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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1990-12-20 1e Planning and Development Board MINUTES December 20, 1990 PRESENT: S. Adams, R. Berg, S. Blumenthal (Chair), M. Cochran, J. Schroeder, A. Yale. Staff: Director H. M. Van Cort, J. Meigs, L. Tsang, P. Weed. Also, members of the public. 1. Meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. 2. Privilege of the Floor: No requests made. 3. New Business A. Unique Natural Areas, EMC. David Weinstein, of the Tompkins Environmental Management Council, told the Board about a survey which they have just completed. Members of the EMC are in the process of presenting their findings to all municipalities in Tompkins County. There are some 184 sites in the county of which 107 are new to the list. Mr. Weinstein distributed a copy of the list of sites and of the criteria used in selecting them. sites were selected based on their special environmental qualities including the existence of rare or unusual plant and animal species, as well as unusual geological formations. The purpose of the listing is to: 1. Alert individual landowners to the environmental value of their property (at this point the EMC is not actively promoting legal protection of these areas) . 2. Help developers avoid these sites. 3. Help the community plan for protection and conservation of these rare habitats. Mr. Weinstein discussed the octopus Cliffs, an exampleofa site in the City. The Board complimented the EMC on its. work and made several suggestions including the following: 1. The maps should be presented at a larger scale with greater precision as to the boundaries of the area. 2. The common names of the species should be listed in addition to the Latin names. Van Cort agreed to transmit the original copy of the inventory given to- the City by the EMC to the City Clerk's office. He also will make copies of portions of the report for the Board of Public Works, the Conservation Advisory Council and the Planning Department. B. Pogo Parcel Housing Options. Mon Cochran presented the results of the many months' work that the Neighborhoods and Housing subcommittee has done on the Pogo parcel. Cochran explained the process that the committee had gone through and summarized its recommendations. After a lengthy discussion, the Board, upon a motion by Cochran, seconded by Adams, received and approved the recommendations, recommending that the committee's work be used as a guideline in the disposition of the Northside parcel. The resolution is as follows: WHEREAS the Neighborhood and Housing subcommittee has examined the site in the Northside neighborhood, formerly owned by -Rtecte- Paolangeii, and now owned by the City of Ithaca, and ��nk WHEREAS the committee has taken testimony from various members of the civic association and housing advocacy groups, and WHEREAS the committee has considered numerous alternatives for development of the subject parcel, Planning & Development Board Minutes - December 20, 1990 Page 2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED. that the guidelines approved by the Planning and Development Board as amended on 12/20/90 be accepted as guidelines for disposition by the City of Ithaca. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these guidelines be transmitted to Common Council for their use in disposing of the property. Pogo Parcel Development Guidelines At its most recent meeting (12/10/90), the Neighborhoods and Housing subcommittee of the Planning and Development Board reached consensus on a set of guidelines for the housing to be developed on the parcel in question, using the criteria that had framed our previous discussions and data collection efforts. Those guidelines are as follows: 1. Affordability - Permanent affordability for housing of good quality. The committee has reason to believe this goal is attainable given local contractor estimates of the cost per square foot to construct housing of the sort examined in Syracuse ($50-60/sq. ft.), and the mutual housing concept that is well along in the planning phase in Ithaca. 2. Density - No more than the approximately 38 units permitted by current zoning, and compatible with the neighborhood. our investigations indicate that in fact it will be very difficult to fit more than 30 units on this relatively small site. 3. Families served - The goal is for a socio-economic mix. With permanent affordability the intention is to create a stable mini- community, where families stay for an extended period because they can afford the housing and have a commitment to participation in the development. 4. Physical form - compatible with other housing in the neighborhood in building type (siding, windows, etc.) scale, parking surface (pavement), grid and streetscape, treescape. 