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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1991-03-26 APPROVED 5/28/91 Planning and Development Board MINUTES March 26, 1991 PRESENT: S. Adams, R. Berg, S. Blumenthal (Chair) , C. Feuer, J. Schroeder, A. Yale. Staff: Director Van Cort, L. Tsang. Also, applicants and media. 1. Meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. 2. Special Joint Meeting with Planning and Development Committee. Barbara Blanchard was only representative from the Committee in attendance. There was general discussion about Blanchard' s memo which outlined goals for several of the items in the Planning Department work program. Blanchard asked whether the Planning Department is too involved in public transit, parking, GIAC and court facility activities? It was suggested that grants management should be taken over by the Finance Dept. Van Cort explained Department' s relationship with city housing organizations such as the Community Development program, and its participation on Boards of INHS and MHA where the City plays a very important role. Van Cort stated that the Department played an important role in capital projects, acting as a facilitator. He also noted that Finance had little experience in writing grant applications. In addition, he said that transferring activities to other departments (e.g. grants to Finance or Capital Projects to Engineering) would not save the City any money unless it could be demonstrated that other departments could provide these services at lower cost. It was agreed that the Board needs to debate the goals and objectives of the work program. After some discussion Van Cort agreed to draft 1992 goals and objectives for the Board' s consideration at their August meeting. Yale suggested devoting time each Board meeting to discuss aspects of future work programs. The Board decided to meet again with the, Planning Committee at the Committee' s April 15 meeting to try to finalize the 1991 work program. 3. Site Development Plan Review and Public Hearing: 529 S. Meadow St. /Meadow Court Motel addition. Linda Tsang explained proposed demolition and addition of office and guest rooms. Tsang made comments and suggestions on parking, storm water drainage and landscaping. It was noted that the applicants were considering possible future expansion, and therefore would not want to install landscaping that would have to be removed at a later date. Tsang suggested that some fast growing shrubs could be planted which would not be expensive, and also made suggestions for an improved parking configuration. Planning and Development Board Minutes - March 26, 1991 Page 2 After a brief discussion of the environmental review, Schroeder, seconded by Adams, moved for a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance, and the motion passed 6-0. A public hearing opened by the chair. No one appeared to speak, and the hearing was closed. Tsang suggested that landscaping be designed to separate the sidewalk from the parking area, and the applicants proposed instead to install bollards in the area between the sidewalk and parking area since they felt that plant materials would not survive. Yale moved, seconded by Schroeder, that the Preliminary Site Development Plan is approved with modifications in the form of conditions, and that it shall be considered to be the Final Site Development Plan and approved as such. Conditions: 1. The revised final site plan will show: a. all property lines and rights-of-way between the motel and its neighboring properties; b. barriers, preferably planting barriers, between the end spaces in the main parking area and the S. Meadow St. sidewalk subject to the approval of the Planning and Development Department; C. a revised planting scheme with adequate planting around the new building subject to the approval of the Planning and Development Department. 2. The revised final site plan will show site improvements in the area south of the proposed addition to include: a. regrading and installation of new catch basins or other means as necessary to correct the current poor drainage; b. planting of trees and vegetative groundcovers to further mitigate the poor drainage situation and the unsightliness of this vacant lot. This condition may be deleted or re-negotiated if there is an accepted purchase offer for the area in question by the time the proposed new structure is completed. Otherwise a temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be granted if condition #1 is satisfied until the site improvements called for in Condition #2 can be properly Planning and Development Board Minutes - March 26, 1991 Page 3 installed. The issuance of final Certificate of Occupancy will be contingent on the total compliance with the approved site plan to include the southern portion of the site if it is not sold. Motion carried unanimously. 4. Subdivision at 216-218 Second Street/Ithaca Fitness Center. Van Cort noted for the record that he was a member of Ithaca Fitness, and he might be seen to have a conflict of interest regarding this request. He said that he could only answer questions and could not state his opinion for the Board' s consideration. Elizabeth Bixler, attorney for the applicant, Robert Martin, explained the original subdivision proposal which was given final approval in March of 1989. The applicant claimed to misunderstand the conditions of the final approval and, as a result, never had the final plats approved by the Planning Department. After discussion Yale, seconded by Berg, moved to grant a time extension for finalizing the approval, and the motion was carried 6-0. 5. Central Business District - proposed zoning change. The Board felt that they are valuable ideas and should be developed in detail; Board endorsed the concept memo. 6. Zoning Appeals Report. Yale, seconded by Berg, approved a memorandum referring appeals 2021-24 without comment or recommendation for BZA action, and the motion was carried. 7. Reports A. Committees of the Board. No reports. B. Director. A draft of the Carpenter Business Park design review criteria will be circulated. C. Chair. Discussed format for April 9 site plan review public information meeting. It was learned that the Board felt the meeting should be postponed until a survey could be completed with applicants who had been through site plan review, before having a public meeting. Van Cort agreed to draft a survey for the Codes & Administration Committee to review at their next meeting. After the survey is approved, it would be mailed to applicants who had gone through the process. After this information is collected, it would be followed by proposed amendments to the ordinance, and then a public meeting would be held. Planning and Development Board Minutes - March 26, 1991 Page 4 D. Planning and Development Committee. Schroeder reported on a proposed bike/pedestrian Trail from Buffalo St. to the Farmer' s Market. E. Board of Public Works. Berg reported that the BPW passed a resolution which was accepted by the Budget and Administration Committee to enter into a contract with Peter Weed to develop a schematic design and feasibility study for Elmira Road sidewalks. 8. Approval of Minutes. Berg, seconded by Feuer, moved for approval of the Minutes of February 26, 1991 with two minor amendments; motion was carried unanimously. Meeting was adjourned at 10: 15 p.m. epj-PDBOARD/Minutes/March.min