Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 2025-12-18 1 Town of Ithaca Planning Committee Thursday, December 18, 2025 (3:00 PM Aurora Conference Room and on Zoom) Minutes Committee members present: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Rod Howe & Margaret Johnson. Incoming Town Board Member Diana Sinton joined via Zoom. Board/Staff members: Director of Codes Marty Moseley; Director of Planning C.J. Randall; Senior Civil Engineer Justin McNeal and Town Planner Nick Quilty-Koval. Guests: Tompkins County Housing and Community Development Director David West and Tompkins County Housing and Community Development Planner Shawna Stevenson. Introductions were made around the room. 1. Committee announcements and concerns: None 2. Persons to be heard: None. 3. Review and discussion of 2024 Housing Snapshot prepared by Tompkins County Department of Planning & Sustainability. Ms. Stevenson shared a presentation beginning with the Tompkins County Housing Needs Assessment which began in 2016 and projected housing demand through 2025. Targets established for future snapshot reports included workforce units, senior units, supportive and special needs beds and student beds. The reports have been done periodically to monitor trends and conditions, track progress toward the targets and to provide data to support and inform local housing efforts. The 2024 Housing Snapshot contained the following 5 sections: demographic and workforce trends, housing trends and conditions, tracking housing targets, most recent date and equity indicators. The data sources included the U.S. Census Bureau survey, NYS Dept. and Bureau of Labor Statistics, NYS Association of Realtors, Tompkins County Assessment and GIS departments along with input from municipal staff, community partners and local experts. Highlights of the housing snapshot were shown on a chart with how many units were constructed in each of the target areas compared to the number of units that were identified as a target goal in 2017. The goals have been met in the creation of student beds and one category of permanent supportive housing/special needs beds. Workforce housing was described as affordable for households earning up to 100% of the area median income which is variable per county based on household size. Demographic trends showed population was stable, number of households increased while average household size decreased, significant senior population increase, almost half of the population is <30 and median household income increased. Employment trends showed less people employed along with low unemployment which suggests a shortage of workers in the county. A housing cost burden comparison was shown for 2013-2023, renters being increasingly housing cost burdened and homeowners without a mortgage being the least. Housing tenure by race was shown as part of the equity indicator. Market trends for annual average sale prices of single-family homes and cost of rental units were highest in Tompkins County compared to the six surrounding counties. The 2024 Tompkins County Housing Snapshot identified that the cost of construction is significantly higher since the 2017 Housing Strategy was adopted; there is a large need for more affordable and 2 permanent supportive housing, there is a growing demand from seniors and that subsidy structures are needed for units to be affordable. A new Tompkins County Housing Strategy is anticipated to begin in 2026 with partial funding recently awarded to the County from the Community Development Block Grant program along with the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency. Ms. Stevenson and Mr. West fielded general questions from the committee that mainly centered around ways for municipalities to encourage, facilitate and cooperatively add affordable housing units. They were both thanked for their informative, detailed presentation, and for working cooperatively with town staff. 4. Continued discussion of Prioritized Pedestrian Corridor Needs and Prioritized Bicycle Corridor Needs Map. The committee reviewed a memo and maps provided by C.J. with a brief summary regarding which town active transportation related projects should be submitted for potential funding under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The deadline for applications is March 12, 2026. The two top potential projects are NYS Rt. 96 (Trumansburg Road) pedestrian improvements and/or Maple Ave and Pine Tree Rd. (CR-174) streetscape improvements. There was a feasibility study done for the potential Rt. 96 pedestrian improvements project in 2020. Preliminary correspondence with the NYS DOT representatives indicated support for an east side sidewalk proposal and concurrence from NYS DOT will be required for the application. The cost estimates need updating prior to TAP application. The Maple Ave and Pine Tree Rd. streetscape improvements preliminary scope of work includes streetlights, drainage, transit stop enhancements and walkway to connect the trail. Additional land would need to be acquired from Cornell and the real estate department is researching the potential conveyance. There is an estimated project cost of $1-$1.5 M. NYS DOT is conducting a safety study for the intersection where Pine Tree Rd meets Rt. 79/Slaterville Rd. The committee deliberated over the two potential projects, the costs and other funding sources, probability of award, benefits to the area, time and funds already invested and involved agencies and other important factors. A TAP application for potential funding for the NYS Rt. 96 (Trumansburg Rd.) pedestrian improvements project was most favorable to the committee. There was support to keep the Maple Ave streetscape project advancing with possible initial costs to be expensed from the town’s capital improvement line that is added to each year. The moving parts to the Pine Tree Rd may be closer to being in place by the time another round of transportation funding may become available as well as the capital improvements line growing through annual budgeted transfers. 5. Approval of November minutes: Rich moved the minutes for approval with minor grammatical changes, Rod seconded, minutes were approved. 6. Staff updates and reports: C.J. reported that the SEQRA services contract(s) to begin the South Hill TND environmental review that was previously recommended by the committee to the town board for approval may be complete to be considered for approval in January. 3 The Forest Home Improvement Association has a meeting this evening that C.J. plans to attend. The RFQ responses for the updated traffic calming plan are due on January 9, 2026. The 2026 draft COC workplan is being presented at the January meeting. 7. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: January 15, 2026. Rich and Margret received a heartfelt thank you and goodbye from the committee as this was the last committee meeting as town board with terms expiring at the end of the year. Rich was thankful for the smooth professional committee operations with great staff involvement and was hopeful that would continue. Diana Sinton and Dave McCune are the new/incoming board members who will be appointed to the planning committee as representatives. The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 4:30 p.m.