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Home My WebLink AboutPB Minutes 2026-05-05 Draft TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall 215 North Tioga Street Ithaca, New York 14850 Tuesday, May 5, 2026 6:30 P.M. AGENDA 1.Persons to be heard. 2.Sketch plan review for the proposed SouthWorks' Woods mixed-income residential project, located on the SouthWorks (formerly Chain Works District) project site off NYS Route 96B/Danby Road, in Town of Ithaca Planned Development Zone No. 16. The SouthWorks Woods project will involve the construction of eight residential buildings with a total of 130 mixed-income apartments, including a community room, lounge, fitness center, offices, maintenance areas, and storage. The Woods project will also include the development of internal roads and infrastructure, a playground, sidewalks and path connections, stormwater facilities, landscaping, outdoor lighting, parking, and other site improvements. The Woods project comprises a portion of the overall SouthWorks redevelopment project, which is a multi- phased, mixed-use master planned development that involves repurposing existing manufacturing buildings, and constructing new buildings, parking areas, open space areas, roads, multi-modal transportation connections, stormwater facilities, and other site improvements to accommodate new residential, office, commercial, and manufacturing development within the Town and City of Ithaca. The entirety of the SouthWorks project underwent a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) process between 2014 and 2019, with the City of Ithaca as the Lead Agency in the environmental review. A GEIS was prepared to address impacts of multiple actions within this specific, defined geographic area. On May 21, 2019, the Town of Ithaca, as an Involved Agency in the environmental review, issued a Findings Statement for the GEIS that included threshold conditions for future site-specific projects associated with the overall development. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board will be the Lead Agency in the Woods project review and will determine if the Woods project exceeds the threshold conditions outlined in the GEIS Findings Statement. Shift Chainworks Owner 1 LLC, Owner; Beacon Communities, Applicant; James Gensel, Fagan Engineers & Land Surveyors, PC, Agent. 3.Approval of Minutes. 4.Other Business. 5.Adjournment. C.J. Randall Director of Planning 607-273-1747 Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings in person at Town Hall or virtually via Zoom videoconference at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83643764382 or by calling (929) 436-2866 and entering Meeting ID: 836 4376 4382. The public will have an opportunity to see and hear the meeting live and provide comments directly to the Board during Persons to be Heard and/or Public Hearing. To watch the meeting live, please visit www.youtube.com/channel/UCC9vycXkJ6klVIibjhCy7NQ/live. Recorded meetings are viewable at YouTube.com/TownofIthacaVideo. Written comments can be addressed to the Planning Board (in-person at Town Hall; by mail; or via email at Planning@townithacany.gov until noon the day of the meeting. Comments addressed to the Board will be distributed to all Board members and Applicant(s). Comments received after the posting of the agenda packet (five business days prior to the meeting) are distributed to the Board on the day of the meeting. Comments are public and become part of the project file. Applications and associated project materials are available on the Town’s website at https://townithacany.gov/meeting-calendar-agendas/ under the calendar meeting date. PB 2026-05-05 (Filed 5/11) Pg. 1 TOWN OF ITHACA PLANNING BOARD May 5, 2026 DRAFT MINUTES The full video recording of this meeting is available on YouTube @TownofIthacaVideo (Written comments submitted at the meeting or after posting of the official mailout packet and 24 hours after the meeting can be found in the updated packet online and will be filed permanently with the project folder along with any other comments received after the post meeting deadline.) Present: Liz Bageant, Vice Chair; Bill Arms, Kelda McGurk, Sara Reynolds, Vince Ferrara, and Gideon Casper CJ Randall, Director of Planning, Christine Balestra, Senior Planner; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town; Dana Magnuson, Senior Code Officer; David O’Shea, Director of Engineering; Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk Ms. Bageant opened the meeting at 6:30p.m. 1. Persons to be heard – None 2. Sketch plan review for the proposed SouthWorks' Woods mixed-income residential project, located on the SouthWorks (formerly Chain Works District) project site off NYS Route 96B/Danby Road, in Town of Ithaca Planned Development Zone No. 16. The SouthWorks Woods project will involve the construction of eight residential buildings with a total of 130 mixed-income apartments, including a community room, lounge, fitness center, offices, maintenance areas, and storage. The Woods project will also include the development of internal roads and infrastructure, a playground, sidewalks and path connections, stormwater facilities, landscaping, outdoor lighting, parking, and other site improvements. The Woods project comprises a portion of the overall SouthWorks redevelopment project, which is a multi-phased, mixed-use master planned development that involves repurposing existing manufacturing buildings, and constructing new buildings, parking areas, open space areas, roads, multi-modal transportation connections, stormwater facilities, and other site improvements to accommodate new residential, office, commercial, and manufacturing development within the Town and City of Ithaca. The entirety of the SouthWorks project underwent a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) process between 2014 and 2019, with the City of Ithaca as the Lead Agency in the environmental review. A GEIS was prepared to address impacts of multiple actions within this specific, defined geographic area. On May 21, 2019, the Town of Ithaca, as an Involved Agency in the environmental review, issued a Findings Statement for the GEIS that included threshold conditions for future site- specific projects associated with the overall development. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board will be the Lead Agency in the Woods project review and will determine if the Woods project exceeds the threshold conditions outlined in the GEIS Findings Statement. Shift PB 2026-05-05 (Filed 5/11) Pg. 2 Chainworks Owner 1 LLC, Owner; Beacon Communities, Applicant; James Gensel, Fagan Engineers & Land Surveyors, PC, Agent. A full contingent of representatives from SouthWorks’ Woods project were present and gave a presentation and detailed history of the SouthWorks approval processes so far. (Attachment 1)  Larger project has been in the works for about 15 years on 95 acres and over 800k square feet of old factory buildings  Included a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) and NYS environmental cleanup inspections  “The Woods” is one phase of the overall project which is on the Town’s property  Proposed 130 units by Beacon Communities (background given)  Mixed income between 50% and 80% of AMI  Mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments and townhomes (CW2)  Focused on the PDZ, PUD and GEIS constraints and rules  Town of Ithaca won a $5M grant for infrastructure  Applicants’ ideal timeline for their financing is to have all approvals and building permits by November 2026 with occupancy in early 2028  Topography is steep; development follows topography  Layout includes two and three-story buildings stepped into the topography with a play area and paths and the future connection to the Gateway Trail  24 acres left undeveloped  Two entrances off NYS Route 96B/Danby Road  Existing water and sewer available Discussion The Board asked questions related to stormwater management and impacts to the stream on the property. There was discussion about DEC and Army Corps permitting, locations of existing and proposed water and sewer supply, and whether structural fill would be needed in some areas. There were additional questions about proposed parking, types of buildings being proposed, future development of the other part of Sub Area CW2, and impacts to viewsheds. The Board expressed concern about mechanical equipment on building roofs and will want to see how viewsheds are affected and/or optimized from various viewpoints. The Applicants explained that they will use soffits to shield rooftop HVAC to the best of their ability and they hope a traffic signal will be approved by NYS DOT, but that is out of their hands and finally, they realize the SWPPP is going to be critical and it will go through numerous reviews and must be accepted by the Town and the City of Ithaca. They emphasized that this is a big project at full build out meant to be a community with retail and services as well as residential and recreational areas. The Board was generally in favor of the project and stated they look forward to more details in the next step. PB 2026-05-05 (Filed 5/11) Pg. 3 Ms. Bageant asked Planning to review the next steps. Ms. Balestra said the next step is for staff to go through the GEIS/Finding Statement, the PDZ, and work on requesting and getting submittals from the Applicants. The Planning Board can then determine whether or not any GEIS thresholds have been exceeded, which could reopen SEQR review. If none of the thresholds are exceeded, then the environmental review is done for this project. Then, the next step would be working with all departments and the Applicant to move towards a submission for Site Plan approval. The Board felt the review of the GEIS/Finding statement and whether any thresholds were exceeded should be a separate meeting from the Site Plan review. Ms. Randall noted that the Staff from the Town and the City have a good working relationship and there is a lot of work that needs to be done before this comes back to this Board. 3. Approval of Minutes Motion made by Vincent Ferrara, seconded by Sara Reynolds to accept the draft minutes of March 3, 2026, as final as submitted; unanimous. 4. Other Business Ms. Randall noted the Planning Board Primer was included in the packets. Reviewed the next meeting agenda. The meeting was adjourned upon a motion and a second; unanimous. Submitted by Paulette Rosa Town Clerk SouthWorksThe Woods Sketch Plan Presentation Project Team Development Partners ▪SouthWorks: Shift, L Enterprises, USC Builds, Xylem ▪Beacon Communities LLC Design Team ▪SWBR –Architect / Landscape Architect ▪Fagan Engineers –Civil Engineer / Land Surveyors ▪Salas O’Brien –M/E/P Engineer ▪Taitem Engineering –Energy/Sustainability SouthWorks The Woods Project Context SouthWorks The Woods Project History/Approvals The entirety of the Chain Works District/SouthWorks project underwent a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) process between 2014 and 2019, with the City of Ithaca as the Lead Agency in the environmental review. A GEIS was prepared to address impacts of multiple actions within this specific, defined geographic area. Below is a list of dates related to this GEIS process: ▪May 21, 2019 – the Town of Ithaca Planning Board, as an Involved Agency in the environmental review, issued a Findings Statement for the GEIS that included threshold conditions for future site-specific projects associated with the overall development ▪September 27, 2021 – the Town of Ithaca Town Board, as an Involved Agency in the environmental review, issued a Findings Statement for the GEIS and adopted the Planned Development Zone (PDZ No. 16) for the project ▪October 2023 – Town Planning staff introduced the Chain Works District/SouthWorks project and GEIS process to new Planning Board members ▪November 8, 2023 – Staff shared the Findings Statement, GEIS threshold charts, maps, plans, and the PDZ language with the Planning Board ▪June 27, 2025 – the Planning Board attend a tour of the site (additional site tours are anticipated) SouthWorks The Woods GEIS / PDZ Summary SouthWorks The Woods Site Plan SouthWorks The Woods Illustrative Landscape Plan SouthWorks The Woods Building Elevations SouthWorks The Woods VIEW 1 VIEW 2 Public Infrastructure & Funding SouthWorks The Woods Empire State Development Pro-Housing Supply Funds Program ($5MM) ▪Town of Ithaca Planning Department successfully submitted an application for the inaugural NYS Empire State Development Pro Housing Supply Fund. ▪This supports all public infrastructure within the project area including: ▪Bulk Earthwork ▪Public Roadways, Sidewalks, Lighting and Street Trees ▪Coddington Entrance (Drive IV) Traffic Signal ▪Public Watermain ▪Public Sanitary Sewer ▪Public Storm Sewers ▪Stormwater Mitigation & Erosion Control (SWPPP Implementation) ▪Underground Electric and Data/Fiber Project Connections SouthWorks The Woods GEIS Conceptual Site Layout Plan SouthWorks The Woods GEIS Conceptual Site Layout Plan – The Woods SouthWorks The Woods Beacon SouthWorks – The Woods (Streetscape) SouthWorks The Woods