1/31/08 - Conifer Housing meeting notes

Good Morning,

Thank you Dan Quail and Tom Michales for facilitating the meeting on the Conifer project. In addition to Tom and Dan, also noted in attendance from the City were Clay Benedict and Susan Feiszli, as well as Mayor Gallagher.

And as well as Kathie and myself, both Tony Piombo (2nd Ward) and Danny Ross (McGraw LD-12) attended from the County.

I attended the meeting more in capacity as a resident than as a Legislator, and as I stated this is a City project. The County really has no decision making in this, except that the Cortland County IDA will help to secure low interest loans and issue the PILOT. It was a very informative meeting, and one I hope shed some light on the financial strain of the City and the need to develop housing stock for workforce families. From what I gathered from the Conifer representatives, this will allow blue collar families the opportunity to afford high-quality housing and (hopefully) spend their hard earned money right here in the City of Cortland.

Dave Compagni hit this right on the head last night when he indicated that there is really nothing we as residents, and to the City for the most part, can do as long as the proper zoning is obtained, permits secured, and Codes followed, I believe that Confier can and will do this, and the project will be a success if approved. And in the big picture, the property will immediately pump $120,000 in back taxes that Fritz Brown owes back to the City , County and School; will be paying PILOT funds for several years; and will eventually be a taxable property that can help offset what we all consider to be high taxes.

Do we all want the property to be located there? I would say 60 people in the neighborhood said NO. Why? Obvious reasons include location to several low and subsidized income housing already on Pendleton Street, the association / stigma of rental housing to lower property values, the influx on young children to our crowded Randall School, and the increased traffic on already busy thoroughfare from Port Watson Street to Marietta, the housing developments and Cortland High School.

But the fact remains that this will provide a boost to the tax base, will clean up a less than attractive area by the railroad tracks, and as Kathie jokingly (I think!) said - would we rather have the jail there?

My questions for Tom and Dan are:

1) Will the current City services (sewer and water in particular) be able to handle the 56 units proposed under this project? Can our pipes along Pendleton and Port Watson support the buildings, which most likely were put in years ago even before the other apartment complexes were built? If not, how much will this be and who pays for the utility infrastructure upgrade(s)?

2) Traffic along Pendleton Street is a problem. Most likely Pendleton Street will need to be widened or modified in the future to accommodate the additional traffic. Are there any plans to perform a traffic study as part of this project, who pays for the study? Then, how are the study recommendations addressed and how are they funded?

The two items above in my mind appear to be those that will have a direct impact on our taxes. The Conifer project will ultimately add revenue to City, County and School budgets. But City services that may cost hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars to accommodate the increased density of cars and people need to be reviewed and addressed.

And one last item. As I indicated to Dan after the meeting, this is not the same County Legislature from two years ago. I ran for County government because I was unhappy with the County's lack of communication with the public and the City on projects, and their seeming lack of consideration of taking properties of the tax rolls and the additional burden they were placing on the residents in the City of Cortland.

The County General Services committee is in the process of gathering information on all of the properties currently owned and maintained by the County and hope to take a big picture approach to the the County facilities. We will be working with the City to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. We will not take taxable property away from the City without informing the Common Council well in advance of any decisions.

Thank you,
Chad Loomis