HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-07-07-SteeringCommittee-FINALTOWN OF ULYSSES
STEERING COMMITTEE FOR ZONING UPDATES
MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, July 7, 2016
7:00 p.m.
Approved: July 25, 2016
Present: Chair Nancy Zahler, Rod Hawkes, Darby Kiley, Sue Ritter, Elizabeth Thomas, and
George Tselekis; C.J. Randall and David West of Randall + West.
Public in Attendance: Roxanne Marino of the Ulysses Sustainability and Conservation
Advisory Council.
Agenda Review; Minutes Review (6/2/16)
The Committee briefly discussed the matter of tracking and documenting its hours. Ms. Kiley
informed members to jot down dates, number of hours, and any tasks associated with Committee
work. Beginning now, Committee members are asked to commit four hours a month, she said.
Ms. Kiley MADE the MOTION to accept the June 2, 2016 meeting minutes, and Mr. Tselekis
SECONDED the MOTION. The minutes were unanimously approved, 6-0.
Ms. Kiley MADE the MOTION to accept the June 6, 2016 focus group minutes, and Mr.
Hawkes SECONDED the MOTION. The minutes were unanimously approved.
Privilege of the Floor: No one addressed the Committee at this time.
Jacksonville Zoning Meeting Debrief
Ms. Zahler said she appreciated the consultants' extra effort in pulling together existing Town
Zoning standards, which was an especially informative piece from the focus group session.
Roughly 40 were in attendance, according to Ms. Kiley.
Ms. Randall called the focus group feedback excellent and noted one resident's suggestion to
reference Sanborn maps to review how the hamlet developed pre -zoning. Ms. Zahler noted many
in attendance offered comments and questions via index cards, which Ms. Kiley said she would
circulate to Committee members. Lastly, Ms. Zahler commented on aerial photos used by
previous consultants during an environmental assessment of Exxon -owned properties in
Jacksonville. She said it was interesting how the photos show the evolution of development and
farm fields around the Hamlet.
Zoning drafts discussion, including feedback from Ag Committee
Mr. West said a circulated memo to the Committee gives a brief summary of the macro -scale
proposed changes to the Town Zoning and a justification of why those changes are being
Steering Committee for Zoning Updates 2
proposed. The Committee will have to decide how to handle the Ag Committee's
recommendations — particularly in regard to land value of ag parcels — either by meeting with
them or drafting a formal response. Steering Committee comments will help shape the memo
into a kind of pre -draft of Zoning, he said, adding that a draft for review by other committees
will come out of the Steering Committee process.
At this time, Committee members reviewed the Randall + West document.
Lot size and subdivisions appear to be the most substantive parts of the memo, Ms. Zahler said.
Much of the ensuing discussion focused on the consultants' three options, as outlined in their
memo:
1. Lots of 20 acres or more may be subdivided from a parent lot. This is less than ideal as some
lots are likely to transition to strictly residential use but a 20 -acre parcel may be productive as a
CSA and is a reasonable size for other small farm operations.
2. A parent lot may have cluster lots of 0.5 - 2 acres subdivided off incrementally up to the
maximum number of lots allowed by this ordinance based on the size of the parent lot (1 lot per
10 acres). This regulation minimizes the amount of land that is used when strictly residential
subdivision takes place, reduces the overall number of units allowed and places those units in a
manner that minimizes the loss of productive ag land while allowing small single lots to be
subdivided incrementally to provide capital for operations or housing for family members.
3. Following Conservation Subdivision Design Standards allows a 30% density bonus over
incremental cluster lot development but requires planning for the entire subdivision upfront and
stronger standards. This regulation incentivizes the use of the best siting and design standards by
granting some additional units (though the total is still fewer than would be allowed under
existing regulations)
Mr. Tselekis asked for clarification on option 2, while Mr. Hawkes said the use of the term
"cluster lot" is confusing. Asked to explain their thought process in developing the three options,
Mr. West said Steering Committee feedback shaped the proposal, which reflects the strongest
farmland conservation measures. These measures are a starting point. Increasing the minimum
lot size is important since it reduces development potential in the Ag District. However, it is not
enough by itself because there could be a market for large, rural homes, which would succeed
only in speeding up residential development on ag parcels. As a relief valve, consultants propose
allowing the smallest potential size for residential development (.5 acres), which would let
landowners subdivide off small parcels in the Ag district. With 2 acres as the maximum, the
Town would be encouraging a more efficient distribution of residential development and ag land
preservation.
