Minutes
Planning, Development &
Environmental Quality Committee
Tompkins County Legislature
Regular Meeting
July 20, 2006 3:00 PM Old Jail Conference
Room
Members
Present: Martha Robertson (Chair), Kathy Luz
Herrera, Frank Proto, Tyke Randall
Member
Excused: Jim Dennis
Other
Legislator Present: Dooley Kiefer
Staff: Heather
Filiberto, TCPD
Kate Hackett, TCPD
Joan Jurkowich, TCPD
Jackie Kippola, TC
Administration
Marcia Lynch, TC Public
Information
Ed Marx, Commissioner of
Planning & PW
Steve Whicher, TC
Administrator
Kathy Wilsea, TCPD
Visitors: Philly
DeSarno, City of Ithaca
Gary Ferguson, Ithaca
Downtown Partnership
Carol Kammen, STPB
Jean McPheeters, Chamber of
Commerce
Monika
Roth, Cooperative Extension
Mary
Tomlan, Ithaca Common Council
3 2007
Budget
a) Department and agency issues and requests
2. TCAT, Inc. – Joe Turcotte reported
that, relative to recent years, TCAT is in good financial shape. They have received increased funding
from both federal and state sources, and ridership has increased. They seek an increase in their county
budget to build up reserves again.
Kathy Luz Herrera noted that TCAT didn’t need as much as the county
budgeted last year due to increase of contract riders. The City is concerned about the balance
of their contributions when examined against the balance of ridership of City
residents. There is a study being
conducted now that will give better ridership information. Joe said Cornell University is giving
bus passes to freshmen and sophomores this year.
a) Resolution: Establishing the Rural Small Business Loan Program as a
Formal Activity of the Tompkins County Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund
and Adopting Loan Guidelines – Heather Filiberto was present to provide information. Modification was made to the guidelines
at the top of page 3, as suggested
by the oversight committee. [Frank
Proto arrived at 3:11.] Tyke asked
how the program is publicized, and Heather said information goes to TCAD and
local lenders. Resolution moved by
Tyke, seconded by Frank, amended and passed by unanimous vote. Background information will be included
for the full Legislature.
b) Resolution: Authorization to Execute a Rural Small Business Loan for
Jeff Marianni / Three Swallows Farm from the Economic Development Revolving
Loan Fund – Moved by Frank, seconded by Tyke and passed by unanimous vote.
c) Budget Adjustment – Moved by Kathy, seconded by Frank and passed by unanimous vote.
d) Commissioner’s Report – Ed Marx said Planning
Department staff met with Soil & Water Conservation District staff and
ironed out the details of the Flood Hazard Mitigation Program. Ed received a letter in May from NYS
Dept. of Transportation that payment is under consideration for our request for
reimbursement (around $39,000) of expenses incurred in the DOT relocation
project. DOT is proceeding alone
on the acquisition of the Dryden site, and the timetable is uncertain. Carmella Mantello, Director of NYS
Canal Corp., was going to visit Ithaca in June for a meeting arranged by Ed with
state and local elected officials.
Ms. Mantello postponed that meeting, and it has not been
rescheduled. Ed will probably
proceed by arranging a meeting for State elected officials, and inviting Ms.
Mantello to join in. The Howser
Purchase of Development Rights project finally has a tentative August closing
date. The farmer has been
forbearing with delays.
Representatives of the Town of Lansing sewer project recently visited Ed
and provided some data. Their
premise for obtaining County money was that the County would gain from tax
revenues, and projected a decline in County debt service as development
occurs. Ed suggested a long-term
payback to the County. Under the
scenario of 200 new sewer customers, County support would last five years and
then the payback to the County would take place over the next five to seven
years. They also projected
increased tax assessment bringing the County $2 million in that period of
support and payback. If the County
helps with this project, Ed would recommend this payback scenario. Their discussion did not touch on any
interest charges. There are three
pieces of good news on the housing front:
(1) TCAD’s Economic Development Strategy is almost ready for release,
and it includes housing development as one of the top three economic
development needs; (2) City of Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson held a June
meeting for support and action of businesses and colleges on how and where they
can meet housing demands; (3) Ed participated in a trip arranged by the Chamber
of Commerce to State College, Pennsylvania, where they discussed the
similarities of the two communities.
