HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Packet 2025-05-29SPECIAL
MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
May 29, 2025 @ 2:45 p.m.
Town Hall Boardroom
215 N Tioga St
AGENDA
1. Call to order
2. Approval of the Town of Ithaca Abstract
3. Consider support for Assembly and Senate Bills associated with the Saponi Park land swap
MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
Thursday, May 30, 2025
TB Resolution No. 2025 -XXX: Town of Ithaca Abstract No. 10 for FY-2025
Resolved that the Town Board hereby authorizes the payment of the audited vouchers in total for
the amounts indicated:
VOUCHER NOS. 2025 424 - 492
General Fund Town Wide 58,859.21
General Fund Part-Town 25,267.82
Highway Fund Town Wide DA 2,943.84
Highway Fund Part Town DB 133,402.62
Water Fund 54,419.02
Sewer Fund 12,302.88
Capital Projects 148,651.25
Risk Retention Fund 485.06
Fire Protection Fund 2,325.61
Trust and Agency
Debt Service
TOTAL 438,657.31
Moved: Seconded:
Vote:
Saponi Park
Town of Ithaca & Eddy Hill Inc.
Steps/Ac vi es to poten ally move Saponi Park to the north using the State parkland aliena on process
(alienate exis ng parkland and replace it with similar parkland to the north):
- To start the process, it would require the landowner and Town to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding, which would outline process and meframes, and commit both sides to the
transfer. The A orney for the Town would dra it.
- The landowner would need to ini ate a subdivision of the property (Tax Parcel No. 33.-3-8.34)
through the Planning Board to create the new replacement parkland parcel. New parcel would
need to be equal to the size of the current parkland.
- The Town would complete the “Checklist for Municipali es Considering Parkland Aliena on”,
“Parkland Aliena on Form: Municipality Informa on”, and “Lands Proposed as Replacement”
and provide to members of the Senate and Assembly who will be sponsoring the legisla on and
to the Regional Grants Representa ve of the Office of Parks, Recrea on and Historic
Preserva on.
- The Town would dra legisla on with Anna Kelles (NYS Assembly District 125) and Lea Webb
(NYS Senate District 52) to obtain permission from NYS to alienate exis ng parkland and replace
it with other parkland.
- Town Board ac ons include:
o Municipal Home Rule Request (formal request for enactment of the State bill)
o SEQR Determina on (environmental review)
o Permissive Referendum & Public Hearing
o Approve and accept replacement parklands
- It is expected the process could take up to 14 months.
Background:
The Saponi Meadows Subdivision was approved in 1994, which created Peachtree Lane, Apple Blossom
Lane, and Amber Lane. All of those lots have been developed. As part of this approval, Saponi Park was
dedicated to the Town in 1995 as the park land requirement. The 1994 plans showed future phases and
roads which would have con nued to the south on the 21.6-acre Eddy Hill Inc. property (filling in the gap
between Peachtree Lane and the current park property). The park property and the Eddy Hill Inc.
property have been farmed since 1994 and the current owners have stated they have no inten on of
developing the property into residen al lots. The Town has not made any improvements to the park
property at this point.
May 1, 2024
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8371
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Local Governments
AN ACT in relation to authorizing the town of Ithaca to alienate and
discontinue the use of certain parklands
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subject to the provisions of this act, the town of Ithaca,
2 located in the county of Tompkins, acting by and through its governing
3 body and upon such terms and conditions as determined by such body, is
4 hereby authorized to discontinue as parklands and alienate the lands
5 more particularly described in section three of this act, and to sell
6 and convey such lands at fair market value, for the purpose of maintaining
and operating such lands for agricultural purposes providing
7 needed resources to enhance the existing parks within the town.