5. Tenancy - As many units as possible subsidized, with the possibility of a small number at market rate if needed to make the project financially feasible. The group agreed that mixed tenancy (owned and rented; subsidized and market rate) would be ideal, but that this is extremely difficult to achieve with so few units. Given the shortage of affordable housing (housing cost less than 30% of income for low/middle income family) in Ithaca, the group opted for subsidizing most of the units. 6. Private vs. non-profit - Consistent with maximizing long-term affordability. one feasible model, presented by the Mutual Housing Commission, would involve non-profit developer and ownership, but construction by the private sector. We agreed that any other possibilities meeting the above parameters should be solicited at a public meeting. 7. Amount of City subsidy - This will require discussion and negotiation with the city. considerable subsidy will be necessary to produce affordability. The value of the land itself and Community Development grants already in hand should certainly be included in the discussion. — Planning & Development Board Minutes - December 20, 1990 Page 3 The Board directed that the amended guidelines be transmitted to Council by the Director. The Board directed that a public meeting on the guidelines be scheduled for the next Planning and Development Board meeting, and that the public meeting be advertised with a small display ad in the Ithaca Journal. Secondly, the Board directed that the neighborhood association be sent a copy of the guidelines and given notice of the public hearing concerning the guidelines. C. 1991 work Program. Van Cort explained that the distributed work program is a rough, first draft. Berg asked that the Elmira Road sidewalks be included in the work program. The Board felt that it might be appropriate at some future time to hold a joint meeting with the Planning and Development Committee to approve the work program. This meeting would be held after there was rough agreement on a future draft. D. Six Mile Creek Protection Plan, Town of Ithaca. Blumenthal reported on action by the P&D Committee of common Council in support of the six Mile Creek valley plan issued by the Town of Ithaca Conservation Advisory council. The Board directed that a letter be transmitted to the Town Board supporting the plan. 4. A. Revisions to Chapter 39, SDPR Ordinance. Peter Weed explained the list of proposed changes to the SDPR ordinance which had been previously distributed to the Board. The Board was in general agreement with the proposed changes. There was consensus that the applicability section should be clarified. Also, there was consensus that the fees section should not be modified to lower the fees on larger projects. Several members of the Board commented that the changes in the ordinance should not tend to make the SDPR process more burdensome on the Planning and Development Board. There was also agreement that the thresholds for applicability on City projects should be lowered. That is, that smaller City projects should be covered by SDPR. There was a brief discussion as to whether design guidelines could be established to be used as a guide in performing site development plan review. An example of such guidelines is the proposed urban design study for downtown. Peter Weed felt that the results of the urban design study might be applicable to more than just the central business district. The Board unanimously thanked Peter Weed for his excellent service to the City and to the Board. His contribution to the establishment of a well thought out and smoothly operating site plan review process is an invaluable contribution to the improvement of the built environment in the City of Ithaca. B. West Hill Master Plan Environmental Review. Helen Johnson and Kathleen Sprague of the West Hill Civic Association appeared before the Board to discuss the West Hill master plan and the required environmental review. Ms. Johnson explained that the civic association executive committee had met with Alderperson Barbara Blanchard to discuss the possibility of the civic association doing the environmental review for the West Hill Master Plan. They would request that the Department provide technical assistance if necessary. Ms.. Blanchard is to contact the Department to get the results of a scoping session which was held last year on the plan. The review would then be presented to the Planning and Development Board for action. Van Cort was directed to determine from Planning Board Minutes whether the Board had been given lead agency status for the preparation of the environmental review. Planning & Development Board Minutes - December 20, 1990 Page 4 The civic association will meet in January to formally decide whether they wish to go ahead with this undertaking. The Board thanked the civic association and looks forward to hearing from them. C. Zoning Ordinance Amending Subdivision A-2 of Section 30-37 of Chapter 30, Parking Space Size. Upon a motion by Cochran, seconded by Berg, the Board's recommendation that the common council adopt the proposed amendment to the ordinance. Passed Unanimously. D. Elmira Road Sidewalks. After a brief discussion