Planning Board Meeting
The meeting of the
There being no one who wished to speak, Klepack moved to
close the Public Comment period.
Seconded by Brown. All aye.
Pyramid Mall
Planned Sign Area- Larger Sign Approvals:
Hickey stated the board has received a report from Pyramid
Mall manager Jim Tull who was present to answer questions. Hickey stated that in September of 2001, the
Planning Board approved the 3200 sf for total signage for the mall. In material dated
Tull stated the large pylon sign would be going up by the
end of the month.
Brown stated she has received an e-mail from Target
Research asking whether the Village has approved a sign for Dunkin Donuts or
Baskin Robbins. Tull knew nothing about
this.
YMCA –
Landscaping and Lighting Plans:
Hickey noted that the Planning Board could not consider
the lighting plan as the Lighting Commission has not met. Leopold stated that the information provided
on the lighting plan does not meet the information required by the Lighting
Commission. Curtis will request the
desired information.
The Board reviewed the landscaping plan. Some trees will be removed and others planted. There will only be grass near the new
addition. The trees to be removed will
be relocated if possible to the northwest corner of the addition. Klepack recommended tress along the building
to soften the façade. Hickey recommended
staggering the trees rather than placing them in a line for a windbreak. Klepack also recommended trees in the
playground area. Hickey asked for
clarifications on the second driveway entrance to the old parking area. Grinnell responded that Dryden, Ithaca and
Lansing school buses have difficulty in turning around the flagpole when
discharging students and this would alleviate that problem. Grinnell also noted that the unloading area
on Butler Road was for transit buses rather than school buses.
Klepack asked about the location of the dumpster. Grinnell responded that it is located just
north of the area to be landscaped by the garden club in the new parking lot
which would take out a few parking spaces.
Klepack asked to have it screened by either a fence or plantings or
both. The fenced area would also include
space for the recycling of cardboard.
The screening should be on three sides with the front open for
accessibility. Klepack requested a new
drawing from Tallman indicating where removed trees are to be replanted, tree
calipers and spacings of new plantings, location of dumpster, and size and type
of existing trees. Klepack also asked
about a bike rack. Grinnell stated there
is one presently there which is not used much at the entrance and he was unsure
whether another one would be added but there is room near the existing rack.
In conclusion, Hickey requested Grinnell bring back the
following: Lighting Plan with
information requested by Curtis; Landscape Plan indicating the size, species,
spacings and location of trees to be
planted, the new sites for trees which are to be removed, the locations of bike
racks and dumpsters.
Brown moved to approve the Landscape Plan as discussed
with a revised a site plan showing the size, species, spacings and locations of
trees to be planted, sites of relocated trees, location of bike racks and
dumpsters. Seconded by Klepack. All aye.
Urban Forestry
Video:
The Board watched a video titled From Sketch to Street.
Hickey stated there was a proposal from Lee Oplinger in the
Board member’s packets. Hickey said he
and Klepack have met with Oplinger and he is proposing to do a street tree
inventory for the Village of Lansing.
Hickey has received an approval from the Board of Trustees for
$1000. Klepack, Oplinger and Hickey have
since met and given Oplinger a map and identified places to start the
inventory. Oplinger will provide a
spreadsheet identifying valuable trees, trees which are valuable but
endangered, trees on private property but near a public road which might cause
a hazard, and trees in public right of ways.
Next, Hickey reported on the planting of trees on Cinema
Drive across from Cooke’s car dealership between the road and the Cinema
Theater. Eight trees have been proposed
for that area. David Fernandez of Cayuga
Landscape has given a proposal for the eight trees and Hickey took it to the
Board of Trustee’s meeting. There was a
recommendation to consider bare root trees to save costs so Hickey again talked
to Fernandez. The new proposal is for 4
bare root trees and 4 balled and burlapped trees so that the survival and
growth results could be compared. There
will be three different species of trees consisting of maple, oak and honey
locust. Fernandez stated bare root trees
which must be under a 2 inch caliper must be planted by April 15 to allow the
roots time to grow.
Approval of
Minutes – March 26 & Joint Meeting of March 4:
Regarding the joint minutes, Klepack recommended that
Clerk Dake use last names when preparing minutes. Klepack also felt the statement on page 4293,
3rd paragraph from the end regarding the Edelman property was
incorrect. Klepack felt it was a
misleading statement and did not accurately reflect what was discussed. Leopold stated the minutes had already been
approved. Hickey recommended in the
future that minutes not be official until approved by both boards.
The Board reviewed the minutes for March 26th. Klepack moved to approve the March 26th
minutes as revised. Seconded by
Brown. All aye.
Reports:
Board of Trustee’s Meeting
Hickey reported on the Trustee’s meeting. There was discussion of obtaining a bonding
anticipation note for $150,000 for the repair of a water line on Cayuga Heights
Road to be paid off by an increase of the water surcharge of 22-33%. Troy felt it was to be paid half by water
usage and half by tax valuation of the property. This method would retain monies in the
capital reserve fund rather than deplete the fund.
Hickey also reported that the Trustees discussed the
number of hours the Trustees and Mayor each spend performing the duties of
their respective positions. This was for
NYS Retirement purposes.
The Village signed the Recreation Partnership
Agreement.
The Public Hearing for the budget will be April 15th. The increase will be 3% or $1.75 per
thousand.
Hickey stated the topic of sewers was also discussed. The SEQR draft environmental impact statement
is due May 30th. Possible
routes for sewer lines are through the railroad bed or along the east side of
Cayuga Heights Road. To install a line
up Route 34 would be costly for Town of Lansing residents. The line would go as far south as Burdick
Hill Road. The Kline Road bypass would
be done first as it is already in place and is not expensive to hook up. Hickey stated this would be the best solution
for the village.
