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Home My WebLink AboutPB 2025-020 Game Farm Road Hockey Field CU prelim finalPB RESOLUTION 2025-020: Preliminary & Final Site Plan Approval & Special Permit Cornell Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field Project Tax Parcel No.’s 62.-2-4, 62.-2-5, 62.-2-6 Game Farm Road Town of Ithaca Planning Board May 6, 2025 WHEREAS: 1. This action involves consideration of Preliminary & Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed Cornell Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field project on Game Farm Road, located immediately east of the existing Cornell soccer fields. The proposal involves constructing new field hockey facilities in two phases, with phase one including the conversion of the existing grass practice field into a synthetic turf field along with construction of a new driveway, formalized parking area, pedestrian amenities, and two support facilities (a 1,700 +/- square foot restroom/team room building, and a 480 +/- square foot press box). Phase two involves the construction of a clubhouse for the field hockey team, with locker rooms, meeting rooms, physical therapy rooms, lounge, toilets, showers, and indoor synthetic turf training space. Phase two is projected to be constructed within five years of the athletic field installation. The project also includes new lighting, landscaping, stormwater facilities, and other site improvements. Cornell University, Owner/Applicant; Kimberly Van Leeuwen, Fisher Associates, Applicant/Agent; 2. The proposed project is a Type I action pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, 6 NYCRR Part 617, and Chapter 148 of the Town of Ithaca Code regarding Environmental Quality Review, because the proposal involves an activity, other than the construction of residential facilities, that involves the physical alteration of 10 acres (6 NYCRR 617.4 (b) (6) (i)), and parking for 100 vehicles (Town Code 148-5.C (3)); 3. At its meeting on November 19, 2024, the Town of Ithaca Planning Board (1) reviewed a Full Environmental Assessment Form, Part 1, submitted by the applicant, along with a report containing a narrative and studies titled “Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field, Site Plan Review Application Report,” dated October 3, 2024, prepared by Fisher Associates, drawings titled “Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field, Cornell University,” dated 09-27-2024, prepared by Sasaki, and other materials; and (2) proposed to establish itself as the Lead Agency to coordinate the environmental review of the above-referenced proposal. Potential Involved and Interested agencies were notified of its intent to serve as Lead Agency on November 20, 2024; 4. The Planning Board, having received no objections from other Involved Agencies, on January 7, 2025, established itself as Lead Agency to coordinate the environmental review of the above- described proposal; 5. The Planning Board, on March 4, 2025, discussed the environmental review and directed the Planning staff to draft the Full Environmental Assessment Form Parts 2 and 3 to support a negative determination of environmental significance for the Board’s discussion and consideration at its March 18, 2025, meeting; 6. The Planning Board, on March 18, 2025, issued a negative determination of environmental significance, after accepting as adequate the previously submitted Full Environmental Assessment Form Part 1, submitted by the applicant, Parts 2 and 3, prepared by Town Planning PB 2025-020 (Filed 5/8) Pg. 2 staff, the materials noted in Whereas #3 above; additional materials in a binder titled “Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field Supplemental Materials Submission,” dated January 31, 2025, prepared by Fisher Associates; additional supplemental materials in a binder titled “Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field Supplemental Materials Submission,” dated February 21, 2025, prepared by Fisher Associates; written and oral public comments and documents submitted by the public; and other materials; 7. The Planning Board, at a public hearing held on May 6, 2025, has reviewed and accepted as adequate a report prepared by Fisher Associates, titled “Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field Supplemental Materials- Phase 1,” dated March 31, 2025, along with a set of drawings, prepared by Sasaki, titled “Cornell University Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field, Game Farm Road, Ithaca, NY 14853,” dated 03.31.2025, including sheets G1-00, C100, C101, C102- 1, C102-2, C102-3, C103, C104, C105, C201, C202, C301, C401, L0-01, L0-02, L2-01, L3-01, L4-01, L4-02, L4-10, L5-01, L5-02, L6-01, L6-02, L6-03, L8-01, L8-02, L9-00, L10-01, L10- 02, L10-03, L10-04, A1-00, A1-10, A1-11, A1-20, A2-10, A2-11; additional written and oral public comments and documents submitted by the public; and other application materials; and 8. Project plans, and related information, were duly delivered to the Tompkins County Planning and Sustainability Department per New York State General Municipal Law §§239- l et seq., and such Department responded in a November 26, 2024, letter from Katherine Borgella, Tompkins County Commissioner of Planning, pursuant to §§239-l, -m, and -n of the New York State General Municipal Law, determining that the proposed action will have no significant county- wide or inter-community impact; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 1. That the Planning Board hereby finds that the Special Permit standards of Article XXIV Section 270-200, Subsections A – H, of the Town of Ithaca Code, have been met, specifically that: A. The project will be suitable for the property on which it is proposed, considering the property’s size, location, and physical site characteristics. • The proposed field will replace an existing grass athletic field; and the proposed access and parking area will formalize an existing access and parking area. The properties are very large and can easily physically accommodate a replacement field and associated parking, stormwater management facilities, buildings, and other project elements. The project is located adjacent to other Cornell athletic fields, with physical site characteristics that are appropriate for an athletic field or other recreational use. B. The proposed structure design and site layout are compatible with the surrounding area. • The proposed small buildings are very low profile and relate to a collegiate field hockey field use. They are designed to be compatible with the layout of the field and other site elements and are compatible with the adjacent soccer and baseball field structures. C. Operations in connection with the proposed