WEST HILL

MASTER
PLAN
FINAL REPORT
March 1992
WEST HILL MASTER PLAN
Final Report
Adopted by Planning and Development Board
July 30, 1991
Approved and Accepted by Common Council
March 4, 1992
Benjamin Nichols, Mayor
H. Matthys Van Cort, Director, Planning and Development
Paul Mazzarella, Author
Peter J. Trowbridge, ASLA, Consultant
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Sarah Adams
Richard Berg, BPW Liaison
Susan Blumenthal, Chair
Thomas A. Cookingham
Carl Feuer
John Schroeder, Council Liaison
Andrew Yale
COMMON COUNCIL
Robert S. Romanowski
Barbara Blanchard
Joseph Daley
John Efroymson
John Johnson
Richard S. Booth
Neil H. Golder
John Schroeder
Daniel L. Hoffman
Richard Berg
Special appreciation is extended to:
WEST HILL MASTER PLAN WORKING GROUP











Robert Balder
Susan Beeners
Barbara Blanchard
Susan Blumenthal
Moncrieff Cochran
Joseph Daley
Eric Dicke
Thomas Johnson
Sean Killeen
Donald Rakow
Andrew Yale
Gratitude is also expressed to the
Town of Ithaca Planning Department
for their review and comments
CONTENTS:
I. Introduction 1
The Planning Process 2
Purpose of the Master Plan 3
II. West Hill Planning Issues 5
Natural Features 5
Open Space and Recreation Areas 6 .
Environmental Protection 8
Public Infrastructure 9
Roads 10
Water Supply 10
Sanitary Sewers 1 1
Sidewalks 1 1
Street Lighting 1 1
Storm Water Drainage 1 1
Parking 12
Emergency Vehicle Access 12
Neighborhood Character 13
Land Use and Zoning 16
Ill. The West Hill Master Plan 17
Open Space and Recreation Areas 17
Central West Hill 18
Southern West Hill 18
Northern West Hill 18
Cass Park Connection 19
MacDaniel's Park Connection 19
Floral Avenue Connection 20
Environmental Protection 20
Streams and Drainage 20
Trees and Woodlands 22
Public Infrastructure 23
Roads 23
Water Supply 25
Sidewalks 26
Street Lighting 26
Parking 27
Emergency Vehicle Access 27
Neighborhood Character 28
Land Use and Zoning 29
IV. Plan Implementation 31
Adopt An Official Map 31
Approve Subdivisions in Accordance
With The Master Plan 31
Approve Zoning Map Amendments 32
Park Development 32
Conservation Area Development 32
Infrastructure Development 32
Introduction
The City of Ithaca's West Hill has long been seen as its last frontier. Isolated from
the rest of the City due to the vagaries of topography, waterways and road access, it has
developed more slowly and in a less intensive fashion than 1he rest of the City. During
1988, however, West Hill became the focus of renewed interest for real estate
development. West Hill contains much of the remaining undeveloped land in the City of
Ithaca, and the region's growth suddenly made this area attractive for new residential
development. In less than one year, seven new large residential projects were proposed
for West Hill, an unprecedented level of development compared to the two prior decades.
The response to this potential for rapid and dramatic change on West Hill was to
reevaluate whether the City's existing development regulations and land use plans
provided an adequate basis for the control of new development. It was apparent to all who
looked into this issue that many conditions and needs have changed in the City of Ithaca
since the development of the City's last master plan in 1971. Even more significant is
the pace of change that is occurring in suburban areas surrounding the City.
Development in the Town of Ithaca and the towns further to the west has created new and
more difficult problems for the City, many of which have never been formally addressed
in any plan or written agreement.
West Hill residents, who would be most affected by these changes, took the lead in
examining how these projects would impact their neighborhood. The West Hill Civic
Association's Master Planning Committee met during the summer of 1988 to discuss a
series of new neighborhood objectives for the development of West Hill. At the same
time, the Board of Planning and Development began to consider how the new subdivision
proposals that were before them would relate to each other and to the existing network of
roads, utilities and parks on West Hill.
These discussions quickly led to a recognition that the City of Ithaca should
immediately begin an effort to update the existing master plan for West Hill. The
Department of Planning and Development outlined a series of Issues to be addressed in
this plan and formulated a process that would enable all of the constituencies with a stake
WEST HILL MASTER
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EXISTING CONDITIONS AND
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
2
in the plan to have a part in its development. Public meetings with West Hill residents
and City officials were held to discuss this proposal, and in October 1988, the Common
Council authorized the development of a new West Hill Master Plan. The City hired the
firm of Trowbridge and Associates to provide technical analysis and guidance in the
development of the plan, and with the cooperation of the West Hill Civic Association, the
planning began.
The Planning Process
Planning in the public arena requires a careful balancing among a variety of
competing interests. In the case of West Hill, the constituencies who were concerned
about the development of a new master plan included the current residents of West Hill,
developers proposing new residential projects, the Board of Planning and Development,
the Board of Public Works, the Common Council and officials from the Town of Ithaca.
Each of these groups formulated its own objectives for the development of West Hill,
based in large part on the special concerns and interests of each group. In cases where
these interests overlapped, the objectives of different groups were often in conflict with
each other. A primary goal of the West Hill Master Plan planning process was to
provide a forum where representatives of each of these constituencies could discuss
differing objectives and resolve differences to each party's mutual satisfaction.
The development of the West Hill Master Plan was initially driven by the following
factors:
* The need to complete the plan quickly in order to be able to
effectively respond to the subdivision applications under
consideration by the Board of Planning and Development.
* The need to develop a plan which addressed all of the
development issues confronting West Hill and which contained
sufficient detail to guide future decisions about individual projects.
* The need to coordinate planning efforts with the Town of
Ithaca so that a high level of planning may be applied to projects that
are located outside of the City yet profoundly affect our quality of life.
3
In order to develop a plan which responded to these needs, the Department of
Planning and Development proposed that a "working group" be established and charged
with the responsibility of undertaking the detailed formulation of the plan. This group
consisted of staff from the City's Planning and Public Works Departments, members of
the Board of Planning and Development, the Board of Public Works and Common Council,
residents of West Hill and staff from the Town of Ithaca's Planning Department. The
working group met frequently with Trowbridge and Associates to evaluate their work and
to make decisions about the directions the plan should take.
