City Graphics/Parking Signage DATE. June 26, 1979 In the course of discussing the Downtown Directory at its meeting June 25th (see related memo) , the related matter of signage in and leading to the parking ramps was raised, The committee is aware of some feeling, among merchants and the general pubiic, that directions to the structures, and directions for interior circulation etc, , are badly needed. The committee recommends that this matter be given priority over the directory, and that the department prepare recommendations for ramp signage as quickly as possible, using the most effective combination of staff and consultant resources, Further, the committee wishes to remain involved in this and other phases of the graphics project, and recommends that in order to expedite review and implementation, this committee be given power to act for the Board, including forwarding its recommendation on ramp signage to the appropriate Council committee and/or other city agency for final installation, It was also suggested that if necessary to coordinate the ramp signage system with the rest of the graphics system, serious consideration be given to installing temporary signage, produced by the city sign shop, as soon as appropriate locations are determined by the designers in consultation with the committee, MEMORANDUM TO: - Planning and Development Board FROM Sue Cummings, Chairman Urban Design and Preservation Committee SUBJECT; City Graphics/'Downtown Directory DATE, June 26, 1979 The committee reviewed the proposed directory at a meeting June 25th. It was felt that Carreiro Design should be asked to further refine the proposal and bring it,' together with earlier proposals (_e,g. , one using a standard street map based and examples from other localities for comparison, to a later committee meeting, The Committee felt that color selection, perspective viewpoint, and points of interest require reconsideration before settling on the most effective designs For instance, it was suggested that some thought be given to enlivening the area focused on -the CBD., by somehow indicating all the buildings, perhaps by simple block shapes, against which the colored points of interest would stand out, Features which should or might be added include the Strand and the Historic District boundaries; Women's Community Building, DeWitt Mall , various parks, and the Health Clinic, Whiton House. (Community Arts School ) and the Fire Station might be left out, Color differentiation between the base color and the "labels", and perhaps a brighter color for the CBD area, also seemed advisable. There appears to be a need to better indicate the distance between downtown and the lake, perhaps by indicating more east-west streets, and Fall Creek, by using a higher station point, or by screening the distance for an illusion of depth, The committee felt, however, that priority should be given to development of a system of directional signs to and within the parking structures Csee separate memo), pf