HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SMC-1997-01-13 SIX MILE CREEK ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Minutes
January 13, 1997
Committee Present: Dan Hoffman (chair) , Peter Fortunato, John
Johnson, Beth Mulholland, Nancy Ramage.
Others Present: Andy Hillman, Larry Fabbroni (both ex-officio) ;
Mayor Alan Cohen, Bill Dress, Rick Gray.
Committee Absent: Jack Booker, Richard Fischer, Marjorie Olds.
1. MINUTES
The minutes of the November 18, 1996 meeting were approved. The
notes of the December 9, 1996 meeting (where there was not a quorum)
were approved with the following addition to Item 4: "Doug Foster
reported that Raponi says he has a right-of-way that allows him to
build a driveway to Crescent Place (across the Recreation Way) . "
2 . EMERGENCY WORK ON ACCESS ROAD
Larry Fabbroni attended the meeting at the request of the
Chairperson, to report on emergency work underway on the maintenance
road along the City water pipeline.
A landslide on the hillside below the Baker property, after
heavy rains on December 1st, plugged the culvert below the pipeline
and pushed out the pipe. Larry said that loss of the pipeline was
imminent; there was not time to contact the SMCAC before work began.
The damage occurred at a point where the pipeline crossed a ravine,
just beyond the end of the maintenance road DPW had been
reconstructing. It was necessary to extend the road across the
ravine, ASAP, in order to repair and secure the pipeline.
The City had recently gotten a grant to make repairs to the
water system; these funds will be used for the project now underway,
ie. , building up the slope below the pipeline. Larry calls this a
"permanent solution" that will stabilize the slope. The pipeline
has been buried and the maintenance road will run above it. It
should not be necessary to disrupt this area again, for a long time.
Larry promised that the maintenance road will end at the plateau
above the lower reservoir, with a turnaround "a few feet beyond" the
so-called "party area. " Although the roadway across the ravine is
now very wide, it will be more narrow ( "not a superhighway" ) when the
work is complete. A temporary roadway going down into the ravine
will be removed, and the connection to the path going down to the
reservoir will be restored. Larry acknowledged that the road itself
needs a lot of clean-up (raking, etc. ) .
Larry promised that some of the project funds will be spent for
restoration of the disturbed area. Andy Hillman suggested tree
seedlings and some transplants. Dan Hoffman asked if some older
trees could be brought in. Nancy Ramage suggested that the
reforested area be temporarily fenced off. Bill Dress said that
willows are easily re-established.
Larry agreed that a better system of communication with the
SMCAC was needed, with regard to unanticipated DPW activities in the
Natural Area; emergency notices will be given to the Chairperson (by
phone or to a non-City Hall address) .
SMCAC Minutes - January 13, 1997 p. 2
3. CITY FORESTER'S REPORT
Andy Hillman missed the November meeting in order to work on
protection of old-growth sugar maples in Camillus, NY. He reported
that the effort was successful.
4. OTHER REPORTS
Beth Mulholland reported that she had spoken with Penny Boynton,
a member of the committee in the Town of Caroline working on Six Mile
Creek issues. Penny would like to have more contact with the SMCAC.
Mayor Cohen reported on the cooperation he is witnessing with the
County Board and the Watershed Committee. He asked them to abandon
their plan to cut up fallen trees so as to float them downstream, and
they agreed. He also reported that gravel deposited in the creek
upstream is being made available to the City. He repeated his idea
of a "watershed corridor" with restrictions on development; he says
the Watershed Committee seems to be in favor of this concept.
Dan reminded the Mayor that the SMCAC's liaison from the Board
of Public Works had been vacant for over a year. The Mayor said he
expects to make an appointment very soon.
5. LAND PROTECTION/ACQUISITION UPDATE
Mayor Cohen reported that the City's purchase of the Pakkala
property has been completed. He had just heard that the State has
just about completed its work on the Substitute Parkland deal; he
expects that the Feds will act quickly, and we might expect final
approval within a couple of months.
Peter Fortunato reported that neighbors of the Raponi parcel do
not wish to purchase it on their own. Nancy said Doug Foster was not
prepared to investigate Raponi's legal right to access to Crescent
Place. Mayor Cohen said he might be able to offer help for a title
search, through his office.
Dan alerted the Mayor to the fact that the SMCAC has voted to
name the Raponi and Sincebaugh properties as "high priority" for
protection/acquisition.
6 . NATURAL AREAS COMMISSION
A committee charged with laying the groundwork for a City Natu-
ral Areas Commission (NAC) met last month, unfortunately without the
knowledge of the SMCAC Chair. Doug Foster has promised that Dan will
be notified of future meetings. Beth reported on the recent meeting,
also attended by Joanne Cornish, Chair of the Parks Commission.
Mayor Cohen said he could go either way: keep the SMCAC separate or
incorporate it into the NAC. Arguments were made for each approach.
The main issue is whether the concerns of the SMCAC will be watered
down if it is folded into the NAC, or have less impact if the SMCAC
stays out. Mayor Cohen suggested that if the SMCAC is subsumed in
the NAC, it will form the "core" of the new group.
7 . BICYCLE-CONTROL MEASURES ALONG REC. WAY
An annotated map produced by Peter Fortunato, showing the SMCAC
recommendations for fencing and signage about biking, was distri-
buted. John Johnson will bring this to the BPW for implementation.
Minutes taken by Nancy Ramage