It was clearly understood that the plan developed by the working group would also
have to be approved by the various boards and organizations represented as well as the
community at large. Presentations and reports were made to these groups to gather
their comments on the plan at key points in its development. Ultimately, the plan
developed by the working group was refined and brought before each of the constituent
groups for approval and adoption.
The working group functioned on a consensus-building basis. In cases where conflict
existed over alternative planning strategies, the members of the group articulated their
respective positions and sought to reach compromises with each other. In all cases, this
approach proved to be successful in resolving conflicts.
Purpose of the Master Plan
The West Hill Master Plan serves as a general guide to the development of West Hill.
It was developed with the understanding that the process of land development is one in
which private property owners play a key role in determining where, when and how
development will occur. A master plan cannot accurately anticipate either the timing or
location of development; instead it provides a framework within which project-specific
decisions can be made. It is expected that minor deviations from the plan will be
necessary and desirable in order to respond to individual development proposals and that
major amendments to the plan might be needed at some future date in order to
accommodate larger unforeseen events.
Even though a master plan can be officially adopted by the Common Council, the plan
does not carry with it the legal authority needed to make its contents become the binding
4
guide to land development. The plan can only be implemented through other actions that
are within the legal authority of various components of City government. These include
the Planning Board's approval of subdivisions under the subdivision control law,
amendments to the zoning ordinance by the Common Council, the development of public
infrastructure by the Board of Public Works, and the adoption of an official highway map
by the Common Council. Each of these actions, undertaken under authority granted to
cities by the State of New York, will serve to implement the provisions of this plan.
Throughout this document, necessary actions that will needed to implement the plan
will be noted. The approval of these actions are important elements in the success of this
plan, for without the commitment to adopt the implementing measures, the plan's
effectiveness will quickly become diluted and it will lose its value as a guide to decision-
making.
5
West Hill Planning Issues
An important component in the development of the West Hill Master Plan was the
compilation of information which documented the existing conditions on West Hill and
showed the trends and features that produced those conditions. This analysis helped to
define the issues which needed to be addressed in the West Hill Master Plan. The
following is a summary of the conclusions reached by the working group regarding the
most significant West Hill planning issues.
Natural Features
The physical characteristics of West Hill have been and will continue to be a major
factor in the development of the area. Near the base of West Hill, along Floral Avenue
and Cliff Street, extremely steep slopes present a formidable barrier to access and
development. The average grade of the land in these areas exceeds twenty percent,
making construction impossible in the absence of major cut and fill operations. The
average grade of the land gradually diminishes as the land slopes away from the Inlet
Valley, but much of the area within the City of Ithaca still has grades of between ten and
twenty percent. These steep slopes pose difficulties in the construction of roads, which
should not have grades which exceed ten percent, making it difficult for emergency
vehicles such as fire equipment to move about the area, and raising the cost of building
construction. . These steep slopes also help to define of the visual character of West Hill,
creating often spectacular views of the rest of the City.
The City of Ithaca's portion of West Hill comprises a relatively small part of a much
larger watershed that extends into the Town of Ithaca. All of the water collected in this
watershed flows through the City of Ithaca to the Flood Control Channel. The flow of
water has created several small gorges in the West Hill neighborhood which serve to
move water as well as provide a scenic and natural habitat resource.
New development both within and outside the City of Ithaca has the potential to
WEST HILL MASTER PLAN
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dramatically alter the amount and intensity of water that flows through the West Hill
neighborhood. The development of buildings, roads and other impermeable surfaces
destroys the natural ability of the land to moderate storm water runoff, thus increasing
the potential for erosion and flooding. The quality of water can also be significantly
degraded by urbanization.
Open Space and Recreation Areas
The availability of large amounts of open space within the West Hill neighborhood has
been a significant factor in defining the character of this area. Most of this open space is
privately owned and not developed or developed at a very low density. Public access to
some of this land has been permitted by property owners on an informal basis; in other
cases this open space is clearly seen as being part of someone's yard and public access is
discouraged. Even in cases where access by the public is not permitted, the presence of
privately held open space adds to the feeling of spaciousness that prevails in this area.
Three major issues for West Hill residents are how the visual character of West
Hill will change as additional development occurs, how development will affect the
availability of open space for public use and how the loss of open space will affect
wildlife populations.
The West Hill neighborhood is currently served by a variety of public recreation
spaces, each of which serve very different functions. According to the City of Ithaca's
park standards, Cass Park is classified as a "community park" and is intended to serve
city-wide and regional recreational needs. It has a playground, ball fields, tennis
courts, skating rink, swimming pool, picnic and passive recreational areas. The Treman
Marine State Park and the Hangar Theater augment the City's facilities at Cass Park.
A "neighborhood park," according to the City's classification, should be centrally
located and should serve a population of no more than 3,000 people. It may have a
variety of active and passive recreation features, and should be easily accessible by
pedestrians and bicyclists. MacDaniel's Park meets the criteria for a neighborhood
park. It serves approximately 1 ,200 people within the southern West Hill
neighborhood, and it provides space for both active and passive activities. The grounds of
the Alternative Community School also serve as a neighborhood park, providing some of
the active recreation opportunities that are absent from MacDaniel's Park. The
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remaining public open space available to City residents is the open land that lies along
the west side of the Flood Control Channel. This land is landscaped and has a park-like
atmosphere.
The major issues related to parks on West Hill are access to the existing parks by
pedestrians and bicyclists, the need for additional park land in several parts of the West
Hill neighborhood, the elimination of the possible extension of Warren Place across the
top of MacDaniel's Park, and the preservation of natural areas.
Cass Park, although proximate to the homes of many West Hill residents, is
physically isolated due to the barriers imposed by the steep slopes at the base of West
Hill. Pedestrian access to Cass Park from West Hill is difficult, forcing the users of the
park to walk through the Octopus to reach it. This limited access particularly affects
children, who cannot make full use of the park without assistance from their parents.
The lack of adequate pedestrian and bicycle access encourages people to drive, rather
than walk, to Cass Park. Improved pedestrian connections between the West Hill
neighborhood and Cass Park would make the park more usable to West Hill residents.
Within the developed portion of West Hill, there are very few sidewalks along the
existing streets. Walking on the edge of streets has proved adequate to date for most West
Hill residents, but as the area continues to develop and more traffic is present on the
streets, pedestrian safety will become an issue of growing importance. The development
of sidewalks along both new and existing streets as well as pedestrian paths that provide
access to parks or open space are significant needs for West Hill.
