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Home My WebLink AboutMN-PDB-1994-05-09 Planning and Development Board MINUTES Special Meeting May 9, 1994 PRESENT. D.Kay (Chair), S.Adams, S.Blumenthal, C.Peterson,D.Rusoff,J. Schroeder. Staff.- H.M. Van Cort,L. Tsang. Mayor Benjamin Nichols; County Legislators Tom Todd and Dan Winch;County staff Barbara Eckstrom,Jim Kazda and Jeannie Boodley. Also,Betsy Darlington,Jason Fane. 1. Tompkins County Solid Waste and RecyclingCenter enter The Board agreed to hear the Tompkins County Solid Waste Recycling presentation as the first item.. Ms. Eckstrom explained the 70% drawings,Mr. Kazda answered questions from the Board. Board members made the following comments: • There is no unity of design between the existing building and the proposed structure. • The landscaping plan as now drawn is inadequate. • The proposed landscape screening of the building is completely inadequate given its architecture. Van Cort said that it was staff's opinion that the architects had not adequately responded to the comments made on the 30% design drawings or the comments made in August of 1993 when the schematic drawings were reviewed. Schroeder elaborated that the building did not have an approachable scale,lacked architectural interest and was completely incompatible with the office building. He felt that the comments made at the two previous reviews had been essentially ignored by the architect. Some discussion followed regarding the berm which had been originally proposed between the building and the uses on Elmira Road. Ms. Eckstrom explained that the berm had been taken out at the recommendation of the County's landscape architect and City planning staff. Although no resolution was passed,it was the consensus of the Board that the architects had not adequately responded to the negative comments on the design made in earlier reviews and that the architecture of the building as now proposed would not be approved if this were a formal site plan review. The Board requested that the County consider substantial redesign of the proposed building. Van Cort was directed by the Board to communicate these comments to the Board of Representatives at their meeting scheduled for Wednesday,May 11, at 12:00. May 9, 1994 Minutes -2- 2. Preliminary Site Plan Review/Environmental Review/Continuation of Public Hearin /lg 51 Dryden Road/Anartment Building Jason Fane,Jagat Sharma and James Napoleon appeared before the Board. Mr. Napoleon, a traffic engineer retained by Mr. Fane, stated that there would be no negative traffic impact from the proposed apartment building. He said that he had not done a capacity analysis but had done a qualitative analysis of the exits and entrances in the building, as well as the traffic configuration on the surrounding streets. He said that the proposed development would allow the creation of several new on-street spaces while providing adequate off-street spaces for the residents. Mr. Napoleon further stated that the existing layout required backing into Dryden Road which is a very unsafe situation; this condition will be eliminated if the proposal is built. In addition, several curb cuts could be eliminated allowing the City to establish new on-street parking spaces. Most transportation to campus will be by foot or on bike which will reduce the number of cars on College Avenue and Dryden Road. The parking on site will be defined,permitted and controlled, and the use of the garage will not coincide with rush hour in Collegetown. According to Mr. Napoleon,there is enough offset between the parking entrance to the proposed development and the City's parking garage so that there will not be a conflict between those two vehicle access-ways. Mr.Fane said that the proposal would result in a net decrease in retail space on the site. The building will be safer,more modern and will have better fire access, thereby reducing the risk of fire on the site. According to Mr. Fane there will be no parking impact by the project on the neighborhood because additional parking spaces would be created by the proposed development. Van Cort said that it would be necessary to conduct a capacity analysis of the street system surrounding the proposed site in order to evaluate the consultant's opinions on traffic and parking impact. Andrea Jackson, a resident of 123 Dryden Road, asked for an opportunity to address the Board regarding 151 Dryden Road. Ms. Jackson stated that people don't drive to campus,they drive to the supermarket,etc. She said there are many unrented,high-prized parking spaces in Collegetown, and therefore the proposed new spaces would not be utilized. She felt that the views from and to the site were an important community issue and that the Board should protect those views. In response to the comment on parking,Mr.Fane said they were including parking in the project because zoning requires it. May 9, 1994 Minutes -3- After further discussion, Schroeder moved, and Peterson seconded, that for the following reasons,the Board has not received all the information it needs to make a determination of significance pursuant to §176-6 of the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance: • Further analysis was needed of traffic capacity and the impacts of the project on the Collegetown traffic system. • An analysis was needed of displaced parking which utilizes the 43 spaces on the site. • An analysis should be performed of the effects of the proposed building on existing views in Collegetown. At a minimum, a perspective drawing of the proposed project taken from the corner of College Avenue and Dryden Road should be provided. The Board found that without this information it could not make the determination of significance. Carried unanimously. 3. Elmira Road Sidewalks Schroeder informed the Board that the MPO had not recommended in favor of submission of an ISTEA enhancement application for Elmira Road sidewalks. He requested that the Board express its opinion on the desirability of this project. It was the unanimous consensus of the Board that the Elmira Road sidewalk project should proceed. 4. Clough-Harbor Contract Van Cort distributed a memorandum from Herman Sieverding regarding the hiring of the engineering firm of Clough,Harbor&Associates to review the adequacy for public review of the environmental impact statement prepared by Sear-Brown. This amendment would be in an amount of$1,800, which brings the total contract from$15,000 to$16,800. Peterson moved, and Blumenthal seconded, that the Board approve this contract amendment contingent upon the applicant paying the full cost of the additional review. Passed unanimously. Whereas,East Coast Development Company has submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement(DEIS)for the proposed Wal-Mart store on Elmira Road to the Planning and Development Board,the lead agency for the review of this project, and Whereas,the Project Coordination Committee has determined that outstanding commitments and obligations will prevent staff from conducting the level of review and analysis required by the Planning Board as part of its decision-making process for the proposed Wal-Mart store, and May 9, 1994 Minutes -4- Whereas, §617.17 of the State Environmental Quality Review Regulations allows the lead agency to charge the cost of reviewing an Environmental Impact Statement to the applicant provided the cost of such review does not exceed one half of one percent of the construction cost of the project, and Whereas,the Planning Board has directed a committee consisting of representatives of the Board, the Conservation Advisory Council and staff to solicit proposals from qualified firms to conduct the review of the DEIS and has approved the committee's recommendation to hire Clough,Harbour&Associates for this assignment,and Whereas, the applicant has agreed to a total fee of$16,800 which will allow Clough-Harbour to conduct both a review for adequacy and a technical review, now therefore be it Resolved,that the Planning and Development Board recommends that the Common Council authorize the Mayor, subject to the advice of the City Attorney, and Director of Planning and Development,is authorized to enter into a contract with Clough,Harbour&Associates for an amount not to exceed$16,800, contingent on the applicant establishing an escrow account in the same amount with its attorney in Ithaca. Payment of invoices from Clough Harbour will only be made when the requested amount has been paid to the City by the applicant from this escrow account. epj-May9min.doc(8/29/94)