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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-2019-01-22Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 1 Planning and Development Board Minutes January 22, 2019 Board Members Attending: Robert Aaron Lewis, Chair; Garrick Blalock; Jack Elliott; Mitch Glass, Matthew Johnston; McKenzie Lauren Jones, Vice Chair; Emily Petrina Board Members Absent: None Board Vacancies: None Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Division of Planning and Economic Development Lisa Nicholas, Deputy Director of Planning, Division of Planning and Economic Development Megan Wilson, Planner, Division of Planning and Economic Development Anne Redmond, Planner, Division of Planning and Economic Development Anya Harris, Administrative Assistant, Division of Planning and Economic Development Applicants Attending: 109-111 Homestead Road Minor Subdivision Katrina Morse Chain Works District Redevelopment Plan (draft FGEIS) James Gensel for David Lubin, Unchained Properties 500 S Meadow Street – Extension of Site Plan Approval Kim Goergen for Wegmans Amici House & Childcare Center – Siding Changes and Sign Package Presentation Lee Dillon, TC Action Larry Foor, Foor & Associates NCRE Cornell University – Presentation Kathryn Wolf, Trowbridge, Wolf, Michaels, Landscape Architects Alan Chimacoff, iKon5 Architects Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 2 Falls Park Apartments (74 Units) 121-125 Lake Street by IFR Development LLC – Review of FEAF Part 3 – No action Ryan Kovak, Trowbridge, Wolf, Michaels, Landscape Architects Frost Travis, IFR Development Chris Hyde, IFR Development Deborah Wright, O’Brien & Gere Nels Bohn, IURA 815-817 N. Aurora Street – Two New Two-Family Dwellings – Declaration of Lead Agency Daniel Hirtler, Daniel Hirtler Architecture Stavros Stavropoulos, Property Owner 504 S. Meadow Street Maguire Lincoln – Declaration of Lead Agency John Snyder, John Snyder Architects 815 S. Aurora – Sketch Plan Noah Demarest, Stream Collaborative Charlie O’Connor, Modern Living Rentals Housing – W Seneca/W State & Corn Streets – Sketch Plan Noah Demarest, Stream Collaborative Chair Lewis called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 1. Agenda Review Deputy Director Nicholas said there were no changes. 2. Special Order of Business – Presentation of the Greater Southside Plan Senior Planner Megan Wilson appeared in front of the Board to make a brief presentation on the Greater Southside Plan. She said since the last Planning Board meeting in December the Greater Southside Plan Committee made its final revisions to the draft plan and voted unanimously to recommend the draft dated December 19, 2018 to the Planning Board for their consideration. Glass asked who was on the Committee. Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 3 Wilson said it was a committee of about 15 members, of whom 8-12 were in attendance at any given meeting. She said it was made up of a mix of renters and homeowners from within the neighborhood. Cornish said that Seph Murtagh and Ducson Nguyen were on the Committee representing Common Council. Wilson agreed and said that Susan Holland also participated, representing Historic Ithaca. She said they did public outreach as well. Petrina asked about accessory apartments. Wilson said that accessory apartments refers to having an additional unit on an owner-occupied property. She gave the examples of having a basement apartment or unit in a carriage house, above a garage, or in a portion of a large home (but smaller in size than the main dwelling unit). She said it’s a way to have a little extra income, but it’s different than building multiple units on one property. There being no further comments or questions, the Board considered the resolution. Adopted Resolution to Recommend the Greater Southside Neighborhood Plan to Common Council On a motion by Jones, seconded by Petrina: WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan outlines a vision for the city’s future and serves as a guide for future decision-making, policies, and funding, and WHEREAS, the City decided to pursue a two-phased approach to its new Comprehensive Plan, where Phase I entailed the preparation of an “umbrella” plan, Plan Ithaca, that sets forth broad goals and principles to guide future policies throughout the city and where Phase II includes the preparation of specific neighborhood and thematic plans, and WHEREAS, the Common Council adopted Plan Ithaca in September 2015, and the planning process then began to focus on the Phase II plans, and WHEREAS, the Phase II plans provide an opportunity to take a proactive look at specific areas throughout the city, particularly those with significant potential for change, and to implement policies and capital improvements to help implement a shared vision, and WHEREAS, in accordance with the City of Ithaca Municipal Code and New York State General City Law, the Planning and Development Board is responsible for preparing and recommending a new Comprehensive Plan to the Common Council for adoption, and WHEREAS, formed in September 2016, the Southside Neighborhood Plan Committee was composed of 15 area residents, including a member of the Planning and Development Board, and worked with City Planning staff to conduct public outreach and prepare the draft plan, and Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 4 WHEREAS, the complete draft Greater Southside Neighborhood Plan was made available for public review in September 2018, and the Committee hosted community events, neighborhood meetings, and an online survey to gather public comments on the draft plan, and WHEREAS, following its review of the comments, the Committee revised the draft plan to incorporate public input, and WHEREAS, at its meeting on December 19, 2018, the Southside Neighborhood Plan Committee voted to recommend the draft Greater Southside Neighborhood Plan, dated December 19, 2018, for review and consideration by the Planning and Development Board as part of Phase II of the Comprehensive Plan; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board recommends the draft Greater Southside Neighborhood Plan, dated December 19, 2018, for review and adoption by the Common Council as part of Phase II of the Comprehensive Plan: Moved by: Jones Seconded by: Petrina In Favor: Blalock, Elliott, Glass, Johnston, Jones, Lewis, Petrina Against: None Abstain: None Absent: None There being no further questions from the Board, they moved on to Privilege of the Floor. 