Ithaca · Local digest

A Dryden property owner presented plans to the town planning board on Aug. 27 to expand the Hillside Apartments, a 47-acre rental housing development on Ringwood Road, by adding five duplex buildings with 10 additional one-bedroom units, bringing the total from 19 to 29 units. The project requires a Planned Unit Development (PUD) review because the property is zoned as a conservation district, which normally allows only one house with an accessory unit or a two-family home; however, the existing apartments have legacy rights since they predate the zoning. Planning Board Chair Tony Salerno expressed openness to the proposal, noting it would disturb only 0.4 additional acres and that the property has adequate water and septic systems. The project will next go before the Dryden Town Board, likely in September, and if approved as a concept plan could return to the planning board for further review and a public hearing before the town board votes on whether to enact the PUD.

Ithaca city officials announced sidewalk repair and replacement projects beginning September 3, 2026, across three locations: the 300 block of E State Street on the North Side, the 100 block of Seneca Way on the West Side, and the 300-400 block of E Seneca on the North Side. The improvements aim to enhance pedestrian infrastructure and are expected to be completed by September 17, 2026, with no detours recommended during the two-week project. For details, residents can contact Ari Hama, Sidewalk Program Manager, at (607) 759-7201.

The Tompkins County Legislature approved the 2027 Recommended Budget on September 2, 2026, totaling approximately $307.8 million with a proposed property tax levy increase of 11.96% to $63.7 million. The budget reflects rising costs for employee benefits (health insurance projected to increase 16-18%), state and federal cost shifts including a reduction in SNAP reimbursement rates, and continued capital investment of $38.3 million after years of deferred projects. For a median single-family home assessed at $290,000, the county property tax is estimated to increase by $168 annually. The legislature also established an Animal Abuse Registry and is preparing Community Development Block Grant applications to support housing rehabilitation for low- and moderate-income homeowners outside the City of Ithaca.