HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Packet 2029-02-19
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
215 N. Tioga St 14850
607.273.1747
www.town.ithaca.ny.us
TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 at 3:00 P.M.
Meeting Location: Ithaca Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga Street, Aurora Conference Room
(Enter from the rear entrance of Town Hall, adjacent employee parking lot.)
Members of the public may also join the meeting virtually via Zoom at
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6750593272.
AGENDA
1. Persons to be heard.
2. Committee announcements and concerns.
3. Consider approval of January meeting minutes.
4. Review draft Resolution Supporting the Deconstruction and Reuse of the Built
Environment in the Town of Ithaca.
5. Staff updates and reports.
6. Discuss next meeting date and upcoming agenda items.
A quorum of the Ithaca Town Board may be present, however,
no official Board business will be conducted.
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Town of Ithaca Planning Committee
Thursday, January 15, 2026
(3:00 PM Aurora Conference Room and on Zoom)
Draft Minutes
Committee members present: Rod Howe, Chair; Diana Sinton; Dave McCune.
Board/Staff members: Director of Codes Marty Moseley; Director of Planning C.J. Randall; Senior
Civil Engineer Justin McNeal; Town Sustainability Planner Hilary Swartwood.
Guests:
Introductions were made around the room. Guests and Circularity, Reuse, and Zero Waste Development
(CR0WD) partners Finger Lakes ReUse, Department of City and Regional Planning as well as Historic
Ithaca included: Christine O’Malley, Jenni Minner, Andrew Boghossian; August Guba (Cornell Student
and Just Places Lab); Susan Holland of USC Builds.
1. Committee announcements and concerns: None from the committee. C.J. noted the pre-review
application for the NYS Rt. 96 pedestrian upgrades project under the Transportation Alternatives
Program will be submitted that afternoon.
2. Persons to be heard: None.
3. Approval of December minutes: Rod moved the minutes for approval as presented. Dave seconded,
minutes were approved.
4.Circular Construction and Reuse Resolution proposal presentation by CR0WD. The Committee
received an information packet that included the background on CR0WD, an overview of the circular
construction economy and sample resolution language for the town to consider which will affirm a
commitment to reuse, deconstruction, and material recovery. The City of Auburn, Town of Dryden, and
Tompkins County have adopted similar non-binding resolutions. Along with the sample resolution
language, CR0WD members offer support with case studies from peer municipalities and technical
assistance and connections to reuse and deconstruction resources.
Christine went through a presentation titled “Building a Circular Construction Economy through
Deconstruction and Reuse in the Town of Ithaca” that was put together by former Town Planning intern
and Cornell student Daniel Winters for his Master of Regional Planning degree along with Finger Lakes
ReUse, Historic Ithaca, and Cornell’s Department of City and Regional Planning. A key takeaway was
the largest amount of waste that goes to the landfills in the U.S. comes from construction and demolition
debris. The conclusion of the presentation was that there is a strong foundation in the Town of Ithaca
that includes local reuse infrastructure, business support and regional partnerships to build a successful
deconstruction program. This will help meet carbon goals, foster economic development and model
circular economy leadership for other communities.
Andrew from Finger Lakes ReUse briefly shared how their non-profit works with contractors and
business owners for building material donation and resale as well as many other types of donations for
reuse. The overall goals are to reduce waste, teach transferable skills and maintain a reused material
2
center. Their Deconstruction program includes pre-deconstruction consulting, contracting, and project
assistance and logistics.
Jenni shared more information from the CROWD website as well as NYS initiatives to establish
standards for the reuse of deconstructed building materials. The Central NY Technical Assistance
Program/Circular Construction Economy was mentioned as a new program to offer free planning
support to local governments in Tompkins and Cortland counties to address key questions and develop
pathways for implementation of circular construction goals. The steps for participation are to pass a
deconstruction resolution, complete a survey, designate a lead participant for one year, and work with
regional colleagues on shared goals and initiatives. Lead contact for this technical assistance program is
Gretchen Worth and her Christopherson Center contact information was shared.
