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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-NAC-2001 COMMENTS ON PROPOSED MASTER PLAN FOR SOUTHWEST NATURAL AREA From: City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission Date: February 5,2001 The Natural Areas Commission commends the City for acknowledging the need for developing a long-range plan for the Southwest Natural Area and hiring a professional consultant to prepare a proposal for such a plan. We appreciate the effort that went into the proposal and the participation of the Client Committee, whose members were willing to devote their time in a series of meetings to learn about the natural area and to offer advice to the consultant. There is much in the proposed master plan with which we can agree. The ideas expressed for the internal layout and treatment of the designated substitute parkland (which we will primarily refer to as the Southwest Natural Area) seem generally appropriate. We agree that main trails should avoid ecologically sensitive areas, that the Black Diamond Trail(BDT) meander somewhat through the meadow in the Town portion of the parkland, rather than paralleling the railroad for its entire length, and that pedestrian bridges should be built to carry the BDT across the Inlet at two locations within the natural area. We agree that there should be limited motor vehicle access, to the most northerly part of the Town portion(and not beyond), and that at least some of the main trails should be made handicapped-accessible. We agree that the large meadow on the Town portion should be maintained for "multiple use" and that existing wetlands and woodlands should be preserved, as well as fishing access. We agree that State regulations regarding stormwater runoff should be strictly enforced to protect the natural area. Our main concern is that the proposed plan does not adequately address the larger context in which the Southwest natural area finds itself. The plan focuses on what should happen within the natural area, but it does not pay adequate attention to what is going to be happening AROUND it and how that could affect or even damage the natural area. Furthermore,the proposed plan does not reflect new information(released since August 2000)regarding the Widewaters project and does not adequately protect the integrity of the natural area from several inappropriate "intrusions" originating with that project. The Southwest natural area is a large part of an important greenway corridor that currently runs through the Inlet Valley from Cayuga Lake(starting with the Allen Treman Marine Park)to Buttermilk and Robert Treman State Parks. With the impending creation of the Black Diamond Trail, this corridor has the potential to be a very attractive system of open space,natural habitat and recreational opportunities. However, at several points, this corridor overlaps or is bordered by potentially conflicting land use designations -namely, heavy commercial or industrial. Unless the impacts of incompatible land uses are addressed,the quality of the Southwest natural area(and other parts of the Inlet Valley greenway corridor)could be greatly diminished. The biggest challenge faced by the Southwest Natural Area(and other parts of the greenway)is to maintain the integrity and viability of this resource in the midst of potentially conflicting land uses. The proposed master plan does not offer sufficient guidance or protection in this regard. The NAC's recommendations for changes in the master plan are as follows. I. IMPACT OF WIDEWATERS PROJECT The site of the shopping center project now proposed by the Widewaters company is immediately adjacent to (and "uphill" from) the Southwest Natural Area. At the time the master plan was drafted,the scope of the development on the so-called Widewaters site was unknown. It is now known that the proposed development would incorporate commercial buildings in excess of 195,000 square feet and that at least 88% of the site would be covered with impervious surfaces. Furthermore,the main buildings would be sited within about 20 feet of the natural area, and a service roadway for deliveries (behind the buildings)would extend virtually to the natural area boundary. Thus, the project could potentially have a profound impact on natural area(and Cayuga Inlet),much of which is not addressed in the proposed master plan. A. Stormwater Runoff The proposed master plan was drafted just before a site plan was submitted for the Widewaters project. The consultant did not have data on the quantity of stormwater runoff to be generated by the Widewaters site,nor any proposal from the developer for how this runoff would be handled. The project proposed by Widewaters will generate a large amount of runoff, all of which would be directed to a swale to be constructed within the natural area, apparently without pre-treatment. The swale would discharge any excess water(beyond its capacity)to the land between the swale and the Negundo Woods, and it would ultimately drain toward the Cayuga Inlet. Because Cayuga Inlet, and in particular a portion thereof which runs through the natural area, is a primary fishery in Tompkins County, there is concern about the discharge into the Inlet of additional stormwater,which may be warmer and more contaminated. While the value of the fishery is acknowledged in the proposed master plan, there is an additional source of information which should be referenced. That is a recent study of aquatic insects in that particular stretch of the Inlet, conducted by Barbara Peckarsky, a professor of entomolgy at Cornell, showing rare and special specimens in the unchannelized section of the Inlet,which could be affected by the runoff. Unless the Widewaters drainage plan is