HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-04-17 CPSC Final Minutes
Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
Zoom Hybrid Meeting
Meeting Minutes
April 17th 2023
Approved: 05.10.2023
Committee Members Present: Chair Ann DiPetta, Roxanne Marino, Elizabeth Weatherby, Rebecca
Schneider, Diane Cohen, Katelin Olson, Mo Klein
Other Town Staff Present: Michelle Wright, Niels Tygesen, Mollie Duell
Members of the Public: Karen Meador
Proceedings
Chair Ann DiPetta called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm.
Approval of Agenda
Motion: Schneider made a motion to approve the agenda. Weatherby seconded.
Vote: Chair Ann DiPetta aye; Roxanne Marino aye; Diane Cohen aye; Katelin Olson aye; Mo Klein aye.
Motion Carried.
Privilege of the Floor
No members of the public addressed the board.
New Business Items
Introductions
Committee members provided a brief explanation on their professional backgrounds and main areas of
focus they would bring to the Committee. Chair Ann DiPetta, longtime local resident and business owner,
noted her primary focus is on housing. Roxanne Marino, a water quality professional at Cornell, briefly
listed her experience working with the town and noted her primary focus is sustainability. Elizabeth
Weatherby, a local resident for about a decade who works as an environmental consultant, mentioned
her focus on community, specifically recreation and sports. Weatherby also noted her interests in
agriculture, as well as her expertise on meeting clean energy goals. Rebecca Schneider, a longtime local
resident and member of the Planning Board, described her expertise in sustainable water resource
management and noted her work at Cornell. She continued to explain her focus on water management
strategies and flooding, such as avoiding pollution from roadside ditches and agricultural runoff. Katelin
Olson, Town Supervisor, described her background in planning and experience working in Town of
Ulysses. Her concerns include historic preservation planning and sustainable preservation strategies.
Diane Cohen, the executive director of Finger Lakes ReUse and a longtime local resident, explained that
she is interested in learning about planning processes to expand her own knowledge. Mo Klein, another
Planning Board Member, mentioned his experience working for steering committees in other states.
Michelle Wright, Town Deputy Supervisor, introduced herself and briefly explained the DEC grant that is
funding the CPSC.
Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3
April 17, 2023
Operational Items
The committee discussed the scheduling of future meeting dates.
Motion: Schneider made a motion to plan future meeting dates for the second Wednesday of every
month unless otherwise decided. Weatherby seconded.
Vote: Chair Ann DiPetta aye; Roxanne Marino aye; Diane Cohen aye; Katelin Olson aye; Mo Klein aye.
Motion Carried.
The committee reviewed the Draft Committee Rules. Discussion ensued about strategies for engaging
the public and spreading awareness about remote attendance. The committee clarified that remote
attendance will be acceptable for any situation. Pending details would be reviewed and finalized at a
later date.
Motion: Schneider made a motion to approve the Draft Committee Rules. Cohen seconded.
Vote: Chair Ann DiPetta aye; Roxanne Marino aye; Elizabeth Weatherby aye; Katelin Olson aye; Mo Klein
aye.
Motion Carried.
The committee continued to discuss operational items. Weatherby volunteered to act as the Vice Chair
of the Committee indefinitely.
Motion: Chair DiPetta made a motion to nominate Liz Weatherby as Vice Chair. Olson seconded.
Vote: Diane Cohen aye; Roxanne Marino aye; Mo Klein aye; Rebecca Schneider aye; Elizabeth Weatherby
aye.
Motion Carried.
The committee reviewed the process of tracking hours. Wright provided a brief explanation of the DEC
Climate Smart Communities Grant, and the timesheet requirements for Committee members. The
committee further discussed administrative processes and ideal communication methods between
members.
Work Plan
The Committee discussed Continued Committee Membership Outreach and the need for a Village
Liaison; a non-voting member of the group. Discussion ensued over what qualifications would be
required for an ideal member. Marino noted that one or two members of the Ag Committee and two to
three community members were originally desired as participants, as stated in the outline adopted by
the Town Board. Olson noted that more representation from Ag members is vital.
Marino raised the issue of allowing committee materials to be accessible from the website. Schneider
mentioned the absence of zoning resources on the Town website. Tygesen clarified that conversations
related to zoning within the comp plan should be broad, while individual zoning issues such as specific
lot requirements would not be a focus of the committee. The committee continued to discuss their
preferred methods of sharing materials with each other, as well as how to make materials for the public
more accessible. Schneider mentioned the Route 96 Corridor Management Study and noted it would be
useful to access this; Tygesen stated that it would be provided.