The northern end of West Hill is almost fully developed yet, unlike the southern end,
it does not have any neighborhood parks. The central portion of the West Hill
neighborhood, which is now undeveloped, should also include a new park or land that is
set aside as natural open space. The reservation of land for new neighborhood parks to
serve these two areas is a priority for West Hill planning.
8
Environmental Protection
The drainage patterns dictated by the topography of West Hill mean that storm water
runoff from a large drainage area passes through the City as it flows toward the Flood
Control Channel. The natural state of the streams that carry this water have evolved in a
way that provides protection against flooding, erosion and sedimentation. The natural
vegetation along the edges of these streams augments the protection that streams provide
by slowing the flow of storm water runoff, promoting groundwater infiltration and
reducing erosion. These areas also provide an important habitat for various species of
wildlife which live near the streams.
An important issue for West Hill planning is the protection of the natural conditions
of streams and their adjacent areas. As development occurs, the natural state of streams
is often changed and their protective functions are degraded. Vegetation along the edges is
removed, streams are channelized or piped and the volume of water that is added to the
stream is increased beyond the stream's capacity to handle it. In order to maintain the
natural drainage controls that streams provide, protective measures must be put in
place both within the City of Ithaca and upstream, in the Town of Ithaca. These measures
should preserve the stream corridors and limit the speed and volume of additional runoff
that streams are required to carry. Wooded areas near streams should also be evaluated
for preservation in order to provide additional protection to the streams, wildlife
habitat and passive recreational opportunities.
Another significant planning issue for West Hill is the protection of street trees and
significant stands of trees on private property. Trees are an important element in
defining the environment of West Hill, and measures should be taken to ensure that
large scale destruction of valuable trees does not occur.
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WEST HILL MASTER PLAN
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Public Infrastructure
The components of the public infrastructure system include roads, sidewalks, street
lighting, the water supply system, storm drainage and the sanitary sewer system. Each
of these components serves an independent function, but one component may be closely
related to another in terms of design and efficiency. The layout of the road system, for
example, also dictates the layout of the water supply and sanitary sewer systems since
these systems are usually built within the road right-of-way. Each of these systems
also requires a different set of design criteria that must be taken into account when
designing the system. The water supply system, for example, is a pressurized system
that can provide water to a building that is uphill of the water main. In contrast, the
sanitary sewer system is primarily a gravity-operated system, which means that new
development should be located in places that permit sewage to flow downhill.
Much of the public infrastructure that currently exists on West Hill was developed
in accordance with a 1954 Master Plan prepared by the Department of Public Works.
Most of the infrastructure improvements that have been built since 1954 have been
constructed in accordance with this plan, but in many cases the systems delineated by the
plan remain incomplete because land development simply has not yet occurred in parts
of West Hill. For example, roads that are shown on the plan as connecting with other
roads remain dead-ends, placing limitations to travel in parts of West Hill. The water
supply system also does not function efficiently because it is incomplete with respect to
important system connections.
A major issue for West Hill development is the completion of the public
infrastructure system in a manner that provides for efficient and economical operation.
The development of each of these system components is heavily influenced by the steep
slopes that are prevalent throughout much of West Hill. These slopes pose design and
safety issues that must be addressed in the planning of the public infrastructure system.
The, cost of building and maintaining the public infrastructure system is also directly
related to the design and timing of land development.
A second major planning issue affecting the development of the public infrastructure
system is the fact that the City of Ithaca shares portions of its public infrastructure
with the Town of Ithaca. The City and Town share the regional sewage treatment plant,
and waste from the Town of Ithaca flows through the City's trunk lines to reach this
facility. While most of the Town of Ithaca is supplied with water from the Bolton Point
10
system, the West Hill portion of the Town of Ithaca uses the City's water supply system
to serve its residents. The City's roads are heavily used by residents of outlying
communities to reach destinations within and beyond the City of Ithaca. Cliff Street, Elm
Street, Floral Avenue and Hector Street currently function as thoroughfares between
points within the City and outside the City. Future development outside the City is
expected to result in continued increases in traffic volumes on these streets, with
potentially deleterious effects on the residences that now line them. The City and Town
must coordinate their planning efforts to ensure that new development that is planned
for West Hill will not overburden the existing or planned infrastructure systems.
The following general planning objectives were developed for each component of the
public infrastructure system:
Roads
* The traffic circulation system should efficiently serve
all of the potential new development within the West
Hill neighborhood but should not encourage traffic
from outside residential areas to pass through
these neighborhoods.
* The City's existing road design standards should be maintained.
The maximum grades of new roads should not exceed ten
percent, cui-de-sacs should not exceed five hundred feet in
length, and and block faces should not be larger than 1200
feet.
* The road system should be laid out so that multiple
points of access to the neighborhood are developed.
Access to the interior of the West Hill neighborhood
by emergency vehicles particularly should be improved.
Water Supply
* The existing system, which contains two independent
parts, should be connected in order to promote better
water quality and water pressure.
11
* New development in the Town of Ithaca that utilizes
water from the City system should be limited if the supply of
water becomes overburdened.
Sanitary Sewers
Sidewalks
* The sanitary system should continue to be gravity-fed to the
maximum extent feasible.
* Sanitary sewers should be placed within the right-of-way of a
public street, unless not practical.
* Additional sidewalks should be developed within the West
Hill neighborhood to provide pedestrian connections between
major destinations such as parks, schools and bus stops.
Street Lighting
* Street lights should be provided at street intersections, park
entrances and other locations where safety is a concern.
Storm Water Drainage
* Storm water drainage should utilize the natural drainage
systems to the greatest extent feasible. These
natural systems should be preserved and protected against
degradation from nearby development.
Parking
12
* Adequate on street parking, or suitable alternatives
to on street parking, need to be provided for sections
of Cliff Street and Hector Street.
Emergency Vehicle Access
The steep grades at the base of West Hill have limited the number and location of the
roads that provide access into the interior of the neighborhood. Some of these roads,
such as Sunrise Road, have grades as high as seventeen percent. These roads are barely
adequate for cars, which can maneuver up and down them, but they are grossly
inadequate for large emergency vehicles such as fire trucks.
Large fire trucks also have long wheelbases and can only maneuver within a large
turning radius. There are a number of intersections in the West Hill neighborhood that
have steep grades, sharp curves or a combination of both conditions, and which limit
access to large fire trucks. Because of these conditions, emergency vehicles must use
more distant entrances to the neighborhood, increasing response time and lessening
safety.