changed, we are concerned that the volume of stormwater that will be discharged into the Cayuga Inlet could accelerate erosion and damage the unchannelized banks of the stream, and could affect the stream ecosystem. We suggest that runoff originating from the Widewaters site be directed into a single course across the natural area,to its easterly side,which will discharge any such stormwater into the area near the elbow of the Inlet, where the channelized portion(which is reinforced with rip-rap)begins. We believe discharging this runoff as far downstream as possible will minimize erosion and bank damage and will reduce the areas of the Inlet affected by any increase in temperature or other pollutants. The master plan should emphasize the importance of following and enforcing the intent of laws and regulations that regulate the quantity and quality of runoff that may be discharged on to "neighboring" property. For these purposes, the designated substitute parkland, including those portions which Widewaters has been under contract to convey to the City since December 1999, should be treated as separate and distinct(in ultimate ownership) from the Widewaters development site. (This same approach should be applied to any proposed disposition by Widewaters of "remediated" soil within the designated substitute parkland.) In addition, the City should carefully monitor runoff conditions and any soil which may still contain contaminants. 2 We believe that handling the runoff from a project of this scale, in the manner currently proposed by Widewaters, is likely to have a damaging impact on the natural area and Cayuga Inlet. The master plan for the natural area should call for measures that are strongly protective of its ecological integrity and recreational value. The NAC strongly supports current provisions in the proposed master plan calling for: - compliance with NYSDEC regulations &guidelines (including thermal discharges) [pp. 37, 39] - minimization of disturbance of Cayuga Inlet and its banks [p. 38] - treatment of"first flush" of runoff on-site (ie., on the Widewaters development site, not within the natural area),with state-of-the-art practices [p. 39] - handling all water quality issues outside the natural area [p. 42] In addition, the NAC recommends the following: Recommendation: The master plan should be revised to reflect new information available about the adjacent Widewaters project, and should call for the following: (1) compliance by developer of the Widewaters site with City zoning ordinance requiring that runoff from two-year storm events be retained on site(and not be allowed to drain on to neighboring premises,including any portion of designated substitute parkland); (2) restricting use of salt(for snow/ice control) on properties adjacent to natural area; (3) no storage or dumping of snow within boundaries of natural area; (4) limiting drainage(beyond collection/retention swale)to historical drainage channel on easterly side of natural area, so it enters Inlet at elbow downstream of unchannelized portion; and (5) regular City monitoring of quality/quantity of stormwater runoff into natural area. B. Easement across natural area The NAC opposes in principle the establishment of an easement for private, commercial purposes across the substitute parkland(or any public park/natural area). The NAC believes that such an easement would be in violation of the NYS legislation designating the substitute parkland and requiring its dedication "for park purposes." Recommendation: The master plan should call for stormwater retention and treatment to occur on the Widewaters development site, and not within an easement for private benefit across the(present or future) substitute parkland. If the easement must remain,then this portion of the substitute parkland(3+acres?) should be alienated or "undesignated" and at least an equivalent amount of other land in the immediate proximity of the Southwest Natural Area should be designated instead. We recommend the southwesterly portion of the original Southwest Park. C. Buffer/Berm between Widewaters site &natural area The NAC has previously made its position clear,namely,that the buffer intended to shield the natural area from adjacent commercial development should be located on the property of the commercial development. 3 Recommendation: The master plan should call for buffers required to shield the natural area from adjacent commercial uses to be located on neighboring commercial properties (not in the natural area). If the requirement for a buffer is not going to be enforced this way against Widewaters,then the buffer/berm to be created by the developer within the natural area should meet the following criteria: (1) the berm should be variable in height and contours,to provide a more naturalistic appearance; (2) the maximum slope of the berm and other fill placed in the natural area should not exceed 25%, so that erosion is minimized and the slope can support large trees and shrubs; (3) the width of the buffer intended to support vegetation should be between at least 50 and 100 feet,with an overall average of at least 75 feet. (It is our understanding that the most recent design being considered includes a widened collection/retention swale. Since the swale basin itself will not include trees or shrubs,the width of the swale should not be counted as part of the required vegetative buffer.) (4) no soil which was previously contaminated should be placed in the parkland (as part of the berm or otherwise). D. Buffer along Black Diamond Trail The NAC considers the Black Diamond Trail along the railroad embankment to be an extension of the natural area. In order to maintain a naturalistic experience,we recommend that the developer of the Widewaters