Cayuga Lake Cliffs
Leopold stated she is looking for someone from USGS to
talk from the geologic perspective. She
is also going to contact Peter Marks, Bob Wesley and Nancy Ostman from the
Plantations. Hopefully, there will be a
speaker for the April 30th meeting.
Greenway Trail
Hickey stated that Trustee Moore has submitted a draft for
the formation of a Greenway Development Committee. Copies of his draft were given to Board
members. Hickey stated it would be a
joint committee between Trustees and Planning Board members and there would be
a steering committee and work would be done with ad hoc committees of residents
for short-term projects in their respective neighborhoods. This concept will be discussed by the
Trustees at their next meeting.
Vital Communities Initiative
Hickey felt the Board should discuss the letter from
Dooley Kiefer regarding the Vital Communities Initiative. Hickey is concerned that the vital
communities focus groups have come up with development and preservation
principals which may be incorporated into a comprehensive plan for the
County. With regard to the 239 reviews
for the Village, Hickey feels the County has occasionally overstepped their
bounds in their review of items such as the Pyramid Mall parking lot. Hickey’s concern is what impact will the
County Comprehensive Plan have for a municipality 239 reviews and what will
occur if the municipality wants to do or approve something different. Troy feels the County is protective of their
authority. Hickey stated that the idea
of a Comprehensive Plan has not been discussed officially and Kiefer is asking
for input. Hickey feels a letter should
be written requesting clarification of the County’s perspective of their role
before the Village will buy into it.
Troy felt the March 29th letter from Edward Marx could be
open to varying interpretations and 239 Reviews could cause difficulties for
local municipalities. Hickey just wants
to be cautious. Leopold will express the
concerns of the Planning Board to Mayor Hartill regarding this issue to see if
a letter can be written. Curtis feels
the County has been more responsive to the Village on the radio tower and CFR
building proposals. Hickey stated this
may be due to the new personnel of Planning Commissioner Ed Marx, County
Administrator Steve Whicher and Planning Committee Chair Dooley Kiefer. Leopold stated that concerns and public
comments can be expressed at the April 11th meeting. Hickey would prefer to see written
communication from the Village to the County regarding this issue.
Detention Area –
45 – 53 Janivar Drive:
The owners of 49, 51 and 53 Janivar Drive are asking to
discuss the possible relocation of the existing storm water detention basin in
their back yards.
Hickey stated the Board is trying to figure out the
administrative process for handling this problem. Village Engineer Brent Cross has approved the
relocation through a memo dated April 8th to Ben Curtis. The attorney thinks it may have to be an
amendment to the plats of the three properties.
Curtis can have the property owners draw what they are proposing to do
on the surveys showing the existing detention pond and the new site of the
pond. Piotr Parasiewicz, 49 Janivar Drive resident, explained the situation to
the Board. Hickey stated he will need to
see the property lines on the southern boundaries of these properties. Curtis stated the most recent version of the
subdivision plat can be enlarged for the Board to show the boundaries and the
current approved location of the detention pond. From there, Parasiewicz can superimpose the
new detention pond site, most of which will be on 51 Janivar Drive. Parasiewicz
has a signed written agreement from the three properties that this is what they
would like to do. Curtis will also need
the name of the contractor and his certificate of insurance prior to his
beginning the work. Hickey asked if
Parasiewicz had talked to Mr. Goldberg, owner of the property to the south of
these lots, and Parasiewicz stated he had not.
Curtis stated there is also a sliver of land in this area that belongs
to Votapka. Parasiewicz felt he need not talk this over with others as it does
not affect their property as he is getting no closer to their property and
there is a stream in between. Troy asked
how much deeper this detention pond would be and Parasiewicz stated 2 meters
and a portion would remain a permanent pond. Parasiewicz stated there would be
an overflow pipe from the detention pond leading to the stream which is the
same size as the existing spillway pipe.
The original detention pond would be filled and Curtis requested maps
indicating the existing and proposed elevations. Hickey stated that Troy advised that the
Village would need an easement to access the pond if needed. Curtis is unfamiliar if one exists now but
feels it may be noted on the subdivision plat although he does not recollect
seeing an easement. Hickey also noted it
might be listed on the deed for the properties.
Hickey noted that written letters would be needed from the adjoining
property owners (51 & 53 Janivar) acknowledging that they understood that
once changed they could not change it back the next year by filling in the
detention pond. Costs will be shared
amongst the three property owners. Parasiewicz must now get a drawing, obtain
letters, and check on the easements.
Hickey stated Parasiewicz must also submit a letter to the Planning
Board requesting an amendment to the subdivision. The letters from the other property owners
should reference their support to the request for the amendment. Curtis stated that notice must be given to
all contiguous property owners at least five days before the hearing for the
subdivision amendment. Hickey also
recommended Mark Goldberg be notified.
Curtis noted once the Board approves the amendment, the revised plat is
stamped and signed and it is then filed with the County Clerk.
Parasiewicz stated he was in Albany last week and learned
of the availability of monies from the Environmental and Facilities Services
(www.ESEFS) for the purchase of land and projects for water protection
purposes.
Other Business
as Time Permits:
Curtis stated that Parasiewicz provided material to the
Board regarding tips for lawns. Hickey
stated Leopold provided material to the Board about faulty towers. Hickey stated there is a conference in
Syracuse in May and monies are available if anyone desires to attend.
Adjournment:
Klepack moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 P.M. Seconded by Brown. All aye.