The incomplete development of the West Hill street system has left several dead-end
streets with lengths that exceed the five hundred foot limit established by the City's
subdivision regulations. Long dead-end street segments also pose a potential safety
problem due to the possibility of these streets being blocked and the inability of fire
equipment to turn around at their ends.
The provision of good access for emergency vehicles is an important planning
consideration for West Hill. New roads that are developed on West Hill should be built in
accordance with both the City's existing design standards as well as standards that are
needed to accommodate the requirements of modem fire fighting equipment. In addition,
new points of access into the neighborhood must be developed in order to promote the
safety of West Hill residents.
13
Neighborhood Character
West Hill is characterized by a variety of different development styles and densities.
The differences between these areas depend on the era in which they were developed, the
zoning regulations, the layout of lots and positioning of buildings on these lots and the
types of improvements such as street trees or sidewalks that were built along with the
housing.
Six distinct development patterns have been identified for West Hill. These patterns
are shown and described below.
/AQ
Multiple-family residential
development. These areas are
characterized by large, self-
contained sites with an internal
traffic circulation system,
preserved open space, and high
density residential development.
West Village is an example. These
areas were developed within the
last twenty years.
00 Q Urbanized edge character areas
are typical of Cliff and Hector
Streets and Floral Avenue.
Development is characterized
by small building lots, older
single family and duplex dwellings
built close to the front property
lines with the gable end toward the
street and a streetscape that includes
sidewalks, tree lawns and street trees.
Q Older residential areas with
single-family dwellings built
close to the street, lots 75 to
1 00 feet in width, large side
yards and a streetscape that
includes sidewalks, tree
lawns and street trees. Hook
Place is an example of this
type of development.
IP) Q Recent single-family resi-
dential development on quarter
14
to half acre lots. Lots are
generally 1 00 feet wide with low
buildings positioned so that the
long side of the building faces
the street at the rear of a large
front yard. Landscaping is limited
to the private lot, with no street
trees or sidewalks. Warren
Place is characterized by this
type of development.
~ Recent residential development
characterized by one or two
story single-family homes on
quarter to half acre lots. The
long side of the buildings faces
the street, the roads are wide,
and there are no sidewalks or
street trees present. This
suburban type of atmosphere
is found on streets such as
Taylor Place and Oakwood Lane.
IF Rural development character is
found along Elm Street. Older
farmhouse type buildings are
set well back from the street on
self-contained sites. There is
usually a great deal of private
open space separating these
buildings from adjacent
15
development, outbuildings are
often present and there is a great
deal of variety in building types.
These buildings represent the earliest
form of development on West Hill.
As revealed by the preceding analysis, there are many factors that define the
character of a neighborhood. These include the size of the lot, the width of the lot's street
frontage, the architecture and positioning of the buildings on the lot, the width of the
street, the presence or absence of street amenities such as sidewalks or street trees, and
the landscape of the area. There is already a great deal of variation in the way these
elements interact on West Hill, creating variety and interest in separate parts of the
neighborhood.
West Hill is an area in which the majority of the homes either are or have the
appearance of being single family homes. The maintenance of this neighborhood
character is an important issue for West Hill development. However, given the many
design configurations that may be utilized to create a neighborhood, no single
prescription for the development of a neighborhood character should prevail. New
development should respond to the changing needs of households in the City of Ithaca,
which include the size, location and price of dwelling units; the need to protect the
environment; the creation of park and recreation areas and the feeling of safety and
security.
A major issue related to maintenance of neighborhood character are the potential
adverse impacts of traffic on existing residences along Cliff Street, Elm Street and
Hector Street. Each of these streets now carries large amounts of through traffic, and
unless measures are taken each can be expected to experience higher traffic volumes in
the future as development outside the City increases. The narrowness of the roadway and
proximity of homes to the edge of the roadway on portions of these streets creates
problems such as traffic noise, dust and other adverse impacts associated with heavy
traffic. The long term ability of these areas of West Hill to continue as viable residential
neighborhoods may be in jeopardy unless the City acts to address their specific needs.
16
Land Use and Zoning
Land use on West Hill is almost entirely limited to residential development. The few
commercial or industrial land uses that currently exist are for the most part non-
conforming uses which existed prior to the enactment of the zoning regulations and are
permitted to remain or uses that have received variances. (They include Glenside
Monument Company at the southern end of Floral Avenue and Kolar Machine Shop on Cliff
Street. In addition to these are the U.S. Army Reserve Center off Sunrise Road and Hector
Street and Orthopedic Associates at 821 Cliff Street.)
While the majority of West Hill is zoned for low density residential development,
some areas are zoned for medium and high density residential development. In the City of
Ithaca's zoning scheme, there are zoning districts with the designations R-1, R-2 and
R-3, with R-1 a the lowest density and R-3b the highest. The locations of these zoning
districts on West Hill appear to have been placed in accordance with the conventional
wisdom of traditional zoning, which provides that lower intensity uses should be
separated from higher intensity uses, and that there should be a buffer of a medium
intensity use district between the most and least intense uses. The zoning on West Hill
follows this format by placing the lowest intensity residential zone at the center of West
Hill, and then progressively moving toward a higher, more urban development density
on the southern and eastern sides of West Hill. Thus, the areas along Cliff Street and
Floral Avenue, the edges of West Hill, are zoned R-3a, while the center is zoned R-1 a.
There are currently approximately 140 acres of land zoned R-3a in the West Hill
Master Plan study area. Between one-half and two-thirds of this land is presently
undeveloped. Some of this undeveloped R-3a zoned land is located in relatively flat
areas. A major concern of West Hill residents is the type of development which may
occur in the future on this land. Intensive development of the areas now zoned R-3a
could result in dramatic changes to the character of these areas. Since neighborhood
preservation is an important West Hill planning objective, the future development of
these R-3a areas should be moderated so that the potential differences in development
density are not as great as is presently allowed, yet the opportunity for more dense
attached or detached housing is still available. The availability of sites where newer or
more creative forms of housing can be built will help to promote the City of Ithaca's
goals of increasing housing availability and housing affordability.