3. Privilege of the Floor Chair Lewis then opened Privilege of the Floor. Matt Yarrow of 119 Cascadilla Street, introduced himself as the Service Development Manager for TCAT. He said that TCAT understands that denser development in the City and effective transit service are intimately linked. He said dense areas of transit riders allows for frequent service. Without good transit in the downtown core extending to job centers, transit- dependent communities and essential services throughout the County, the City would have a harder time dealing with parking, congestion, and providing equitable access to jobs, health services, retail, etc. He said there are several medium to large projects on the horizon that will affect TCAT services, and representatives from some of these projects have already reached out to TCAT to discuss these impacts. He said that he is here today to voice the idea that TCAT and the Board can and probably should work together more closely to ensure that larger development projects adequately consider transit. He said that TCAT recently completed a Strategic Plan, available on their website and said he hopes the Board members will take the time to take a look at it. He said that they are also working on a Transit Supportive Development Guide to encourage developers to engage with them early in the process, and he said TCAT would be interested in developing a more formal protocol with the City and other municipalities to ensure that transit plans do not just mean parking single occupancy vehicles. He said that he will try to Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 5 attend the Planning Board meetings when larger development projects are being discussed, and he urged the Board to reach out to him and his colleagues at TCAT with any questions they might have about transit and its interaction with development. Nicholas suggested that he might return sometime and provide some training to the Board. Several Board members agreed that this was a good idea. Walter Hang of 218 Wait Avenue, spoke about the Falls Park Apartment project. He said that the site is extensively contaminated, not just in soil, but also groundwater. He said the contamination moves off site to the south and west. He said that the full extent of the pollution plume has not been determined, and the problem is that if the property is redeveloped, without all the pollution being removed, the site will never be cleaned up. He said the State of New York simply does not enforce the law, so depending on the NYS DEC to ensure the site is cleaned up is not sensible. He asked them to require the site and the Overlook to be cleaned up, and he said the Overlook has re-contaminated the Gorge Trail. He said he thinks the only way to clean up the site is to include it on the national priority list for SuperFund Cleanup. He said he thinks cleanup should be the first priority and development, second. Daniel Hoffman of 415 Elm Street, said that he is a member of the PRNR committee and his remarks tonight are consistent with the concerns that group has. First, with respect to the Chainworks project, he said any development there should be forward looking and take a new perspective on energy use, carbon footprint, and sustainability, among other things. He said one example could be encouraging the creation of opportunities for home and neighborhood food production, and he noted that making sure there is access to home or community gardens is a goal stated in the Comp Plan. He asked the Board to consider ways of stipulating that land that has good solar access and is not contaminated be set aside and that it should have sufficient room to include greenhouses to extend the growing season. Hoffman also spoke about backyard infill in residential neighborhoods, saying that it is a trend and a financial opportunity for landlords and developers to get more out of neighborhood lots. He said that he thinks it’s not consistent with existing neighborhood character, another principle the Comp plan says it supports, and wherever it’s happening, there are unhappy neighbors concerned about the impacts, which seem to include making home ownership and owner occupancy less likely, removal of trees and vegetation and an increase in pavement, and making neighboring properties less desirable. There being no more members of the public appearing to speak, Chair Lewis closed privilege of the floor. 4. Approval of Minutes On a motion by Johnston, seconded by Jones, the November 27, 2018 minutes were approved unanimously with no modifications. 