8 § 2. The authorization provided in section one of this act shall be
9 effective only upon the condition that the town of Ithaca, county of
10 Tompkins, shall dedicate the lands described in section four of this act
as parkland, provided that the town has never used such lands for public open
space or park purposes.
dedicate an amount equal to or greater than the fair market
11 value of the parklands being discontinued toward the acquisition of new
12 parklands and/or capital improvements to existing park and recreational
13 facilities.
14 § 3. The parklands authorized by section one of this act to be alien-
15 ated are described as follows:
ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Ithaca, County of
Tompkins, State of New York, and being more particularly bounded and described
as follows:
BEGINNING at a point in the centerline of Seven Mile Drive which point is
1,418 feet,more or less, northeasterly from the intersection of the said
centerline line of Seven Mile Drive with the intersection of the centerline of
New York State Route 13;
RUNNING THENCE South 69 degrees 27 minutes oo seconds East passing through an
iron pin at 25.31 feet, a total of 657.15 feet to a point in the centerline of
a stream which point is also in the northwesterly boundary line of premises
now or formerly of International Assoc. of Machinist (613/979);
RUNNING THENCE northeasterly along the said centerline of said stream a
distance of 517 feet more or less, on a chord bearing of North 67 degrees 42
minutes 50 seconds East a distance of 1512 feet to an iron pin; thence North
11 degrees 32 minutes 10 seconds East a distance of 243.65 feet to an iron pin;
THENCE North 89 degrees 59 minutes 50 seconds West a distance of 765.48 feet
to an iron pin;
THENCE North 41 degrees 17 minutes 45 seconds West a distance of 56.69 feet to
an iron pin;
THENCE southwesterly and westerly on a curve to the right a distance of 153.29
feet on a chord bearing and distance of South 75 degrees 38 minutes 00 seconds
West 148.15 feet to an iron pin;
THENCE North 78 degrees 32 minutes 04 seconds West a distance of 145.78 feet
to a point in the said centerline of Seven Mile Drive;
THENCE South 11 degrees 34 minutes 05 seconds West along said centerline of
Seven Mile Drive a distance of 241.97 feet to the point or place of beginning.
Said parcel containing an area of 8.33 acres, more or less.
§ 4. Prior to the discontinuance and alienation of the parkland described in
section three of this act, the Town of Ithaca, acting by and through its
governing body, shall dedicate as parklands the property described as follows:
16 ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Ithaca, County
17 of Tompkins, State of New York, being bounded and described as follows:
18 Beginning at a point in the present centerline of Seven Mile Drive, said
19 point being further located a distance of approximately 525' Southerly
20 from the present centerline intersection of Seven Mile Drive and Peach-
21 tree Lane;
22 RUNNING THENCE South 70°02'30" East, passing through an iron pin found
23 at a distance of 25.24' and continuing for a total distance of 242.97'
24 to a point;
25 RUNNING THENCE South 56°39'25" East for a distance of 98.82' to a point;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11951-01-5
A. 8371 2
1 RUNNING THENCE North 86°29'15" East for a distance of 164.65' to a
2 point;
3 RUNNING THENCE North 79°44'05" East for a distance of 22.52' to a point;
4 RUNNING THENCE North 84°10'30" East for a distance of 172.39' to a
5 point;
6 RUNNING THENCE South 61°04'34" East for a distance of 164.05' to a pin
7 found;
8 RUNNING THENCE South 46°21'14" East for a distance of 75.49' to an iron
9 pin found;
10 RUNNING THENCE South 85°10'36" East, passing through an iron pin found
11 at a distance of 215.05' and continuing for a total distance of 218.85'
12 to a point;
13 RUNNING THENCE South 01°24'39" East for a distance of 215.00' to an iron
14 pin set;
15 RUNNING THENCE South 88°27'47" West, passing through an iron pin set at
16 a distance of 1053.61' and continuing for a total distance of 1078.36'
17 to a point;
18 RUNNING THENCE North 01°26'24" West along the present centerline of
19 Seven Mile Drive for a distance of 499.52' to the point and place of
20 beginning;
21 Said parcel containing an area of 8.33 acres net to the road right of
22 way.