site be encouraged to widen the vegetative buffer between its parking lot/intemal roadway and the BDT. (This would have the added benefit of increasing the safety of the BDT; with a sparse buffer, young bicyclists might be more tempted to "bushwhack" down the embankment into the roadway.) Recommendation: The master plan should suggest a wider,vegetative buffer between the Black Diamond Trail and any commercial project developed on the Widewaters site. E. Orientation of public access from Widewaters site The NAC has previously stated its position that public access to the natural area from Route 13 should be separate from any commercial project developed on the Widewaters site. Even if the City is not going to require such a separation, the NAC believes that for various reasons public access should be oriented toward the westerly side of the natural area,rather than toward the easterly(levee) side, as now envisioned. A westerly orientation would be consistent with the change in drainage suggested above. Even more importantly, such an orientation avoids future conflict with any new road built across the levee(as is proposed by some City officials). Recommendation: The master plan should call for public access to the natural area from Rt. 13 to be physically separate from commercial development on the Widewaters site,if possible. Even if this is not possible,the master plan should be revised to reflect a different orientation for public access from the Widewaters site, namely, from the westerly side(and provision should be made in Widewaters' site plan for parking adjacent to a westerly entrance that does not require visitors to cross the delivery service road to reach the natural area). 4 II. OTHER BUFFERING To protect the integrity of the SW natural area, at least two other vegetative buffers are essential: A. To the east of the levee. The easterly view from the natural area is of the levee and the area beyond it. At this time, the view beyond the levee is mostly of trees occupying the southwesterly portion of the original Southwest Park. At least three structures in the County's recycling center protrude above the levee and are inadequately screened by vegetation. The master plan should call for dense, vegetative buffers in both of these locations. In the area of the original Southwest Park,this would best be accomplished by leaving at least a broad band(minimum 200 feet) of existing trees and encouraging its extension toward the base of the levee. It should be noted that the existing trees begin some distance from the levee(100-200 feet?), so the recommended buffer should start that far back from the levee; otherwise, it would contain few if any existing trees. On the county property associated with the solid waste center,the master plan should call for an aggressive program to establish a tall,dense vegetative screen between the buildings and the levee. We recommend the creation of strategically-placed mounds or a berm, so that trees can be planted at higher elevations; otherwise it will take decades to establish a sufficiently tall buffer. B. Between the natural area and the building/parking area occupied by the Limousine Service. On the Town side of the natural area, at the end of the access road, there is a commercial facility occupied by the Airport Limousine Service,where twenty or more large vehicles are typically parked. The visual integrity of the natural area would be enhanced by planting a dense, vegetative buffer between the natural area and the parking lot for this facility(on one or both sides of the railroad track). Recommendation: (A)At least a broad band of existing trees should be preserved in the southwesterly portion of the original Southwest Park, as a visual buffer between the natural area and potential future development in the former park. (B) New trees,including some on earthen mounds,should be planted east of the leveeto help screen the solid waste center from the natural area. (C) New trees should also be planted between the limousine service facility and the natural area. III. USE OF THE LEVEE The NAC understands that the flood control levee is now a primary entrance into the Southwest Natural Area and Inlet Valley greenway,particularly for residents of the closest neighborhood, namely, Spencer Road. We disagree with the position taken in the proposed master plan that the levee will never be "acceptable" (to DEC) as a pedestrian access point and, therefore,that "current trail use at the top of the levee will be discouraged in the Final Master Plan." We note that DEC has recently(since issuance of the proposed master plan)indicated that construction of a roadway across the levee would be acceptable. While we oppose such a roadway (see below),we would contend that its quick "acceptance"by DEC indicates that historical restrictions on use of the levee are obviously not ironclad. 5 Recommendation: The master plan should encourage the City to convince the State to allow pedestrian/bicycle access along the levee, as this is already a popular route and it allows those using it to reach the Town portion of the natural area more directly, as well. IV. PROPOSED ROADWAY ACROSS LEVEE The Southwest Area Land Use Plan does not call for a new north-south roadway connecting the Widewaters site with the original Southwest Park area,but some City officials have advocated the construction of such a road. The NAC opposes any such road because it would have serious,negative impacts on the Southwest Natural Area. - It would run along the east side of the Inlet and the levee, thus bringing heavy traffic (including associated noise and fumes)within a short distance of much of the easterly boundary of the natural area. - It would displace the area we recommend for a