Committee members were in favor of moving forward with the non-binding resolution and participation
in the Technical Assistance Program. Hilary mentioned a matrix that was developed by the intern phased
out a process for when the town moves forward. Once the resolution is passed, the matrix can be used
for a direct and intentional approach with coordination between Marty and codes staff to move forward.
C.J. offered to draft a town specific resolution with the template provided and circulate it back to the
committee for follow-up.
5.Green New Deal Action Plan Overview presentation. Rod gave a brief history about how the city
and town both adopted a Green New Deal Action Plan. The town plan identified three major goals, and
an ad hoc committee was formed to follow up on the initiative goals. A separate committee was deemed
not needed as updates are presented at the Planning Committee. The three goals are to achieve an
equitable transition to carbon neutrality town-wide by 2030; meet electricity needs of town government
operations with 100% regionally sourced renewable electricity by 2025; and reduce emissions from the
town fleet vehicles by 50% from 2010 levels by 2025. Hilary the Town Sustainability Planner prepared a
brief overview presentation on the Green New Deal (GND) action plan process, the GND and Town
Comprehensive Plan goal connections, the GND Action plan for 2025-2026 and a summary on what role
the sustainability planner has in the GND process and overall, in the town. Twelve out of the 17 actions
in the 2025-2026 GND Action plan have been completed or partially completed. Highlights included
passing the Energy Code Supplement, Community Choice Aggregation (T-GEN) launching with
community outreach and education in February, anticipated passing of a deconstruction resolution,
Greenhouse Gas inventory and other actions in progress. Resources were included for the committee
with direct links to the main documents mentioned as well as the Town’s recently updated Sustainability
webpage.
C.J. noted that the Town Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2014. In 2024 as part of a 10 year look
back, all departments helped prepare a summary report on the implementation of the goals in the eleven
policy areas in the Town that the plan identified.
Hilary noted that the GND Action plan is designed to be over a two-year period, however it is being
updated annually. Should the plan be made to be over a one-year period or the updates be made bi-
annually? Changing it to an annual plan was suggested and there were no disagreements.
3
6. Review initial Draft 2024 Town of Ithaca Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Government
Operations. Hilary submitted a draft Greenhouse Gas Inventory report which is a tool used on two of
the 2025-2026 GND Action Plan and Town Comprehensive Plan goals. The first inventory was based on
2009 data, followed by 2017-2019 data and the most recent inventory is using 2024 data. The previous
inventory methodology and data varied and is used as a baseline for the current data, making the
reporting challenging. The 2024 inventory is specific to the Town vehicle fleet and Town owned
buildings. One of the conclusions in the inventory report is changing the baseline to a more current year
where the data is more accurate. A graphic designer will be formatting and providing visuals for the
inventory report as it will be a public facing document that should be engaging. Additional data pieces
will be added before finalization as well.
Hilary briefly mentioned ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA, which is a nonprofit
organization providing sustainability assistance to local governments. ICLEI has tools for climate action
planning and implementation, such as the ClearPath platform for greenhouse gas inventory analysis. She
will use the tools as a resource in the future as well for energy and climate change matters and possibly
deconstruction.
7. Staff updates and reports:
As helpful information for the two new board and committee members, C.J. gave an overview of the
difference between the Town’s Planning Board and Planning Committees, how planning intersects with
zoning, engineering, public works and how the permitting process works. Marty and Rod added helpful
information about the Planning Board and Zoning Board, respectively, and how they are independent of
the Town Board and what the board roles are. Typical land use items that come before the Planning
Committee are large rezoning projects. The South Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) is
beginning the environmental review process and may come back to the Planning Committee if needed
before the project is over. Other law amendments occasionally come up as part of planning and zoning
reviews such as Short-Term Rentals that can come by way of Planning Committee as needed also.
8. Next meeting date and upcoming agenda items: Rod noted for the new members that the meetings
are on the third Thursday each month at 3:00 p.m. A calendar invite should have been sent for the year.
