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.