Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2025-04-17 1 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Thursday, April 17, 2025 (3:00 PM Aurora Conference Room and on Zoom) Minutes Committee members present: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe & Margaret Johnson Board/Staff members: Director of Codes Marty Moseley. Staff member excused: Director of Planning C.J. Randall. Guests: Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin, Town Clerk Paulette Rosa 1. Persons to be heard: None. 2. Committee announcements and concerns: None 3. Discussion of approach to requiring Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) for Solar Energy Systems over 1 MW. Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin joined the meeting via Zoom. Rich explained that the NYS previously used a calculator for valuing large commercial scale solar projects. The previous calculator used generating capacity and other factors to come to the assessed value and that method is no longer constitutional in NYS. The two questions for Jay were: 1. Does the Town need to adopt a Local Law or a Resolution to require the PILOT? and 2. How will the Assessment Department determine the value of the properties? Jay explained that for municipalities to opt-in to the new NYS State mandated Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) for these projects a Local Law needs to be adopted with a public hearing and notice that a PILOT will be required in the future. The Local Law recently adopted by the Town of Dryden was distributed for reference. There were few exemptions, such as noncommercial solar energy systems and solar energy systems that do not seek or qualify for a tax exemption; all other systems would be required to enter into a PILOT. The Tompkins County Local Law requires a PILOT, at the same amount as if subject to full taxation. It was recommended that the PILOT be the same amount as if fully taxed and any negotiations on that would be case by case. For valuation of new projects, Jay explained that the Assessment Department uses a method developed with NYSERDA for Assessors for an accurate valuation. Discounted cash flow approach was mentioned as an alternative but less preferred. Jay mentioned the recent court decision (Airey vs. State of New York) currently on appeal, which introduced uncertainty over how to value and assess renewable energy projects. Municipalities will continue to have the flexibility to negotiate payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements. Margaret noted a NYSERDA guidebook for municipalities developing PILOT Local Laws that may be a useful tool for the town while structuring the new local law. 2 The committee thanked Jay for attending. Jay thanked the town for the continued open relationship with his department and indicated his availability for any other questions as needed. The need was not immediately time sensitive and once the information is all gathered it will be sent to the town board for action. The respective Town of Dryden and Tompkins County Laws can be reviewed in detail along with the NYSERDA guidebook. 4. Review draft Resolution Adopting a Vision Zero Policy template provided to Tompkins County Joint Safety Action Plan advisory group. A draft resolution was included in the meeting packet and C.J. followed up with a table that had crash statistics and other information, however the headings did not show up to get the full view of the table. The committee deferred mainly to when C.J. is back to get in full discussion, however Rich asked the committee if they felt the racial profiling references are applicable or needed in the resolution that is related to multi-modal traffic safety and mitigation. There was not a proposed action with references, and he was not sure how it all fit together without statistics that racial profiling effects traffic safety in the county along with safety measures on the roads that could help decrease racial profiling. Margaret felt the statements were relevant and appropriate in the resolution draft/template. She offered to provide examples of how this occurs and traffic safety measures that could help. Consideration of this draft resolution was tabled to the next meeting or when C.J. is available. 5.Continued discussion of potential amendments to Short-term rental uses in Town Code Chapter 270-219.7 (Zoning). Rich noted he conferred with the Attorney for the Town with the attempt to craft language changes based on prior discussions with the committee that would limit the owner occupancy exemption on the qualifying parcels in Conservation Zones to existing property owners or structures with operating permits. Existing structures (not existing operating permits) was the approach recommended with the goal of not inducing the building of new structures solely for hospitality uses in the Conservations Zone. Limits would include the number of days, Rich read through the existing allowance for more than the 29 unhosted days: An owner of a unit that satisfies at least one of the following criteria may rent such unit for unhosted short-term rental uses for up to 90 days in the aggregate in any calendar year: 1.A unit that is (a) located in a Conservation, Agricultural, Low Density Residential or Medium Density Residential Zone on a parcel that is larger than three acres, and (b) located more than 40 feet from the side property lines. 2.A unit that is located in a Conservation, Agricultural, Low Density Residential or Medium Density Residential Zone on a parcel that is not adjacent to any parcels that contain a dwelling. Those same exceptions could be used for the new language for standardization with the addition of waiving the owner occupancy requirement which would allow for some more flexibility for pre-existing structures who have owners that do not occupy them full time in conservation zones. The committee was in favor of continuing this approach and Rich offered to continue drafting language to present to the committee after conferring again with the Attorney for the Town. 6. Approval of March minutes: Rod moved the minutes for approval with one correction, Rich seconded. March 20, 2025, minutes were approved. 3 7. Staff updates and reports. Abby forwarded the committee the zoom link for the upcoming virtual public meeting for the Safe Streets Tompkins project from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday April 30th. The invitation was sent to a list serve and shared with the Town Planning Board. Rod gave a brief recap of a recent meeting with one of the main property owners and a developer in the South Hill TND area. SouthWorks representatives were present as well as a representative from Ithaca Area Economic Development. All were still in favor of moving forward with the GEIS process for the area. An agent representing one of the major landowners is interested in economic development and invited Town staff to visit a built project near Syracuse. 8. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: Thursday May 29, 2025, 3:00 p.m. Revisit the resolution template adopting a Vision Zero Policy. The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 3:48 p.m.