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ADVOCACY

I was thrilled and a little surprised to read a recent editorial in The Tattler, the Ithaca High School student newspaper, supporting the Collegetown Terrace Apartments Project. The editorial writers correctly noted one of the interesting current ironies in local government. The City of Ithaca’s Common Council’s Planning Committee is considering rezoning several areas of the City from R3 to R3aa. R3 zoning allows multiple unit housing and larger numbers of units than in R3aa. This, of course, is at the same time that the City of Ithaca has publicly supported the County’s Comprehensive Plan, which encourages infill development and increased housing opportunities.

The Collegetown Terrace Apartment project would build about 1260 units of housing in the area bounded by State Street, Quarry Street, and Valentine Place. To do this it would demolish about 19 properties, with about 635 units, and replace them with six or seven apartment buildings. As I understand it the project was developed in keeping with the current zoning regulations, but might need a variance to get a building permit.

I was really delighted by this editorial because the writers identified two very important points and because they cared enough about housing to write about this subject. Their points were that “Demand for housing will not diminish if people aren’t allowed to develop in the city; Ithaca’s suburbs will just expand instead, swallowing more open space.” And secondly, “The real issue at work is NIMBY syndrome—Not In My Backyard. ‘Nodal’ growth is great, but not here.” Infill projects help prevent sprawl and it’s certainly ironic that the City is considering whether to limit such projects not only on East State Street but in other areas of the city while generally supporting “smart growth” concepts.

Developers simply ask to know the rules. Once ground-rules are established these entrepreneurs can take it from there and obtain financing while supplying the risk tolerance that makes dreams become realities. Unfortunately when the ground-rules are uncertain developers become very wary of investing their time and start-up money in a community that changes the rules in the middle of the game.

The Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee has supported a resolution that supports this development. The resolution is working its way through committees and will be reviewed by the Board of Directors in February. Common Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee will meet and review the rezoning proposal on the evening of February 17th. We’ll be there to voice the opinion of the Chamber’s Board. We hope you will consider lending your voice as well.