use do not create any more noise, fumes, vibration, illumination, or other potential nuisances than the operation of any permitted use in the zone. • Per the submitted sound study, the proposed PA sound system will not exceed 50dBA at the nearest residence, located 1/3 mile south of the project (50dBA is the equivalent of something between the sound of a suburban area at night and the hum of a household 3 refrigerator). Outdoor illumination must comply with the Town Outdoor Lighting Law that requires fully shielded lights; and the applicant has agreed to use LEDs with a 3000K color temperature for the parking lot lighting. D. Community infrastructure and services, such as police, fire and other protective services, roadways, schools, and water and sewer facilities are currently, or will be, of adequate capacity to accommodate the proposed use. • All services are of adequate capacity to accommodate the use. Cornell will be utilizing their own sewer infrastructure, which received an exemption from the Town Board per Town Code §214-5 so Cornell is allowed to use its private sewer infrastructure. The project will require a NYS DEC SPDES Permit and Tompkins Whole Health Onsite Wastewater Treatment System construction permit. E. The proposed use, structure design, and site layout will comply with all the provisions of the Town Code and with the Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. • The proposed use is the same as the current use (athletic field). The proposed site layout is also largely the same as the current site layout. The Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map characterizes this area as appropriate for “Campus” uses, which would include collegiate athletic fields. The project received area variances from the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals on April 22, 2025. All remaining elements of this proposal will comply with the provisions of the Town Code and with the Town of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. F. The site layout, with proposed vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access, traffic circulation, and parking and loading facilities, is sufficient for the proposed use and is safely designed for emergency vehicles. • The site contains an access drive and parking area, which will be improved to serve the proposed athletic field and existing soccer fields. The proposed improvements will contain paths, sidewalks, bike racks, and other multimodal facilities, along with an improved parking lot and access. The improvements have been safely designed for emergency vehicles and have been approved by the Codes Department. G. The project includes sufficient landscaping and/or other forms of buffering to protect surrounding land uses. Existing vegetation is preserved to the extent possible. • The nearest land use is another collegiate athletic field (soccer field), which will not need buffering from the project. The project will include landscaping and berms that will sufficiently buffer the project from those traveling along Ellis Hollow and Game Farm Roads. The project will be located at least 400+/- feet from Cascadilla Creek. The applicants will install protective fencing around an area within Stream Setback Zone 2 that could potentially contain artifacts of archaeological significance, so there will be no disturbance of the creek, artifacts, or surrounding vegetation. H. To the extent deemed relevant by the Planning Board, the proposed use or structure complies with all the criteria applicable to site plan review set forth in Chapter 270, Zoning. 2. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby authorizes, according to Section 270-227 (A) (4) of the Town Code, the standard 180 square foot parking space to be reduced to no less than 162 +/- square feet, finding that the reduction will not cause any adverse effects on the project, on the surrounding properties, or on the neighborhood; and PB 2025-020 (Filed 5/8) Pg. 4 3. That the Town of Ithaca Planning Board hereby grants Preliminary & Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed Cornell University Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field Project, located on Game Farm Road, as described in the materials listed in Whereas #’s 3, 5, 6, and 7 above, subject to the following conditions: a. Before issuance of building permits, installation of a six-foot tall chain link fence surrounding the historic component at Locus 2 of the Cascadilla Creek 2 Site (CC2 Locus 2), to protect it during construction of the shallow wetland/stormwater facility near CC2 Locus 2, per the recommendation in the Public Archaeology Facility 2024 Archaeological Survey addendum, b. Before issuance of building permits, submission of any necessary Tompkins County Highway Right-Of-Way permits, c. All outdoor lighting shall conform to the requirements of the Town of Ithaca Outdoor Lighting Law and all proposed exterior parking lot and site lighting shall not exceed 3000K LED color temperature, d. The stormwater filtration system, capable of filtering particles down to 0.025 millimeters, shall be constructed and operated as shown and described in the application materials. Said filtration system shall be added to Cornell’s Stormwater Operation Maintenance and Reporting Agreement (SOMRA) with the Town of Ithaca, e. Submission to the Planning Department of testing results from an independent laboratory, (not affiliated with Cornell or the manufacturer) that conducts third party testing of the artificial turf materials for the presence of any perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) before the artificial turf materials leave the manufacturer. The artificial turf materials must comply with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laws and regulations, including the requirements of the NYS Carpet Collection Program Law, Environmental Conservation Law § 27-3301 through 37-3319. Per Cornell’s commitment to comply with Section 27-3313, which states that “no carpet sold or offered for sale in the state shall contain or be treated with PFAS substances for any purpose,” even though that requirement is not effective until the end of 2026, Cornell must comply with this requirement for both phases of the project, and f. Per Cornell’s commitment to recycle 100% of the artificial turf materials in the project: i. prior to removal of the approved artificial turf materials, submission to the Planning Department of a detailed recycling plan, including the facility that is chosen to receive said materials, and ii. submission of proof from the facility that it accepted and recycled said materials. Moved: Liz Bageant Seconded: Cindy Kaufman Vote: ayes – Bageant, Kaufman, Arms, Reynolds, Cameron, McGurk, and Ferrara