HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1992-06-23 AMENDED & APPROVED 7/28/92
Planning and Development Board
MINUTES
June 23, 1992
PRESENT: S. Adams (Vice Chair) , D. Kay, J. Schroeder, J. Tripp.
Staff: Director H. M. Van Cort, L. Tsang. Also,
applicants and members of the public.
1. Meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m.
2. Privilege of the Floor: No one appeared.
3. Public Hearing - Titus Towers Parking Area Site Plan Review
A public hearing was held, and no one addressed the Board.
4. Subdivisions for Preliminary Approval - continued from May
A. 511 Hector Street/Krupas. Mr. Krupas explained his
request for a lot line adjustment. Schroeder, seconded by
Kay, moved for a Negative Declaration of Environmental
Significance, and it passed unanimously. Then Schroeder,
seconded by Kay, moved for preliminary subdivision approval,
and the motion was unanimously carried.
B. 355 Elmira Road/B.J. Manos Enterprises, Inc. Applicant
would like to split the parcel to enable the sale of the
northern portion of the property. The applicant plans to
consolidate the southern half of the property with the Manos
Diner tax parcel and continue using it as parking for Manos
Diner. The applicant had originally purchased the
properties in five separate parcels and will consolidate the
entire property in the future. Schroeder, seconded by
Tripp, moved for a Negative Declaration of Environmental
Significance, and it passed unanimously. Schroeder moved
preliminary subdivision approval with the conditions that
the diner parking area be consolidated with the main diner
parcel, and the garage repair structure on the newly created
parcel be moved or destroyed. Carried unanimously. .
C. 912 1/2 - 914 N. Tioga Street/Walsh. Subdivision was
requested because there are currently two houses on one lot.
Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance was moved
by Tripp, seconded by Schroeder, carried 4-0. Preliminary
approval with the condition that the water and sewer
services be separate for each house was moved by Kay,
seconded by Schroeder, carried 4-0.
5. Site Development Plan Reviews
A. Reconstruction Home/318 S. Albany Street. Tsang
reported that staff and neighborhood residents have met with
HOL&T and the Reconstruction Home subsequent to conditional
approval to discuss concerns. The Codes and administration
committee is satisfied that all conditions of preliminary
approval have been addressed with the exception of a sound
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Minutes of June 23, 1992
absorbing wall in the loading area which they recommend be
waived. The addition of a second loading area, it is
believed, will alleviate the problem there. Regarding
protection of the Beech tree, the contractor will be asked
to post a $5, 000 performance bond. Plantings along Fayette
St. should help mitigate the solid building wall. New
kitchen exhaust fans will be mounted on the roof of the
building, and it is projected that the dBA from the fans
will be less than ambient noise levels during the day, and
the fans are not used in the evenings. There was discussion
that the landscaping plan be modified, with the inclusion of
the existing lilac bushes, and implemented prior to issuance
of Certificate of Occupancy. Final site development plan
approval with the condition that final elevation drawings
and the selection of building materials and colors shall be
approved by the Department of Planning and Development was
moved by Schroeder, seconded by Kay, and passed unanimously.
B. Titus Towers parking area. Tsang reported on the
construction of a 30-space parking lot which is nearly
complete except for asphalt paving. Aside from the project
commencing prior to obtaining permits, the major issue is
trees. A revegetation plan had been submitted just after
the codes committee met, and this will be incorporated into
the site plan. Schroeder, seconded by Kay, moved for a
Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance, and it
was unanimously carried. Schroeder moved preliminary and
final site development plan approval, and the motion was
seconded by Tripp and passed unanimously.
&. Old Business
A. Site Plan Review ordinance revisions. Staff discussed
applicability thresholds and a new category called "fast
track" where projects of 1, 000-7,500 s.f. would be reviewed
and approved by the planning department only. Environmental
review would be conducted, but EAFs would not be reviewed by
the CAC; an environmental review checklist would be required
in addition to the SEAF, and the Planning Department will be
the lead agency. Projects can be referred to the Planning
Board at the department' s discretion, or if an applicant
chooses to appeal the decision of the Planning Director.
Another proposed change to the ordinance is that city and
other government agencies will no longer be exempt from
formal review. The ordinance will describe procedures and
review criteria in general terms, and specific guidelines
will be provided for applicants. Staff agreed to prepare an
outline of the proposed changes in discussion draft form for
next month' s meeting. A public meeting is proposed for
September.