dense, vegetative buffer to shield the natural area from both the recycling center and future development in the original Southwest Park area. -It would place a roadway and heavy traffic immediately next to the levee,thus ruining the quiet,naturalistic experience now available to those who use the levee trail for walking,running,birdwatching,dog walking, etc. - It would require the road to cross the levee at some point,thus interrupting both the levee trail and the pedestrian access at the base of the levee proposed by the draft master plan and causing a danger to pedestrians. Recommendation: The master plan should oppose the construction of a new roadway adjacent to or across the levee,because of its disruptive effect on the natural area and safe access thereto. V. COMPLEMENTARY NATURAL AREAS The NAC has previously stated its position that there are at least three, adjacent, undeveloped areas that currently complement the Southwest Natural Area,particularly as wildlife habitat, as well as serving a visual buffers from potentially incompatible land uses. The NAC reiterates its recommendation that the following areas be preserved in a naturalistic state, as important parts of the Inlet Valley greenway and as complements to the Southwest natural area. Failure to preserve these areas will result in habitat fragmentation and reduction of the diversity and viability of wildlife in the greenway corridor. The areas are as follows. A. The area(in the Town)bounded by the Inlet,the railroad embankment and W. Buttermilk Falls Road(extended). It is our understanding that this area may have recently been acquired by Buttermilk Falls State Park. If it has not, acquisition by Parks or the City/Town should be strongly encouraged. B. The southwesterly,unfilled portion of the original Southwest Park. This area contains emerging flood plain forest and wetlands which would have to be replaced if they were filled for development. 6 C. The southerly, unfilled portion of the Cherry Street Industrial Park extension parcel. This area, which is contiguous to the northerly tip of the Southwest Natural Area, also contains designated wetlands and some emerging flood plain forest. Its preservation will enhance the naturalistic experience of those using the Black Diamond Trail and the grassy"promenade" along the Flood Control Channel,which now offers water on one side and woods on the other side. Recommendation: Three undeveloped areas adjacent to the Southwest Natural Area should be considered for protection (through acquisition); their preservation will complement and enhance the recreational and ecological value of the Southwest Natural Area and will prevent the fragmentation of habitat that would occur if their natural character were changed. These areas are: - The land between the railroad embankment, Cayuga Inlet and W. Buttermilk Rd. - The southerly, unfilled portion of the original Southwest Park,particularly the southwesterly quadrant, closest to the levee and Cayuga Inlet. - The southerly, unfilled portion of the Cherry St. Industrial Park expansion parcel. VI. PHASING., DESIGN OF LATER PHASES As noted above,with the exception of the drainage corridor,we find the recommended internal layout of the natural area to be reasonable, in general. We agree with the phasing recommended for the master plan,with the modification noted below. The early phases,namely, establishment of buffers and drainage systems, creation of the internal trail network, including necessary boardwalks and completion of the Black Diamond Trail and associated bridges, should have top priority. Some design details in the later phases (including access roads from the Town and the developed parking lot)may need refinement, and we reserve the right to comment further on them at a later point. Recommendation: Phase 3B of the proposed master plan (establishment of internal trail system,with boardwalks) should be implemented before Phase 3A(paving of Inlet Road access and parking lot) of 4 (creation of new access via Town and Buttermilk Falls Road rights-of-way). The elements proposed for Phases 3A and 4 (which are the most expensive in the plan) need further thought,particularly as to the design standards required. The appropriate scale and form of elements such as roadways, curbs and benches may be different in a natural area than in a more conventional park. VII. NEED FOR SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Proper implementation of the master plan would be enhanced by the addition of a summary of all recommended elements. Important provisions regarding stormwater management,trail design, etc., are scattered throughout the text(as well as the photo captions and cost table) of the current document. Recommendation: A concise listing of all recommendations for elements of the master plan should be prepared,prior to the completion of public review. 7 NAC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES IN PROPOSED MASTER PLAN FOR SOUTHWEST NATURAL AREA -- Summary I. IMPACT OF WIDEWATERS PROJECT A. STORMWATER RUNOFF. The master plan should be revised to reflect new information available about the adjacent Widewaters project, and should call for: (1) compliance by developer of the Widewaters site with City zoning ordinance requiring that runoff from two-year storm events be retained on site(and not be allowed to drain on to neighboring premises, including any portion of designated substitute parkland); (2) restricting use of salt(for snow/ice control) on property adjacent to the natural area; (3) no storage or dumping of snow within boundaries of natural area; (4) limiting drainage(beyond collection/retention swale)to historical drainage channel on easterly side of natural area, so it enters Inlet at elbow downstream of