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The West Hill Master Plan
The West Hill Master Plan seeks to respond to the issues enumerated above by
providing a guide for future decision-making by City of Ithaca officials. The elements of
this plan include the suggested locations of physical features such as streets, utilities
and parks, the creation of logical circulation systems such as pedestrian walkways and
emergency vehicle access and recommendations for policy or regulatory changes in
zoning and environmental protection. Taken together, all of these items provide a basis
for the development of West Hill that will preserve and enhance the goals articulated by
West Hill residents and City of Ithaca officials. The following is an itemization of the
recommendations made for the West Hill Master Plan.
Open Space and Recreation Areas
As West Hill continues to develop, the provision of additional parks in new
subdivisions will enhance the recreational opportunities available in the neighborhood
and provide open space that is accessible to the public. The City of Ithaca's subdivision
regulations currently provide that up to ten percent of the gross area of a subdivision
may be reserved for park or recreation areas. A fee may also be collected in lieu of the
reservation of the land. The consensus within the West Hill neighborhood with regard to
the development of new parks has clearly been to reserve as much land as possible for
future park development. The West Hill Master Plan recommends the development of
new parks in the following areas:
WEST HILL MASTER
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT CITY OF ITHACA
PLAN
ITHACA NEW YORK
0
0
PROPOSED STREET
PIIOilOSED ROAD
RI!SERVATION
r:::..:':'::.:.'.\:: .I EXISTING PARKLAND
., PIIOPOIED PARKLAND
I!ICIITIMG SIDEWALK
PROPOSED IIDEWALK EXIITING DEIIONATED
CONSERVATION AIIEA
PROPOSED PATH
SUS STOP
TRAFFIC CONTROL
PROPOSED DEIIONATED
CONSEIIYATION AREA
PARKLAND CLASSIFICATION
communllr perk
neighborhood puk
echool
connecting cuth
.... , .. ,
Map 6
COMPOSITE MASTER PLAN
18
Central West Hill
The central part of the West Hill neighborhood contains the largest
tracts of undeveloped land and will be subjected to the greatest
development pressure. It is recommended that a large, four to five
acre park be developed to serve the new residents who will move
into the area. This park should be sited so as to preserve the
existing stand of spruce trees near the extension of South
Taylor Place. In this location, several proposed subdivisions
can contribute to the reservation of property for the park. This
park should be developed by the City of Ithaca as an area that
includes mostly passive recreational opportunities, the exception
being active playground areas for children.
Southern West Hill
The southern portion of the neighborhood, near West Village, should
also be provided with an additional public park to serve the needs of
its residents. A small park is recommended to be developed on the
west side of Chestnut Street to provide active recreational opportunities
for the children who reside in and around West Village.
Northern West Hill
The northern portion of the West Hill neighborhood also requires
additional park space, but there is very little vacant land left in this
area to provide such a park. However, the Town of Ithaca is currently
acquiring land along Williams Brook to develop a new park. Since this
park would be located just west of the boundary between the City of Ithaca
and Town of Ithaca, it is recommended that City residents living on the
north side of West Hill utilize this park as their neighborhood park.
In addition to the development of new parks, the protection of existing parks is an
important planning issue. Land that was previously reserved as a right-of-way for the
extension of Warren Place adjacent to MacDaniel's Park is recommended to be changed to
parkland, thereby protecting the ambiance of MacDaniel's Park against the negative
effects of nearby traffic. The plan does recommend that an underground water and sewer
19
easement be maintained within the former Warren Place right-of-way in order to
provide for logical connections to these systems.
Equally as important as the availability of parks on West Hill is the development of a
network of pedestrian connections that will permit access to and from these parks. The
recommended system of pedestrian access includes the development of new sidewalks
along both new and existing streets and the development of pedestrian paths which will
provide overland connections between various park areas.
Sidewalks are proposed to be constructed along the major residential streets on West
Hill. These sidewalks are needed to provide safe access between residential blocks and
the destinations of importance such as parks, schools or bus stops. On new streets that
are built as part of a subdivision, sidewalks should be a required improvement by the
developer. On existing streets, the property owners who benefit from the sidewalks
would be assessed for the cost of the improvement in accordance with existing City
regulations, or a special benefit assessment district could be developed to spread the
costs among all of the property owners within the district.
Important pedestrian connections that do not run along streets are recommended for
several areas. These include:
Cass Park Connection
A network of pedestrian paths and sidewalks that provide access to
Cass Park without passing through the Octopus is recommended. This
pedestrian connection would utilize the old Hector Street right-of-way,
Vinegar Hill Road, Cliff Street and a new pathway from Cliff Street
down the remainder of the hill to Cass Park. Two possible
locations for this connection between Cliff Street and Cass Park
are proposed: a trail beginning north of the Orthopedic
Associates building and following Underman Creek gorge or a
pathway beginning in the vicinity of 705 Cliff Street
and going down the hill.
MacDaniel's Park Connection
The residents of West Village do not use MacDaniel's Park to the extent
that they could because they do not have easy access to the park. They
must walk around the large block bounded by Elm Street, Chestnut Street,
Hook Place and Halter Boulevard to reach the entrance to the park, which
20
is off Hook Place. A pedestrian path from Elm Street directly into
MacDaniel's Park would enormously improve access to the park from the
south.
Floral Avenue Connection
The Flood Control Channel which runs along Floral Avenue provides
beautiful open space along the water, yet access to this area from
most of the West Hill neighborhood is impeded due to the steep topography
around the base of West Hill. A pedestrian path from Chestnut Street to
Floral Avenue near West Village would improve access to the area around the
Flood Control Channel.
Environmental Protection
The West Hill Master Plan makes recommendations for the protection of the key
environmental elements that define West Hill. These recommendations include the
development of new regulations to preserve streams, trees and woodlands and to decrease
erosion and sedimentation.
Streams and Drainage
West Hill's existing drainage ways provide important conduits for storm water
runoff from the entire watershed to the Flood Control Channel and Cayuga Lake. The
protection of these streams and drainage _swales will provide relief from flooding,
maintain water quality and eliminate the need for costly engineering solutions to
drainage problems. An important component of the West Hill Master Plan is to provide
for the legal means to protect the integrity of these streams.
The West Hill Master Plan includes recommendations for two different types of
actions to protect the quality of streams and the capacity for storm water runoff. The
first level of protection is for streams and the areas immediately adjacent to them.
Regulations should be established to prevent the alteration of the physical
characteristics of the stream, thus assuring that the stream can continue to function as a
natural drainage way, a source for groundwater recharge, a buffer against flooding and a
21
source for good quality drinking water. This protection should also extend to a buffer
area on both sides of the stream so that vegetation and wildlife habitat will be preserved.