A discussion ensued regarding specifics of subdivision and what would or would not be
permissible. On the matter of a .5 -acre minimum, Ms. Kiley said the Tompkins County Health
Department has stipulated that .5 acres for residential development does not meet sanitary code.
Even with a shared septic, property owners would need approvals. Ms. Randall said County
officials she spoke with are warming to the use of UV septic systems that can operate in small
Steering Committee for Zoning Updates 3
areas. Mr. West said the reason for 2 -acres is to allow plenty of space for well and septic. If the
Town wants to be more efficient with land, it makes sense to build smaller, he said. It was noted
that the property owner seeking to subdivide off a .5 acre lot would be responsible for attaining
approval for a septic system, not the buyer.
Ms. Thomas suggested, and Committee members agreed, the updated memo include illustrations.
A brief discussion ensued regarding the term "cluster" and whether it is the most accurate term to
use within the memo.
Further clarifying the options, Mr. West explained the proposal substantially reduces maximum
unit yield. If a landowner today wanted to subdivide 100 acres, Town Zoning allows 2 -acre
minimum, meaning the landowner could subdivide into 49 lots (though 45 lots in more realistic,
he added). Consultants are substantially reducing that, he said. Now, if doing a cluster with
conservation subdivision — as outlined in option 3 — that same landowner could subdivide 13 lots
as opposed to 45. The consultants removed from Zoning stipulations on lots along the roadway
and the requirement of 400 feet of road frontage, he said.
Ms. Thomas said a recent complaint regarding manure spreading in Town makes the Steering
Committee's charge especially relevant because ag and residential uses are not always
compatible. There is always this interface between ag and urban that creates stress. There are
instances, Ms. Zahler added, where a farm is located within a residential community, and the
Town has to follow the rules as if the farm is the dominant use. Ms. Ritter said she took
exception to a comment within the Ag Committee's memo, saying they recommend a continued
merger of residential development and agriculture. It is a bad idea. The Town needs to protect
residences, too, she said. Sticky situations arise when farmers are not abiding by best practices,
Ms. Thomas said, because, outside of Ag and Markets, no one has enforcement authority over
farmers who don't use the best agricultural practices. Soil and Water can act in an advisory role.
It is frustrating because some of those practices are not compatible with residences.
Mr. West pointed to the Ag and Farmland Protection Plan, which discourages residential growth
in agricultural areas because of this fundamental mismatch. Ulysses is in a fortunate position —
they are in the early stages of development. What happens elsewhere is incremental
suburbanization, when a town surpasses a tipping point and ag potential goes down. More
residential development pushes the value for development up further, and towns must decide
between prohibiting further development or going all -in with suburban development.
Mr. Hawkes asked about Purchase of Development Rights. Mr. West said PDRs are an option
consultants have yet to fully flesh out. If development is transferred to a targeted area — say the
Jacksonville Hamlet — the Jacksonville community must understand how much development
could be sent there. Touching on Ms. Zahler's point regarding the high costs of clusters, Mr.
Hawkes said an emerging pattern in Town is not an out -of -towner looking for a lot. Rather, it's a
landowner looking to subdivide off a parcel for a son or daughter to build on. Issues arise when
those homes on subdivided lots are sold to new owners, who may not be comfortable living by a
farm, he said.
Steering Committee for Zoning Updates 4
Ms. Ritter said the Town of Ithaca has had a PDR program in effect for over 20 years and with
two participating farms. She said the process involved with PDRs is often long and tedious. In
one case, by the time the State processed the PDR, the seller did not receive as much money as
was initially appraised. Some have expressed interest in PDRs, she said, but ultimately did not
follow through because of the rules associated with them.
Ms. Randall referenced an innovative bond -related initiative called Greenprint, which was used
in the Town of Clarence. Ms. Thomas suggested the Transfer of Development Rights as another
option.
After a brief discussion regarding next steps, the Steering Committee reached a consensus to
hold a second meeting — 7 p.m. Monday, July 25 — to further discuss the draft. Ms. Randall said
they would make the pre -draft ordinance available online for Steering Committee members to
mark up. The Committee reached a consensus to submit any feedback by July 15 to allow
consultants enough time to craft a more refined draft.
Ms. Kiley MADE the MOTION to adjourn the meeting, and Mr. Hawkes SECONDED the
MOTION. The motion was unanimously approved.
Meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Louis A. DiPietro II on July 13, 2016.