unchannelized portion; and (5) regular City monitoring of quality/quantity of stormwater runoff into natural area. B. EASEMENT ACROSS NATURAL AREA. The master plan should call for stormwater retention and treatment to occur on the Widewaters development site, and not within an easement for private benefit across the(present or future) substitute parkland. If the easement must remain,then this portion of the substitute parkland should be alienated or"undesignated" and at least an equivalent amount of other land in the immediate proximity of the Southwest Natural Area should be designated instead. We recommend the southwesterly portion of the original Southwest Park. C. BUFFER/BERM. The master plan should call for buffers required to shield the natural area from adjacent commercial uses to be located on neighboring commercial properties (not in the natural area). If the requirement for a buffer is not going to be enforced this way against Widewaters,then the buffer/berm to be created by the developer within the natural area should meet the following criteria: (1) the berm should be variable in height and contours,to provide a more naturalistic appearance; (2) the maximum slope of the berm and other fill placed in the natural area should not exceed 25%, so that erosion is minimized and the slope can support large trees and shrubs; (3) the width of the buffer intended to support vegetation should be between at least 50 and 100 feet,with an overall average of at least 75 feet. (It is our understanding that the most recent design being considered includes a widened collection/retention swale. Since the swale basin itself will not include trees or shrubs, the width of the swale should not be counted as part of the required vegetative buffer.) (4) no soil which was previously contaminated should be placed in the parkland (as part of the berm or otherwise). D. BLACK DIAMOND TRAIL BUFFER. The master plan should suggest a wider,vegetative buffer between the Black Diamond Trail and any commercial project developed on the Widewaters site. E. ORIENTATION OF PUBLIC ACCESS. The master plan should call for public access to the natural area from Route 13 to be physically separate from commercial development on the Widewaters site, if possible. If this is not possible, the master plan should be revised to reflect a different orientation for public access from the Widewaters site,namely, from the westerly side(and provision should be made in the Widewaters site plan for parking adjacent to a more westerly entrance that does not require visitors to cross the delivery service road to reach the natural area). II. OTHER BUFFERING. (A)At least a broad band of existing trees should be preserved in the southwesterly portion of the original Southwest Park, as a visual buffer between the natural area and potential future development in the former park. (B)New trees, including some on earthen mounds, should be planted east of the levee to help screen the solid waste center from the natural area. (C) New trees should also be planted between the limousine service facility and the natural area. III. USE OF LEVEE. The master plan should encourage the City to convince the State to allow pedestrian/bicycle access along the levee, as this is already a popular route and it allows those using it to reach the Town portion of the natural area more directly, as well. IV. PROPOSED ROADWAY ACROSS LEVEE. The master plan should oppose the construction of a new roadway adjacent to or across the levee,because of its disruptive effect on the natural area and safe access thereto. V. COMPLEMENTARY NATURAL AREAS. Three undeveloped areas adjacent to the Southwest Natural Area should be considered for protection(through acquisition); their preservation will complement and enhance the recreational and ecological value of the Southwest Natural Area and will prevent the fragmentation of habitat that would occur if their natural character were changed. These areas are: A, The land between the railroad embankment, Cayuga Inlet and W. Buttermilk Rd. B. The southerly, unfilled portion of the original Southwest Park,particularly the southwesterly quadrant, closest to the levee and Cayuga Inlet. C. The southerly, unfilled portion of the Cherry St. Industrial Park expansion parcel. VI. PHASING; DESIGN OF LATER PHASES. Phase 3B of the proposed master plan (establishment of internal trail system,with boardwalks) should be implemented before Phase 3A (paving of Inlet Road access and parking lot) of 4(creation of new access via Town and Buttermilk Falls Road rights-of-way). The elements proposed for Phases 3A and 4 (which are the most expensive in the plan)need further thought, particularly as to the design standards required. The appropriate scale and form of elements such as roadways, curbs and benches may be different in a natural area than in a more conventional park. VII. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS. A concise listing of all recommendations for elements of the master plan should be prepared,prior to the completion of public review. Natural Areas Commission, City of Ithaca Minutes of September 10, 2001, Meeting Present: Linda Buttel, Richard Fischer, Dan Hoffman, Harry Littell, Nancy Ostman (notetaker), Peter Rogers (former ranger- guest). Absent: Josh Glassetter(Common Council), Claudia Jenkins (BPW), Beth Mulholland, Nancy Ramage, Sarah Steuteville; ex officio: Andy Hillman, Joann Cornish, Roxy Johnston. Minutes of August 13, 2001. These were approved unanimously, as submitted. Ranger Report, by Peter Rogers. Peter Rogers appeared as a courtesy to make the final ranger report for 2001. He said that Darryl Clark (the second ranger)was an important and very helpful addition this year. The two ranger jobs ended on short