The size of the buffer area should be based on site specific stream characteristics,
including soil type, topography, existing vegetation and the intensity of nearby
development. Prohibited activities would include dredging, filling, grading, stream
channelization or the removal of trees and groundcover.
The second level of protection is concerned with limiting erosion and sedimentation
that results from development activity near a stream. The regulation of land
development will help to maintain water quality in streams and will limit flooding. It is
recommended that a series of performance standards be adopted to help accomplish this
goal. These performance standards include the following:
11 Q The smallest practical area of land shall be exposed at any
one time during development.
~ Q When land is exposed during development, the exposure shall
be kept to the shortest practicable period of time.
~ Q Important natural features such as trees, groves and drainage
swales shall be preserved and shall conform substantially to
the natural condition of the land.
~ Q Temporary vegetation or mulching shall be used to protect
critical areas exposed during development.
~ Q Natural vegetation shall be retained and protected.
Q No top soil shall be removed except from areas intended
for structures or to be covered by site improvements. The top
soil from areas intended for such improvements shall be redis-
tributed within the boundaries of the lands in question to provide
a suitable base for seeding and planting.
71 Q The development shall be fitted to the topography and soils of the
site so as to provide a suitable base for seeding and planting.
8 Q Runoff from the site after development shall not exceed the
maximum rate and volume that existed before development.
22
9 .. Sediment basins or traps shall be installed and maintained to
remove sediment from runoff waters from land undergoing
development.
The implementation of conservation overlay zones will also provide the added benefit
of helping to preserve existing natural areas which provide habitat for animals, visual
barriers between developed areas and open space within the neighborhood. These
ancillary benefits are also important planning considerations for West Hill.
Trees and Woodlands
The second major area of environmental concern is the protection of significant trees
and woodlands. The benefits of preserving existing trees include decreasing erosion,
protecting water quality, moderating climatic extremes, providing visual and sound
barriers, absorbing air pollution and serving as scenic and recreational resources.
The West Hill Master Plan recommends the following measures to protect trees and
woodlands:
'il ra Adopt and implement the Street Tree Ordinance proposed by the Street
Tree Committee. This ordinance will help to preserve and enhance the
street trees that are such a valuable resource in the City of Ithaca.
~ ra Identify and preserve contiguous areas of significant woodlands based on
such factors as steep slopes, extent of coverage and species composition.
Identify single large or rare trees for individual protection. During the
process of land development, take steps to ensure that as many of the
valuable trees are preserved as possible.
~ ra During the inventory of woodland areas, if specific areas warrant special
protection, provide protection by designating them as Critical Environmental
Areas or by adopting a Woodland Protection Ordinance.
23
Public Infrastructure
Roads
The planning of a road network has major implications for traffic circulation, the
development of the utility system and the the quality of life within West Hill's
neighborhoods. The three major issues that have been identified with regard to roads
are: 1) the desire of residents to prevent through traffic from using the interior
streets within the area's neighborhoods; 2) the impact of high volumes of traffic on
some residential areas, especially those along Cliff Street, Elm Street and Hector Street;
and 3) access to the interior of the area by emergency vehicles and the need for
development of a traffic circulation system that adequately serves future development on
West Hill. Each of these issues is complicated by the steep road grades created by West
Hill's topography.
A primary goal of the West Hill Master Plan has been to plan a road network that
conforms to the standards in the City of Ithaca's Municipal Code. Many of the existing
streets on West Hill do not meet these standards. The standards include provisions that
dead-end streets do not exceed five hundred feet in length, that the grade of major streets
be less than six percent and that the grade of minor streets be less than ten percent. In
addition, new streets should allow the development of an efficient system of public
utilities and conform to the needs of modern fire equipment in terms of grade, turning
radius and visibility.
The proposed road network developed for West Hill addresses all of these concerns. It
is based on a system of new streets that connect with the existing streets but that are laid
out so that they move diagonally across the steep slopes of West Hill. The diagonal
pattern keeps all of the street grades under ten percent and also directs traffic flow in
directions that run counter to the direction that non-West Hill residents use when
travelling between major destinations. This helps to prevent through traffic from
entering the interior of West Hill's neighborhoods. To further the goal of preventing
through traffic, several streets, including Sunrise Road and Warren Place, will be
broken into two parts instead of being developed as continuous roads as indicated in
previous master plans for West Hill.
24
This proposed road network provides for the dispersal of local traffic through the
neighborhood and the development of additional points of access into the neighborhood.
Traffic, whether it is generated by the residents of the West Hill neighborhood or not, is
seen as a burden by almost all residents. The burden of traffic is lessened if it is spread
across a number of streets instead of being concentrated on a few streets.
The suggested road network also eliminates dead-end streets to the greatest extent
possible. The dead-end streets that do exist are laid out so that sanitary sewage may flow
down through the gravity system that is located in the street rights-of-ways. A street
system that does not feature dead-end streets benefits emergency vehicle access and
traffic circulation. It also enhances the efficiency of the water supply system by
allowing loops to be created, thereby improving pressure and water quality.
The Master Plan also anticipates the possibility of new development by
recommending the reservation of several road rights-of-way in order to facilitate the
extension of roads to serve new projects. The ability to keep road options open into the
future is an important element in planning a rational road network.
The traffic impacts created by new development in the Town of Ithaca and beyond
were also a major issue in the West Hill Master Plan. Both planned and potential new
projects west and north of the City of Ithaca will generate traffic that will travel to and
from various parts of the City. Increased development in the Southwest portion of the
City of Ithaca, along Meadow Street and Elmira Road, has increased the number of vehicle
trips moving between the Southwest and West Hill. Driving through the West Hill
neighborhood to reach Route 13A has become an increasingly attractive alternative to
travelling through the Octopus. With the current configuration of roads on West Hill
this traffic is and will continue to be restricted primarily to Cliff Street, Elm Street and
Hector Street. The capacity of these streets to handle increased traffic loads without
further deterioration of the quality of life for residents along them is extremely limited.
