HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-01-SteeringCommittee-FINALTOWN OF ULYSSES
STEERING COMMITTEE FOR ZONING UPDATES
MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, 12/01/2016
Approved: December 19, 2016
Call to Order: 7 p.m.
Present: Chair Nancy Zahler, and board members Rod Hawkes, Darby Kiley, Sue Ritter, Liz
Thomas, and George Tselekis. CJ Randall of Randall + West.
Public in Attendance: John Wertis of the Agriculture Advisory Committee.
Agenda Review; Minutes Review (11/3/2016 and 11/14/2016)
Mr. Hawkes MADE the MOTION to accept the November 3, 2016 and November 14, 2016
meeting minutes, and Ms. Kiley SECONDED the MOTION. The motion was carried
unanimously, 6-0.
Ms. Randall said answers to questions previously submitted to the Town's attorney were
received back just last night, leaving insufficient time to review the answers prior to this
evening's meeting. In speaking personally with the Town Attorney — Mariette Geldenhuys, Ms.
Thomas said Ms. Geldenhuys was not comfortable with the Town maintaining a spreadsheet to
track development rights among subdivided properties. Since a formal document is logged with
the County Clerk whenever a property is sold, Ms. Geldenhuys said she did not see a problem
with the Town requiring that the applicant submit an additional document specifying that a sold
property does or does not have development rights. Further, Ms. Geldenhuys suggested
development rights remain with the owner of the parent lot, Ms. Thomas said.
A general conversation ensued regarding various subdivision scenarios. Mr. Tselekis expressed
concern with the idea of deed restrictions and asked if there were any nearby towns that have
implemented deed restrictions in an effort to limit subdivisions. The town of Ithaca and Seneca
were mentioned. Speaking from her role with the Town of Ithaca, Ms. Ritter said Ithaca does not
encourage subdivisions on agricultural lands and, in turn, does not receive applications for them.
Open Development Areas and town -approved roadways were discussed. Ms. Kiley felt ODAs
are not an option, citing road frontage concerns and other procedural challenges. Ms. Randall
mentioned the Whitehawk development in Danby as a project with 31 units and a gravel
roadway.
A lengthy discussion ensued regarding deed restrictions, parent lots and various hypothetical
scenarios involving subdivisions of acreage. It was agreed among Committee members that they
needed to hear from Ms. Geldenhuys regarding questions of development -rights transfers and if
the Town changes the zoning in the future and thereby "lift" any deed restrictions associated
Zoning update steering committee 2
December 1, 2016
with zoning updates currently under consideration. Ms. Randall suggested drafting a formal
memo to submit to Ms. Geldenhuys.
At 8 p.m., the Committee shifted the subject of its zoning discussion to Jacksonville. Ms. Randall
presented a conceptual zoning map of an expanded Jacksonville Hamlet that includes a 0.25 -mile
walking area within the Hamlet corridor. Ms. Kiley noted the draft map combines Al and R1
zones into a single zone and eliminates the Hamlet designation for Waterburg. Members briefly
discussed the existing water line and whether it should dictate where Hamlet expansion takes
place. Ms. Randall noted the consultants intend to go parcel by parcel when considering just how
much Hamlet expansion is appropriate. Some Committee members favored the proposal for an
inner quarter -mile walkable area within the Hamlet, with both Ms. Thomas and Mr. Tselekis
being among them.
At 8:30 p.m., Ms. Randall circulated a draft zoning brief outlining goals of the Jacksonville
rezoning initiative. Several wording changes were offered and adopted for clarity of intent.
Toward the meeting's conclusion, it was agreed Ms. Kiley would proceed with asking
NYSERDA for a deadline extension on rezoning work. Committee members planned to meet
again on Monday, December 19, if Ms. Geldenhuys is available to attend the meeting, and on
January 5.
Ms. Ritter MADE the MOTION to adjourn the meeting, and Ms. Kiley SECONDED the
MOTION. The motion was unanimously carried.
Meeting adjourned at 9:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Louis A. DiPietro 11 on December 13, 2016.