HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-1993-08-24 Planning and Development Board
MINUTES
August 24, 1993
PRESENT: S . Adams, A. Clavel, D. Kay (Chair) , P. Mackesey,
D. Rusoff, J. Schroeder. Staff: Director H. M. Van
Cort, Deputy Director H. Sieverding, L. Tsang. Also,
applicants, members of the public, media.
1 . Meeting was called to order at 7 :35 p.m.
2 . Public comment on the proposed scope of the draft
environmental impact statement for the proposed Wal-Mart
After Mr. Sieverding described the project, David Kay asked
members of the public to comment only on issues dealing
directly with the scope outline to ensure its completeness .
It was noted that a 15-day public comment period on the
content of the DEIS will be held after its submission, and
that a public hearing will be held during the site plan
review process .
Martha Fischer, of 653 Spencer Road, commented that the
proposed inventory of birds will be conducted during a non
breeding time which would make the results inaccurate and
incomplete . She also said that the traffic impact study
should include all of Spencer Road.
Carl Leopold, of 203 E. Shore Dr. , who also is a member of
the CAC in the Village of Lansing, spoke about environmental
concerns regarding the establishment of a major retail store
on a floodplain, and asked about the responsibility for any
losses due to flooding. On another matter, he asked that
the number of wholesale stores in the Cid that have failed
in the last five years be taken into account, as well as the
number of empty stores . Lastly, he inquired about the
ethical appropriateness of bringing a Wal-Mart store to
Ithaca because of pending lawsuits in other cities .
John Powers, of 106 W. Buttermilk Falls Rd. , spoke about the
effects this development would have on residents in the
neighboring area, particularly the quality of life, and the
impact the project might have on property values .
Guy Gerard, 209 Giles St. , spoke about the economic impact,
particularly the loss of jobs in the area, and asked if any
store profits are reinvested back into the community.
3 . Discussion and possible adoption of scope of Wal-Mart DEIS
Board discussion focused on revisions to the scope outline .
Van Cort suggested that traffic counts at the entrance to
Buttermilk Falls State Park be taken within the next couple
of weeks . It was recommended that in addition to studying
current conditions, existing records should be gathered for
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Minutes of August 24, 1993
year-round populations of flora and fauna. If this data is
not sufficient,, then the duration of the study should be
lengthened. The following resolution was moved by Rusoff,
seconded by Mackesey, and passed unanimously.
WHEREAS, the Planning and Development Board held a scoping
session with all involved and interested parties on August
11, 1993 to identify the issues to be analyzed in the draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed 155, 000 sf
Wal-Mart facility at 398-400 Elmira Road, and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board, after advertising a public
comment period on the proposed scope, solicited comments
from the public regarding the issues to be analyzed, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED that after considering both the written scope and
the comments made during the public comment period, the
Planning Board adopts the attached scope, as modified, for
the DEIS for the Wal-Mart project.
4 . Public Hearing and Final Subdivision Approval
A. Commercial Ave./Zikakis After the public hearing was
held, the following resolution was unanimously passed.
WHEREAS, conditional approval for subdivision of property on
Commercial Avenue, Tax Parcel 126-1-2 . 13 , was given on April
27, 1993 and
WHEREAS, applicant now seeks final subdivision approval, be
it
RESOLVED, that this Board grant final approval of the
subdivision as shown on a plot by John S. MacNeill, Jr. , PC,
dated March 3 , 1993 and titled "Proposed Revision of Lots 1
and 2 of the Zikakis .Subdivision ( filed 10/8/91) ," such
approval being made contingent on the consolidation into Lot
2 of the strip of land transferred from Lot 1, and the
provision to the Board of a copy of a legal instrument
certifying that such consolidation has been made, within
three months of the date of final subdivision approval .
5 . Preliminary Site Plan Review and Public Hearing
A. Commercial Ave./Zikakis After discussion concerning
drainage and groundwater level, the Board discussed the
shared parking concept proposed for the Fingerlakes
Gymnastics Academy with another proposed building on the
site . The Board recommended that the hours of operation of
both building tenants be coordinated in order to accommodate
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Minutes of August 24, 1993
parking requirements . Schroeder, seconded by Rusoff, moved
approval of the following resolution, and it passed 6-0 .
