HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PLED-2017-08-09
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, August 9, 2017 – 6:00 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
Minutes
Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Josephine
Martell, Cynthia Brock, and Steve Smith
Committee Members Absent: Alderperson Rob Gearhart
Other Elected Officials Attending: Mayor Svante Myrick and Alderperson George
McGonigal
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Planning and
Development Department; Nels Bohn, Director
of Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency; Dan Cogan,
Chief of Staff; Tom Parsons, Fire Chief;
Deborah Grunder, Executive Assistant
Others Attending: None
Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
1) Call to Order/Agenda Review
There were no changes made to the agenda.
2) Special Order of Business
a) Public Hearing – Amendment #1 to the 2017 City of Ithaca Action Plan
(HUD)
Alderperson Martell moved to open the public hearing; seconded by Alderperson
Brock. Carried unanimously.
No one from the public was present to speak.
Alderperson Brock moved to close the public hearing; seconded by Alderperson
Martell. Carried unanimously.
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
3) Public Comment and Response from Committee Members
Fay Gougakis, the Commons, spoke regarding the bike rack design project. She
has been biking in the City for years and feels she is not respected. The City does
not protect cyclists. The bike rack design project is a waste of money and effort.
The City needs to focus on safety first.
Karen Gellman, 207 Columbia Street, has lived there for 20+ years. She spoke on
the Columbia Street development. There are too many people, cars, lack of trees,
etc. One of the issues in the neighborhood is poor drainage, the more
development, the more problems; there are too many students who don’t know
how to behave. She asked the City to take another look at the R1 and R2 zones.
John and Rita Graves and Verlaine Boyd, 319 and 315 Pleasant Street. The City
needs a moratorium in the South Hill area. South Hill is being transferred from a
quiet, pleasant neighborhood to a student “ghetto”. Is this what the Planning
Department wants for the City? The parties are numerous, so large the police are
afraid to break them up, etc. If development continues as is currently, we will be in
big trouble.
Verlaine Boyd, 315 Pleasant Street, spoke against the South Hill development.
What is the law for owner occupancy? Is the City in control or are the student
landlords in charge?
Ian Golden, 517 Hudson Street, is a graduate of Ithaca College and agrees that
the students do bring vibrancy to the neighborhoods; but too much, is too much.
He supports stopping the process and institute a moratorium for a bit.
Jed Sheckler, 142 Hawthorne Place, has been in the area for about 20 years. He
is raising three young children and supports the others’ comments. We need to
step back as a community and see what we are doing. We need a plan. The
developers do whatever they want and are allowed to do so.
Heather Lambert and Casey Porter, 304 Hudson Street, we have always had a
great neighborhood, but what’s happening is young students are moving in and
getting trashed, passing out in our yard, throwing up in our lawn, students urinate,
and throw garbage, etc. A beautiful neighborhood is being destroyed. She’s
concerned about that as well as the safety of the students.
Mayor Svante Myrick joined the meeting at 6:25 p.m.
Henry Granison, 107 Oxford Place, spoke regarding the South Hill development
issues. He agrees with the ‘student ghetto’ terminology. It’s happening.
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
Ken Young, 228 Columbia Street, commented on the new project at 217 Columbia
Street. It is yet another student housing project. He renovates and sells home in
this area to families, not rented to students. The Cosentini project on Aurora Street
has been named as a similar ‘guide’ to the Columbia Street project. These areas
are far different. One of the grander houses on Hudson Street has been bought up
and cut up for student housing. He quoted many of the City Code statements that
contradict the City’s actions to date. He urges a moratorium. The Town of Ithaca
is working on a solution in their municipality. The City should follow suite.
Sally Lockwood, 641 Hudson Street, near Therm. She worked with INHS to buy
this house. Prior to her buying, there were developers who wanted to bring in
student housing but were not able to due to the zoning restrictions. She agrees
that a moratorium should be in place and make zoning restricted to student
housing.
Penny VanSchoick, 221 Columbia Street, lives right next to the proposed new
development at 217 Columbia Street. She is the last owner occupied on the block.
She is afraid that down the road she won’t be able to sell her house to anybody but
Charlie O’Conner.
Janet Fortess, 225 Columbia Street, is now the senior person on the street. She
too enjoys the energy of the students, but enough is enough. She would like a
moratorium put in place. When she first bought her home it was a two-family
dwelling. She has since converted it to a one-family dwelling.
Pam Mackesey, 323 Pleasant Street, with all the development happening, there
are no back yards, no parking, etc. We don’t have to make it an ugly and
inhabitable place to live. The City needs to step up and do something. The
landlords who rent to the students don’t care about the neighborhood or the
families that live there. They are all about the money they make.
Chris McNamara, 122 Pearsall Place, attended Ithaca College as a student and
now is a faculty member there. She has paid off her home and is now looking at
an empty lot that she could add another dwelling to. That’s not what her family
would like to do. We worked hard to pay off our home. We don’t want to live next
to the students.
David Beer, 311 Hudson Street, a local landlord with his parents. His parents’
home will gradually decrease due to the surrounding student housing. The notion
that the zoning (R1 and R2) was written to allow this dense housing to happen
needs to be looked at again. It will benefit the South Hill area a great deal.
Charlie O’Connor, owner of 217 Columbia Street. He had a total different vision
for 217 Columbia Street. He’s exploring different ideas. As a developer, he looked
at what zoning allowed and went from there. He further stated that there will be a
meeting to talk in depth about this project scheduled for next week in City Hall on
Thursday, August 17th, at 5:30 p.m.