notice on September 8th, apparently due to budget difficulties. As a result, coverage was not available for most weekends in September, some of which included very heavy usage (up to 100 people swimming, cliff jumping, etc). In the future it would be better to let rangers know how many total hours were available, so they could cover the full season within the budgeted funds and were not surprised by the sudden ending of the job. Rangers could then plan their hours to cover all weekends in September. It was the consensus of the group that we should determine whether there is a fixed season or a fixed budget amount, so rangers could know the length of employment. Litter pick-up was handled by visitors for the most part this season. (Rogers thinks it is not appropriate for rangers to spend a lot of their energy picking up litter.) Rangers want to continue to work with dog owners for a longer season to get more change in dog owner behavior. They saw lots of change over the course of the season this year. Buttel suggested that we convey to Common Council concerns about safety during the busy Fall season (which can go well beyond Labor Day). She wonders if Common Council is aware of the level of use at this time of year. She suggests there may be a significant liability issue as well. Buttel agreed to draft language expressing our concerns and making some suggestions for improvement next year. Guidelines for rangers. Continuing to review document where the group left off last time. Nudity: Rangers carry cameras and will continue to take pictures to document nudity and discourage repeat events. Bicycles: Ii is recognized that riding bikes on the maintenance road does not cause problems, per se. However, to simplify the rangers' task of enforcing the "no bicycling" rule generally, no bicycling will be permitted anywhere. Cut word "technically". Dogs: Should there be a mention about how to handle repeat offenders as there is for nudity? Rogers notes that the rangers keep reminding people and there has been a big improvement with the continuous reminders. NAC Minutes, 9/10/01 Page 2 Beaver: Warn people to stay away from beaver lodges and stay out of the water as well if beaver are present. Flowers: No picking of flowers or any other plant parts unless authorized by NAC. Camping: No changes. Litter: There should be trash cans at the upper entrance, in the parking lot, and at the top of the trail leading to the area below Van Natta's Dam. Rangers should notify public works department when trash containers are missing or overflowing. Assistance: Call police when needed. In any instances of trespassing on buildings call authorities immediately, especially if people are climbing on buildings or jumping. Rope swings should be removed as soon as possible, but assistance may be needed. Stop people from using rope swings immediately. In General: Group was overall pleased with document but feels some additional notes may be needed, about which rules are the highest priority, since not every rule can be enforced all the time. (Eg., rangers have been somewhat lax regarding the no-swimming rule, while trying to maintain a presence throughout the natural area.) The group will discuss this one more time at the next meeting. Miscellaneous. Hoffman thanks whoever it was who removed the tree that was blocking the path along the creek. Littell notes that the number of beaver is increasing. The fall work party cannot be organized by the rangers since their jobs ended early. It will be put off until spring. More trees still need to be wrapped to prevent beaver damage. Hoffman will remind Andy Hillman to supply more wire to him. The Commission suggests that a bike rack be placed at the upper entrance (on Giles Street)to encourage people to leave their bikes there. The committee will review possible locations. Memorial benches. Hoffman received a call from someone who may be interested in contributing for another memorial bench. Is this appropriate? Is there a good location? How many benches are too many? Is there another way to encourage memorial contributions so the site does not have too many benches? Should another type of structure be considered for memorials? Clausen bench seems to be a success and is used. Littell will take the lead on reviewing additional bench sites and designs. NAC Minutes, 9/10/01 Page 3 Ithaca Falls. No news on the EPA clean up or possible tree cutting. Hoffman sent letter to EPA yesterday, requesting information and NAC/City involvement. Southwest Natural Area. There will be a public hearing 9/25/01 on "revised" site plan proposed by Widewaters Company. Butte) agreed to go to the meeting. On behalf of the NAC, she will ask for a full environmental impact statement which particularly looks at drainage, the buffer, access to the natural area from the Widewaters site, and circulation, in more detail. City Budget. No news. There is unlikely to be an increase in the natural areas budget. Next meeting. City Hall is closed on 2nd Monday of October and November. NAC will meet on October 15th and will skip the November meeting, unless it is proven necessary. We will be meeting in Council Chambers in the future, due to conversion of second floor meeting room into office. Adjournment Natural Areas Commission October 15, 2001 Members Present: Dan Hoffman(Chair) Harry Litte11 Richard Fischer Linda Butte! Elizabeth Mulholland Nancy Ostman Sarah Steuteville(Notes) Andy Hillman(ex officio) Others Present: Gladys Birdsall(Cayuga Bird Group) Matt Sarver(Cayuga Bird Group) Members Absent: Josh Glasstetter(Common Council) BPW liaison Roxy Johnston(ex officio) Joann Cornish(ex officio) Minutes: Approval of the September 10,2001 minutes was postponed until next time. Agenda Items: 1) The Fuertes(Renwick)Bird