The West Hill Master Plan proposes to address at least part of this problem through
the construction of a new collector road that is located west of the City boundary. This
proposed road would run in a north/south direction between Mecklenburg Road and Elm
Street and would then turn east, dropping down West Hill where it would cross the Flood
Control Channel. It would then connect with either Meadow Street or Elmira Road in the
southwest part of the City of Ithaca. This collector road would serve as a convenient
route for vehicles travelling from West Hill to the Southwest and would keep most
traffic from passing through the West Hill neighborhood. It would serve to divert much
of the expected traffic increase from development west of the City away from Hector
25
Street and Elm Street. This road is proposed to be developed jointly by the City of Ithaca
and Town of Ithaca, since parts of it are situated within both municipalities.
With the choice of Alternative A for the reconstruction of the Octopus by the State,
Cliff Street will continue to serve as a major arterial into and out of the City. Under
Alternative A traffic on the street is expected to increase from a current level of
approximately 14,000 vehicles per day to between 20,000 and 25,000 vehicles per
day over the next two decades. The problems faced by Cliff Street residents due to lack of
parking and safe sidewalks can thus be expected to increase in the coming years, and the
quality of life in the neighborhood will continue to decline unless action is taken by the
City. Since widening of the street or development of an alternative route to the street is
not likely in the foreseeable future, the West Hill Master Plan recommends that other
actions be implemented. These actions, described further below, should include
provision of off-street parking, safe sidewalks and other measures to assist the
neighborhood in adapting to an urban traffic environment.
Water Supply
West Hill's existing water supply system is fed from two storage tanks which serve
the north and south ends of the neighborhood respectively. These two tanks effectively
serve two independent service areas, which create limitations in both the pressure and
water quality that is available to the users.
The water supply system on West Hill would be greatly improved if these two
independent parts of the system could be joined. The West Hill Master Plan proposes
that a new water main be constructed between the existing water tank south of Elm
Street and the existing system on Hook Place. This new connection should be built within
the area that was formerly reserved for the right-of-way of the extension of Warren
Place. This is located just west of MacDaniel's Park and would run through the block
bounded by Elm Street, Chestnut Street, Hook Place and Haller Boulevard. In the West
Hill Master Plan, this former right-of-way is designated to become part of MacDaniel's
Park.
A second issue with regard to the water supply system on West Hill is the fact that
the Town of Ithaca shares the City's water supply system. The supply of water and the
infrastructure needed to carry it must be capable of handling the new development that
will occur in the Town of Ithaca without overburdening the system. This issue must be
addressed through agreements between the City and the Town, with appropriate cost
sharing measures implemented.
26
Sidewalks
The West Hill Master Plan recommends that a network of new sidewalks be developed
on selected streets within West Hill's neighborhoods. The higher level of development
with attendant traffic increases makes walking on streets increasingly dangerous,
particularly for small children. A network of sidewalks that connect the major
destinations on West Hill such as parks and schools and that are located on the roads with
the highest traffic volumes will help to increase pedestrian safety.
The issue of pedestrian safety for Cliff Street residents can be addressed through
construction of a sidewalk on the west side of the street to serve homes in the 500 to
700 block of the street. In addition, an alternative to parking on the existing sidewalk
on the east side of the street should be developed. This would allow the sidewalk to be
dedicated to pedestrian use, which would greatly enhance its utility to residents.
Sidewalks in new subdivisions should be planned as part of the subdivision approval
process. The subdivision regulations of the City of Ithaca provide that the Board of
Planning and Development may require developers to construct sidewalks. The location
and design of these new sidewalks should conform to the recommendations contained in
the West Hill Master Plan.
The cost of building new sidewalks on existing streets is, under the City's Municipal
Code, charged to the adjacent property owner. However, the Board of Public Works
should also investigate whether a sidewalk improvement district may be established to
finance the construction of sidewalks in these areas. A sidewalk improvement district
would permit the costs to be shared by all of the property owners in the district, thus
more fairly distributing the costs to those who benefit from the improvements.
Street Lighting
It is recommended that new street lights be considered at key locations where
visibility, personal safety and traffic safety are concerns. These include intersections,
public parks, bus stops and the areas around schools. It is not recommended that street
lights be placed on all streets throughout West Hill; this neighborhood does not require
the high level of lighting that is typically found in a more urban area such as Fall Creek
or East Hill.
27
Parking
The West Hill Master Plan recommends that the City develop alternatives for
providing parking in those areas of West Hill where off street parking is inadequate.
Parking in the 500 to 700 blocks of Cliff Street, for example, is a critical issue for the
neighborhood. The current practice of allowing parking on the only sidewalk serving the
area presents safety problems for residents. Several potential sites exist for one or
more neighborhood parking lots to serve this section of Cliff Street. It is recommended
that the concept of neighborhood parking lots be incorporated into the design of the
Alternative A Octopus reconstruction as a mitigating measure to offset the impact of
increased traffic on Cliff Street that will result from the project. Currently, use of the
sidewalk provides parking for about 30 cars, a situation that should not be disallowed
unless and until at least an equal amount of parking is provided through the proposed
neighborhood lot{s).
Emergency Vehicle Access
Emergency vehicles have historically had a difficult time gaining access to portions
of West Hill due to the limited number of routes that are available to enter the area from
downtown Ithaca. Several streets, such as Elm Street, Sunrise Road and Campbell
Avenue, have steep grades and sharp turns, which are especially difficult for fire
equipment to maneuver through.
The West Hill Master Plan provides for three additional entrances to the West Hill
area, particularly to those places where most of the new development will occur. The
first will provide quick access into the interior of the neighborhood from the new fire
station to be constructed on Route 96 near the Tompkins Community Hospital. This
entrance to the area will require the improvement of the Campbell Street/Cliff Street
intersection to reduce its grade and increase the radius of its curves to make turning
easier, and the completion of the unfinished portion of Campbell Avenue between Hector
Street and the existing Campbell Avenue. Campbell Avenue is also proposed to be
extended into the undeveloped center of West Hill through the land development process.
The second proposed new entrance to the area would also be off Cliff Street, between
Hopper Place and Vinegar Hill Road. This road would provide improved access to the
28
center of the West Hill neighborhood for vehicles coming from the eastern side of the
City of Ithaca. This road is primarily intended to serve the new residential projects
that are anticipated to be built.
The third new entrance into the interior would be at the south end off of Floral
Avenue. Beginning on Floral Avenue just below West Village, this new road would
provide access into the interior of the large undeveloped parcel located south of West
Village. This parcel contains approximately forty acres and could sustain the
development of a significant number of new homes.
