HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-2019-10-29 Approved by the Planning and Development Board December 17, 2019
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Planning and Development Board Minutes
Special Meeting October 29, 2019
Board Members Attending: Robert Aaron Lewis, Chair; Garrick Blalock, BPW Liaison; Jack Elliott;
Mitch Glass; Matthew Johnston; Emily Petrina
Board Members Absent: Jones
Board Vacancies: None
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director of Planning, Division of Planning and Economic
Development
Lisa Nicholas, Deputy Director of Planning, Division of Planning and
Economic Development
Other City Representatives
Attending:
Cynthia Brock, Common Council
Laura Lewis, Common Council
Ducson Nguyen, Common Council
Tom Knipe, Deputy Director of Economic Development, Division of
Planning and Economic Development
Applicants Attending: City Harbor – 101 Pier Road
David Herrick, T.G. Miller,
Kate Chesebourgh, Whitham Planning & Design
Scott Whitham, Whitham Planning & Design
Steve Hugo, HOLT Architect
Bruce Keeley, EC4B
Linc Morse, Project Sponsor
Elizabeth Ambrose, Project Sponsor
1. Site Visit/Walk
Members of the Planning Board and other attendees toured the site with the project team.
Once Seated Chair Lewis called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.
2. City Harbor, 101 Pier Road by Jessica Edger-Hillman. The 11.09-acre project site consists of
8.33 acres of privately-owned land and 2.76 acres of adjacent City-owned parkland and road. The
applicant proposes to redevelop the 8.33-acre project site and make improvements to 2.76 acres of
adjacent City land. The project site consists of (3) privately-owned tax parcels. The building
program will be a total of 316,280 SF consisting of (1) 60,000 SF medical office building, (2) five-
story residential structures with a total of 172,980 GSF and 111 housing units, (1) five-story mixed-
use building with 77,800 GFA with 45 housing units, 15,743 SF of ground floor commercial
(expected to be a restaurant), and (1) 5,500 SF Community Building to support golf, boating and
other recreational activities associated with the adjacent City-owned Newman Golf Course.
Improvements on City property in Phase 1 of the plan include the rebuilding of Pier Road to include
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sidewalks, street trees, a fire engine turnaround, and additional and reorganized parking. After Phase
I, the applicant proposes to realign the end of Pier Road, extend it to a new clubhouse and add
parking. Site improvements on private property to include a 1,570-foot publically-accessible
promenade along Cascadilla Creek, including construction of a new seawall and replacement of
existing docks, waterfront parks, a paddle park, internal circulation streets, bus stops, surface parking
for 400 cars, and landscaping. This has been determined to be a Type 1 Action under the City of
Ithaca Environmental Quality Review Ordinance §176-4(B)(1)(d), (h)(2), (i), (k) and (n) and the
State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) §617.4(b)(6)(iii) and (v).
The applicant presented a new site plan layout that addresses Board concerns from previous meetings.
The new layout permanently terminates Pier Road in the turnaround and realigns the western portion
of Pier road to merge with the east/west internal road. Unlike the previously proposed layout, this new
layout is retained in Phase 2.
A. Effluent Recovery System
Bruce Keeley presented on the proposed effluent recovery system. The system is a heat pump that
uses treatment plan effluent as a heat sink in summer and a heat source in winter. Through a system
of pipes and heat exchangers the project will take water from the effluent pipe and transfer heat
between the building water and effluent water. The system has the capacity to serve most of the
project – the challenge will be in summer cooling as opposed to winter heating.
The system will have the capacity to heat/cool the Point East & West buildings as well as the phase
2 residential building. Applicant may be able to add the proposed clubhouse and Guthrie. The
system will not have the capacity to extend beyond the project site. The energy efficiency of the
building envelop has been factored into the capacity analysis.
Adding Guthrie MOB may be difficult because a backup would be needed. MOB would need a
generator.
B. Architecture
The applicant presented new and revised visualizations showing the drop off-area and the
waterfront side of the Point West building, as well as the point East Building with a step back at
the fourth floor (rather the required third floor stepback).
Board members discussed the merits of the new proposal of a fourth floor stepback (which would
require a variance). Board members had a range of reactions and opinions about the proposal.
Elliott stated that a stepback at the third story is preferable when the view from those adjacent to
the building (e.g. on the new waterfront promenade) is considered. The difference between a 3 or
4 story wall is significant. Others felt that views from across the water were as important as those
adjacent to the building. Some felt that the proposed color or material differentiation of the top two
stories was as important, or more important, than a stepback in reducing the apparent mass of the
building. Blalock stated that due to the adjacent expanse of water there could be no “canyon effect’
The applicant agreed to produce more detailed visualizations to continue this discussion at the next
Planning Board meeting.
The applicant presented visualizations of the medical office building (MOB) stating that the design
is driven by the interior program and functions. Board members commented that, if it cannot have
and entrance on Willow Avenue, it should engage the street in some way. Suggestions included
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having a semi-public enhanced landscape. The applicant agreed to work on this for the next
Planning Board meeting.
Board members also requested a stronger trail connection to the MOB and limiting vehicular
entrances off of Willow Ave to avoid conflict with trail users.
The applicant also stated that they intend to apply for a variance for the step-backs on the Point East and
West buildings in February.
3. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.