HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1992-08-25 Amended & Approved 9/22/92
Planning and Development Board
MINUTES
August 25, 1992
PRESENT: S. Adams, D. Kay, P. Mackesey, J. Schroeder, J. Tripp.
Staff: Director H. M. Van Cort . Also, applicants and
members of the public.
1 . Meeting was called to order at 7 :30 p.m.
2 . Privilege of the Floor: No one appeared.
3 . Public Hearing and Final Subdivision Approval
A. 501-09 Cliff St./Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services
Subdivision requested on behalf of James and Marion Joseph
to allow the relocation of a house. A public hearing was
held, and no one appeared. Tripp, seconded by Schroeder
moved for Final Subdivision Approval, passed unanimously.
B. 105-111 Stewart Ave./East Hill School Co-op/Parker
Subdivision requested to allow the purchase of an existing
garage on the site by owners of 123 N. Quarry Street . A
public hearing was held, and no one appeared. Schroeder
moved for Final Subdivision Approval . Motion was seconded
by Tripp and unanimously carried.
4 . Preliminary Subdivision
A. 313 Dey St./Arnold. Subdivision to create two
'conforming lots requested by Ronald and Margaret Amici who
plan to build a home on one parcel, and possibly develop the
other parcel in the future. Some neighbors asked questions
about setback and parking requirements in the R-2b zone.
Schroeder, seconded by Tripp, moved for a Negative
Declaration. of Environmental Significance, and it passed
unanimously. Tripp, seconded by Kay, moved for Preliminary
Subdivision Approval, and the motion was carried 5-0 .
5 . Public Hearing and Site Development Plan Review
A. 800 S. Plain St./Titus Tower Storage Bldg./Ithaca
Housing Authority. This review was -held over from last
month. It was reported that the applicants have responded
to CAC comments, and that the planting and grading plan have
been revised to provide better screening of the storage
building from the Wood St. Park and the Plaza Motel site.
It was recommended that the city forester be consulted for
final approval of plant selection and location for planting
in the Wood Street Park. Schroeder, seconded by Kay, moved
for a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance,
motion carried. Schroeder, seconded by Kay, moved that the
preliminary site development plan is approved with the.
condition that the building and roof colors are to be
Planning and Development Board -2-
Minutes of August 25, 1992
approved by the city planning staff, and that the approval
shall be considered to be approval for the final site
development plan. Motion was unanimously carried.
6 . Zoning Appeals Report
At the request of the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Planning
Board reconsidered Appeal 2131 for a use variance to permit
the required on-site parking, in a residential zone, for a
proposed building in a commercial zone. There was
discussion concerning the width of the commercial zone along
Meadow street, and Schroeder said that the planning
committee is considering putting this item on the agenda for
the 1993 department work program. The Board recommended
that the subject appeal be denied.
Regarding Appeals 2140-2142 and 9-1-92 , the Board
recommended the following:
The above appeals have been reviewed and determined not to
concern issues of long-range or citywide planning. They are
remanded for action, with comment as follows:
Appeal 2140, Area Variances to permit conversion of one
apartment and renovations to dental offices at 1025 N.
Tioga, a legally nonconforming use and structure in an R-2b
zone. Enlargement of the dental offices by adding operating
stations, though in response to health and access
regulations, seems likely to permit some increase in patient
load. Although applicant asserts that this will not be the
case, and that notwithstanding this, ample parking is
available on-street, the preponderance of letters of support
submitted with the appeal are from patients who do not live
within walking distance of the site. This Board feels that
the issues of traffic and parking for such a business in a
residential area should be closely examined, and that
neighborhood residents' comment should be carefully
considered.
Sign Appeal 9-1--92, to permit location of a pole sign within
the required setback at 124 E. Seneca St . This Board feels
that the proposed sign, with its multiplicity of information
and cluttered appearance, would be little or no improvement
over the present one in terms of traffic safety, and would
actually be contrary to the intent of the Sign Ordinance of
enhancing the city's appearance by reducing sign clutter.
The proposed sign is effectively a multiple sign.
Relocation of the existing sign would accomplish applicant' s
stated intent . If a new sign is desired, it is suggested
that a smaller, simpler sign could be an acceptable tradeoff
Planning and Development Board 3
Minutes of August 25, 1992
for a setback variance; supplementary information could be
posted within the lot or at the banking facility.
7 . Reports
A. Director. No report .
B. Chair. No report .
C. Board of Public Works. Tripp reported that the Capital
Projects Review Committee discussed a request by
neighborhood residents to reconstruct the pedestrian bridge
across Cascadilla Creek at Marshall and Willow Sts.
D. Planning and Development Committee. Schroeder reported
that the committee make the following recommendations to
Common Council: To approve and accept the Inlet Island Land
Use Plan. To make certain recommendations to the NYS DoT
and the DEC respecting the design phase of the Route 96
project, in accordance with the Report of the Inlet Island
Land Use Committee. To encourage Family Medicine Associates
to thoroughly explore options to expand its services and to
remain downtown. To amend the description of Type I actions
in the CEQR ordinance.' To grant an area variance and a
special use permit to the Ithaca Housing Authority for a day
care facility addition at Southview Apartments . _
8 . Approval of Minutes . Approval of Minutes of June 9 meeting
was moved by Schroeder, seconded by Tripp, and passed
unanimously.
Meeting was adjourned at 8 :48 p.m.
epj/25AUG92 .min-9/23/92
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CITY OF ITHACA
108 EAST GREEN STREET
ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850
PLANNING&DEVELOPMENT BOARD TELEPHONE:272-1713 -
CODE 607
To : Board of Zoning Appeals
From : Board of Planning and Development� j�
Re: Appeal 2131 , 301 -9 S . Meadow/225 Cleveland Av .
Date: 26 August 1992
This. Board has considered the questions raised by the Board
of Zoning Appeals in this matter , and herewith recommends that
subject appeal be denied .
This Board finds that the relief requested in this case
would establish a precedent that would have citywide , long-range
- planning implications . The granting of this appeal would be
likely to encourage similar appeals from owners of other
properties that have comparable constraints and conditions, many
of which exist in the Meadow Street corridor , a major city and
regional thoroughfare . The issue is essentially one of the
appropriate zone boundaries for this and other similar
properties, and thus , granting the appeal would effectively be
zoning by variance .
The zoning or rezoning of an area is a legislative function,
which would be usurped by a precedent-setting decision through
the quasi -judicial appeals process . As the Board of Zoning
Appeals seems to be aware , the issue of zoning in the Meadow St .
corridor as a whole is of some current interest, and study of the
matter has been proposed . This Board, in view of its role and
responsibilities in this process, cannot take a position on the
need or desirability of changes ; neither can it reasonably
predict the timing or outcome of the extensive and complex study
that would be involved, if it were added to the Work Program .
As to the subject appeal , this Board notes that it has not
been established that no reasonable use of the properties
involved is possible under their present zoning ; thus no hardship
is shown . The development proposednoriginally presented would A s
introduce undesirable traffic and activity into the residential
neighborhood adjacent . Although some of the alternative schemes
prepared by appellant at this Board ' s request might lessen the
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project ' s impacts , somewhat , none would satisfactorily resolve
the overarching planning issues discussed above .
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cc : W . Lower
J . Sharma
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