Two other elements of the West Hill Master Plan will also serve to improve access to
the area by emergency vehicles. First, the proposed collector road located west of the
City in the Town of Ithaca will have a positive impact on emergency vehicle access
because its proposed northern terminus would be at Route 96 near Bundy Road, making
access to and from the hospital and the new West Hill fire station much faster than is
currently possible. Second, the layout of the interior road network minimizes dead-ends
to the greatest extent possible. This means that there will be very few streets on West
Hill that do not provide two means of access to any single location.
Neighborhood Character
West Hill is divided into several sub-areas, each with its own distinctive
neighborhood character. The size and shape of lots, the orientation of buildings on the
lots, the landscape around the streets and the availability of open space are all important
elements that define West Hill's character.
This plan proposes to maintain West Hill's existing character by ensuring that new
development over most of West Hill is built in a manner that is consistent with
historical development patterns. The exception to this might be the area encompassed
by the Cliff Street neighborhood. Given that the street is to continue functioning as an
arterial, combined with the limitations imposed by terrain, a more urban residential
architecture might be more appropriate for portions of Cliff Street, especially the
portion between the Octopus and Vinegar Hill.
29
The parts of West Hill currently zoned R-1 a have been developed at a density that is
approximately fifty percent lower that the maximum density permitted by the zoning
regulations. In the R-1 a zone, lot sizes are required to be at least ten thousand square
feet in area and the lot must be at least seventy-five feet wide. For historical reasons
the majority of the lots in the R-1 a zone on West Hill are approximately fifteen
thousand square feet in area and one hundred feet in width. The proposed street system
for the central portion of West Hill is laid out in a manner that will encourage continued
development at this same density. The streets are spaced so that the best use of the land
will be through the development of lots that average fifteen thousand square feet in area
and one hundred feet in width. No changes to the existing zoning regulations in the R-1 a
zone are proposed in this plan.
This plan does recommend, however, that the streetscape in the R-1a areas be
improved over what currently exists on many streets such as Warren Place. Many of
the roads that have been built in the last thirty years on West Hill have excessive
pavement widths and do not have sidewalks or street trees. These wide expanses of
pavement encourage traffic to travel faster and pose additional risks to pedestrians, who
are forced to walk in the streets. The addition of street trees would soften the barren
look of the pavement and help to create a streetscape that is more intimate and
comfortable. .
Land Use and Zoning
An important planning objective of the West Hill Master Plan is to retain the
character of the existing neighborhoods while still permitting the development of new
housing. In furtherance of that goal, no zoning changes are recommended for the
majority of West Hill. The areas now zoned R-1 a should not be changed to another zoning
district designation, nor should the R-1 a zoning regulations be changed. Retaining these
zoning regulations will promote stability and continuity within the West Hill
neighborhoods.
Some zoning changes are seen as desirable in order to further the objective of
preserving the existing character of the area. The areas now zoned R-3a, which are
located on both sides of Floral Avenue and on the east side of Cliff Street, hold the
potential for large scale multiple family housing which would be very different from the
30
type of development that primarily exists in these areas. While R-3 zoning is
appropriate for some limited areas of West Hill, the development allowed in this zone is
so longer considered appropriate for all those areas on West Hill zoned R-3.
The West Hill Master Plan recommends that much of the land zoned R-3a west of the
Flood Control Channel be rezoned to lower density zoning. The areas recommended for
rezoning include all the land south of the Octopus and west of the Flood Control Channel
currently zoned R-3a, except for the West Village Apartments and Polygon Associates
sites. The areas to be changed are proposed to become a new zoning district similar in
density to the existing R-2 residential districts. This new district would permit the
development of a variety of different building types, including multiple-family and
owner-occupied forms of housing, at densities that are similar to those found in the
City's R-2b zone, about fifteen units per acre. It would facilitate the development of
affordable family housing by allowing greater flexibility and efficiency in the
development of land. In addition it would result in residential development on West Hill
that will be more compatible with the existing development pattern than that permitted
under the R-3a regulations. The proposed district would also provide for a better
transition between development densities allowed within the City and those allowed in the
adjoining Town of Ithaca.
The West Hill Master Plan recommends that the City also consider tightening its
development review regulations to ensure thorough review of future multi-family
development on West Hill. Specifically, the City should investigate the feasibility of
lowering the thresholds above which such development would be subject to Site
Development Plan Review by the Planning and Development Board.
31
Plan Implementation
The West Hill Master Plan will not be a successful guide to development unless the
recommendations contained within the plan are implemented. Implementation will rely
on coordinated, consistent actions by each of the City's boards and elected bodies that are
responsible for making decisions about these matters. The following is a summary of the
major actions that will need to be completed.
1. Adopt An Official Map
An Official Map is a map that indicates the location of both existing and
proposed roads. The indication of a proposed road on an Official Map helps to
protect the road right-of-way from development, thus assuring that the plan
may be carried out in the future. Without the adoption of an Official Map,
the City of Ithaca would have little power to prevent development in the
right-of-way of a future road.
2. Approve Subdivisions In Accordance
With The Master Plan
New housing projects are often proposed with little regard for the
overall plan for the development of an area. The West Hill Master Plan
will have the most impact if all new projects are approved in accordance
with the guidelines contained in this plan. This includes the reservation
of land for parks, making provisions for the future extension of roads,
providing sidewalks and pedestrian paths and approving projects that
conform to the desired neighborhood character.
32
3. Approve Zoning Map Amendments
The West Hill Master Plan's goals of preserving the character and stability
of neighborhoods cannot be accomplished unless the recommended changes
to the Zoning Map are adopted by Common Council. These changes should be
made immediately in order to halt the possibility of inappropriate
development.
4. Park Development
The West Hill Master Plan envisions the development of new parks
and pedestrian connections for West Hill. The Board of Planning and
Development may require the reservation of land for these facilities,
but they can be parks only if the City of Ithaca allocates funding
and staff time to purchase and develop these areas. This must be under-
taken by both the Common Council and the Board of Public Works.
5. Conservation Area Development
The West Hill Master Plan recommends that the streams and woodlands
of West Hill including the Flood Control Channel be protected through the
adoption of new and stronger regulations. The Conservation Advisory Council
and the Common Council must commit to evaluating and protecting these areas
in a fair and consistent manner.
6. Infrastructure Development
The Board of Public Works must oversee the development of a
program of infrastructure improvements that includes sidewalks,
street improvements, new roads and water and sewer lines. These
improvements must be budgeted and completed in a timely manner.
Ejnal draft dated 2/26/92