The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCOC Packet 1-8-2026 PLANNING DEPARTMENT 215 N. Tioga St 14850 607.273.1747 www.town.ithaca.ny.us 12/19/2025 TO: Codes and Ordinances Committee: Rob Rosen, Chair Vinny Ferrara Susie Gutenberger-Fitzpatrick Eva Hoffmann Chris Jung Diana Sinton FROM: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning RE: Next Codes and Ordinances Committee Meeting – January 8, 2026 The next meeting of the Codes and Ordinances Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 5:30 pm in the Town Board Room, located in Town Hall at 215 North Tioga Street. A quorum of the Town of Ithaca Town Board may be present at this meeting. However, no official Town Board business will be conducted. The following items are attached: 1. Minutes from the November 13, 2025, COC meeting. 2. Proposed 2026 Codes and Ordinances Committee Work Plan. If you cannot attend this meeting, please notify Abby Homer as soon as possible at (607) 273 - 1747, or ahomer@town.ithaca.ny.us. cc: Susan H. Brock, Attorney for the Town Marty Moseley, Director of Code Enforcement Abby Homer, Administrative Assistant Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk (email) Town Administrative staff (email) Town Code Enforcement staff (email) Town Planning staff (email) Town Public Works staff (email) Media TOWN OF ITHACA CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 (607) 273-1747 PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held in person in the Town Board Room at Town Hall, 215 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY, on January 8, 2026, at 5:30pm. Members of the public may join the meeting via Zoom: • Join Zoom meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87531393743 • Zoom meeting ID: 875 3139 3743 • Dial in phone: 929-436-2866 Meeting of January 8 – 5:30 P.M. AGENDA 1. Member comments/concerns. 2. Review minutes from November 13, 2025, COC meeting. 3. Review proposed 2026 Codes and Ordinances Committee Work Plan. 4. Other business: • Next meeting agenda. Town of Ithaca Planning Department December 19, 2025 1 TOWN OF ITHACA CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE (COC) Meeting of November 13, 2025 – 5:30 p.m. Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall Draft Minutes Members Present: Susie Gutenberger-Fitzpatrick, Acting Chair; Bill Arms; Chris Jung; Eva Hoffmann. Absent/Excused: Rob Rosen; Margaret Johnson. Staff Present: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning; Dana Magnuson, Senior Code Officer; Marty Moseley, Director of Code Enforcement; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town. Guests: none The meeting was recorded on Zoom and live streamed on the Town of Ithaca YouTube channel. The Attorney for the Town read the Town’s Video Conferencing Policy aloud and concurred that the remote attendance and participation for the member on Zoom meets the criteria and counts towards the committee’s quorum. 1. Member comments/concerns. None. 2. Review minutes from September 11, 2025, COC meeting. A change by the Attorney for the Town was read aloud for clarification. After a motion by Susie, seconded by Chris, the minutes approval was paused to troubleshoot an audio issue on the Zoom meeting recording. Staff worked to help adjust the audio settings so the COC member attending the meeting via Zoom was able to participate in the meeting. The vote on the minutes was taken again. Another minor change was read aloud, and the minutes were unanimously approved. 3. Review proposed amendment to existing Zoning definition of ORDINARY HIGH WATER LEVEL (Town Code § 270-5). The high water mark of Cayuga Lake is 383.50 based on a NYS DEC code classification. The town code currently defines the term as 384 feet. The COC last reviewed this definition in 2008-2009. The amendment proposed is to remove the specific number of “384 feet” and insert in its place “as identified in 6 CRR-NY 608.11.” On a motion by Chris (the Zoom screen at this part was stuck on Eva and the names were not said for who motioned and seconded) by Bill, the COC unanimously approved recommending the above modification to the Town Board. 