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Minutes of June 23, 1992
B. Subdivision amendments - deferred
C. City Master Plan - discussion
Van Cort asked the Board to consider what components should
be included in a new city master plan. He said that in the
past the master plan has provided useful statistical data,
as well as a guide demonstrating how the city perceived
itself. Adams said that she thought a master plan should
address deficiencies in the zoning ordinance and Van Cort
replied that according to federal law, zoning must be based
on a comprehensive plan. Kay said that he thought a master
plan should be a process to identify and achieve consensus
on specific issues (e.g. traffic) . It was generally agreed
that the city master plan could probably incorporate other
established plans as they are written (West Hill, Northside,
Inlet Island) . Van Cort agreed to summarize the strengths
and weaknesses of other master plans that have been done in
other localities.
7. New Business
A. Ordinances Amending Sections .30.26 and 30.49 entitled
"Zoning" of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code
The Board recommended that Subdivision C( 1) (k) of Section
30.26 should be further amended as follows: "In [anyl all
districts, towers or structures for the transmission or
receipt of radio or other electronic communications signals,
rfor commercial or business related purposesl unless: . . . "
Moved by Schroeder, seconded by Tripp, passed unanimously.
B. Street Hierarchy System - report
Tripp reported that a proposal to create a street hierarchy
plan was introduced by Paul Brandford at the Board of Public
Works to assist in making decisions regarding requests for
stop signs and traffic lights on certain streets. The
system he proposed would generally follow engineering
department guidelines. Schroeder reported that Joe Daley
will put forth a resolution to the committee of the whole
recommending creation of a task force made up of both city
board members and community residents to investigate ways of
ameliorating traffic problems in all city neighborhoods.
Steven Ehrhart of 409 S. Albany St. , Neil Schwartzbach of
107 Park P1. and Barbara Anger of 109 Park Pl. expressed
their opposition to any plan which would restrict traffic on
certain streets and channel it onto others. It was
generally agreed that increased enforcement would ease
traffic problems in all neighborhoods.
8. Zoning Appeals Report. Discussion of appeal 2131, where the
appellant is seeking a use variance for two properties to be
combined in a single lot. The proposal is to build a one-
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Minutes of June 23, 1992
story retail/commercial building on the portion of the
property that is in the commercial zone, and the required
off-street parking would be provided in a residential zone.
The Board discussed the problems of "zoning by variance" and
agreed that because this issue has come up before, the city
should consider taking a more comprehensive look at the
width of the commercial zone along Meadow Street. Staff was
requested to list this item for possible inclusion in the
department work program for 1993. The following memorandum
was moved by Adams, seconded by Tripp, carried unanimously.
Review by this Board indicates that subject appeals involve
no issues of long-range or citywide planning concern, and
they are remanded for BZA action with comments as follows:
APPEAL 2131, for Use Variance to redevelop properties at 225
Cleveland Ave. and at 301-309 S. Meadow St. , in R-2b and
B-2a zones, respectively, for commercial use with on-site
parking. The Planning and Development Committee may take a
more comprehensive look at the issue of the width of the
commercial zone along Meadow Street next year, and the
Planning Board is interested in seeing those issues
addressed.
APPEAL 2127, for Area Variance to permit development of the
Sciencenter at 350 Franklin St. , in a P-1 zone. This Board
supports this appeal for the following reasons. The
existing deficiency represents both a practical difficulty
and a hardship for the owner, a non-profit organization with
limited resources. The substantial structure cannot be
moved or economically altered to correct the setback
deficiency. Any permitted use of the structure at all, even
in its present state, would require a variance. The
deficiency is minor, and the requirement virtually
meaningless since the street is not a thoroughfare, but will
function as access to and parking for the property. Lastly,
the Sciencenter is a valuable community educational resource
with great popularity and attraction.
APPEAL 2130, for Area Variances to permit an addition at the
second-floor level of 124 Linden Ave. , in an R-3b zone.
Applicant has not made any representation that alternative
means have been explored by which the proposed space could
be provided with less negative visual impact. This Board
feels that the proposed addition will be unattractive, and
will detract from the appearance of the surrounding
neighborhood. The location of the proposed addition is
inappropriate, being at the front of the second story of
what was originally a single-family house, in which kitchen
and dining areas were typically at the rear of the first
floor. No matter what efforts might be taken to make this
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projection resemble the existing house in terms of materials
and details, it will always look out of place and like an
afterthought., This Board suggests that the provision of
this space would be more appropriate by converting existing
square footage.
9. Reports
Planning and Development Committee. Schroeder reported that
Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services is expanding their
services to include areas of 'Fall Creek and South Hill.
Family Medicine Associates is interested in purchasing the
city parking area adjacent to their building on W. State St.
for expansion. The committee is considering a zoning
ordinance change whereby special permits will no longer be
required for certain home occupations under specified
conditions.
epj-23JUNE92.min-7/29/92