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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PDB-2019-10-29 Approved by the Planning and Development Board December 17, 2019 1 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 Approved by the Planning and Development Board December 17, 2019 2 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 Approved by the Planning and Development Board December 17, 2019 3 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.