5. Subdivision Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 6 A. 109-111 Homestead Road Minor Subdivision by owner Katrina Morse. Declaration of Lead Agency, Public Hearing, Determination of Environmental Significance, and Recommendation to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The applicant proposes to subdivide a 0.58 acre property into two parcels: Parcel A measuring 0.33 acre (14,148 square feet) with 73.28 feet of frontage on Homestead Road and containing an existing residential structure, driveway, and other site features; and Parcel B measuring 0.26 acre (11,113 square feet) with 75.5 feet of frontage on Homestead Road with an existing fenced-in vegetable garden. The property is in the R- 1a Zoning District, which has the following minimum requirements: 10,000 SF lot size, 75 feet of street frontage, 25-foot front yard, and 10-foot side yards. The project requires an area variance for the existing deficient front yard on the proposed Parcel A, measuring 24.5 feet instead of the required 25 feet. This is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”), both of which require environmental review. Owner Katrina Morse appeared in front of the Board. She said the property was originally two lots, so she wants to divide it into two lots again and sell the vacant lot. Adopted Resolution for Declaration of Lead Agency: On a motion by Johnson, seconded by Elliott: WHEREAS: 6 NYCRR, Part 617, of the State Environmental Quality Review Law and Chapter 176.6 of the City Code, Environmental Quality Review, require that a Lead Agency be established for conducting environmental review of projects in accordance with local and state environmental law, and WHEREAS: State Law specifies that for actions governed by local environmental review the Lead Agency shall be that local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, and WHEREAS: an application has been submitted for review and approval by the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board for a Minor Subdivision of City of Ithaca Tax Parcel #86.-3-4, by owner Katrina Morse, and WHEREAS: The applicant proposes to subdivide a 0.58 acre property into two parcels: Parcel A measuring 0.33 acre (14,148 square feet) with 73.28 feet of frontage on Homestead Road and containing an existing residential structure, driveway, and other site features; and Parcel B measuring 0.26 acre (11,113 square feet) with 75.5 feet of frontage on Homestead Road with an existing fenced-in vegetable garden. The property is in the R-1a Zoning District, which has the following minimum requirements: 10,000 SF lot size, 75 feet of street frontage, 25-foot front yard, and 10-foot side yards. The project requires an area variance for the existing deficient front yard on the proposed Parcel A, measuring 24.5 feet instead of the required 25 feet, and WHEREAS: this is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”), both of which require environmental review, and Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 7 WHEREAS: this is considered a Minor Subdivision in accordance with the City of Ithaca Code, Chapter 290, Article 1, §290-1, Minor Subdivision – Any subdivision of land resulting in creation of a maximum of one additional buildable lot, and WHEREAS: the Planning Board is the local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board does hereby declare itself Lead Agency for the environmental review for the action of Subdivision approval for City of Ithaca Tax Parcel #86.-3-4, by owner Katrina Morse. Moved by: Johnston Seconded by: Elliott In favor: Blalock, Elliott, Glass, Johnston, Jones, Lewis, Petrina Against: None Abstain: None Absent: None Vacancies: None Public Hearing On a motion by Petrina, seconded by Johnston, Chair Lewis opened the Public Hearing. There being no members of the public appearing to speak, on a motion by Jones, seconded by Petrina, Chair Lewis closed the public hearing. Jones asked the applicant if she has any plans for the subdivided parcel. Applicant said her intent is to sell. She has no plans. Elliott asked if this is all about 6 inches. Morse said yes, she has to go to the BZA for a variance because her existing front yard is deficient by about 6 inches. Adopted Resolution for a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance: On a motion by Petrina, seconded by Johnston: WHEREAS: an application has been submitted for review and approval by the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board for a minor subdivision of City of Ithaca Tax Parcel #86.-3-4, by owner/applicant Katrina Morse, and WHEREAS: The applicant proposes to subdivide a 0.58 acre property into two parcels: Parcel A measuring 0.33 acre (14,148 square feet) with 73.28 feet of frontage on Homestead Road and containing an existing Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 8 residential structure, driveway, and other site features; and Parcel B measuring 0.26 acre (11,113 square feet) with 75.5 feet of frontage on Homestead Road with an existing fenced-in vegetable garden, and WHEREAS: The property is in the R-1a Zoning District, which has the following minimum requirements: 10,000 SF lot size, 75 feet of street frontage, 25-foot front yard, and 10-foot side yards. The project requires an area variance for the existing deficient front yard on the proposed Parcel A, measuring 24.5 feet instead of the required 25 feet, and WHEREAS: this is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance and an Unlisted Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, both of which require environmental review, and WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission, the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability, and other interested parties have been given the opportunity to comment on the proposed project and any comments received to date on the aforementioned have been considered, and WHEREAS: this Board, acting as Lead Agency in environmental review, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a City of Ithaca Short Environmental Assessment Form prepared by owner/applicant Katrina Morse, and a Part 2 prepared by Planning Staff, a “Subdivision Map of No. 111 Homestead Road”, dated 4/26/2017, prepared by T.G. Miller P.C., now therefore be it RESOLVED: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board hereby determines that the proposed subdivision for the above referenced action will result in no significant impact on the environment, and that a Negative Declaration for purposes of Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law be filed in accordance with the requirements contained in Part 617 of the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Moved by: Petrina Seconded by: Johnston In favor: Blalock, Elliott, Glass, Johnston, Jones, Lewis, Petrina Against: None Abstain: None Absent: None Vacancies: None 6. Site Plan Review A. Chain Works District Redevelopment Plan (FGEIS), 620 S. Aurora St. by Jamie Gensel for David Lubin of Unchained Properties. Board Comments on the Proposed Chainworks District PUD & Design Guidelines. The proposed Chain Works District seeks to redevelop and rehabilitate the +/-800,000 sf former Morse Chain/Emerson Power Transmission facility, located on a 95-acre parcel traversing the City and Town of Ithaca’s municipal boundary. The applicant has applied for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for development of a mixed-use district, which includes residential, commercial, office, and manufacturing. The site’s redevelopment would bridge South Hill and Downtown Ithaca, the Town and the City of Ithaca, by providing multiple intermodal access routes including a highly-desired trail connection. The project will be completed in multiple phases over a period of several years with the initial phases involving the redevelopment of the existing structures. Current Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 9 redevelopment of this property will focus on retrofitting existing buildings and infrastructure for new uses. Using the existing structures, residential, commercial, studio workspaces, and office development are proposed to be predominantly within the City of Ithaca, while manufacturing will be within both the Town and City of Ithaca. Jamie Gensel of Fagan Engineers appeared on behalf of applicant David Lubin (Unchained Properties) to present updates and answer Board questions. He said one change to the District PUD and Design Guidelines is the addition of another sub-zone to CW-3 to address comments about the development close to Hillview. The change reduces the number of stories in that area an eliminates sub stories He said there are a number of small changes to the Design Guidelines and asked for comments from the Board. Nicholas said the Board had seen this document a year ago and all their previous comments have been incorporated. A brief question and answer period followed. Director Cornish said that to address a comment raised during Privilege of the Floor, they would review possibilities for community gardens during Site Plan Review. Applicant agreed, and said they had looked at options for greenhouses. Blalock asked about the size restriction on bakeries. Board agreed to recommend striking that line. Applicant agreed to look into the comments to see what the rationale was. Board agreed recommending bike parking guidelines conform to City standards and community gardens/greenhouse(/s) be looked at during SPR B. 15,700 SF Retail Building at 500 S Meadow Street by Kim Goergen for Wegmans. Extension of Site Plan Approval. The Planning Board approved the 15,700-SF retail building with associated site improvements on December 16, 2014 and subsequently extended the approval for 24 months. The applicant is seeking an additional 24-month extension of the site plan approval. Kim Goergen, project manager for Wegmans’ site development group, said they had received Site Plan approval for a retail building that fronts S. Meadow Street in late 2014, and came back for an extension of Site Plan Approval in 2016, and are now returning to ask for one more extension. She said they want to keep the site plans as previously approved. Petrina asked why they want to have another extension. Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 10 Applicant said that they have a lease negotiation underway elsewhere in the City, and if for whatever reason, negotiations fall through, they would like to reserve the right to build on the site. Blalock said that in general, he doesn’t like the idea of approving something five years ago and then not revisiting it when the situation on the ground around it is changing. He referenced the Ford dealership project proposed next door to the site. Jones said she thinks a building would be preferable to a parking lot and asked if the project was always going to be a maybe. Applicant said that they had thought they would build initially but then were able to lease elsewhere. The Board next asked had a brief discussion of procedural options and decided that they would require applicant to return to review and approve landscape plans before any building is built. Adopted Resolution for an Extension of Site Plan Approval: On a motion by Petrina, seconded by Johnston: WHEREAS: on December 16, 2014, the Planning Board granted final Site Plan Approval to the proposed retail building to be located at 500 S. Meadow St., and WHEREAS: the approved project is a 15,700-SF retail building. The project site is a 17.7-acre parcel that contains an existing 115,000-SF retail building (Wegmans), associated parking, and an access road from Meadow Street. The new building will be located on an existing 201-space parking area. Project development will include parking for 77 cars, internal sidewalks, plus a sidewalk along the access road, crosswalk striping, lighting, and landscaping. The project is in the SW-2 Zoning District, and WHEREAS: §276-10 of the City Code states that if construction of a project has not commenced within two years of the date of Site Plan Approval, such approval shall expire, unless an extension has been granted by the Board, following a written request by the applicant, and WHEREAS: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board did grant a two -year extension of Site Plan Approval until November 22, 2018, subject to all the conditions stated, and all drawings cited, in the final Site Plan Review Approval resolution, dated December 16, 2014, and WHEREAS: in a letter dated January 15, 2019 to Lisa Nicholas from Kim Goergen, Project Manager for Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., an additional extension of the Site Plan Approval was requested, and WHEREAS: the