4. Review proposed amendments to Planning Board Town Code § 270-237B & E: Posting of notices The posting of notices currently is written in the Town Code to occur at least 14 days and not more than 30 days before the first meeting of the board. These are laminated orange signs provided by the Town that the applicants post at a site under consideration for discretionary review prior to a public hearing. The relevant sections of NYS Town Law (267-a, Zoning Board of Appeals procedure and 274-a, Site plan 2 review, respectively) require legal notice to be posted in the newspaper five days in advance of the meeting. Staff recommend modifying the Town of Ithaca code § 270-237B for the posting from 14 to 5 days to be consistent with the NYS requirements for legal notices. Town of Ithaca § 270-237E in the same section goes into detail about the required signs and states that the Town Board “shall” set a fee from time to time for these signs. The Town Board has not passed a resolution to set a fee previously so the fee schedule for the town does not include a fee for signs. Staff has recommended to change the word “shall” to “may” to reserve the right to set a fee if the need arises but not stipulate. Town Board. It was also recommended to replace the reference for the Town Planner and Code Officer, to the “Director of Planning” and “Director of Code Enforcement” (or her/his/their designee). The Town Clerk reference can remain although not a typical action of that office. On a motion by Bill, seconded by Eva, the COC unanimously approved recommending the above modifications to the Town Board. An additional proposed Zoning Code amendment was shown onscreen, Section 270-235: Zoning Board. This was not previously provided in the packet, however staff recommends amending (J) from “18”months to “36” along with minor clarification edits to cross reference the special approvals section 270-202. This section immediately precedes the section previously reviewed and recommended to the Town Board a few months prior and will make the expiration of approvals in this section Susan pointed out that the memo proposing amendments to the Posting of Notices 270-237 B&E section also included proposed amendments to Section 270-236: Planning Board. The staff recommends removing letter G in its entirety as it is contradictory and is repetitive of language in 270-194 & 270-202. Committee members were comfortable with the additional amendments; however Bill noted the complaint(s) from the public at public hearings that they do not receive enough notice. On a motion by Susie, seconded by Chris, the COC unanimously approved recommending the above modifications to the Town Board. 5. Other business: Next meeting agenda: 2026 draft Work Plan and Subdivision regulations second draft-clean copy based on COC and staff input. The December meeting was cancelled and the next meeting, staying on the 2025 schedule, is January 8th, 2026. The meeting adjourned at 6:18 p.m. Town of Ithaca Codes & Ordinances Committee DRAFT 2026 WORK PLAN Town of Ithaca Code: https://ecode360.com/IT1944 Regulations in Process: ➢ HIGHEST PRIORITY: Complete Subdivision of Land Regulations (Town Code 234) for Consistency with NYS Law (last amended 3-8-1993; on this list since 2007); also update complementary Code sections (per Comp Plan Goals LU-1-A; LU-1-C; LU-1-E; MS-3-A) Amending Existing Provisions in Town Code, other Chapters: ➢ Update Zoning regulations relative to Deposit or removal of fill and Principal uses authorized by special approval only (Town Code Sections 270-217 and 270-28); examine solutions to duplicative Planning Board Special Permit and Zoning Board Special Approval processes ➢ Amend Town Code Chapter 200 Parks and Recreation Areas to authorize deer management program in Town preserves ➢ Update Town Code Chapter 173 Outdoor Lighting (last updated 2006) relative to color temperature, LEDs, and updated technology ➢ Develop Institutional Zoning (Comp Plan Goals LU-5-A; LU-5-B) based on scope of work prepared by Planning Committee (pending coordination with new City of Ithaca Zoning Advisory Committee) Regulations Completed in 2025: ➢ HIGH PRIORITY: Develop amendments to Accessory Buildings (Town Code Chapter 270), requested by Zoning Board of Appeals, June 25, 2024 Other regulations in Process: ➢ Planning Committee – Revise Chapter 161? (freshwater wetlands) ➢ Planning Committee – Landmarks Preservation Commission, Comp Plan Goal LU-6-H # # #