HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-NAC-2011-11-14Draft Minutes
Monday, November 14, 2011, 5:30- 7:OOpm, City Hall, 108 East Green St, 2nd Floor Conf. Room
In attendance
Members: Joe McMahon (Chair), ,Aaron Donato, Gerry Cox, Anna Stalter, Sarah Steuteville
(notetaker)
Other: Dan Hoffman (City Attorney) Wade Wykstra (BPW liason) Roxy Johnston (City Watershed
Coordinator), Chuck Baker (Water Treatment Plant Mgr.), JoAnn Cornish (City Planning Director),
Wendy Wallet, Michael Cullota (CAC), Tom Shelley (CAC), Roger Walden (Clarion Associates),
Jessica Waddell ( Clarion Associates)
Absent Members: Robert Wesley, Jon Meigs, Ron Herring, Todd Miner
Minutes from October Meeting were unanimously approved with minor changes.
CITY OF ITHACA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Clarion Associates attended our meeting to get our perspectives as they start to prepare Phase !
of the City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan. Phase I will establish a framework of policies,
strategies, and vision that will put the city on the path it wants to be on. They are looking to have
this phase ready for approval in the summer of 2012. They listened to what our concerns are.
Items that were brought up included:
Six Mile Creek — overuse of certain portions of the natural area, dangerous behaviors with regard
to the dam, underage drinking, camping, erosion, non - native invasives, trash, possibility of a
volunteer ranger group, the lack of clear jurisdiction, the cutting of the ranger's hours, the lack of
a management plan for the natural area. Roxy agreed to forward a new watershed report to
Clarion Associates and to the NAC group,
Ithaca Falls Natural Area — the potential of the site post clean up.
Southwest Substitute Parkland — there was a time when this was going to be a natural area, it
has unclear status and potential.
Fuertes Bird Sanctuary — the inaccessibility of this site, inappropriate use of the site by those who
do figure out how to get to it.
The overall ideas of connection and buffering, accessibility, how to encourage appropriate use of
the sites, how to protect the natural resources, the effect of global warming, the effect of non-
native invasives, including emerald ash borer and the hemlock woolly adelgid which will cause
significant tree mortality and a change in vegetation, and water invasives such as hydrilla.
SALE OF PROPERTY AT END OF CHERRY STREET
The NAC unanimously approved the letter that Joe sent on our behalf to the city recommending
that this parcel not be sold and that it has value as a natural area. There was also discussion
about the need for new development to fit into a comprehensive plan. There are other possible
properties whose sale would raise the money the city is looking for without diminishing the natural
areas.
MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, after Common Council regarding harvesting
ash trees in Stewart Park in advance of the appearance of the Emerald Ash Borer.
HYDROFRACKING COMMENTS. Gerry brought up the upcoming deadline for comments on
hydrofracking. The NAC has made comments in the past expressing a lot of concern about the
lack of sufficient regulations and the lack of knowledge about the potential for affecting drinking
water and natural areas. Roxy has prepared comments for the Water Resources Council critical
of specific sections of the document. She agreed to share them with the NAC.
2012 PRIORITIES. Gerry suggested putting 2012 priorities as an agenda item on the next
agenda. I came across the 2011 priorities, and I am including it below for reference as we
prepare for 2012.
Priorities for 2011 included the following, not in any particular order:
Keeping other boards informed of NAC guidelines
Raising visibility of NAC
Keeping Natural Areas natural (invasive removal, erosion, etc.)
Fall Creek Corridor
Six Mile water project
Public education walks and talks
Trail maintenance
Attendence with expertise