applicant has verified that no changes are proposed to site plan approved on December 16, 2014, and WHEREAS: the Site Plan Review Ordinance was amended in 2017 to include, among other things, more detailed requirements for tree planting and an increased greenspace requirement of 25% for parking lots now, therefore, be it Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 11 RESOLVED: that the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board does hereby grant an additional two-year extension of Site Plan Approval until November 22, 2020, subject to all the conditions stated, and all drawings cited, in the final Site Plan Review Approval resolution, dated December 16, 2014, and subject to the following condition related to the above referenced 2017 changes to the Site Plan Review Ordinance: i. Submission of a revised landscaping plan showing 1) the project in context with the recently approved site plan for the adjacent property, and 2) additional greenspace and planting specifications in conformance with the current Site Plan Review Ordinance. Moved by: Johnston Seconded by: Jones In favor: Blalock, Elliott, Glass, Johnston, Jones, Lewis, Petrina Against: None Abstain: None Absent: None Vacancies: None C. Amici House & Childcare Center at 661-701 Spencer Rd. Larry Foor of Foor Associates on behalf of Tom Schickel for Tompkins Community Action (TC Action). Approval of Signage and Recommendation to the BZA. The project was approved by the Planning and Development Board on January 24, 2017. The applicant is now seeking approval of the signage associated with the project which includes two new buildings, to be used for supportive housing for young homeless people and their children, as well as childcare. The project will require a recommendation to the BZA, as the proposed signage requires variances. Lee Dillon of TC Action and Larry Foor of Foor & Associates appeared to request retroactive approval of siding color changes and to present the proposed sign package. Chair Lewis was unhappy with the unapproved changes saying that the approved siding colors had undergone a rigorous design review. Jones said the color palette chosen was meant to be more residential, and this feels more institutional. Elliott said he actually finds this scheme more attractive, but he wishes they had not used the simulated wood grain. Chair Lewis asked staff what their options are here. He said it’s pretty disconcerting for a finished building come back looking completely different than what was approved. With no options forthcoming, the Board moved on to consider signage. Jones asked if this is the first they have seen of the sign package and if any of it is up already. Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 12 Foor said the sign over the door that says “Child Care Entrance” is up. Dillon said they opened the Child Care on September 5, and wanted to be sure people knew where to enter. She said that is the only signage that is up, aside from some window stickers to guide the Fire Department, if needed. Chair Lewis asked if these signs would require a variance. Nicholas said yes. After some discussion, Board agreed to recommend the sign variance because the size of the signs are in keeping with the scale of the building. D. North Campus Residential Expansion (NCRE) at Cornell University Campusby Trowbridge Wolf Michaels for Cornell University. Presentation - Site Architecture & Schedule Review – No Action. The applicant proposes to construct two residential complexes (one for sophomores and the other for freshmen) on two sites on North Campus. The sophomore site will have four residential buildings with 800 new beds and associated program space totaling 299,900 SF and a 59,700 SF, 1,200- seat, dining facility. The sophomore site is mainly in the City of Ithaca with a small portion in the Village of Cayuga Heights; however, all buildings are in t he City. The freshman site will have three new residential buildings (each spanning the City and Town line) with a total of 401,200 SF and 1,200 new beds and associated program space – 223,400 of which is in the City, and 177,800 of which is in the Town. The buildings will be between two and six stories using a modern aesthetic. The project is in three zoning districts: the U-I zoning district in the City in which the proposed five stories and 55 feet are allowed; the Low Density Residential District (LDR) in the Town which allows for the proposed two-story residence halls (with a special permit); and the Multiple Housing District within Cayuga Heights in which no buildings are proposed. This has been determined to be a Type I Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) §176-4 B.(1)(b), (h) 4, (i) and (n) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) § 617.4 (b)(5)(iii), for which the Lead Agency issued a Negative Declaration on December 18, 2018. Kathryn Wolf of Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects and Alan Chimacoff of iKon5 Architects appeared in front of the Board to give a presentation on the historic reasons for the layout of the site and the impact that the North Campus Residential Expansion project will have on the site layout and circulation. Chimacoff also presented initial designs for the proposed buildings and provided some information about materials and colors selections. Wolf said that the pathways have been designed to provide continuous ADA accessible paths and fire access routes across North Campus. She also discussed improvements to transit services and bike paths and cyclist infrastructure (racks, lockers, showers, etc.) Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 13 She also spoke a bit about the planting plans, sa ying that they would attempt to preserve existing shade trees, plant new ones, plant native species, use low-mow or no-mow grasses, and create seasonal interest. She said preliminary site plan review is anticipated to begin the following month. A brief discussion period followed. Nicholas suggested keying the Site Plan layout/s to elevations. E. Falls Park Apartments (74 Units), 121-125 Lake Street by IFR Development LLC. Review of FEAF Part 3 – No action. The applicant proposes to build a 133,000 GSF, four-story apartment building and associated site improvements on the former Gun Hill Factory site. The 74-unit, age-restricted apartment building will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom units and will include 7,440 SF of amenity space and 85 parking spaces (20 surface spaces and 65 covered spaces under the building). Site improvements include an eight-foot wide public walkway located within the dedicated open space on adjacent City Property (as required per agreements established between the City and the property owner in 2007) and is to be constructed by the project sponsor. The project site is currently in the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP). Before site development can occur, the applicant is required to remediate the site based on soil cleanup objectives for restricted residential use. A remedial investigation (RI) was recently completed at the site and was submitted to NYSDEC in August 2018. The project is in the R-3a Zoning District and requires multiple variances. This is a Type I Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) §176-4 B(1) (h)[2], (k) and (n) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617-4 (b) (11). Ryan Kovak from Trowbridge, Wolf, Michaels Landscape Architects; Frost Travis, IFR Development; Chris Hyde, IFR Development; Deborah Wright, O’Brien & Gere; and Nels Bohn, IURA appeared to review the history of the remediation efforts on the site. Bohn reviewed cleanup efforts. He said there are a number of separate areas to consider when looking at the remediation. He said passed out a jurisdictional map. He said that it is one site, but has been divided into several jurisdictions for cleanup purposes. The project site is one area. The City’s property (Overlook site) spans from Lake Avenue, crosses the Raceway and includes the Island. The third area is the Gorge Floor, and the fourth area extends to cover the Fall Creek neighborhood. He said each is covered by a different program. The City site is covered by the municipally owned Brownfields program and its remediation has been determined recently to be complete by DEC (up to restricted residential use). He said the offsite Fall Creek neighborhood is still under investigation, and that the DEC has installed six systems and are tracking about 50 sites. He said the Gorge floor is under the EPA’s jurisdiction; he said they have done removals and cleanups several times in that area, and that more sampling was done this fall, but due to the partial federal government shutdown, they are still awaiting the results. He said the project site is going through the Brownfields cleanup program right now, and (he believes) DEC’s approval is pending. Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 14 He said they have heard criticisms that the City site cleanup was not robust enough because they did not do full source removal. He said removal was done in the raceway, and on the Island down to bedrock, and they replicated the EPA’s remediation efforts on the walkway, removing about 3 feet of surface material and replacing it with soil and a vegetative cap. He said the City has an obligation to have a licensed environmental consultant walk the site yearly and after any major storm event and report their findings to the DEC. He said they will do their first mandated walk through in June of this year. He said they have also installed fences to prevent damage to the vegetative cap from trespassers. He said that in the areas where they have removed to bedrock, the rock is fracture prone, so in some places they have found they have had to go back to do more cleanup via hand removal, and following removal, the site was meeting the restricted residential standard of less than 400 ppm of lead. Petrina asked about the parking lot to the west of the site, saying that if that’s contaminated, it seems like it could be leeching down to the Fall Creek neighborhood. Bohn said that that’s fill material and it’s not municipally owned. He said part of the investigation included groundwater monitoring wells, as well as wells down gradient of that lot. He said there was one hit on a well where the groundwater lead level was modestly higher than allowable which triggered the need to look at the neighborhood below, but there were wells below that showed non-detect for lead and also for the VOCs. He said that’s why they are monitoring. He said that though there is some suspicion that the fill for the lot came from Ithaca Gun, there is essentially a cap on it (from the pavement on the lot). He said the lead doesn’t seem to be migrating. Monitoring wells have been in place at least 10 years. Chair Lewis asked what happens if something shows up in Fall Creek monitoring areas once the project is underway. Bohn said that under the Brownfields Cleanup Program and the ERP program, the State is responsible for off-site contamination. NYS has already determined that it is eligible for SuperFund designation, and the monitoring is being done through the state SuperFund program. As long as the City is maintaining their responsibilities through the site management plan, they would not be responsible, and likewise for the developer through Brownfields. Chair Lewis asked how the Gorge floor came under the jurisdiction of the EPA. Bohn said that in 2002 they did an emergency removal after doing some site assessments. They created a status where it was an emergency action. Kovak said that on the project site, they will remove to the depth of the foundations and the nature of the project is to effectively cap the site. He said the VOCs reside deep in the bedrock, and the lead will be largely removed. The contamination predates the developer’s involvement, and they will remediate it to the extent required by the DEC. Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 15 The Board next did a preliminary review of Part III. Jones asked about documentation of outcomes is available from the DEC. Applicants said they would provide those materials. Nicholas asked applicants to provide a clear synopsis of what’s been completed to-date. Cornish said they need to provide a list of reference materials supporting the synopsis as well. Glass asked if the smokestack would be preserved, said the possibility of selling to the City had been examined. Travis said contamination under the smokestack is a concern, and that the structure itself is a public safety concern because it’s tempting for people to climb it. Staff said more information would be needed. Travis said that they investigated modifications to the design to make it more bird-friendly as well. F. New Two-Family Dwellings, 815-817 N Aurora by Daniel Hirtler for Stavros Stavropoulos. Continued Site Plan Review – No Action. The applicant proposes to demolish an existing two-family residential structure and construct two new 1,290 SF two-family dwellings on a 9,590 SF lot. The existing residential building is a legally non-conforming building with a side setback deficiency (2.9 feet instead of the required 5 feet). The proposed redevelopment will include four parking spaces for four three- bedroom apartments. The applicant is requesting the Board’s approval to use the landscaping compliance method for parking arrangement. The project site is located in the R-2b Zoning District and meets all applicable zoning lot and setback requirements. This is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”). Daniel Hirtler appeared in front of the Board to present three project schemes. After some discussion, the Board expressed support for the design with a porch facing Aurora Street and adding a garage in the rear. G. Maguire Ford Lincoln Additions and Improvements, 370 Elmira Road by John Snyder Architects PLLC. Preliminary & Final Approval with Conditions. The applicant proposes to demolish a portion of the existing building and construct two additions with updated exterior materials. The existing building is 18,500 GSF, with 2,265 GSF proposed for demolition. The new building will be 24,110 GSF. Site improvements include incorporation of a new pedestrian walking path, and site Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 16 connections to Wegmans. Approximately 311 parking spaces are proposed to accommodate customer, service parking, employee, and display parking. The project site is located in the SW-2 Zone, is subject to the 2000 Southwest Design Guidelines, and will require a zoning variance for a front yard that exceeds the maximum permissible in the SW-2 district (34 feet maximum permitted, 69-feet 3-inch setback proposed). This is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”); however, it was treated as a Type I Action for the purpose of environmental review, for which the Lead Agency issued a Negative Declaration on December 18, 2018. Architect John Snyder appeared to present revisions to the site plan proposed for the project. The Board decided to grant a Preliminary and Final Approval of the project, on the condition the BZA grant the required area variance for the front yard depth. Adopted Resolution for Conditional Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval: On a motion by Johnston, seconded by Petrina: WHEREAS: an application has been submitted for review and approval by the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board for two new additions and site improvements for the car dealership at 504 S Meadow Street by John Snyder Architects on behalf of the owner, Maguire Family Limited Partnership, and WHEREAS: the applicant proposes to demolish a portion of the existing building and construct two additions with updated exterior materials. The existing building is 18,500 GSF, with 2,265 GSF proposed for demolition. The new building will be 24,110 GSF. Site improvements include incorporation of a new pedestrian walking path, and site connections to Wegmans. Approximately 311 parking spaces are proposed to accommodate customer, service parking, employee, and display parking. The project site is located in the SW-2 Zone, is subject to the 2000 Southwest Design Guidelines, and will require a zoning variance for a front yard that exceeds the maximum permissible in the SW-2 district (34 feet maximum permitted, 69- feet, 3-inch setback proposed), and WHEREAS: this is an Unlisted Action under the City of Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (“CEQRO”) and the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”); however, it was treated as a Type I Action for the purpose of environmental review, and WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Planning Board, being the local agency which has primary responsibility for approving and funding or carrying out the action, did on November 27, 2018 declare itself the Lead Agency for the environmental review of the project, and WHEREAS: legal notice was published and property posted, and adjacent property owners notified in accordance with Chapter 290-9 C. (1), (2), & (3) of the City of Ithaca Code, and WHEREAS: the Planning and Development Board held the required Public Hearing on December 18, 2018, and Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 17 WHEREAS: the City of Ithaca Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Commission, the Tompkins County Department of Planning and Sustainability, and other interested parties has been given the opportunity to comment on the proposed project and any comments received to date on the aforementioned have been considered, and WHEREAS: the Planning Board, acting as Lead Agency in environmental review, has on December 18, 2018 reviewed and accepted as adequate: A Full Environmental