WHEREAS, Fingerlakes Gymnastics Academy (8400 sf) and a
commercial or industrial building (4800 sf) with a combined
parking area for 45 cars are proposed to be built, in two
phases, on Commercial Avenue across from the site of the
Tompkins County Recycling and Solid Waste Center, and
WHEREAS, the frontage of the proposed development is partly
on the unopened and unpaved portion of Commercial Ave . , and
WHEREAS, the peak hours of traffic generated by Fingerlakes
Gymnastics Academy and those of the commercial or industrial
development are likely to be at different times of the day,
and
WHEREAS, the site development plan, including a stormwater
runoff report, has been reviewed by the Planning Dept. , the
Fire Dept. , the Building Dept. , the Engineering Division of
Public Works, and the County Planning Dept. , and
WHEREAS, of the findings and recommendations from staff
review, site drainage and ground water level are the
principal issues, and
WHEREAS, a Cornell drainage study of the City' s southwest
area (partly sponsored by the DPW Engineering Division)
indicates that evapotranspiration conducted by plant
materials is a significant means by which water is
controlled, and
WHEREAS, at the August '17 Codes and Administration Committee
meeting it was determined that the proposed site plan, based
on a scheme of shared access drive and shared parking, is
the most efficient alternative (of the several which had
been previously submitted) in terms of availability of open
areas for planting, and
WHEREAS, the proposal being considered is an Unlisted
Action, and LEAF parts 1, 2, and 3 have been completed, and
this Board has declared its status as the Lead Agency, and
WHEREAS,this Board has reviewed comments from the CAC (memo
dated 8/10) on the environmental review of the subject
proposal, and
WHEREAS, the public hearing for the purpose of considering
approval of the proposed site development plan has been
concluded, now therefore be it
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Minutes of August 24, 1993
RESOLVED, that the Board of Planning and Development does
hereby issue a conditional negative declaration of the
proposal' s significant impact on the environment, the
conditions being 1) that the paved area would not be more
than the minimum requirement as dictated by program needs,
2) that there would be stockpiling and reuse of topsoil at
the site, and 3 ) that plantings of trees and shrubs,
together with other water and drought tolerant herbaceous
perennials (versus lawn grass) would be installed in the
remaining unpaved area, and be it further
RESOLVED, that phase one of the proposed development,
Fingerlakes Gymnastics Academy and associated parking and
access drive, be granted preliminary and final approval with
the conditions that
1 . a construction phasing line, to be approved by the
Codes and Administration (C&A) Committee, shall be clearly
shown on the site plan;
2 . the planting plan shall be revised according to
recommendations from the Shade Tree Advisory Committee, and
the modifications, including specification of size and
quantity, shall be approved by the C&A Committee;
3 . catalog or actual samples of roof and siding materials
shall be submitted to the C&A Committee for approval;
4 . a drop-off area for users of the Fingerlakes Gymnastics
Academy shall be provided and shown on the site plan; and
5 . easement for access into the interior lot (whose
frontage is on the unopened portion of Commercial Ave . ) and
shared parking shall be formally documented and submitted to
the C&A Committee, and this same easement shall be shown on
the site plan; and be it further
RESOLVED, that phase two of the proposed development, a
commercial or industrial building of 4800 sf and associated
parking, be granted preliminary site plan approval only, and
be it further
RESOLVED, that since the conditions of the negative
declaration in the environmental review require a minimum
ratio of paved area to green area, this Board recommends
strongly to the BZA the approval for area variances from the
front yard set-back requirement and the parking requirement,
allowing a layout plan with the maximum opportunity for
planting, and be it further
RESOLVED, that this Board recommend the inclusion in the
City's capital projects the improvement of the stormwater
sewer systems in the Commercial Avenue and Elmira Road area.
