Here is some updated info on the massive project proposed for the old Emerson/Morse Chain factory on South Hill (courtesy of Visiteur at his Ithacating in Cornell Heights blog).
http://brancra.wordpress.com/2014/06...orks-district/
Also a recent article from the Ithaca Times regarding initial steps by the Town of Ithaca which will affect the town's portion of the project:
Town of Ithaca to Consider Rezoning Emerson Site for Development
Posted: Monday, June 9, 2014 9:39 pm | Updated: 7:05 am, Tue Jun 10, 2014.
By Michael Nocella
ITHACA—The Town of Ithaca will consider developer Chain Works’ request for a Planned Development Zone (PDZ) for the Emerson site, as the Town Board agreed to refer the matter to the planning committee during its public meeting on Monday, June 9. Rezoning of the 95-acre property—owned between the city and town of Ithaca—will be necessary for the redevelopment and rehabilitation of the 800,000-square foot Morse Chain/Emerson Power Transmission facility, since such plans would transform the site from an idle industrial complex to a “reinvigorated mixed-use district” of residential, commercial, office and manufacturing uses.
While the city is exploring the possibility of implementing a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to accommodate the project, the town will consider a PDZ. According to town administrative legislation, the purpose of a PDZ is to “permit, where appropriate, a degree of flexibility in conventional land use and design regulations which will encourage development in an imaginative and innovative way while through the process of review, discussion and law change, insuring efficient investment in public improvements, a more suitable environment, and protection of community interest.”
Town board members discussed how, if at all, the two different zonings from both agencies will affect one another. It has not yet been determined which municipality will be the lead agency for the project, however, Town Planner Sue Ritter said it was likely that “the city will be lead agency.”
“The city is working on a Planned Unit Development,” Town Supervisor Herb Engman said. “Is the thought that they (PUD and PDZ) will look exactly the same in both the city and town, and therefore have the site together for a planned development zone? That would seem to make some sense.”
Ritter said that would be a likelihood, but not a guarantee. The town planning committee will continue the discussion of a PDZ for the Emerson site during its public meeting on Thursday, June 26.
“That’s something that will need to be discussed,” she said. “We certainly like them (PUD, PDZ) to start out looking a lot alike. One thing to consider is that the town’s property has a lot more open space than the city’s, but certainly I think we want most of the language to look very similar. There might be some differences in certain areas.”
Whitham Planning & Design, LLC and Fagan Engineers & Land Surveyors, PC presented the latest version of the project on behalf of Chain Works. They explained the mixed-use development will consist of two primary parts, each of which will have multiple phases: the repurposing of the existing buildings and potential future development within areas of the remainder of the site. The site is currently zoned as an Industrial Zone District in the city and as Industrial in the town. According to the developer, the goal of the project will be to “create a more sustainable and dynamic development than is currently permitted within the current zoning by rehabilitating the industrial facility with a variety of uses and also conserve environmental sensitive areas while creating a new district, an identifiable community bridging the city and town of Ithaca.”
“The city’s PUD is very similar to the town’s PDZ,” Scott Whitham told the Ithaca Times. “The town has used the PDZ for decades with many projects, and it’s worked very well for the town in the past. The PUD is based, in many ways, off of PDZ language.”
While no persons to be heard spoke out against the possibility of the town using a PDZ on the Emerson site during Monday night’s meeting, city residents seem to be more weary of a PUD. In an email to the planning committee, City of Ithaca Economic Development Planner Jennifer Kusznir defined a PUD as: “a floating overlay zone, which may be placed within the city boundaries, anywhere deemed appropriate by the Common Council. The purpose of the PUD is to encourage and allow more creative and imaginative design of land development than is possible under standard zoning district regulations. A PUD allows for flexibility in planning and design, while through the process of review, discussion and law change, ensures efficient investment in public improvements, a more suitable environment, and protection of community interest.”
Ithaca resident Gabriel Holbrow recently spoke about the matter during a Common Council meeting in May. He said he was familiar with PUDs from his experience as a planner for Cayuga County in Auburn, where he also serves on the board of zoning appeals.
“Based on my experience in Cayuga County, my initial thought is that this is a bad idea,” he said. “There’s not a problem I can imagine where using a PUD would be the best way to solve it. Simply put, if there’s a kind of development that you want in Ithaca, that’s not allowed right now, the best way to do that is by amending the underlying zoning code.”
Former Common Council and Planning Board member Jane Marcham also had issues with introducing such language to city legislation.
“Ithacans have to hope that Common Council’s Planning Committee won’t rush to floating zoning district proposal,” she said. “It is an open invitation to developers to bypass the city’s comprehensive plan and normal review procedures. Builders with ‘creative’ ideas could apply for special designation, under a presumably expedited process, to press for spot zoning for some nonconforming project.”
Here's the link:
http://www.ithaca.com/news/town-of-i...a4bcf887a.html