Assessment Form (“FEAF”), Part 1, submitted by the applicant, and Parts 2 and 3, prepared by Planning staff and amended by the Planning Board; the following drawings: “Context Map,” “Zoning Map and Analysis,” “Survey,” and Perspective View 1, dated December 5, 2018 and “Existing Conditions Plan,” “Demolition and Erosion Control Plan,” “Layout & Materials Plan,” “Grading & Drainage Plan,” “Greenspace Plan”, “Planting Plan,” “Site Details,” “Rendered Site Plan,” “East & West Rendered Elevations,” “North & South Re ndered Elevations,” and Perspective Views 2 and 4; all revised and dated December 18, 2018, and prepared by John Snyder Architects et. al., and, WHEREAS: the Planning and Development Board did on December 18, 2018 make a Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance for the proposed subdivision, and WHEREAS: the Planning Board did on January 22, 2019 review and accept as adequate the following new and updated drawings: “Site Plan (L100)”, “FEMA Map Overlay ( L101)”, “Site Demolition and Erosion Control Plan (L200), ” “Layout & Materials Plan (L300),” Greenspace Plan (L301)”, “Illustrative Master Plan (L302),” “Grading & Drainage Plan (L400),” “Planting Plan (L500),” and “Site Details (L600),”all dated 01/17/2019 and prepared by John Snyder Architects et. al., and WHEREAS: In accordance with § 276-7C(4) of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code, 25% of the interior ground area in motor vehicle parking areas shall be planting areas, the Board has determined for the following reasons the applicant is exempt of this requirement. i. The Southwest Area Design Guidelines previously identified a 12% of gross site as landscape area distributed equally within parking and around buildings, which has been met by the applicant, and ii. The applicant has agreed to comply with the Board’s request to provide a pedestrian connection from the project site to Wegmans, and iii. The existing and proposed use of the site is for the display and sales of motor vehicles, which requires more parking than other commercial uses, and WHEREAS: the applicant has resolved all site plan issues, and the Board is therefore inclined, under this special circumstance, to grant approval subject to the condition of the BZA granting the required variance now, therefore, be it RESOLVED: the Planning Board does hereby grant Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval to the project, subject to the following conditions: iv. Granting of the required area variance by the BZA, and v. Submission to the Planning Board of project details, including but not limited to lighting, signage, exterior furnishings, bike racks, planting materials, etc., and vi. Submission of a revised detail sheet and drawing showing internal plantings and soil vol umes in accordance with § 276-7C(4) of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code, and vii. Bike racks must be installed before a certificate of occupancy is granted, and viii. This site plan approval does not preclude any other permit that is required by City Code, such as sign permits, tree permits, street permits, etc., and Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 18 ix. Written approval from the City Fire Department the project meets all life safety access requirements. Moved by: Johnston Seconded by: Petrina In favor: Blalock, Elliott, Glass, Johnston, Jones, Lewis, Petrina Against: None Abstain: None Absent: None Vacancies: None H. Sketch Plan – 815-817 S. Aurora Street Noah Demarest of Stream Collaborative and appeared to present a sketch plan for three apartment buildings across the street from the Chainworks site. I. Sketch Plan – W Seneca/W State & Corn Streets – Sketch Plan Noah Demarest presented a plan for creating a large multi-use development on the site of Wylie’s Dry Cleaning, a duplex across the street, and a second large, multi -use building spanning the area between W. State and Seneca Streets in the vicinity of Franco’s Pizza and Gimme Coffee. 7. Recommendations to the Board of Zoning Appeals  # 3113, Area Variance, 213 S. Fulton Street The Planning Board does not identify any long term planning impacts and supports this appeal. The minimum two story requirement was intended to improve/impact the street level experience. This building is towards the rear of the property and not highly visible from the public way, and therefore has no street presence.  # 3115, Area Variance, 109-111 Homestead Road The Planning Board does not identify any long term planning impacts and supports this appeal as it does is an existing deficiency of the existing structure. The Board supports the creation of additional buildable lots within the City.  # 3116, Sign Variance, 661 Spencer Road The Planning Board does not identify any long term planning impacts and supports this appeal. The property is in two zoning districts with differing sign regulations and the sign variance is for the childcare center in the residential zone. The size does not overpower the building and the signs Approved by the Planning and Development Board February 26, 2019 19 are not illuminated – so there will be no nighttime impact. The Board feels that the size and location of signage is needed for the use. The Board finds that the size and design of the signage on the daycare building is appropriate on the edge of this residential zone. 8. Old/New Business Board members discussed edits to the Draft Energy Memo being prepared to send to Common Council. 9. Reports A. Planning Board Chair No report. B. Board of Public Works Liaison Blalock reported that the City is now actively trying to hire additional road and sewer crews which should help with some of the maintenance issues. He asked about the possibility of including a bus depot as a portion of the new Green Street Garage redesign. C. Director of Planning & Development No report 10. Adjournment: On a motion by Petrina, seconded by Johnston, the meeting was adjourned at 11:10 p.m. .