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Minutes of August 24, 1993
B. 301-309 S. Meadow St./Retail Plaza/Lower
A public hearing was opened, and no member of the public
came before the Board to address this topic . Jagat Sharma,
representing the applicant, came before the Board. The
project is a one-story retail development with a total of
7 , 644 sf of built and paved area. In addition, off-street
parking two blocks away is proposed, pending an area
variance . Mr. Sharma said that the applicant has been
waiting to build this project for one year, but the City has
told them to wait until a study of the commercial corridor
along Meadow Street is completed. The location of this
project borders a residential zone, and the concern is that
parking may occur along Cleveland Ave . , and therefore that
neighborhood would become the parking lot for the commercial
development . Mr. Lower is concerned that he may lose a good
tenant (PIP Printing) if he cannot provide a larger facility
and expressed willingness to work out a mutually acceptable
scheme . Van Cort explained that there have been some
preliminary staff discussions regarding the study of zoning
in the Meadow Street commercial corridor, which was included
in the Department' s 1993 work program. Further staff
discussion, including a time line for completion of the
study, was recommended. Rusoff, seconded by Schroeder,
moved to continue the public hearing.
6 . Old Business
A. City Bicycle Plan It was agreed that a public
information meeting would be held on September 21 at 7 :30 to
present and discuss the bike plan, and to get public input .
B. Tompkins County Solid Waste and Recycling Center
Adams, seconded by Mackesey, moved the following resolution,
and it passed unanimously.
WHEREAS, the County Solid Waste Manager, on behalf of
Tompkins County, has applied for an advisory site plan
review for the completion of the Tompkins County Recycling &
Solid Waste Center (RSWC) on Commercial Ave . , and
WHEREAS, Tompkins County has selected CRInc . to design,
build and operate the RSWC, and
WHEREAS, all the site plan review application materials
(including site plan and elevation drawings, a preliminary
drainage report, the NYSDEC permit Modification Application,
the Full Environmental Assessment Form and Environmental
Analysis, a narrative description of the facility and
construction procedures, etc . ) have been reviewed by the
City' s Department of Planning and Development, and
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Minutes of August 24,1993
WHEREAS, the following are the findings and recommendations :
GENERAL LAYOUT
Overall square footage of built area -
A significant reduction in size of the main facility and
changes in on-site traffic pattern result in a welcome
reduction, compared with previous schemes, in the overall
square footage of built and paved area.
Unity of design in relation to the developed portion of the
site -
The proposed development seems functional as part of a
development of the entire site . However, details at the
juncture of the built and unbuilt portion of the site need
to be revised for a better overall cohesiveness of site
layout .
Future site plan
To avoid in the future the same difficulties and pitfalls in
integrating this current proposal to the developed portion
of the site, preliminary plans for future expansion
(possibly including a household hazardous waste center)
should be incorporated in the proposed layout .
GRADING
Functionality of water detention area -
It is unclear whether the stormwater detention areas are
designed to be wet, dry with marshes, or simply grassed
swales . For maximum effectiveness in peak discharge
control, the alternative of a mostly dry extended detention
area with marshes in the lowest area is recommended. Design
criteria put forth in the NYSDEC publication Reducing the
Impacts of Stormwater Runoff From New Development should be
carefully considered and adopted as appropriate .
Landscape aesthetics -
Pleasing contours (which do not look overly contrived)
should be one of the aims of site grading. Land forms
should also be considered in the placement of unattractive
uses (e .g. parking) on site.
PLANTING
Density
For both aesthetic and environmental purposes, the quantity
of proposed trees and shrubs should be increased. This is
particularly so in the north-west corner, where it is
neither reserved for water detention nor future expansion.
Planning and Development Board -7-
Minutes of August 24, 1993
Mown grass vs . meadow -
Planting and seeding for the establishment of a meadow,
rather than a lawn, is the preferred practice according to
ecological principles .
Species selection
Some of the proposed plant species are not suitable for the
post-development general site conditions (compacted soil,
extreme wetness and seasonal drought) . Some are unsuitable
for the desirable functions of planting (e .g. shading,
screening, etc . ) at specific locations of the site .
BUILDING
Except for the administration area to the east, aesthetics-
related design objectives (approachable scale, architectural
interest, compatibility with the office building) as stated
in the narrative description of the plan are not
sufficiently met. While the character of each facade of the
building would have to be different as a reflection of the
different operations in various parts of the building,, views
to all sides of the facility should be thoughtfully
considered, especially the view from the levee because of
the levee's potential as a recreation way.
COMMENTS FROM FIRE DEPT. AND WATER &SEWER DIVISION
Fire
All hydrants should be within three feet of curbs .
