Planning Board Meeting
The meeting of the
Carol Klepack and Maria Stycos; Alternate Planning Board Member John Piscopo; Trustee Liaison John O’Neill; Attorney David Dubow; Code Enforcement Officer Ben Curtis and members of the public.
Hickey noted for the record that he was designating Alternate Planning Board Member Piscopo to serve as an Acting Member in place of Phil Dankert who could not attend the meeting.
Hickey opened the Public Comment period.
Peter Widman, 55 Beckett Lane, stated he has expressed his concerns about potential drainage problems as the Hamlet development is being built. After the latest heavy rainfalls, he has noticed water backing up onto his property which was never there before. Widman stated he is not an engineer but would like to see the situation fixed as soon as possible. The new berm slopes down three feet and acts as a dam holding additional water on his property. Hickey stated Engineer Brent Cross, who was not present at the meeting, is aware of the problem as is developer Steve Cardamone who was present at the meeting. Curtis and Cross have also spoken with Mrs. Widman. Hickey stated pictures are available and Cross will meet with Cardamone’s site contractor to rectify this situation. Widman recommended a drain be placed before the berm and the detention area on the Hamlet side of the berm deepened. Cardamone stated he would like to see the situation remedied and will work with the Village to get it resolved as he would like the area to remain nice.
As there was no one else who wished to speak, Brown moved to close the Public Comment period. Seconded by Klepack. Ayes by Hickey, Klepack, Piscopo, Brown and Stycos. Motion carried.
Cardamone
Subdivision:
Hickey adjusted the agenda to include discussion of
proposed revisions to the landscape plan for the Hamlet Subdivision. . Richard
Pinney, LRS Excavating, the site contractor for the project has informed the
owner that some of the trees slated to be preserved should be removed. Hickey
has visited the site and noted there is a lot of soil piled up which will be
leveled as the project progresses. When
this soil is graded it will cover the entire root systems of some very large
trees with 2 – 3 feet of earth fill. The
addition of this fill over the root system will kill the trees. Pinney is
suggesting that these trees should be removed. If this is done, additional
trees could be planted to compensate for those lost. Hickey gave Board members time to review the
letter from Pinney, dated 11/23/04.
Cardamone showed Board members a site plan with five trees
indicated that should be removed in his opinion. Cardamone stated some of the trees are dead
on the top and some are too close to the proposed buildings. Stycos asked why the fill was being installed
and Cardamone responded that the fill is being placed to make elevations of the
houses compatible with the sewer lines.
Hickey stated Cross has noted that when the underbrush was cleared from
the site, it was apparent that the trees remaining are tall and spindly and might
be easily blown over by a strong wind.
Cardamone would be willing to plant additional trees to replace those
lost. Hickey stated it is easier to
replace trees at this stage of the project than to wait until they die in a few
years and then have to contend with the removal and replacement process with
roads and houses in place. Hickey would
recommend that dangerous trees or those which might die anyway be removed
now. Cardamone estimates this to be
about 4 trees. It was noted that one
additional tree has been removed accidentally and Cross is aware of this. Hickey noted this would mean there should be
a replacement of 5 trees.
Klepack moved that Cardamone be allowed to remove 4 trees,
plus the one accidentally removed, which were originally slated to be retained
on the original Landscaping Plan.
Cardamone will also be required to submit a revised Landscape Plan
noting the additional trees removed and indicating the addition of ten trees (2
to 1 ratio since the trees being removed are larger than those being
planted.) Seconded by Stycos. Ayes by
Hickey, Klepack, Brown, Piscopo and Stycos.
Motion carried.
Brown asked about the possibility of moving the present
trees to other locations. Cardamone
stated it would not be possible with these trees because they were much too
big.
Edelman Proposed
Subdivision:
The next item on the agenda was the proposed Edelman
Subdivison. Board members looked at a
small map of the entire 14+ acre parcel from which Audrey and William Edelman
propose to subdivide a parcel of about 7 acres of vacant land. They intend to
donate the vacant parcel to the Village. Board members also reviewed the
preliminary subdivision plat that has been prepared.
Klepack noted that the Wood Thrush Hollow Road sign has
been installed near the parcel. Hickey
also noted Reinhart has also installed new Greenway signs for the trails.
Klepack moved the Edelman Subdivision be classified as a
minor subdivision. Seconded by
Brown. Ayes by Hickey, Brown, Klepack,
Piscopo and Stycos. Motion carried.
Next, Hickey recommended the subdivision fee be waived
since the Edelmans would be making the donation of land to the Village. Brown moved to recommend to the Trustees that
the subdivision fee be waived. Seconded
by Klepack. Ayes by Hickey, Brown,
Klepack, Piscopo and Stycos. Motion
carried.
Tompkins County
Planning Department Comprehensive Plan Resolution:
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Planing Department, with guidance, advice, and recommendation from the Tompkins County Planning Advisory Board, has developed a Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan that addresses regional and intermunicipal issues that affect the daily lives of Tompkins County residents, such as housing, transportation, jobs, the environment, and neighborhoods and communities, and
WHEREAS, the Draft Comprehensive Plan was presented
at 17 community groups and advisory board meetings, and 14 open house and
public meetings in all municipalities in the county, for feedback and comments,
and
WHEREAS, an over-arching principle of the Draft
County Comprehensive Plan is that Tompkins County will work proactively with
towns, villages, the City of Ithaca, and State and Federal agencies to cooperatively
address regional issues, and
WHEREAS, the County recognizes that while New York
State clearly places land use authority in the hands of its towns, villages and
cities, it also specifically recognizes that intermunicipal planning is needed
to cooperatively address regional issues and encourage the development of
county comprehensive plans to address development and preservation issues that
transcend local political boundaries, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan
provides a strategic framework for addressing issues of mutual concern to
municipalities throughout the County, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Village of Lansing Planning Board
supports the adoption of the Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan by the Tompkins
County Legislature.
Stycos moved the resolution for support of the adoption of
the Tompkins County Comprehensive Plan.
Seconded by Piscopo. Ayes by Hickey, Klepack, Brown, Piscopo and
Stycos. Motion carried. Curtis will have Clerk Dake forward this to
the County.
Village
Comprehensive Plan Review:
Next, the Board reviewed the Draft 2004 version of the
Comprehensive Plan for the Village and made page by page revisions.
The Board then discussed the requirement for public
hearings by the Planning Board and the Board of Trustees. Based upon the Village Law, Dubow felt it
would be best if both Boards held hearings to receive public input. Dubow recommended the Planning Board hold their
public hearing, make any changes that seem appropriate based on the public comment
and then submit the Plan to the Board of Trustees. Hickey will have Willard revise the draft to
include changes made at tonight’s meeting and a public hearing can be set for
January.
Approval of
Minutes – Nov. 8th:
Klepack moved to approve the minutes of November 8th as revised. Seconded by Piscopo . Ayes by Brown, Hickey, Klepack, Piscopo and Stycos. Minutes approved.
Adjournment:
Klepack moved to adjourn at 10:00 P.M. Seconded by Stycos. Ayes by Brown, Hickey, Klepack, Piscopo and Stycos. Motion carried.