The Ithaca Common Council voted on multiple prominent policies at its May 7 meeting.
The council made long-planned changes to the city's zoning rules, recommitted to its climate policies and approved recommendations for new resources for Ithacans experiencing homelessness.
Accessory dwelling units
The council voted to make it easier for homeowners to build small, secondary units on their property called accessory dwelling units or ADUs. Those units include guest houses, garage apartments and carriage houses.
Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo voted in favor of the zoning change, which has been in the works since 2019.
"This is a way of trying to thread the needle on building our housing stock, doing gentle infill in a way that doesn't actually undermine the character of our neighborhoods," he said.
Only one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per parcel, with a maximum of two bedrooms. These secondary apartments can be rented separately from the main building on a property, but must be sold together. There are no off-street parking requirements for ADUs.
The legislation passed without an owner occupancy requirement, meaning landlords can rent out both the main house on a property and its accessory unit.
Proponents of the owner occupancy requirement said it would discourage landlords from buying up additional residential properties and building ADUs on them, pushing out property buyers who wanted to live in the homes.
Third Ward Alderperson Pierre Saint-Perez proposed an amendment that would have placed an owner occupancy requirement on the South Hill area.
"I am concerned about the possibility of adding pressures to South Hill, and the possibility of that will severely impact an area that is already under extreme stress," he said.
The amendment was voted down.
Saint-Perez proposed a separate piece of legislation later that night that would have provided the public with free building plans for ADUs and made a plan to pursue tax abatements for their construction. However, the council voted to send the measure to committee for further discussion and consideration.
Ithaca Green New Deal
The Ithaca Common Council also voted to reaffirm the city's commitment to its "Green New Deal."
The ambitious climate policy calls for community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030, emissions reductions for city vehicles, and equitable support for communities across Ithaca. It made national news after it passed in 2019 for its localized approach to climate action.
Several high school students from the youth-led climate justice organization, Sunrise Ithaca, asked the council to recommit to the plans, including 11th grader Ace Dufresne.
"It is a difficult time for climate action, and I do not wish to diminish that. But if we want to continue to work towards the goals we established in 2019, we need all hands on deck," Dufresne said during the meeting's public comment period.
The vote comes after the Trump administration froze federal funding for numerous grants related to climate change.
Around 85% of the Ithaca Green New Deal's funding comes from federal grants. The resolution promises to continue implementing Green New Deal initiatives and retain staff involved in that work.
Encampment policy update
The council also accepted updates to its homeless encampment pilot policy.
The city currently allows people experiencing homelessness to camp on city-owned property behind the Walmart in Southwest Ithaca.
The plan was created by a city advisory committee that includes council members, city staff and community partners, including staff from local outreach groups. The committee is chaired by Dominick Recckio, the deputy city manager.
The updated policy calls for the city to create a "navigation hub" near the property to meet the basic needs of people living outside, providing things like showers, bathrooms and storage.
The hub is meant to be a temporary resource while Tompkins County builds a permanent, year-round shelter in the city over the next few years. The only year-round homeless shelter in the county closed last year.
It also includes plans to improve the encampment area.
"That would include potable drinking water, lighting, increased access for firefighters or first responders to support people in the area in need," Recckio told WSKG.
He said the next step is for the city to begin implementing the plan.
The council earmarked $800,001 for addressing homelessness in the city during last year's budget making process.
Copyright 2025 WSKG