No upcoming agenda items were noted.
The Town of Ithaca Planning Committee meeting concluded at 4:24 p.m.
MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
[INSERT DATE]
TB Resolution 2026 –_ : Supporting the Deconstruction and Reuse of the Built
Environment in the Town of Ithaca
WHEREAS, the Town of Ithaca Town Board recognizes the benefits of deconstruction, and is
among a handful of other municipalities nationwide supporting these measures; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board recognizes the value of reuse and preservation of its cultural
heritage by prolonging the lifespan of current building stock, its architectural features, and
building material as much as possible; and
WHEREAS, globally, buildings account for 39% of annual greenhouse gas emissions and more
than 50% of resource extraction; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board supports a circular economy approach to construction and
deconstruction in the built environment; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board supports the reduction of landfill waste through careful
deconstruction of buildings that have run their full course of use; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board desires as much material as possible to be reused in the
community; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board desires as much material as possible to be recycled that cannot be
easily reused; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board recognizes that the process of deconstruction, and not mechanical
demolition, will reduce the release of hazardous toxins into the environment; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board desires to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the
extraction and transportation of raw materials that make up our built environment; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board, in supporting initiatives to preserve, protect, deconstruct, and
reuse rather than demolish, desires to provide opportunities for deconstruction and reuse
businesses; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board recognizes that reused materials will still need to meet the Uniform
Code; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board considers this resolution to be aligned with the circular
economy objectives of Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Plan and the Town of
Ithaca’s Green New Deal Resolution goal to equitably transition to carbon-neutrality town-wide
by 2030.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Ithaca Town Board hereby affirms its
support for deconstruction and reuse solutions as outlined above.
Moved: Seconded:
Vote: ayes –
To: Planning Committee members
From: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning
Date: February 12, 2026
Subject: Institutional Zoning update – Comprehensive Plan overview
The 2014 Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan guides the long-range physical development of the Town. One of the
fifty stated goals in the Comprehensive Plan is to create new institutional zoning for Cornell University, Ithaca
College, and other area institutions. Orange text herein indicates updates from the prior (January 8, 2025)
memorandum.
Excerpted below is from Appendix A: Implementing Best Practices.
A.5 Institutional zoning
Many communities with college campuses, including the City of Ithaca, use some kind of institutional
zoning. Institutional zoning is intended to give large institutions the flexibility to plan and develop their
facilities, while ensuring that surrounding areas are protected from impacts such as traffic, overshadowing
buildings, noise, and other externalities from laboratories and research facilities, and from expansion of
institutional uses into residential areas.
Much like a planned unit development, development in an institutional zone is guided by an approved
district plan based on the institution's master plan. Approval of development in institutional zones with an
approved district plan may be administrative or through a more formal development review process. Some
implementations of institutional zoning allow the option of formal development review for all development
on campus if there is no approved district plan. Institutional zoning districts can also include standards on
building bulk and siting, parking and circulation, lighting, landscaping, screening, and signage.
Implementation status – 10-year lookback
Following is an excerpt from the 2024 Comprehensive Plan progress review (with updates):
LU-5: Recognize the presence and
character of the Town's large
institutions in the planning process.
Goal/recommendation Action / priority Status
LU-5-A: Implement institutional zoning. Regulation | high ◐ Research and initial drafts for transect based and
general campus zoning completed in 2020-2021.
Planning Committee to develop scope of work for
Codes & Ordinances Committee, tentatively scheduled
for 2026 Work Plan(s).
2
LU-5: Recognize the presence and
character of the Town's large
institutions in the planning process.
Goal/recommendation Action / priority Status
LU-5-B: Ensure campus/institutional
development plans conform to Town
plan.