Sanctuary discussion was moved to the top of the agenda because Matt and Gladys were present from the Cayuga Bird Group(CBG). The CBG recently spent some time working at the bird sanctuary. The Parks Commission has also discussed Fuertes and is recommending bike patrols by the police dept. Trail maintenance is mostly nonexistent. Andy's department does some maintenance such as the removal of dangerous trees from the trail. Gladys reported that on September 15th,the CBG put chips down and opened trails. They plan to finish the perimeter of the park this month. The CBG wants to do an annual clean up and put up a sign at the trailhead on the Stewart Park side describing the site's history as well as some signs throughout the park. Matt talked about educational opportunities and about restoring the arch entrance at the south end of the bird sanctuary. Andy added that the proposed waterfront trail goes through Fuertes between the two suspension bridges. Matt asked about the possibility of funding for signage. Andy suggested there should be coordination among the organizations working on Fuertes and that Rick Manning,Waterfront Trail coordinator,might have some ideas. Fuertes is also considered part of Stewart Park,which is why it was reviewed by the Parks Commission. Fuertes is heavily used by cross country track teams. It has also been the site of"cruising"and casual sex. Part of the increased interest in Fuertes is aimed at discouraging such activity. Richard filled in some of the history of Fuertes Bird Sanctuary. The present area is a remnant of the original parcel that was given to the City for the purpose of being a bird sanctuary. Much of the original parcel is now the site of the middle and high schools and Route 13. Richard mentioned a thesis done on the marshes and that the 1924 issue of Bird Lore shows Mr. Fuertes at the southern gate of the bird sanctuary. Andy said that he also has some knowledge of the history of the site and could guide us to the historical areas. 2) NAC membership. With the resignations of Aaron Couture and Nancy Ramage,we have two positions to fill. Both must be City of Ithaca residents. Dan invited Matt and Gladys to 1 suggest someone from the CBG. He also discussed the possibility of someone from the Tompkins County Dog Owners' Group. It was suggested that Peter Novelli might be a good candidate. He is building a new house on upper Giles Street and used to be City Engineer. 3) Announcements and Reports. Nancy Ostman suggested someone from the NAC should look at the waterfront trail plan. Dan said he would ask Rick Manning to make a presentation to a future meeting. 4) Six Mile Creek. There was discussion of the fact that the rangers'jobs ended before the swimming season did. It was agreed that there needs to be better planning. Andy will try to stretch out the ranger coverage next year. It was agreed that more ranger coverage is needed on weekends than during the week. We have no new information with regard to establishing a new trail connection to Downtown(through the former Wilcox Press site). It was suggested that having a bike rack at the entrance to the maintenance road might make it less likely people will ride bikes into the Natural Area. Harry does not think bike use on the maintenance road is a big problem. Andy will look into whether there is room for a bike rack in this area. The need for trashcans at the entrances was also discussed. Harry suggested that alternative memorials(other than more benches)should be considered. For instance,we could seek donations for a set of"natural" steps at the first bend in the main trail,to bypass the eroding area. He had pictures of attractive steps in the Town of Ithaca's Park Park. Beth advised against directing the trail toward the flat area above the trail at the first bend,because the soil there is highly acidic and supports some unusual plants. We should not encourage more human activity in that spot. Dan would prefer to see an effort to build up the existing trail,by placing some large rocks at the creek's edge. It was pointed out that this would require a substantial effort,because the force of high water will wash out anything except the largest rocks. Beth suggested we need an engineer.Nancy noted there is already a makeshift path going up over the"hump"and that a well-designed trail that avoids the eroding area may be a better alternative. Roxy mentioned that the Army Corps of Engineers may still consider the landslide area along Six Mile Creek above the lower reservoir,as well as a Slaterville Rd. site, for a sediment control project. She will keep us posted. 5) Ithaca Falls. The EPA has not responded to Dan's letter that was sent to the NYC office on September 9,2001 (just before the September 11th attacks),asking for information about the lead clean-up. Andy reported that Walter Hang has not been successful with his Freedom of Information request. Andy also reported that two of the three swans at Stewart Park died with high levels of lead and zinc. It may be because of the lead dumping upstream at the old Ithaca Gun site. No tests on the muck have been done yet. Andy also asked the DEC for a sediment sample. He is reluctant to put in new swans and thinks the swan pond should perhaps be converted to a wetland. The Parks Commission has discussed this. Matt from the CBG suggested checking the dead birds at Cornell's environmental labs. Roxy said she would check into this. 4 • . • • • . •... . • ," • • • • • , - • • • • • • ,— , I r s'fi 1 • \. ‘i , g5� yi t ''"�� City of Ithaca r'9 rh ' ' , .a9' V10E Natural Areas Commission 306 Giles Street Ithaca,New York 14850 September 7, 2001 VIA MAIL& FACSIMILE 212-637-3256 Ildefonso Acosta Environmental Scientist Special Projects Branch, 18th Floor US