HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1991-11-26 UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
Fwbruary 25, 1992
Planning and Development Board
MINUTES
November 26, 1991
PRESENT: S. Adams, R. Berg, S. Blumenthal (Chair) , J. Schroeder.
Staff: Director H. M. Van Cort, Deputy Director
H. Sieverding, L. Tsang. Also, applicants, and members
of the public.
1. Meeting was called to order at 7:45 p.m.
2. Privilege of the Floor: No one appeared.
3. Public Hearing for Final Subdivision Approval.
A. 209-211 Cliff Street/Klinko. Subdivision of land to
allow the sale of one of two houses on the property.
Applicants have received zoning variances for area
nonconformities. A public hearing was held, and no one
appeared. Berg, seconded by Schroeder, moved for final
subdivision approval. Passed unanimously.
B. 361 Floral Avenue/Benson. The minutes from the August
meeting regarding this matter were reviewed, and the
resolutions regarding this subdivision were amended. Adams,
seconded by Schroeder, moved for final subdivision approval.
WHEREAS, application has been made for approval of
subdivision of property at 361 Floral Avenue, also known as
Assessment Parcel 100-1-1, into five lots for sale or
development, and
WHEREAS, review of the proposal determined that the presence
of wetlands on the property placed significant constraints
on the extent to which development would be permissible, and
WHEREAS, applicant William Benson has provided assurance
that the important environmental characteristics of the site
and the character of .the neighborhood will be preserved,
through compliance with certain site-specific conditions on
development, listed below, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the Board of Planning and Development grants
final approval to subdivision of property at 361 Floral
Avenue, also known as Assessment Parcel 100-1-1, into five
(5) lots for sale and development, subject to the following
conditions which are hereby made part of this approval, and
are to be recorded on the subdivision plat and filed with
the plat and property deeds, and which also are to be made
known to prospective purchasers of the subdivision lots:
1. No construction will occur on lots 4 or 5 without the
express approval of the Planning and Development Board
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Minutes of November 26, 1991
of the City of Ithaca, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld. The applicant may, in the
future, request that the Planning and Development Board
reconsider the wetland issue and request permission
from the Planning and Development Board to build on
lots 4 and 5 if changes to physical conditions on the
site, or changes in regulations governing wetlands,
warrant such reconsideration;
2. Development will be limited to one single-family
residence with accessory apartment per lot; and
3. Development on any parcel containing delineated wetland
will be undertaken in accordance with any regulations
respecting protection of wetland in effect at the time
of such development, and be it further
RESOLVED that the wetland areas delineated by Ichthyological
Associates, Inc. in their report dated July 17, 1991, be
shown in outline and denoted by label on the subdivision
plat and on the deed record survey of each individual lot,
and be it further
RESOLVED that this action is further conditioned on the
consolidation of Assessment Parcel 99-2-1 with Parcel
100-1-1, or with the southernmost lot created by the
subdivision, in order to create a single lot of
approximately 0.53 acre and approximately 100 feet of
frontage on Floral Avenue, such new lot being the same as
"Lot 5" shown on the approved conditional subdivision plat.
The resolution was passed unanimously. Van Cort suggested
that addresses for the lots created from this subdivision be
established and submitted to the building dept. , as well as
recorded on the official subdivision plat.
4. Environmental Review and Preliminary Subdivision Approval.
812 E. State Street/Ching Po. It was reported by the codes
and administration committee that staff was requested to
complete Part III of the Long Environmental Assessment Form.
The Board agreed that the LEAF should be referred back to
the codes committee where it would be reviewed and either
accepted, modified or rejected. Mr. Demjanec, the
applicant' s representative, asked why the Board could not
discuss the LEAF at this meeting since it was not very
extensive. The Board felt that going over the LEAF point by
point would be very time-consuming and there were many other
matters for discussion on the agenda.
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Minutes of November 26 1991
5. Site Development Plan Reviews
A. Fairfield Crossing/324 Spencer Road. It was reported
that a sketched revised site plan had been submitted which
was an improvement over the original plan. The public
hearing was continued, and a neighbor spoke about concern
over traffic Continued.
B. City Court Facility. Deputy planning director Herman
Sieverding reported that the court facility project was not
yet ready for site plan review in part because the project
is over budget, and the emphasis is on redesigning the
building to bring the cost within budget. He expected,
however, that the project would be ready for the advisory
site plan review in time for the codes and administration
meeting in January. The project will go out to bid at the
end of January.
C. Tompkins County Recycling and Solid Waste Center/Office
and Entry. Board' s review is advisory only. Linda Tsang
was asked to send a memorandum to the County with
recommendations and requesting information on how the number
of parking spaces was calculated, number of employees, and
drainage to Southwest Park.