Berg, seconded by Cochran, moved the following resolution. WHEREAS there are many people who walk along the southerly portion of Elmira Road, south of its intersection with Meadow Street, and WHEREAS there are no sidewalks along that portion of the road, and WHEREAS this constitutes a danger to the pedestrians forced to walk either on the pavement or directly next to it along a dirt path, and WHEREAS this condition presents extreme danger and difficulty to handicapped persons and persons wheeling strollers, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Board urges the Board of Public Works to move as expeditiously as possible to construct sidewalks on both sides of this important city arterial. Passed Unanimously. This resolution, as passed, is to be transmitted to the Board of Public Works and the common council. E. Route 13 Widening/Bridge Repair. Schroeder reported the action by common council on the proposed Route 13 widening south of the City. The Planning and Development committee is preparing a letter of clarification to the Town Department of Transportation regarding the City's position on the bridges, the abutments, and the left turn movement into Buttermilk Falls state Park. 5. Zoning Appeals Report. Van Cort explained the history of the requested variance by Ironics at 742 Cascadilla Street for property owned by Vincent Giordano. There are several area variances which would be taken care of by this variance. The City has proposed to sell to Giordano a narrow strip of land which would allow him to build a minor addition to one of his buildings for an expansion by Ironics. As a part of this arrangement, Ironics would option one of the parcels in the Carpenter Business Park for construction of a future home for Ironics. Van Cort explained the importance of this variance for job retention. It was noted that Jon Meigs felt that there were many legal and technical issues which remain to be resolved before a building permit could be obtained. Susan Blumenthal moved, and Yale seconded, the following resolution. Planning & Development Board Minutes - December 20, 1990 Page 5 WHEREAS Appeal No. 2014 would allow expansion of Ironics, Inc. in their present location at 742 Cascadilla street, and WHEREAS such expansion would retain 75 jobs in the City of Ithaca with 10 additional jobs to be added in the near future, and WHEREAS such job retention is of considerable importance to the City given its recent losses in manufacturing to surrounding suburban industrial areas, and WHEREAS the deficiencies are pre-existing and considerable practical difficulties prevent their correction by other means, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Planning and Development recommends that the Board of Zoning Appeals grant variance no. 2014. Passed Unanimously. 6. A. No Committee Reports. B. No Director's Report. C. Chair report. Blumenthal asked for an alternative date for the Board's January meeting suggesting that January 24 might be appropriate. The meeting date is being changed because of the meetings of the Downtown Vision Task Force. The Board approved January 24 for its January meeting. Department of Environmental conservation (DEC) Land Acquisition Advisory Committee. Blumenthal reported that she had discussed with Alderperson Barbara Blanchard the State-appointed DEC committee of which Ms. Blanchard has been made a member. This special ad-hoc committee has been appointed to make recommendations to the State on future land acquisition by the DEC. The committee is known as the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) . The committee was established under the state legislature which dealt with the now-defeated Environmental Bond Act. The committee is to establish policies and priorities, as well as naming individual sites for acquisition. 7. Approval of Minutes. Minutes of September 25 - Schroeder, seconded by Cochran, moved approval. Passed unanimously. Minutes of October 23 - amendments were offered: Page 2, Item 4 a) - Revise paragraph to read as follows. After discussion, modifications suggested for the final draft included: Change #3) to read "Decommission Lake Avenue. from Adams Street to Route 13 and create linear park. If it will not harm existing retail operations on block 3, decommission Lake Avenue from Hancock Street to Adams street, and decommission Adams Street east of new proposed street on block 2." Take out first sentence of #5) . #8) "Analyze the need for" in place of "Commission." Yale asked to add #14) "Incorporate bicycle planning as plans develop." Page 3, Item 4 b) - Revise first sentence to read "Peter Weed clarified questions regarding the proposed minimum parking space size reduction." Page 3, Item 6 d) - Revise first sentence to read "Schroeder reported on a New York State reconstruction project on Route 13 which will cost an estimated $6-9 million and involves [road widening and] rebuilding [two] bridges." Cochran, seconded by Yale, moved approval as amended. carried. Meeting was adjourned 11:15 p.m.