Emergency gates should be equipped with fire locks .
Water and Sewer -
Comments are listed in the August 18, 1993 letter addressed
to H.M. Van Cort, together with accompanying material,
including a marked-up copy of the utility plan, and
WHEREAS, all the issues listed above have been discussed at
the Codes and Administration Committee meeting (8/17/93 )
with the applicant, project consultants and the contractor,
and
WHEREAS, comments on the marked-up copies of the grading
plan, the planting plan, and the utility plan, as well as a
copy of the August 18 letter from Public Works ' Water and
Sewer Division, have been transmitted to the applicant, now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Board of Planning and Development
consider that the site development plan (the conceptual site
plan dated 7/26/93 and all supporting documents) for the
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Minutes of August 24, 1993
completion of the County RSWC has met the criteria for
advisory site plan approval, with the conditions that
1 . the findings and recommendations listed above be
utilized in the design development and
2 . that the final site development plan and architectural
design shall be submitted to this Board for review.
7 . New Business
A. zoning Amendment, Parking Regulations - deferred
B. ISTEA Transportation Enhancement Funds The following
resolution was passed unanimously with little discussion.
WHEREAS, the completion of a multi-use trail project to
connect the four major recreational facilities under the
control of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation within Tompkins County is a long-
standing priority project, and
WHEREAS, the Cayuga Inlet Trail has been identified in three
phases to connect Allan H. Treman State Park to Buttermilk
Falls State Park parallel to the Cayuga Inlet (Phase I) , to
connect Buttermilk Falls State Park to Robert H. Treman
State Park parallel to Cayuga Inlet Creek South (Phase II) ,
and to connect Taughannock Falls State Park to Allan H.
Treman State Park along the old Lehigh Valley Railroad
corridor, and
WHEREAS, the proposed Cayuga Inlet Trail would traverse an
area of diverse, scenic, natural, and cultural features, and
would provide access to existing and proposed local and
regional trails and to several neighborhoods, and
WHEREAS, the proposed Cayuga Inlet Trail would provide the
citizens and residents of the Town of Ithaca, Town of
Ulysses, City of Ithaca, and Tompkins County with additional
recreational and transportation opportunities in a safe and
enjoyable environment, and
WHEREAS, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and
Historic Preservation-Finger Lakes Region intends to file a
grant application for funds available under the
Transportation Enhancement Program of the Intermodal Surface
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 as administered by the
New York State Department of Transportation in order to fund
necessary planning, acquisition, and construction of the
Cayuga Inlet Trail .
Planning and Development Board -9-
Minutes of August 24, 1993
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca
Board of Planning and Development does hereby support the
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation-Finger Lakes Region' s application for funds
available under the Transportation Enhancement Program of
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991
as administered by the New York State Department of
Transportation, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Board of
Planning and Development considers the completion of the
Cayuga Inlet Trail to be a priority recreation and
transportation project serving its residents and citizens .
C. Discussion of Planning and Development Duties and
Functions Van Cort distributed a document describing the
Board's authority under state law and city code which was
written at the request of the Chair of the Planning Board.
8 . Zoning Appeals Report The following comments were made
regarding Appeal 2196 :
"Referenced appeal does not, in and of itself, present
concerns for areawide or long-range planning, and is thus
returned for Board of Zoning Appeals action without comment
or recommendation.
The underlying issue of the economic and land use
implications of basing minimum lot area requirements on
number of dwelling units, rather than number of occupants in
a multiple dwelling, will be referred to the Planning Board
Codes Committee and staff for discussion and report . "
9 . Reports
A. Director No report
B. Chair No report
C. Board of Public Works Rusoff reported that the BPW
consolidation study is progressing.
D. Planning and Development Committee Schroeder reported
that the Committee discussed alternative road connectors for
Southwest Park. He also reported that the Committee
tentatively favored the "Daley plan" amendment to the City' s
odd-even parking regulations pending an early 1994 public
meeting.
10 . Approval of Minutes Minutes of March 23 , April 27,
June 22 , July 27 were amended, and approval was moved by
Schroeder, seconded by Mackesey, carried unanimously.
Adjourned 11 : 10 pm epj-24AUG93 .min-10/4/93
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