Ed pointed out their housing situation is very like ours.
e) Midyear Update on 2006 Work Program – Ed
distributed copies of the 2006 TCPD Work Program with midyear updates
added. The amount of activity is
significant, and Ed feels astounding work is being done by his staff. Any questions can be addressed at next
month’s meeting.
g) Resolution: Resolution Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer of
Tompkins County to Sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the Stormwater
Coalition of Tompkins County – Resolution moved by Frank and seconded by
Tyke. Kathy noted that the
Government Operations Committee is discussing advisory boards in general, and
they want employees who are appointed to advisory boards to be County
residents. Kate said training is
being provided by NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee. DEC is providing funding to aid MS4
communities in developing their local laws. Resolution was amended to include: Resolved, that membership
for 2006 be paid from the Contingency Fund. The final Resolved clause was also amended to include
Budget & Capital Committee review.
There was discussion on which County Department budget will have the
annual dues, with no determination.
Resolution passed by unanimous voice vote.
3 2007
Budget (continued)
a) Department and agency issues and requests.
1.
Planning Department – Joan Jurkowich said Planning expects to ask for three
Over Target Requests, totaling $60 – 70,000. These will be for the Flood Hazard Mitigation Program,
7-year update to Ag District 2, and maintenance of effort. She expects the STOP-DWI program to go
to another department, which has budget implications for TCPD. Decision on the move will be made by
County Administration.
3.
Agriculture & Farmland Protection Board – Monika Roth distributed
information. Update of Ag District
2 is an OTR because it is not an annual program. It is required by NYS, and she has provided an estimate of
staff time and a timeline. They
are not asking for other increases.
4.
Strategic Tourism Planning Board – Jackie Kippola provided information for the
Convention & Visitors Bureau with the agenda package. Frank requested a copy of the audit
information that was sent to David Squires. Jackie said the contract with CVB states PDEQ needs to vote
on the CVB budget. That will be on
the agenda for August 30.
a) Resolution: Award of Grant for Tourism Brochure for Towns – Resolution
moved by Kathy, seconded by Frank.
Frank suggested adding periodic status reviews by PDEQ. Martha suggested adding The History
Center to distribution points.
Carol Kammen said the “Exploration at Home” title probably won’t
hold. The final Resolved clause
was amended for expense claims to be submitted to County Administration, so
Jackie will handle all payments.
Resolved clause was also amended to mention that each town will be asked
to pay $200.00. Resolution passed
by unanimous vote.
3 2007
Budget (continued)
b) Review County contribution to Ithaca Downtown
Partnership – Gary Ferguson provided some background. In 1999, IDP and the County agreed on protocol for County
participation in the Business Improvement District and the County would have a
seat on the board of directors.
The County agreed to a contribution equivalent to the proportional value
of the TC Public Library site.
This worked for a while, then was cut in half, then eliminated at the
same time the parallel project for rural areas (Commercial Center
Revitalization Program) was eliminated.
IDP hopes to get back on the radar screen. Tompkins County is the largest property owner, employer, and
owner of exempt property in the BID.
Kathy moved to make a contribution of $250 to IDP, in order to begin
discussion. Frank voiced support,
but preferred to discuss without a dollar amount. He asked if there was support to return to CCRP, too. Kathy said she heard him tying CCRP and
IDP again, and wanted to keep a dollar amount in discussions in case a
proportion comes up. Martha said
Gary has some ideas of work IDP could do in return for County funding,
including IDP working with rural areas.
The committee will discuss this at a future meeting.
a) Resolution: Supporting Continuation of Density Incentive Program by the
Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency – Martha said this is a possible
statement from Tompkins County for IDA projects. Dooley Kiefer asked if the County controls IDA policy, and
Martha said they do not. However,
a majority of IDA members are County Legislators. The resolution would serve as advisory to the IDA, as well
as a community relations and education piece. Discussion followed on the issues IDA examines in project
review, how the density policy projects differ from economic development
projects that have job creation goals, when it may be appropriate to support
projects that compete with existing businesses, the County’s right to comment
on projects at IDA public hearings, whether or not to request independent
review of projects for financial need, if any aspects of a package remain in
effect when a business transfers ownership, and when the Legislature should
expect to review the policy. Frank
pointed out the best incentive for compliance with our priorities is money, and
the Legislature really does control that through funding resolutions. Amendments were made to the
resolution and a special meeting will be set up at 4:00 PM prior to the next
Legislature meeting on August 1st. Revised resolution will be sent to members tomorrow and
Martha urged members to review it carefully and provide comments by Wednesday,
July 26th.
a) Approval of Minutes from June 15 and July 5, 2006
– Both were moved by Frank, seconded by Kathy. Martha provided some changes to the June 15 draft, and both
were accepted by unanimous voice vote.
7 Adjournment
– the
meeting was adjourned at 5:25 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Wilsea, Secretary
Tompkins County Planning Dept.