Upcoming & Current Projects

Consideration by the Town of Ithaca Planning Board of establishing itself as Lead Agency to coordinate the environmental review of the proposed Cornell Game Farm Road Field Hockey Field project on Game Farm Road, located immediately east of the existing Cornell soccer fields. The proposal involves constructing new field hockey facilities in two phases, with phase one including the conversion of the existing grass practice field into a synthetic turf field along with construction of a new driveway, formalized parking area, pedestrian amenities, and two small support facilities (a 1,700 +/- square foot restroom/team room building, and a 480 +/- square foot press box). The project also includes new lighting, landscaping, stormwater facilities, and other site improvements.  Phase two involves the construction of a clubhouse for the field hockey team, with locker rooms, meeting rooms, physical therapy rooms, lounge, toilets, showers, and indoor synthetic turf training space. Phase two is projected to be constructed within five years of the athletic field installation. The project is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. Cornell University, Owner/Applicant; Kimberly Michaels, TWM, a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio, Applicant/Agent.

Application Material – Lead Agency (11/19/2024)

Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for a personal wireless service facility located at 111 Wiedmaier Court, off Slaterville Road/NYS Route 79. The proposal involves the construction of a 138′ +/- monopole tower with 9 antennas, two equipment cabinets, a generator, and other equipment within a 50′ x 50′ +/- chain link fenced area. The project is an Unlisted Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the Planning Board issued a negative determination of environmental significance for the project on October 29, 2024. S. Roberts WC Land, LLC, Owner; Verizon Wireless, Applicant; Jared C. Lusk, Nixon Peabody, LLP, Agent.

Application Material – Preliminary and Final Site Plan & Special Permit (11/19/2024)

Application Material – Preliminary and Final Site Plan & Special Permit (10/29/2024)

Application Material – Preliminary Site Plan & Special Permit (10/01/2024)

Additional Application Material

City and Town residents are invited to attend Conifer’s West Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development sustainability-focused charrette on Friday, November 22nd from 3 PM to 6 PM at Conifer Village (200 Conifer Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850). The project team will host a walking tour, which will convene in the lobby at 3 PM and return to the community room at 4 PM. 

A charrette is a collaborative design process that includes public participation to create a concept for a master zoning and development plan (”regulating plan”) for this area. This event will focus on Stormwater Management; Energy Efficiency & Renewables; Sustainable Construction Materials; Natural Resource Preservation; and Smart Growth and Mixed-Use Land Uses.

To stay apprised of upcoming West Hill TND charrette activities, including opportunities for you to get involved and share your ideas, the Town will post project documents – including the developer’s project-specific website – at the Town’s Upcoming & Current Projects webpage.

Contact Town of Ithaca Director of Planning C.J. Randall for more information at cjrandall@townithacany.gov or 607-273-1721 x120.

Project Website

Charrette 1 Design Brief

Project Website

Consideration of a recommendation to the Town of Ithaca Town Board regarding the proposed Maplewood Phase II Planned Development Zone (PDZ), associated with the Maplewood Phase II Project on Maple Avenue, located between the Maplewood Graduate Student Apartment complex and the East Lawn Cemetery. The project, which requires a rezoning from Multiple Residence and High Density Residential Zones to a PDZ, involves consolidating four parcels and constructing six (6) five-story apartment buildings, containing 615 units/800 beds in studio, one bedroom, and two-bedroom unit configurations. The project will also include integrated amenity/service spaces, parking areas, trails and pedestrian facilities, open spaces, stormwater facilities, and other site improvements. The rezoning is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. Cornell University, Owner/Applicant; Michele Palmer, Whitham Planning, Design, Landscape Architecture, PLLC, Agent.

