Village of Lansing

Planning Board Meeting

January 8, 2007

 

 

 

The meeting of the Village of Lansing Planning Board was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Chairman Ned Hickey.  Present at the meeting were Planning Board Members Phil Dankert, Carol Klepack, Maria Stycos and Mario Tomei; Trustee Liaison Lynn Leopold; Attorney David Dubow; Engineer Brent Cross, Code Enforcement Officer Ben Curtis, and members of the public.

 

Public Comment:

Hickey opened the Public Comment period. 

 

As there was no one who wished to speak, Dankert moved to close the Public Comment Period.  Seconded by Tomei.  Ayes by Dankert, Hickey, Klepack, Stycos and Tomei.  Motion carried.

 

Continuation of the Adjourned Public Hearing for the Preliminary Plat Approval of Bolton Estate Subdivision:

Hickey stated the first item on the agenda for tonight’s meeting was a continuation of the adjourned Public Hearing for the Preliminary Plat Approval of the Bolton Estate Subdivision, a major subdivision by Edward Crossmore dividing one 128.1 acre lot into 21 building lots for one and two family homes and residual land to be dedicated for recreation and infrastructure.  The parcel is located on the west side of East Shore Drive just north of 1510 East Shore Drive in the Low Density Residential District, Tax Parcel No. 42.1-1-37.2. 

 

Hickey stated there have been some changes taking place.  Hickey brought everyone up to date on the latest developments.  There was a Public Hearing held at the last meeting which was adjourned until tonight to allow the applicant to provide additional information and permit additional comments from the public.  Hickey stated that at the previous meeting, Board members noted in the County 239 Review there was a comment regarding preserving land along Cayuga Lake and the availability of NYS funds having been set aside for that purpose.  As a follow-up, Hickey called Ed Marx , Commissioner of Planning for the County, who subsequently met with Hickey and Stycos.  Andy Zepp of the Finger Lakes Land Trust was also present.  Those present agreed that the area on the west side of the loop road is a fragile area and should be preserved as open space if possible. This area near the lake is about 40 acres and includes 4 streams and fragile cliffs.  Hickey then contacted Crossmore who expressed an interest in the possibility of selling the land to the state or someone else so the land would remain forever wild.  Hickey has again contacted Marx who stated the first step is to get an official appraisal of the property.  Marx agreed to ensure this is done by the County.  First there must be an appraisal and then a purchase offer if sufficient funding is available, using either NYS or County or Village or private funds or some combination thereof.  Zepp stated he might also be able to come up with some funding through the Land Trust.    All this is contingent upon Crossmore being agreeable to making such a sale.

 

Hickey stated the second thing to happen is that Crossmore has been reviewing the arrangement of the lots and last week he determined that he could re-arrange the lots on the western portion of the property which along with some readjustment of lot lines within the loop road could provide an area on each proposed lot where a house could be constructed without disturbing slopes 15% or greater.  Since a new preliminary plat based on this reconfiguration could not be prepared in time for the meeting tonight, Crossmore has asked to be placed on the agenda for the Jan. 30th  meeting.  Hickey stated the lots that would probably be changed would include lots 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16 and 17. 

 

Hickey stated that in the interim the Board has received a report from Stearns & Wheler regarding the environmental survey of the flora and fauna in this subdivision.

 

Hickey reopened the Public Hearing. 

 

Jean Cottrell, 15 Windjammers Way, asked about the footprints for houses shown on the plat.  Hickey stated Crossmore and the Engineer reviewed the plat to identify, where possible, a location on each lot where a house could be constructed without disturbing slopes 15% or greater. They identified these areas as limits of disturbance.  Hickey stated there would be deed covenants to restrict additional clearing on the lots.

 

As there was no one else who wished to speak, Klepack moved to adjourn the Public Hearing until Jan 30th.  Seconded by Tomei.  Ayes by Dankert, Hickey, Klepack, Stycos and Tomei.  Motion carried.

 

Tomei asked about Village funds for purchase of such property.  Based upon a discussion with Mayor Hartill, Hickey stated that if the State cannot move fast enough, then the Village might consider making a contribution.  Hickey stated this would be a secondary source of funding and the State would be the primary source.

 

Dankert asked about the appraisal to be done by the County.  Hickey responded that it is a priority and Marx would like it done before the meeting on January 30th.

 

Leopold stated that Zepp made it very clear that the State and the Land Trust would only be interested in the full corridor along the lake which includes the cliffs rather than small portions of the corridor.  Hickey stated that would be the best outcome, but lots 4 and 10 could still be developed as each include a substantial amount of land outside of the sensitive area. 

 

Stycos stated that the map in the packets had a yellow line.  Hickey stated that  Crossmore is interested in maintaining the 200 ft. corridor along the shoreline undisturbed.    It was noted that the yellow line is in the area of the steepest slopes – the cliffs.  Hickey expects to see the setback maintained along the shoreline as well as 100 ft setbacks on both sides of the streams.  Cross stated that driveways and roads would encroach upon some of the stream corridors.  Dubow stated roads and driveways in these areas would need to be discussed with Engineer Sciarabba.

