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Neighbors concerned about the proposed Lansing Reserve development in the Village of Lansing piled into the Village Planning Board meeting Tuesday, but the meeting was not what they expected.  A joint meeting between the Board of Trustees and the Planning Board had been scheduled for Tuesday, but when villagers arrived they found a regular Planning Board meeting at which questions by the board were answered by the developer.  The session was not for public questions, though Planning Board Chair Mario Tomei said there will be public hearings in the future.

Residents complained about the scheduling of the meeting, saying that holding it so close to the holiday weekend meant many could not attend.  Tomei explained that it is hard enough to schedule the board itself, and that schedule changes are not practical.  he said a joint meeting of the two boards was rescheduled for July 28th.

Developers answered three questions posed by the Planning Board at a previous meeting.  They had been asked to clarify questions about the financing of the project, access to the development, and environmental questions posed by Planning Board Alternate Jonathan Kantor.  Three choices were presented to the board in answer to the access question.  The first choice depends on whether the Village can acquire a roadway owned by Northwoods Apartments.  Currently the Village requires two access roads, but a scenario was presented in which Village officials could waive the second access.

The board agreed to pass a traffic study conducted by a firm hired by the developer to their own traffic consultant.

Lansing Reserve would bring 65 rental units to the area near Dart Drive.  Depending on the financing that can be obtained, a proportion of the units would have capped rents for affordable housing.  The kind of financing will determine how many units can be capped.  Better Housing of Tompkins County will be the majority owner and manager of the project.

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