HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOC Minutes 2024-12-12 TOWN OF ITHACA
CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE (COC)
Meeting of December 12, 2024—5:30 p.m.
Shirley A. Raffensperger Board Room, Town Hall
Minutes
Members present: Rob Rosen, Chair, Susie Gutenberger-Fitzpatrick, Chris Jung, Eva Hoffmann & Eric
Levine. Member excused: Bill Arms.
Staff Present: C.J. Randall, Director of Planning; David O'Shea, Director of Engineering; Dana Magnuson,
Senior Code Officer; Marty Moseley, Director of Code Enforcement; Susan Brock, Attorney for the Town;
Christine Balestra, Senior Planner.
Guests: Two high school students in the audience.
The meeting was recorded on Zoom and streamed live on the Town of Ithaca YouTube channel.
1. Member comments/concerns. Rob noted Bill Arms was absent but provided e-mail comments related
to the draft subdivision regulations. Paper copies were passed out for members.
2. Review minutes from October 10,2024, COC meeting. Susie moved to accept the minutes; Eric
seconded, minor changes were submitted by Susan Brock and accepted. All members voted in favor of
approval of the October 10, 2024, COC meeting minutes as amended.
3. Review proposed 2025 Codes and Ordinances Committee Work Plan. C.J.was asked to explain the
"Complementary Code" sections to be reviewed under the Highest Priority section. She stated that the
2024 Work Plan included the same language and is part of the previously-identified Comprehensive
Plan goals. Rob asked when the Town Board would be expecting the final draft of the Subdivision
Regulations. C.J. explained that a revised draft would be provided to the COC first, by or during Q2 of
2025, and the committee will be responsible for making a formal recommendation to the Town Board.
Rob was concerned about the timing for the COC to go through the Complementary Code Sections
revisions while also reviewing revised Subdivision Regulations. C.J. offered that the Planning
Committee, rather than the COC, could look at some of the sections. Rob recommended that the
technical work be done outside the COC for the Complementary Code sections. There were no
objections. The committee would instead like to see a summary of the outcome of the technical review
for those sections when they are completed.
The COC was overall comfortable with the draft 2025 Work Plan and supported staff working through
the language and presenting revisions, as necessary. Rob said the Work Plan could be discussed in more
detail at the next meeting if members had any comments.
Review Draft 2025 meeting schedule (moved up from Other Business). The committee reviewed and
approved the draft meeting schedule for 2025. The schedule will be the same as in 2024 (second
Thursday of the month at 5:30pm)
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4. Continued review of Draft Subdivision of Land regulations. The committee picked back up with
Section H. Conservation subdivision design steps and review procedures, line 820. Some of this
language was previously discussed. The comments made by staff and committee members are noted as
follows:
H(2) (b). Define steep slope, eliminate the specific examples in the text and add a table with
specific Class 1, Class 2, etc. definitions. Cross reference if it's defined elsewhere.
H(2) (c). "Conservation goals"-whose goals? the town's? the subdivider's? There needs to be a list
of all the criteria spelled out that must apply if it is the town's goals in order for the Planning Board
to evaluate the application. C.J. mentioned the Agricultural Plan,Park, Recreation, and Open Space
Plan, and Scenic Resources Inventory as resources for this section. Staff will wordsmith to reference
those specifically or will create a list of the criteria to assist the Planning Board. This may exist
already and will just need to be connected for clarity. Staff will work on this.
H(5) (c). Staff will work on wordsmithing references to materials being required unless "waived" —
there should be specific standards for the waiver, and they should be listed.
I-Permanent Open Space. Rob read Bill's comments and opinions related to this section,to amend
or delete it to prevent high cost to future homeowners or renters. Deleting or amending this section
was not recommended by staff and was noted as the key piece and concept of a clustered
subdivision. The concept also already exists in the current law. Rob noted that the modeling shown
in previous meetings illustrated that more units can be built on the same amount of land under the
proposed subdivision rules than under existing zoning. Therefore,the cost per unit would be less and
more units could be created. . The committee appreciated Bill's comments but disagreed with him.
The COC felt that homes on larger lots would be more costly in terms of infrastructure and
maintenance and would take more resources than on smaller lots. The committee also decided that
the 40% open space requirement did not appear to increase costs but rather appeared to decrease
costs per unit for developers, and the open space itself would be a benefit to the homeowners around
it.
I (2)(b). Add"Institutional"to the uses listed and define it as well within the subdivision chapter
(pull examples of uses from the Comprehensive Plan).
I (2) (b) [2].Marty asked who would enforce this section about forestry being conducted in
conformity with applicable best management practices. Chris stated that the Planning Department
would conduct these inspections and be responsible for this enforcement and explained that Mike
Smith and Joe Talbut(senior planner and town parks manager, respectively) currently inspect and
monitor existing forest management plans and conservation easements in the town. This can be
clarified in I(2) (b) [3] [1] (e) and I(2) (b) [3] [2]. Right now,the Codes,Planning, and Engineering
Departments work together to flag properties in the town's system and identify the formally recorded
legal designations. The inspection processes take place annually. For this regulation, the town could
also mirror the due process language that the Town Board is currently considering (zoning,penalties,
and violations).
§234-30 Lots. Staff will wordsmith this section to clarify if it applies to all lots in the regulation or
just for clustered subdivisions.
§234-30 (staff noted duplicate numbering—will fix) Buffer Zone requirement. Staff will review
this section, as it may be redundant and can be completely deleted.
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§234-31 Building Placement and Design. Consider"buildable area" or other word instead of
"building envelope." Susan Brock has comments on this (her version 234-27,pg.28). Staff will
review and figure out if the section applies to all lots or just those within a clustered subdivision.
[Staff note-all numbering from here on is off and will be fixed for next regulation iteration]
Article V. Reservation Requirements:
§234-29 Required improvements
A. This is a standard provision in NYS Town Law. Marty asked how the Planning Board could
"assure the property...is protected against such dangers as flooding and erosion."Possibly add the
word"help"in between "to" and"assure." Staff will wordsmith.
C. Delete.
D. Replace the word"tender"in the second to last line with a more recognized applicable term.
§234-21 Reservation of land for public utilities. Section E seems confusing. Fix the awkward first
sentence (delete"can be had") Delete last sentence.
§234-22 Reservations of parks and recreational land D [1]. Double check the section code
number and confirm content of Editor's Note.
§234-23 Transportation Network
A. Eva requested that the town reserve designated walkways to connect existing and new
developments. Chris explained that the town already does this via the Town Complete Streets Policy
but that it was also the intent of the subdivision regulations to do so.
C. Replace "Planning Board"with"Director of Code Enforcement," as the names of the road often
change after the Planning Board process and are overseen within Code Enforcement Department.
The committee ended here, with line 1128/1129 Section B of§234-23 Transportation Network and
will pick back up in January.
Chris asked if the committee would like to see the Town Complete Streets Policy. The committee
agreed, so Chris will include it in the mailout for the next meeting.
5. Other business: Next meeting - January 9, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Agenda- Continued review of the draft Subdivision Regulations.
The meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
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