Planning Board
Special Meeting with
Environmental Design & Research, PC
The meeting of the Village Planning Board was
called to order at
This special meeting was scheduled to discuss
the letter of agreement dated
The letter included the tasks EDR presented to the Board in November '99 and included further clarifications based on experiences since then.
Schedule for Payments
to EDR:
In November, the
original plan for payments provided for three equal amounts for a total of
$15,000. The payments were to be made
upon satisfactory completion of Tasks 1-3, Task 4 and Task 5, respectively. At this meeting EDR stated that the large
payment at the end of the contract did not reflect the actual cash flow which
is greater in the earlier stages of the project. This is unacceptable to EDR. The Board discussed alternative payment
patterns and concluded that the contract could be amended to provide for a
payment at the conclusion of Task 3 of $5,000, payment of $7,000 at the
conclusion of Task 4, and a $3,000
payment at the conclusion of Task 5.
This was satisfactory to EDR.
Prior to the end of the meeting the amended contract was signed by David
Crandall, and Attorney Marcus will get it signed by Mayor Hartill.
Costs of Graphic Presentations:
EDR estimates that the
costs for printing the brochures and the visual components of a presentation
could be $1,500 to $2,000 which is a major consideration in a budget of
$15,000. EDR requests a reconsideration
of this budget item to allow EDR to pass through some of the costs to the
Village.
The brochure will be 8 1/2" x
11". Color can be a very effective
marketing technique. The Board opted for
the brochures to include some full color pages because these images could still
be printed in black and white if needed.
The original contract stipulated ten reports for
the Planning Board. EDR prefers to
provide the Board with a camera ready copy CD ROM and digital copies. The Board will arrange for printing the
brochures.
EDR states it could provide the Planning Board with Power Point
illustrations to be used for presentations in the community.
EDR can provide a CD-ROM in the format of the Board's choice. EDR will provide full color copies of the
report on the CD-ROM and it can be printed as needed and it will be acceptable
for printing in gray scale.
Status of
Project 862:
Task 1.
Data Collection, Base Map Development and Focus Group Meeting:
- The
assessment of the existing street scape condition is
complete.
-
Existing base map drawings and digital files from local sources have
been collected including those from TG Miller and the North Triphammer
reconstruction plans. Identification of right-of-ways still needs to be
clarified.
Planning data from the County shows developed
and undeveloped lots at the time of the map's creation. Some maps and aerial photos allow EDR to
update these records. This information
will be used to define street lines, legal right-of-ways, curbing edges,
sidewalks, and some green space. It will
aid in identifying land owned by the Village.
The
Planning Board will use the EDR maps to identify the interconnections among the
parcels of land. Accurate information is
essential for short and long term plans for traffic circulation, access roads,
curb cuts and parking spaces.
EDR
must integrate the plans for the North Triphammer Road Reconstruction into its recommendations. For example, the curb cuts in that area
should be limited to those proposed in the North Triphammer Road Reconstruction
Plan. The Planning Board recognized that
it could not expect major changes in the developed lots. However, integration of undeveloped lots into the plans is
essential.
The
Planning Board looks to EDR for recommendations about incentives to encourage
owners of adjoining properties to work together in developing service roads,
reducing the number of curb cuts and sharing parking lots.
- Attend
focus group workshops. There have been two focus group meetings.
- Analyze
and synthesize comments obtained from focus group.
The Planning Board considers Task 1
substantially complete.
Task 2
Site Analysis and Concept Development:
- Analyze
and Synthesize data collected during site visits, including existing
architectural details and limitations.
Different maps have been designed to address such issues as traffic
flow. Attention is given to existing
architecture and how it relates to existing streetscapes. This is now done in a graphic format.
- Develop
preliminary concepts for Commercial Low Traffic District (CLT) divided into A,B
and C areas which must be easily identifiable.
- Meet
with the Planning Board to discuss interpretation of data collected during site
visits and interpretation of results of focus groups and to present preliminary
concepts (meeting schedule to be determined by Planning Board).
In early generalizations, it looks like EDR and
the Planning Board agreed that substantial progress had been made toward
completion of Task 2, but that additional work remained to be done to tailor
the concepts to the scope of work developed by the Planning Board at the
beginning of the project. But in
response to a direct question by the Board, "Do you feel Task 2 is
complete?" EDR states, "I
think graphically it is complete..."
Now they are deciding how to place it in the report."
Task 3. Development
of Preliminary Design Guidelines
- Analyze
and synthesize Planning Board's feedback.
- Develop
preliminary CLT design guidelines.
- Present
preliminary CLT guidelines to Planning Board
EDR
estimates that Task 3 is 90% complete but is no where near the final draft.
Task 4. Further Development of Design Guidelines:
- Analyze and synthesize Planning Board's
response to preliminary CLT design
guidelines.
- Prepare written report, in 8 1/2 x 11 page
format, containing narrative description of field observations and
architectural data together with recommendations for CLT design guidelines.
- Deliver written report to Planning Board (ten
copies), and review written report with Planning Board at public hearing
(meeting schedule to be determined by Planning Board)
Task 5.
Development and Presentation of Final Report of Design Guidelines:
- Draft
final revisions to design guidelines as required by Planning Board
- Deliver
final report to the Planning Board (ten copies)
Content of the Final Report:
The Board worked through the draft document as
some planning board members felt it is not in an acceptable format. Majestic said the draft is organized with the
Introduction; Design Guidelines for Areas A, B and C; Design Standards spanning
private and public sectors; Implementation Guidelines; and Signage Recommendations.
- Definitions:
There should be a section of the report for the definitions of certain words in the report. For example, define words that have specific
connotations within the report: goals, objectives, guidelines, recommendations,
standards and concepts. What is meant by
the terms 'commercial', 'functional and aesthetic balance'?
- Organization:
A Board member found the drafts and reports lacked organization and found them difficult to review.
- Recommendations: EDR's recommendations
will be based on a combination of comments from the Planning Board, the Focus
Groups, EDR and the community. If there
are recommendations that EDR does not support, it should explain the basis for
its objections. It is expected that EDR
will draw on it's expertise when reviewing the material.
- Distribution to Community: There are about 3,000 parcels of land in the
Village. It is difficult to balance the
information about private property with the need to keep the community in touch
with the work of the Planning Board as it applies to their land. Developers must have this information. Details definitely will not be on-line any time soon.
-
Signage. EDR acknowledged that
issues of signage have not been included
thus far.
- Green Space.
It is difficult to determine the placement of green space. It may not be consistent as it relates to
commercial and private property. It may
be defined by the type of parcel.
- Storm Water Management. Storm Water Management is related to natural
drainage patterns, steep slopes that cannot be used for other purposes and can
include off-site storm water detention ponds serving a number of parcels with
different owners. This sort of
arrangement can be important to developers as it enhances their ability to
develop their property.
- Guidelines.
This report should be designed to address specifics. The reader should be able to visualize the
types of landscaping and structures
acceptable to the Planning Board. For
example, in Ithaca winter weather, it is important to install walkways that are
safe from ice. For architectural design, the Board should have some pictures
of good examples of buildings to shown developers.
- Goals.
It should be stressed that these guidelines must be compatible with and
include the N. Triphammer Road Reconstruction Project. Additional goals should include promotion of
safe vehicular circulation through limited signage and limited curb cuts and
promote safe pedestrian travel through an interconnecting nework
of sidewalks. Also stategies
to reduce traffic should be included, ie, well placed
and attractive bus stops.
- Transportation. Are there ways to reduce traffic congestion
and support the use of buses? Kendall,
for example, provides some shuttle buses.
EDR has not explored this yet.
However the Tompkins County Area Transportation Office is interested in
linkages with the new Mariott Hotel, Cornell's
Business and Technology Park and the Pyramid Mall. One scenario might include a day care center
at the Pyramid Mall where children could stay while the parents are
shopping. Shuttle buses from the Mall
could be provided for shoppers to visit other sites.
- Short Term Expectations. The Planning Board does not expect the owners
of developed property to change the configurations of buildings. The Guidelines should be applicable for the
near future and less concerned with the 50 – 100 year outlook. Also concern should be given to the location
of the buildings in relation to the closeness of the streets and also to their
placement on the lot.
- Architecture. Village Office Campus is a good model for what the Planning Board would like to see implemented. Mixed use criteria need to be established in the CLT District as a possibility, ie offices on the ground floor and residential on the second floor. Guidelines to retrofit existing buildings should also be included. Building designs the Planning Board favors include Village Office Campus, AG Edwards, Sciarabba’s Office Bldg., and Parkview Medical Buildings.
-
Incentives. CDR will include incentives for the Planning
Board’s discussion.
Time Line of Project:
May 4 Planning
Board receives outline of report from EDR
May 8 Planning
Board discusses report
May 15 EDR receives comments from the
Planning Board
May 23 EDR
submits draft report to Planning Board
May 30 Planning Board discusses draft
report with EDR
June 8 EDR revised report to Planning
Board for distribution to Focus Group
June 15 Third Focus Group convenes
End of June The schedule for the final report is
unclear because EDR is unsure how much
time it will take to compile information from Focus Group meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 6:00.