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Ithaca council moves College Town zoning ordinance to April vote after public hearing
Summary
After a two-person public hearing, the Ithaca Common Council moved draft amendments adjusting heights and rezoning parcels in the College Town mixed-use districts to the April voting meeting; supporters urged increased housing density while a resident raised concerns about maps and properties near the gorge.
The Ithaca Common Council on March 19 moved proposed College Town zoning amendments — including modest height increases in parts of the MU district and rezoning of several parcels to CR-4 — from committee to the council's April voting meeting.
The motion to move the ordinance was made at the Committee of the Whole meeting and carried 11–0. "As counsel recalls, this was the subject of a very thorough presentation from Megan in the planning office," the mover said before the motion was seconded and approved.
The item drew two public commenters. Charlie O'Connor, a College Town resident, told the council he "supports the zoning changes" and urged allowing more density in College Town as Cornell grows. "If we wanna continue to add primarily students in College Town, then there's one way to go, and that's up," O'Connor said.
Teresa Alt of 206 Eddy Street told the council she could not find a comprehensive city zoning map in the materials and asked that the record be clearer about where the proposed changes apply. After reading the packet, she said the height changes and some rezones "are reasonable" but expressed concern about three CR-2 parcels near the gorge being rezoned to CR-4 and called for keeping those properties smaller.
Council members raised both procedural and policy points during committee discussion. Alderperson Win noted that the city has a grant under way for comprehensive zoning reform and said tweaking targeted areas now does not replace broader reform. Alderperson Kill said she was disappointed three Linden Avenue parcels were not upzoned and hoped future amendments would address them. Several members acknowledged receipt of public emails and encouraged residents who want to testify at the April voting meeting to do so.
The committee's motion moves the ordinance to the council's April voting meeting for a final vote; the committee did not adopt the ordinance at this meeting.
The council also confirmed that, as an ordinance rather than a resolution, the item cannot be placed on the committee consent agenda and must receive full council consideration at a voting meeting.
The planning office prepared the ordinance and related materials for public review; several council members requested earlier circulation of maps and attachments in future hearings so residents can locate affected parcels more readily. The planning office previously presented the proposal to the council in an earlier committee session.
Votes at a glance: Motion to move the College Town zoning ordinance to the April voting meeting — outcome: moved to April meeting; committee vote: 11–0.
What happens next: The ordinance will be debated and voted on at the April voting meeting; residents who provided written comments and those who wished to speak were encouraged to appear at that meeting.