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
4) Updates, Announcements, Reports
a) Community Bike Rack Design Project – JoAnn Cornish
5) Action Items (Voting to send onto Council)
a) Amendment #1 to the 2017 City of Ithaca Action Plan (HUD)
2017 Action Plan - Program Amendment #1, Reallocate HOME Funds
Declined by Lakeview Health Services, Inc.
Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Smith. Carried
unanimously.
Whereas, the City adopted 2017 Action Plan allocated $50,000 in HOME funds to assist the Lakeview
Ithaca project, a 50-unit affordable rental housing building sponsored by Lakeview Health Services,
Inc., (Lakeview), and
Whereas, on June 22, 2017, Lakeview declined the HOME funding award for the project due to
regulatory requirements triggered by receipt of HOME federal funds, which are projected to create
both a financial and administrative burden far in excess of the $50,000 funding award, and
Whereas, on June 26, 2017, the City received formal notice that its FY17 HOME award declined by
16% from the prior year’s award, thereby requiring a pro-rata funding reduction in all HOME-
assisted projects, and
Whereas, the Lakeview award declined to $43,708.16 from $50,000, and
Whereas, the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) is designated by the City of Ithaca as the
Lead Agency to develop, administer and implement the HUD Entitlement grant program,
including funds received through the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, and
Whereas, the City’s HUD Citizen Participation Plan requires a public hearing and Common Council
approval for a substantial amendment to the Action Plan, such as reallocation of more than $25,000,
and
Whereas, at their July 27, 2017 meeting, the IURA recommended reallocating funds awarded to
Lakeview to restore funding cuts to other HOME-assisted projects; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Common Council for the City of Ithaca hereby adopts the IURA-recommended
program amendment #1 to the FY17 HUD Action Plan to reallocate HOME funding as follows:
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
Project Name Sponsor Funding Change Final Funding
Lakeview Ithaca Lakeview Health
Services
Decrease:
$43,708.16
$0.00
402 S. Cayuga Street Habitat of Tompkins
&Cortland Counties
Increase:
$10,066.95
$80,000.00
Housing Scholarship
Program
The Learning Web Increase:
$8,253.89
$65,592.00
Security Deposit
Assistance 2017-18
Catholic Charities of
Tompkins/Tioga
Increase:
$5,379.52
$42,750.00
Unallocated HOME
Funds
Increase:
$20,007.80
$20,007.80
j:\community development\entitlement grants\cdbg 2017\action plan\reso pedc fy17 action plan program amendment #1 8-9-17.docx
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
6) Discussion
a) Development Patterns on South Hill
Chair Murtagh thanked all who spoke on this issue.
Mayor Myrick stated that we can’t fix the problem without building new
student housing. He would agree and propose a moratorium while we complete
the neighborhood plan. He would support a moratorium on all housing. To
propose it only student housing is discriminating and illegal. When you use the
term ‘student ghetto’ it undermines your message.
Alderperson Brock stated that the first person who raised issue on this was
George McGonigal. He raised the red flag. He sent messages to the list serve,
etc. Despite his efforts, it didn’t work. She also thanked Ken Young with all his
research and work. She absolutely is in favor of a moratorium, but not on all
housing. The existing R1, R2, and R3 zones are fine to offer one dwelling per
parcel. This moratorium should be put in place city wide.
She also thanked Charlie O’Connor for speaking tonight and for agreeing
on a public meeting to discuss this project.
We have three new university presidents coming on board this year. At
State College, when the administration noticed three students having the same
address, they flagged the City. This might be something to put in place here.
Alderperson McGonigal thanked all who spoke tonight including Charlie
O’Connor and the Mayor. He also praised Alderperson Brock for her forethought
on how to correct the problem. He stated that students should live on campus.
Homeowners are selling their homes to leave all the student housing around
them. He stated that he thinks South Hill is already a dense area. He sees a
problem with allowing a second dwelling on one parcel. No family would be able
to afford to buy such parcels. He agrees that a moratorium is in order.
JoAnn Cornish thanked Alderperson Brock for pointing out that the zoning
has been in place for a very long time. It is only recently that we’ve seen an influx
of this type of density. She further pointed out the inspection cycle for each type
of housing. Single family homes have a five-year inspection cycle. A lot came
happen in five years – bedrooms are changed into different rooms, etc.
She agrees that a moratorium is a good idea, how the City is already
working on the Southside Plan, Waterfront Plan, and the Parks Master Plan. Our
staff is stretched very thin.
Alderperson Brock stated that it was a complete shock that is was even
possible to add multiple dwellings on one parcel.
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
Murtagh stated that in-fill density is needed. Neighborhoods are all
different. This isn’t shutting down housing for students. The next step is to how
to move forward.
Mayor Myrick stated that if the comprehensive plan were in place, there
may be more housing on campus with the bars remaining downtown and bus
transportation from downtown to campus and back.
Alderperson Brock stated that the increase of student parties, etc. is due to
the new tools available to the students i.e., social media, etc.
Chair Murtagh stated that staff will take all this input into consideration and
discuss it at the next meeting.
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
b) Future of College Avenue Fire Station
Approved at the
September 13, 2017 PEDC Meeting
Mayor Myrick left the meeting at 8:50 p.m.
7) Review and Approval of Minutes
a) July 2017
Moved by Alderperson Martell; seconded by Alderperson Brock. Passed
unanimously.
8) Adjournment
Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Martell. Passed
unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.