HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SMC-1997-03-11 SIX MILE CREEK ADVISORY COMMITTEE
March 11, 1997 Minutes
Committee Present: Elizabeth Mulholland, Chair Dan Hoffman,
Marjorie Olds, Jack Booker.
Others Present: Bill Dress, City Forester Andy Hillman, City
Planner Doug Foster.
Committee Absent: Nancy Ramage, Dick Fischer, John Johnson,
Peter Fortunato.
1. Introductions and Agenda Review.
2 . Approval of Minutes.
Due to lack of quorum the Six Mile Creek Advisory Committee
( "Committee" ) could not approve the February 10, 1997 minutes.
3. City Forester's Report.
Pipeline Repair Project: Andy Hillman has spoken with
Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Larry Fabroni regarding
a plan to restore the greatly disturbed areas along the path to
Reservoir.
Water and Sewer has no plan for restoration. The City has
received approximately $65,000 for repair of flood damage,
however, none of that money will be used for trail or tree
restoration, according to Larry.
Andy is considering a plan to reclaim the disturbed area
with log terraces, which would be staked, with the addition of
mulch and topsoil.
Andy will complete his order for seedlings for the disturbed
area; planting larger trees on the steep slope is problematic.
More extensive trail restoration will be undertaken this
summer; Andy hopes to get the assistance of youth programs.
Big Tree Search: Elissa Wolfson may have located several
champion trees during recent walk in Six Mile Creek. Andy will
confirm sizes .
Benches: Two out of three benches now have memorial
plaques. Andy expects $275 (from donors) to be deposited shortly
into construction supply account. Chamberlain is already holding
money deposited for other memorials.
Six Mile Creek Parking Lot: Andy relocated a sign to
prevent it from detracting from view into meadow from lot.
SIX MILE CREEK ADVISORY COMMITTEE -- 3/11/97 p. 2
6 . Natural Areas Commission.
Doug Foster gave an update on negotiations with Cornell
regarding transfer of the Ithaca Falls to the City. One of
Cornell's conditions is that the City provide oversight of the
area (including CU representation) . Some think it makes sense to
have the oversight body be a Natural Areas Commission, which
would have jurisdiction over all the City's natural areas.
The timing of this transfer may be affected by the City's
progress on alienation along Inlet Island.
Dan Hoffman's proposed recommendations to Common Council on
the Natural Areas Commission could not be acted upon, due to the
lack of a quorum. They will be considered at the April meeting.
Meeting adjourned around 6:45 PM.
Minutes by MZO.
Next meeting: April 14, 1997 at 5: 15. Quorum is essential.
Please plan to attend.
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CITY OF ITHACA
1OB EAST GREEN STREET
ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850
OFFICE OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
SUPERINTENDENT AND TELEPHONE: (607)274-6527
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS FAX: (607)272-7348
March 19, 1997
Daniel Hoffman, Chairperson
Six Mile Creek Advisory Committee
607 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
Re: Stabilization of City Raw Water
Main - Six Mile Creek Gorge
Dear Dan:
Thank you for your letter of March 4, 1997. It afforded me the opportunity to go
back and review the Six Mile Creek Advisory Committee file, including the Six Mile
Creek Gorge People and Preservation Report of March 1984, the various committee
discussions in 1992 and 1993 and the resulting legislation changes in 1993 covering
Chapter 113 - Six Mile Creek Advisory Committee and Chapter 320 - Water Shed,
contained in the Ithaca City Code.
While it is true that the work done recently in Six Mile Creek Gorge was done
under emergency conditions, I do not think of it as emergency work. The maintenance
and stabilization of the raw water line has been a topic of conversation for all of the
years that I have been with the city. This was due to the deferred maintenance of the
line, the unstable soil conditions that existed, and a certain reluctance to disturb the
overgrown conditions along the maintenance road and water main corridor. We started
rehabilitating the access road several years ago in order to do this work. We
appreciate the committee's assistance as we deal with the prime purpose of the Six
Mile Creek natural area outlined in paragraph A, section 113-2 and paragraph Al,
section 320-1. Our work under these emergency conditions will be useful as
preliminary experience when we deal with two more areas of unstable conditions along
the raw water main. I believe that the water and sewer group have identified at least
four locations that will need work.
An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program" t43 Recycled Paper
Page 2
Re: Stabilization of City Raw Water Main - Six Mile Creek Gorge
Date: March 19, 1997
It is my understanding that water and sewer personnel are currently working with
Andy Hillman for erosion control and re-vegetation measures as well as discussion
concerning the restoration of the foot path to the lower reservoir.
The city has received a $65,000 grant for bank stabilization associated with
several land slides occurring in 1993. That money is dedicated to the items for which
the grant was received and is not available for general use in the wider water shed.
However, approximately 2 million dollars of EQBA funds have been applied for as part
of a larger water system upgrade project submitted jointly by the city, Cornell and
Bolton Point. Since I expect it will be six months or more before we know the status of
that application, and the related funds, you may want to independently develop your
1998 budget request recommendation for the Six Mile Creek Area. If you have any
questions or comments, please feel free to contact me or Larry Fabbroni.
Very truly yours,
L.L LCA,r-Y1 6-1(a
William J. Gray, P.E.
Superintendent of Public Works
WJG/dlp
cc: Larry Fabbroni, Asst. Superintendent for Water and Sewer
Andy Hillman, City Forester
Alan J. Cohen, Mayor
Members of the Board of Public Works