D. Cleary Oil Change/334 Elmira Road. Because of the soil
condition at the site, a modified site plan was submitted.
During review of this plan, an oversight was discovered.
The applicant explained that the building department was
- delaying his building permit by requesting some written
documentation from the landowner, Reuben Weiner. Phyllis
Radke (bldg. dept. ) explained that there are zoning and code
problems with several of the uses on Weiner' s property.
This project has prompted the building dept. to press him to
bring these uses into compliance. There was some concern
expressed regarding the use of used motor oil in heating the
building; there have been claims that this common practice
is a major source of lead pollution. However, the EPA is
currently allowing this use to continue. Adams, seconded by
Schroeder, moved for conditional site development plan
approval, carried unanimously.
6. Old Business
Elmira Road Sidewalks. ' The following resolution was moved
by Schroeder, seconded by Berg:
WHEREAS, there are many people who walk, or would walk,
along the southerly portion of Elmira Road, south of its
intersection with Meadow Street, and
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Minutes of November 26, 1991
WHEREAS, there are no sidewalks along that portion of the
road, and
WHEREAS, this constitutes an inconvenience to persons who
might like to walk or conduct business in that area, but who
do not have vehicles, and
WHEREAS, this also constitutes a danger to those pedestrians
forced to walk either on the pavement or directly next to it
along a dirt path, and
WHEREAS, this situation presents extreme danger, difficulty
and inconvenience to handicapped persons and persons
wheeling strollers, and
WHEREAS, consultant Peter Weed recently prepared a proposed
design for Elmira Road sidewalks, and
WHEREAS, at two recent public meetings, numerous speakers
requested that a major project for the installation of all
proposed Elmira Road sidewalks- not be undertaken at this
time because of the economic burden this would place on
property owners during the current recession, and
WHEREAS, speakers at these public meetings also suggested
that, in certain places, the safety and utility of the
proposed sidewalks would be enhanced by moving them further
back from Elmira Road, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works has requested that the
Board of Planning and Development comment on Peter Weed' s
design,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Planning
and Development strongly endorses the principle of
accessibility of the southerly portion of Elmira Road to all
individuals, including those without vehicles or with
physical handicaps, and, be it further
RESOLVED, that the Board firmly supports the eventual
provision of sidewalks on both sides of Elmira Road, but
feels this should be accomplished gradually as a long-range
City goal rather than immediately as a one-time capital
project, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Board, accordingly, intends to consider
requiring the provision of sidewalks whenever relevant new
projects on individual Elmira Road properties come under
site plan review, and be it further
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Minutes of November 26, 1991
RESOLVED, that the Board intends to use the Peter Weed
design as a resource when considering the inclusion of
sidewalks in such projects, but also intends to consider the
feasibility and desirability--as appropriate in each
individual case--of placing the sidewalks further back from
the highway, and be it further
RESOLVED, that when it is financially feasible, the
sidewalks be redesigned based upon complete survey of
existing topographics and other conditions that will affect
the design of the sidewalks, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Board asks that handicapped accessible
public transportation service to the Elmira Road area be
expanded, if possible.
Passed unanimously.
7. New Business.
A. Amendments to Subdivision Regulations. A memo from Van
Cort was reviewed regarding subdivisions that involve non-
buildable lots. He proposed that such subdivisions would be
handled at the staff level and not go through review by CAC
and the Board. An exception to the procedure would be if
there is public controversy. Approved unanimously.
B. Ordinance Amending Section 30.22 entitled "zoning map. ,,
The Board was unanimously in favor of this amendment.
C. 1992 Planning Department work plan. Priorities similar
to Planning Committee (Inlet Island land use, West State
Street/CBD rezoning, Southwest Park) except to add
neighborhood assistance,. DVTF followup, and rezoning R-2 &
R-3.
D. Enlarging the Planning Board. Chair reported that the
Mayor asked if the planning board should be enlarged. The
Board suggested that as vacancies occur they be filled by
people who are willing to commit their time to attending the
meetings and doing some committee work, rather than adding
additional members
8. Zoning Appeals Report. Subject appeals 2077, 2078, 2080-82
and 12-1-91 were remanded for action without comment or
recommendation by the Board.
9. Approval of Minutes. August minutes amended, but not
approved. September and October minutes deferred.
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Minutes of November 26, 1991
10. Reports
A. Committees of the Board. No report.
B. Director. No report.
C. Chair. No report.
D. Board of Public Works.
E. Planning and Development Committee. Schroeder reported
that the P&D Committee had discussed the West Hill Master
Plan, especially with relation to Cliff Street, the Planning
Department work plan, back yard parking, and Northside Park
survey.
Meeting was adjourned at 11: 15 p.m.
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