23 SUBJECT TO covenants, restrictions, easements and encumbrances of
24 record.
25 For a more particular description thereof, reference is hereby made to a
26 survey map entitled "Subdivision Map Showing Lands of Eddy Hill, Inc.,
27 Located on Seven Mile Drive, Town of of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New
28 York", dated March 11, 2025, prepared by T.G. Miller, P.C., Engineers
29 and Surveyors, Ithaca, New York, filed concurrently herewith and incor-
30 porated herein by reference.
§ 5. In the event that the parklands described in section four of this act to
be acquired and dedicated by the town of Ithaca pursuant to this act are not
equal to or greater than the parklands decribed in section three of this act
being alienated, the town of Ithaca shall dedicate the difference of the fair
market value of the lands to be alienated and the lands to be dedicated for
the acquisition of additional parklands and/or for capital improvements to
existing park and recreational facilities.
31 § 46. In the event that the town of Ithaca received any funding support
32 or assistance from the federal government for the purchase, maintenance
33 or improvement of the parklands set forth in section three of this act,
34 the discontinuance and alienation of such parkland authorized by the
35 provisions of this act shall not occur until the town of Ithaca has
36 complied with any federal requirements pertaining to the alienation or
37 conversion of parklands, including satisfying the secretary of the inte-
38 rior that the alienation or conversion complies with all conditions
39 which the secretary of the interior deems necessary to ensure the
40 substitution of other lands shall be equivalent in fair market value and
41 usefulness to the lands being alienated or converted.
42 § 57. This act shall take effect immediately.
MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
May 29, 2025
TB Resolution 2025 – : Approval of Home Rule Request for the Alienation of Saponi
Park located on Five Mile Drive
Whereas, the Saponi Meadows Subdivision was approved in 1994, which created Peachtree
Lane, Apple Blossom Land and Amber Lane. As part of this approval, Saponi Park was
dedicated to the Town of Ithaca in 1995 as the park land requirement. The 1994 plans showed
future phases and roads which would have continued to the south on the 21.6-acre Eddy Hill Inc.
property, filling in the gap between Peachtree Lane and the current park property; and
Whereas, the park property and the remaining Eddy Hill Inc. property have been farmed since
1994 and the current owners have stated they have no intention of developing the property into
additional residential lots; and
Whereas, the Town has not made any improvements to the park property; and
Whereas, the current landowners and the Town feel there would be substantial public benefits to
relocating the park approximately 1,100 feet to the north, adjacent to the residential development
that it went with; and
Whereas, on February 11, 2025, the Town of Ithaca and Eddy Hill Inc. signed a “Memorandum
of Understanding Respecting Park Relocation and Land Purchase and Swap Agreement”; and
Whereas, the use of designated parkland for non-park or private sector use requires that the
alienation of parkland process be undertaken with New York State Legislature; and
Whereas, the Town of Ithaca wishes to discontinue the use of the existing Saponi Park for park
and recreation purposes and wishes the New York State Legislature to authorize and empower
the Town of alienate Saponi Park so that the Town can acquire another property of the same size
and within 1,100 feet on the same road; and
Whereas, this is an Unlisted Action for which the Town of Ithaca Town Board is acting in an
uncoordinated environmental review with respect to this action and made a negative
determination of environmental significance on April 14, 2025; and
Whereas, the Assembly Bill A8371 and Senate Bill S7834 has been put forth; and
Whereas, the State of New York requires the Town Board to file a Home Rule Request for the
alienation process to move forward, now therefore be it,
Resolved, that the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca does hereby authorize the Town
Supervisor and Town Clerk to file a Home Rule Request with the New York State Legislature
requesting the New York State Legislature to enact a special law entitled “An act in relation to
authorizing the town of Ithaca to alienate and discontinue the use of certain parklands.”
Moved: Seconded:
Vote: