Village of Lansing

Planning Board Meeting

May 29, 2001

 

 

The meeting of the Village of Lansing Planning Board was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Acting Chairman Ned Hickey.  Present at the meeting were Planning Board Members Phil Dankert, Doris Brown and Janet Waterman; Code Enforcement Officer Ben Curtis; Trustee Liaison Lynn Leopold; and Attorney Randall Marcus.

 

Hickey opened the meeting with a moment of silence in observance of the passing of their colleague, Steven Halevy.  Hickey has spoken with Halevy’s daughter regarding his service with the CAC and Planning Board and she informed Hickey of the memorial service being planned for July 14.

 

Public Comment:

As there was no one present who wished to speak, Waterman moved to close the Public Comment period.  Seconded by Brown.  All aye.

 

Planning Goals 2001 – 2002:

Prior to the meeting, Hickey had provided Planning Board members with a draft copy of 2001 – 2002 goals for their consideration.  Hickey reviewed them one by one. 

 

Goal 1.  Promote the implementation of the CLT Guidelines for any developments within the CLT District along N. Triphammer Rd.  Hickey noted that the Board must determine the appropriate place for the Guidelines, i.e. whether they should be placed in the Zoning Law as an overlay district or elsewhere.  The Comprehensive Plan could be amended to include them. The recommendation must go to the Bd. of Trustees.  The Guidelines will be presented by Kathryn Wolf at the June 4 joint meeting of the Trustees and Planning Board.  Amendments must then be recommended to the Trustees.  Hickey also feels the CLT Guidelines must be publicized to developers.  Waterman recommended a copy be made available to property owners such as John Butler.  Brown agreed that it should be made available to all affected property owners.  Marcus recommended the CLT Guidelines be an appendix or addendum to the Comprehensive Plan.  Hickey noted that the Comprehensive Plan will also be up for review in 2005.      

 

Goal 2.  Recommend to the Board of Trustees the Village’s Lighting Ordinance.  The Planning Board will review the lighting plan as submitted by the Lighting Commission and will then request Marcus to prepare the draft ordinance for recommendation to the Board of Trustees.  Dankert will be replacing Halevy on the Lighting Commission effective June 1st.

 

Goal 3.  Recommend a Northeast Traffic Study  to the Mayor’s Special Committee on Kensington and the Edelman property.  Hickey noted the mayor will be appointing a special committee this summer and Hickey would like to see the 1993 NE Neighborhood Study Area be updated for population, traffic and residential construction data.  Brown would like to see an origin and destination study done for Warren Rd.  Curtis remembered a county survey he received regarding mass transit origin and destination.  Hickey will contact T-CAT for origin and destination info. 

 

Goal 4.  Develop a Comprehensive Signage Plan for N. Trip. Rd. Commercial District.  Hickey felt a couple of local sign companies could give their thoughts or ideas.  Consideration may be given to hiring a signage consultant.  Representatives of affected commercial establishments may be asked to participate in a focus group.  Finally a comprehensive signage plan will be drafted.

 

Goal 5.  Explore, with the Lansing Fire Dept., the possibility of relocation of firehouse No. 5 to N. Trip. Rd. & Oakcrest Rd.  Dankert will be the liaison for this long-term goal.

 

Goal 6.  Propose a joint meeting with the Town of Lansing Planning Board. 

 

Copies of these goals will be distributed in finalized form to Planning Board members.    

 

Proposed Local Law D(2001) –  CLT Front Yard Requirements:

The proposed law is an amendment to Zoning Law Section 202.07 “Commercial Low Traffic District”, Subsection (e)(4), to except from the “Front Yard Setback Minimum” properties having front yards on N. Triphammer Rd., and establish a “Front Yard Build-To Line”.   This proposed law was drafted at the Planning Board’s request by Marcus was based upon the recommendation of Kathryn Wolf, CLT Guidelines Consultant,  to provide for traffic calming and to create a pedestrian friendly Village.  The setback of 75 ft. would be eliminated so buildings fronting along N. Triphammer Rd. would be built with no less than 50% of the length of the front of the building would be located a distance of 25 ft. from the front property line.  Curtis stated a built-to line is exact and sometimes buildings are not built to exact dimensions.   Leopold recommended one foot either side of the build-to line be acceptable and there was general agreement.  Marcus will incorporate this concept into the proposed law.

 

Waterman moved to recommend Proposed Local Law D (2001) as revised.  Seconded by Brown.  All aye.     

 

Lighting Standards:

Reinhart has begun a proposed law for an outdoor lighting code.  Hickey recommended the Board look at the concept and review it line by line at a later time. 

 

Section 1.  Purpose and Intent.  Change A to insure the preservation of neighborhood character and insure the compatibility of residential and commercial uses, change B to establish standards that insure safety, security and general welfare, leave C to conserve energy, change D to eliminate light pollution and minimize light trespass and glare. 

 

Section 2.  Applicability.  Marcus stated grandfathering language can provide that anything which currently exists can remain if not enlarged or expanded ,or can establish a sunset provision by which time all lighting must conform as long as it is not unreasonable and allows sufficient time to amortize investments.  Curtis stated the Sign Law had a 10 year sunset provision and in the mid 80’s a letter was mailed requiring either compliance or a variance.  Hickey stated a sunset provision should be added to this section. The recommendation was for 10 years. After 10 years, lighting will be reviewed to see if properties meet the requirements as listed in this law. The appeals process would then be through the BZA. 

 

The Board determined that all new construction or changes in exterior illumination on site would require compliance with this code.  Hickey noted that common sense would determine whether Curtis would require a lighting plan submission.  Curtis felt a clause with lumen levels would be useful later in the document (Section 7).  Curtis felt it should be so stated that over a certain amount of lumens requires review by the Planning Board under  this law, but under that amount can just get the approval of the code enforcement officer.  Any change in exterior illumination would be directed to either of two paths – major (needing Commission review and Planning Board approval) and minor (needing only Code Enforcement Officer review and approval).    

 

Waterman felt the proposed law was disjointed.  Hickey stated that when the draft is further along, it will go to Marcus for refinement.

 

Section 3.  Definitions.  Will be reviewed and discussed at a later date to see relevant words are included.

 

Section 4.  Permits and Plan Review.  Hickey would like to send the document to the woman from NYSEG for their review.  B3. “ [Photometric data if available] “ will have brackets removed and “if available” removed.  B4 change to Planning Board or Code Enforcement Officer.    

 

Section 5.  Approved Materials and Methods of Construction/Installation/Operation.  Change to “provisions of this law are intended …described by this law, however the building official may approve …”

 

Section 6.  Height of Luminaire.  C.  Change to “maximum height …shall be 25 ft.”  D.  If referencing areas lower in elevation than illuminated area, if major and over a certain level, it would go to the Planning Board and if minor, the Code Enforcement Officer would make a determination.  Willard to also check as this section does not make sense.

 

Section 7.  Illuminance Levels.  No comments.

 

Section 8.  General Requirements.  A.  Sign Law deals with this.  Check with Sign Law.  B. Delete completely.

 

Section 9.  Special Uses.  A.  Specifically reference FAA.  Change to read “lighting uses for illumination …although it must comply to all other aspects of the lighting law such as poles, height of luminaires, submission of plan, etc”.    B(3)  Change to read “by 10 PM or closing, whichever is later.”  C.  Reinhart to check for reasonable. 

 

Section 10.  Nonconforming Lighting.  D.  Change to “must be at Federally required …”

 

Section 11.  Law Governing Conflicts.  No comments. 

 

Hickey will contact Reinhart and thank him for his work on this project.  Reinhart has stated there is more to follow.  Marcus will refine it but feels it is a great document.  The Board will further review it after Reinhart has continued his draft.  Willard will then fax it to Marcus, as well as the NYSEG lady.

 

Fernandez Landscape Guidelines:

The next item on the agenda was a brief discussion of  the 2/27/01 Landscape Guidelines as proposed by David Fernandez, Cayuga Landscape Co.  Hickey wanted to know how the Board would like to utilize the document – whether to give it to developers or use it as an internal checklist.  Klepack recommended after the CLT Guidelines are completed, she would like to utilize this and other information acquired to make a checklist for the use of the Planning Board as landscaping plans are reviewed.  Waterman also felt it would be important for developers to see this early in the approval process.  Hickey noted that a letter of thanks was sent to Fernandez for all he has contributed.  Hickey felt it was then in the hands of the Board of Trustees to proceed (further with a plaque).  Leopold stated this had not been acted upon yet.  Hickey recommended forms of recognition be placed on the agenda for the joint Planning Board/Trustees meeting to establish a procedure to facilitate expressions of appreciation.  Hickey recommended Dake devise a certificate on her computer for distribution.  Curtis stated the Village has them and used to distribute them.  Waterman suggested they be placed in frames.  Curtis provided a copy of those done previously.      

 

Approval of Minutes – March 8, 12 & 27

 

The Board reviewed the minutes for March 8th.   Waterman moved to approve the minutes as revised.  Seconded by Dankert.  Ayes by Brown, Dankert and Waterman.  Abstain by Hickey.

 

The Board reviewed the minutes for March 12th.  Waterman moved to approve the minutes as submitted.  Seconded by Brown.  Ayes by Brown, Dankert and Waterman.

Abstain by Hickey.

 

The Board reviewed the minutes for March 27th.  Revisions were made.  The minutes will be saved until the next meeting as there was not a quorum of those present at that meeting to approve them.

 

 

 

Reports:

Hickey reported from the Trustees’ meeting that the Mayor is still requesting from Cayuga Heights additional sewer units based on the fact that the Town of Ithaca has been working on their I & I and there will soon be a decrease in the amount of flow going into the Cayuga Heights plant.  Marcus stated Cayuga Heights voted 3-2 against granting more units and the Mayor will again ask for an increase in sewer units as some board members were unclear about the status of I&I work. 

 

Hickey stated he was impressed with the Greenway discussion led by Trustee Frank Moore.  Moore pushed the Board into recognizing the Board’s  responsibility for the Greenway and into determining whether a council is needed.  The Mayor agreed to take the leadership role on this.

 

Hickey reported a call from Bob Dean, Bomax Drive owner, indicating someone’s interest in putting a cell tower in the Bomax  development and asking whether the fall area could be in the buffer zone to the south.  Dean wondered how the cell tower would be accessed and Hickey responded through a driveway.  Hickey also told Dean he would like to see the road finished and a site plan for the entire area.  Hickey noted a public road would be required to access the cell tower.

 

Marcus stated the Trustees have discussed proposed Local Law C regarding reduced parking spaces.  Ultimately, they were receptive but proposed minor amendments to the text.

 

Other Business as Time Permits:

Hickey reminded the Board of the reception on June 3rd for a final farewell for Janet Waterman. 

 

The next meeting of the Planning Board will be a joint meeting with the Board of Trustees on June 4th which will replace the meeting scheduled for June 11th if there are no pressing agenda items.

 

Curtis stated there would be a movie on PBS on June 7th regarding Walmart and Home Depot. 

 

Adjournment:

Waterman moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:24 P.M.  Seconded by Brown.  All aye.