Application Material – Recommendation to Town Board on PDZ (10/15/2024)

Application Material – Lead Agency/SEQR Discussion (09/17/2024)

Application Material – Sketch Plan (07/02/2024)

Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval and Special Permit for the proposed Cornell University Meinig Fieldhouse Indoor Sports and Recreational Facility, located at Robison Alumni Fields on Tower Road on the Cornell University central campus. The project involves replacing the Robison Alumni Fields with a 90,000+/- square foot, 56-foot-tall indoor fieldhouse building and a new synthetic outdoor field hockey field along with new sidewalks and pedestrian connections, stormwater facilities, landscaping, lighting, and other site improvements. The majority of the project is located within the City of Ithaca with a small portion in the Town of Ithaca. This is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act for which the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board acting as lead agency issued a negative determination of environmental significance on September 3, 2024. Cornell University, Owner; Kimberly Michaels, TWM, a Fisher Associates Landscape Architecture Studio, Applicant/Agent.

Application Material – Preliminary & Final Site Plan and Special Permit (10/15/2024)

Application Material – SEQR Discussion (07/02/2024)

Application Material – SEQR Discussion (05/21/2024)

Application Material – SEQR Discussion (02/20/2024)

Application Material – Sketch Plan (01/16/2024)

Consideration of approval of a modification to the Site Plan for the proposed Carrowmoor large-scale community solar photovoltaic system project located at 1358 Mecklenburg Road. The Planning Board granted final site plan approval on November 7, 2023 for a 5MWac single-axis sun tracking solar array system on approximately 30-acres of land along with two inverter/transformer equipment pads, solar energy battery storage, new overhead utility poles, an eight-foot-tall perimeter fence, stormwater management facilities, access drive, and other site elements. The modification involves moving the medium voltage line so that it runs parallel along the Mecklenburg Road frontage instead of crossing through a farm field on the property. The Planning Board will also consider modifying condition “a” from Resolution No. 2023-03 related to the receipt of an Army Corps of Engineers Jurisdictional Letter. This is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act for which the Planning Board issued a negative declaration of environmental significance on September 5, 2023. Rancich Family Limited Partnership, Owner; Nexamp Solar, Applicant; Ryan McCune, Agent.

Application Material – Site Plan Modification (02/20/2024)

Application Material – Final Site Plan (11/07/2023)

Application Material – Preliminary Site Plan (9/05/2023)

Consideration of Preliminary Site Plan Approval for the proposed self-storage facility located at 602 Elmira Road (NYS Route 13) within the Light Industrial Zone and Inlet Valley Center Overlay District. The project involves construction of approximately 24,700 square feet of self-storage in six buildings. The project will be constructed in two phases and consist of indoor climate-controlled storage and  mini-storage units along with a small parking area, fence and entrance gate, stormwater management facilities, landscaping, and site lighting. This is an Unlisted Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. Rudra Management, Owner/Applicant; Michael B. Lasell, P.E., LEED AP, MBL Engineering, PLLC, Agent.

Application Material – Preliminary Site Plan (02/20/2024)
Application Material – Sketch Plan (10/17/2023)

Consideration of Final Site Approval for the proposed Comfort Inn Hotel located at 635 Elmira Road (NYS Route 13) within the Neighborhood Commercial Zone and Inlet Valley Center Overlay District. The proposal involves demolishing the existing structures to allow for the construction of a 3-story, 37,000 +/- square foot hotel. The facility will include 67 hotel rooms, 67 parking spaces, stormwater facilities, outdoor lighting, landscaping, and other site improvements. The Planning Board granted final site plan approval for this project on March 7, 2017, but the approval expired because construction did not materially commence within 36 months of the approval. This is a Type I Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act for which the Planning Board issued a negative declaration of environmental significance on October 3, 2023. Pratik Ahir, Ramji Hospitality, LLC, Owner/Applicant; Adam M. Fishel, PE, Marathon Engineering, Agent.
Application Material – Sketch Plan

Application Material – Preliminary Site Plan & Special Permit (09/19/2023)

Application Material – Final Site Plan (02/06/2024)

Consideration of a sketch plan for the proposed Mirabito convenience store, fuel canopy, and car wash, located at 301 Pine Tree Road. The project involves demolishing the existing Mirabito building and re-developing the site with a new 6,600+/- square foot Mirabito convenience store with fuel canopy and carwash, along with an adjoining fast-food restaurant with drive-thru. This is an Unlisted Action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and is subject to environmental review. Cornell University, Owner; Mirabito Energy Products – Brett Hughes,Applicant/Agent.
Application Material – Preliminary Site Plan (07/18/2023)