Cooperation |
continuous
⭕ No action. (2008 Cornell University Campus Master
Plan is considered current. 2015 Ithaca College Campus
Master Plan is considered current. Centralus Health
recently indicated an intention for a facilities master
plan update for Cayuga Medical Center. The City of
Ithaca has launched a Zoning Advisory Committee to
undertake a rewrite of the City’s Zoning, and Town
Planner Nick Quilty-Koval will be participating as a non-
voting liaison. This is relevant as the City’s Zoning
currently contains institutional and university zoning
districts, and Cornell University’s campus is in the City,
Town, and Town of Dryden.
Research and Assessment – initial phase
1. Consider an assessment of how institutions are currently permitted and what flexibility currently exists in the
Town Code and in various agreements between the Town and institutions. This could include an evaluation of
the land use needs of the Town’s institutions and the ways in which these uses are currently regulated and
permitted in the Town Code.
2. Research approach of other jurisdictions within New York State and out-of-state municipalities with similar
demographics.
3. Evaluate Building Permit and appeals history for case study sites.
4. Finalize background information and develop scope of work.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns at cjrandall@town.ithaca.ny.us or 607-882-2474.
# # #
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐15
B.2.6 Institutional development
In 2009, USA Today recognized Ithaca as
being the best college town in the United
States with a population under 250,000.
Ithaca was named the nation's best college
town in the American Institute for Economic
Research 2010-2011 College Destinations
Index. Of 75 metropolitan areas in the
College Destinations index, the Ithaca metro
had the highest concentration of college
students; 276.9 for every 1000 residents.
Ithaca is unusual for its size in being the host
community for two distinguished institutes of
higher learning; Cornell University and Ithaca College. The educational mission of each school is quite different, as
well as their physical setting, built environment, and interaction with and impact on the surrounding community.
Cornell University and Ithaca College are centers of employment and major traffic generators, and create demand for
housing and commercial uses off-campus catering to students.
Cornell University
A large portion of the main campus of Cornell University, a private Ivy League and federal land grant research
university that also includes four state contract colleges among its colleges, is in the Town of Ithaca. Cornell
University was chartered by the state in 1865, and opened to students in 1868. The 745 acre Ithaca campus, with
approximately 21,000 students, 9,734 academics and staff (including 1,587 faculty and 1,073 non-faculty academics),
is situated on a high plateau northeast of downtown Ithaca.10
Throughout the 20th century, the built-up area on the Ithaca Campus grew to the east. While the academic core
remains in the City of Ithaca north of Collegetown, somewhat less than half of the core campus lies in the Town of
Ithaca, including the School of Veterinary Medicine, and a graduate student housing complex. The campus' built
environment and "outdoor rooms" of the quads becomes less coherent further to the east, as it transitions from the
historic academic core to the newer Judd Falls and Vet Quad areas, and beyond to Cornell Plantations and
agricultural research areas. Cornell University also has extensive land holdings throughout the Town away from the
main campus, including East Hill Plaza.
10 Cornell University, Office of Institutional Research and Planning URL: www.irp.dpb.cornell.edu/tableau_visual/academic‐workforce‐at‐
a‐glance and www.irp.dpb.cornell.edu/tableau_visual/non‐academic‐workforce‐at‐a‐glance
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐16
Cornell University and Ithaca College lands | Town of Ithaca
Town of Ulysses
Village of Lansing
HAYTSRD
Town of Newfield Town ofDanby
Produced by TownofIthaca Planning Department,5March 2014Data:Tompkins County Department ofAssessment,TompkinsCornellUniversitylandintown
County InformationTechnologyServices GIS DivisionCornellUniversitycampusin
City of Ithaca,Village of Cayuga Heights
Ithaca College land
N^+2"^10 acres 100acres
miles00.5 1.5 2
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐17
These areas outside of the main campus form an
integral part of the East Hill neighborhood. Dryden
Road (NY 366), Warren Road, Forest Home Drive,
Pine Tree Road, Ellis Hollow Road, and Mitchell Street
all cross through portions of the campus or university-
owned tracts. Road connectivity between the campus
and surrounding town is well-developed, but pedestrian
accommodations decrease with distance from the core
campus.
