A plan to change zoning restrictions in one Ithaca neighborhood is passed despite more than twenty people speaking out against it in front of the Common Council.
Neighbors raised concerns Wednesday night about the ordinances that would govern development in Collegetown. They say the construction of large apartment buildings would crowd the narrow streets. Some questioned the impact future developments would have on city taxes, and on traffic. There were also objections to the Payment in Lieu of Parking that would be offered to developers
“They’re going to let the landlords not provide parking. It’s a very limited area and there’s no place for the cars,” said Ithaca resident Anne Clavel.
“There’s also an issue about taxes. These building that are going to get build could be bought by Cornell and then taken off the roll. So our property taxes would go up,” said Todd Saddler, Ithaca resident.
Ithaca mayor Carolyn Peterson said, “When I first moved here over 35 years ago, Collegetown was completely different, with shops, with a grocery store, with a book store, with clothing stores. I lived up on the hill then and that all you had to, you didn’t have to go anywhere else to do your general shopping.”
The mayor said she hopes the plan will allow new development to co-exist with the rest of the neighborhood.