 

Cross stated he has not spoken to Sciarabba about this project but will do so. Hickey noted that one concern is the slope on the road which in one spot is steeper than permitted by the Village Code. The Planning Board can waive this requirement if circumstances so warrant.   Cross noted that the detention areas need to be dedicated to the Village.  Cross also feels the proposed future sewer line through the property should be indicated. Dubow stated this must be discussed with the developer as it could affect the property values, and could possibly involve future compensation for property owners.  Cross will work this out with Sciarabba.   

 

Next, the Board reviewed the Stearns & Wheler Report.  Leopold was concerned because the report was done in the fall when many of the species of interest are difficult or impossible to identify.  Hickey stated that all the lots which might have rare flora and fauna would be subject to Special Permit review and would require review by an independent consultant when and if they were proposed for development.  Dubow stated the Village has control during the Special Permit review.  Dubow stated this could require a SEQRA review or the equivalent of one for each lot at the time some specific plan for construction was proposed. 

 

Board members discussed the flora report.  No one knew what the indicator status letters represented.  Hickey stated he will ask Sciarabba to clear this up. 

 

Klepack stated an adjacent landowner has indicated there are unusual birds in the area. 

 

Dubow distributed a revised Schedule providing for possible conditions of preliminary plat approval in which he had tried to reflect the thinking of the Board and recommended the Board review this prior to the next meeting. Board members will review these conditions prior to the next meeting.

 

Cross asked if the Board is bound by the recommendations in the County Review.  Dubow stated if there is substantial change in the preliminary plat then it should be referred to the County and EMC again for their review.  Cross stated the road configuration was proposed to facilitate the intermunicipal agreement with the Bolton Estate.  Dubow stated the written response from the Board to the County could indicate why the road is remaining as it is presently proposed which is in opposition to the recommendation by the County.

 

Nick Vaczek of St. Josephs Lane asked about the proposed park areas in the subdivision.  Hickey responded that one area is Poison Ivy Point which is lot 22 along the lake, and the other is lot 23 which is a detention pond area and will include a parking area adjacent to the trail along the roadway.  It was noted there is another trail on the northern side which is much steeper.

 

Greenway Plan Update:

Hickey stated the next item on the agenda was the updating of the Greenway Plan.  The update includes one additional goal to establish neighborhood parks in new and existing residential subdivisions where there is a need for such facilities.  Exhibit A includes all the changes which have been reviewed by the Board.  After Proposal 11, there are two new paragraphs for new trail connections and new neighborhood parks.  Exhibit B lists all the parcels and coordinating street addresses.  Exhibit C is a summary of criteria for establishing findings to support a set aside of recreation land. 

 

Hickey asked Board members if it is somehow possible to scan the Greenway Plan onto a CD as the original document was never given to the Village on a CD.  Members felt there might be an electronic copy at the County level, but Klepack stated there is no longer one there.  Curtis stated that by using OCR the document can be scanned as text so it can be edited. It was decided that it need not be editable but could just be scanned as a PDF file.  Hickey will continue with the process of having the entire original document as well as the addendum made into a CD, and will then send it to press as well as to the Board of Trustees. 

 

Warren Road Expansion:

Hickey stated he was present at a meeting last week with the engineers who will be overseeing the Warren Road expansion in 2007.  Regarding the right hand turn lane at the top of Dart Drive, it was noted that this would be a benefit to the Village and therefore federal monies could not be used to pay for the turn.  Mayor Hartill was also present at the meeting and learned that it would cost about $10,000 to put in the turn.  Hartill indicated his commitment to go ahead with the turn.  The bus stop will be moved to the other side of the road.  Hickey also learned the Village may be placing sidewalks and storm sewers on Dart Drive in 2007.  Hickey recommended the engineers make the decision on where to place the sidewalks and storm sewers based on cost factors.  Hickey also noted that in 10 years the State may decide to make changes to the Route 13/Warren Road intersection due to traffic volumes. 

 

Hickey stated most of the Warren Road expansion will be north of Cherry Road due to widening of the road.  There will also be a traffic light installed at Bomax Drive.            

 

Approval of Minutes – Nov. 28 and Dec. 11:

Klepack moved to approve the minutes of November 28th as revised.  Seconded by Stycos.  Ayes by Hickey, Klepack, Stycos and Tomei.  Abstain by Dankert.  Motion carried.

 

Dankert moved to approve the minutes of December 11th as revised.  Seconded by Tomei.  Ayes by Dankert, Hickey, Klepack, Stycos and Tomei.  Motion carried.

 

 

 

Other Business as Time Permits:

Hickey stated that Doris Brown has resigned from the Board as of Dec. 31, 2006 and Tomei has been appointed to fill her position until May 2007, so the Board needs to find another Alternate Member.  Leopold recommended the Board of Trustees send Brown a letter of thanks and appreciation.  Hickey stated he has been active on the Board for 18+ years and knows she was active prior to that as the secretary to the Planning Board.

 

Adjournment:

Stycos moved to adjourn at 8:45 P.M.  Seconded by Klepack.  Ayes by Dankert, Hickey, Klepack, Stycos and Tomei.  Motion carried.