The 2008 Cornell Master Plan for the Ithaca Campus is
an ambitious 422 page document that lushly illustrates a
30 to 60 year vision for the campus and outlying
properties in the City and Town of Ithaca. Goals of the
plan affecting the Town include:
Manage the rural land base.
Protect and enhance the gorges and creek systems.
Respect and enhance surrounding communities.
Reinforce the relationship between the campus and
its natural setting.
Protect outdoor teaching and research facilities.
Cluster administrative uses at crossroads and near
gateways.
Broaden housing options on and close to Core
Campus.
Provide high-quality recreation and athletics
complexes.
Transform the East Hill Plaza area into East Hill
Village.
The Cornell Master Plan calls for future development to take place in the existing campus footprint, with no new land
acquisition. The intensification of this new development could bring more vehicle traffic, additional demand for off-
campus student housing in the Town, and increased development pressure in the East Hill and Northeast Ithaca
areas.
One objective of Cornell’s Master Plan is to broaden housing options on and close to the core campus. The Master
Plan recommends 1,000 new on-campus beds for undergraduate students. However, the university still expects that
most graduate students will find housing off-campus, with a goal of providing housing to 25% of graduate students,
compared to less than 15% today. Much of this new graduate student housing is expected to be provided in a new
East Hill Village neighborhood center. Even with increased housing provided by the university, the impact of student
rentals on Ithaca's neighborhoods and housing market will be an ongoing issue well into the future.
The broad missions and diverse range of the built and natural
environment found at Ithaca College and Cornell University
campuses make campus zoning a challenge.
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐18
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located completely within the Town of Ithaca on South Hill. As of 2010, the
college had about 6,949 students, 724 faculty, and 973 staff.11 Ithaca College was founded by in 1892 as a music
conservatory. Through the 1960s, Ithaca College was relocated from scattered buildings in downtown Ithaca to a
new centralized campus on South Hill, which now comprises 669 acres.
Physical development of the campus is guided by the 2002 Ithaca College Master Plan Report. Highlights of the plan
include:
Concentrating academic functions at the campus core, with all buildings a 10 minute walk from each other.
Relocating existing parking lots from the campus core to its periphery, with consideration of parking garages to
reduce surface area consumed by parking.
Siting of buildings in "three-sided quadrangles", with one side unbuilt to provide vistas of Cayuga Lake.
An academic "main street" corridor.
The Ithaca College 2008 Institutional Plan includes a short section on facilities, the first goal of which is to develop a
new campus master plan.
Unlike Cornell University, the built-up core of the Ithaca College campus is physically segregated from the
surrounding neighborhoods. The campus reflects institutional planning practice of the 1960s and 1970s, having a
densely developed central core encircled by a loop road, parking lots, athletic fields, and open space. With no
sidewalks along Coddington Road and Danby Road, it is very difficult to walk safely from the campus to surrounding
neighborhoods or downtown Ithaca. The college has four points of vehicle access; two entrances from Danby Road
(NY 96B) to the west, and two from Coddington Road (County Road 119) to the north. College Circle Apartments,
a large suburban-style apartment complex adjacent to the south end of the campus, was recently purchased by the
college and incorporated into the campus as student housing.
Ithaca College owns a 51 acre parcel that is not contiguous to the main campus. The long-term build out plan does
not anticipate expansion to the exclave.
An equivalent of a Collegetown-type neighborhood never emerged near Ithaca College, partly because of Ithaca
College's policy of requiring freshmen, sophomores and juniors to live on-campus, an open space buffer around the
built-up campus core, and limited access points, poor pedestrian access, and a zoning and land use pattern that
inhibited the creation of a new large, high density neighborhood adjacent to the college. The presence of Ithaca
College can be a catalyst for a new neighborhood center in the South Hill area.
Concerns about the effects of off-campus student rentals have usually focused on the impact of Cornell University.
However, off-campus housing occupied by Ithaca College students has, over time, changed the character of parts of
the South Hill neighborhood near the college. With the exception of the College Circle Apartments, the South Hill
neighborhoods in the Town have no high-end or high density off-campus student housing adjacent to the Ithaca
College campus. Many low-end, utilitarian buildings designed as student housing, most with two to six dwelling
units, have been built in the area immediately south and east of the Ithaca College campus on Coddington Road,
Hudson Place, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Kendall Avenue. Many single-family houses in this area have also been
converted to student rental units. Permanent residents have reported issues with poor property maintenance, loud
parties, and other disruptive or destructive activities.
11 Ithaca College Facts in Brief 2010‐11, Ithaca College Office of Institutional Research webpage,
http://www.ithaca.edu/ir/facts/Ithaca_College_Facts_in_Brief_2010‐11.pdf, accessed 1 August 20111.
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐19
Off‐campus student rentals in adjacent neighborhoods near Ithaca College.
A 2006 memorandum by the Town's planning staff revealed that the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board approved at least
25 variances to increase occupancy limits in this area, which normally limits the number of unrelated residents that
live together to three. The Zoning Board decisions were not based on a legitimate hardship, and contrary to the intent
of the occupancy law and comprehensive plan, which had the goal of developing a variety of housing styles and
"neighborhoods that are quiet" by "establishing zoning standards, e.g. occupancy standards and usage limits, to
minimize the negative effects of dwelling units occupied by students."
Other institutions
Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) is the
primary health care facility in the area and
the 5th largest employer in Tompkins
County. The Medical Center is located off
of Trumansburg Road (NY 96), on the
Town’s West Hill. CMC sits on a 45 acre
property and contains a 204 bed facility,
with more than 200 staff physicians and a
total health care team of over 1,200
members.12 CMC has a 24 hour
emergency room that was expanded in
2005, along with comprehensive inpatient
and outpatient services. The hospital has
been undergoing a series of expansions to
its main campus in recent years, as part of
a master plan to guide the future
development of the hospital in an
environmentally sustainable way.13 The largest addition constructed to date has been the “southwest addition,” a
53,000 square foot addition that includes the new and expanded emergency room, intensive care unit, and other site
improvements. This addition received LEED Silver certification for its sustainability and energy saving elements.
Other additions expected to receive some form of LEED certification include the recently approved 14,000 square
foot surgical addition and the 16,000 square foot laboratory additions.
The Cayuga Medical Center recently acquired a nine acre site adjacent to their hospital property. The former
Tompkins County Biggs Complex contains a large building surrounded by landscaping and parking areas. Future
12 Overview: History, Mission, Core Values, Cayuga Medical Center website, http://www.cayugamed.org/content.cfm?page=mission,
accessed 23 August 2011.
13 Cayuga Medical Center Main Campus, Sustainable Sites Initiative website, ,: http://www.sustainablesites.org/cases/show.php?id=18
Cayuga Medical Center.
Town of Ithaca 2014 Comprehensive Plan B‐20
plans for this parcel have not been developed, but it is hoped that the building could be used for additional
professional or medically related offices.
Adjacent to the Cayuga Medical Center to the south is another popular area institution. Founded in 1932, the
Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) has programs in research, collections, publications, and public education.
PRI cares for a collection of two to three million specimens, one of the 10 largest in the United States, some of which
are on public display in the Museum of the Earth.14 The Museum of the Earth was added on to the PRI building in
2003 and provides the public with an opportunity to explore Earth through a mix of natural history displays,
interactive science features, and art exhibitions. The main PRI building and museum are located on a 6.5 acre site.
In recent years, the Institution has purchased two adjacent parcels to the south of their property, totaling an
additional ±10 acres. These parcels, along with the parcel that houses PRI and the Museum of the Earth, comprise a
portion of the Odd Fellows Complex, once owned by the International Order of OddFellows. Representatives of PRI
have indicated the desire to create a “campus-like” center, although no formal master plan has been developed.
14 Paleontological Research Institution website About page,://www.museumoftheearth.org/about.php