Environmental Protection Agency, Region II 290 Broadway New York,New York 10007-1866 Re: CLEANUP OF ITHACA FALLS AREA,ITHACA,NEW YORK Dear Mr. Acosta: I am writing to you at the request of the City of Ithaca's Natural Areas Commission(NAC), which I chair. The NAC oversees and makes recommendations concerning various"natural areas" owned by the City of Ithaca. One of the City's natural areas is the area including and surrounding Ithaca Falls on Fall Creek. We have learned that the Ithaca Falls area is seriously contaminated with lead and other pollutants, apparently as a result of manufacturing activities carried on decades ago by the Ithaca Gun Company and possibly other industries on this site. We are told that the Environmental Protection Agency has become involved and will oversee the investigation and remediation of this site. The NAC has a strong interest in both the safety and the aesthetic and"natural" character of the Ithaca Falls area. There has been virtually no information available to the NAC or the public regarding the full extent and nature of the contamination, or the nature or scope of any proposed remediation efforts. The NAC therefore requests that one or more representatives from the EPA meet with the Commission, in Ithaca, at a mutually acceptable time. (Of course, we would have no objection to the inclusion of other, appropriate City officials.) Furthermore,the NAC hereby requests the opportunity to review any proposed remediation plan and to comment on it prior to its approval or implementation. —Page 2-- Re: Ithaca Falls September 7,2001 We look forward to working with the EPA in addressing the serious situation at the Ithaca Falls site in a way that will protect both the safety of the community and the spectacular environmental and scenic resource that is Ithaca Falls. I may be reached at the address above, or by telephone: 607-273-6933 (home); 607-273- 2202(work). Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely yours, c0a44,cty Daniel L.Hoffman Chairperson DLH/emc Enc. cc: Mayor Alan J. Cohen Members of Common Council Joann Cornish, Deputy Director of Planning Members of the NAC 5to ; 0 �C�1 City of Ithaca cfa Natural Areas Commission 306 Giles Street Ithaca,New York 14850 September 7, 2001 VIA MAIL& FACSIMILE 212-637-3256 Ildefonso Acosta Environmental Scientist Special Projects Branch, 18th Floor US Environmental Protection Agency, Region II 290 Broadway New York,New York 10007-1866 Re: CLEANUP OF ITHACA FALLS AREA, ITHACA,NEW YORK Dear Mr. Acosta: I am writing to you at the request of the City of Ithaca's Natural Areas Commission(NAC), which I chair. The NAC oversees and makes recommendations concerning various"natural areas" owned by the City of Ithaca. One of the City's natural areas is the area including and surrounding Ithaca Falls on Fall Creek. We have learned that the Ithaca Falls area is seriously contaminated with lead and other pollutants, apparently as a result of manufacturing activities carried on decades ago by the Ithaca Gun Company and possibly other industries on this site. We are told that the Environmental Protection Agency has become involved and will oversee the investigation and remediation of this site. The NAC has a strong interest in both the safety and the aesthetic and"natural" character of the Ithaca Falls area. There has been virtually no information available to the NAC or the public regarding the full extent and nature of the contamination,or the nature or scope of any proposed remediation efforts. The NAC therefore requests that one or more representatives from the EPA meet with the Commission, in Ithaca, at a mutually acceptable time. (Of course, we would have no objection to the inclusion of other, appropriate City officials.) Furthermore, the NAC hereby requests the opportunity to review any proposed remediation plan and to comment on it prior to its approval or implementation. --Page 2-- Re: Ithaca Falls September 7,2001 We look forward to working with the EPA in addressing the serious situation at the Ithaca Falls site in a way that will protect both the safety of the community and the spectacular environmental and scenic resource that is Ithaca Falls. I may be reached at the address above, or by telephone: 607-273-6933 (home); 607-273- 2202(work). Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely yours, la/1/1"ttY /9/--, Daniel L.Hoffman Chairperson DLH/emc Enc. cc: Mayor Alan J. Cohen Members of Common Council Joann Cornish, Deputy Director of Planning Members of the NAC Natural Areas Commission Minutes of Meeting on March 11,2002 Members Present: Linda Buttes(notes),Dan Hoffman(chair), Harry Littell,Beth Mulholland, Nancy Ostman,Carolyn Peterson, Sarah Steuteville; ex officio: Andy Hillman,Roxy Johnston. Members Absent: Richard Fischer,BPW liaison; ex officio: Planning Dept representative. Visitors: Wendy Wallitt,Ed Gottlieb. Reports and Announcements: Roxy reported that the Water Week Events will be on the Commons on May 10th and the Farmer's Market on May 11th. The Six Mile Creek Partnership will focus on Riparian Buffers on April 6th. All are invited to both events. Beth reported that we need representation at the Co-op Extension plant sale in mid-May. Dan noted that a big tree has fallen across the trail that crosses the former Sincebaugh property, about 100-200 feet west of the Recreation Way. Andy will try to arrange to have it cut. NAC Vacancies: There are 2 vacancies,for City residents. Ed G. and Wendy W. may have some interest, as well as Peter Novelli and some who attended the Ithaca Falls design session. Sarah will follow up with the latter. Election of Officers for 2002: Dan was nominated as Chair,Linda as Vice Chair and Sarah as Secretary. The vote in all cases was unanimous Ithaca Falls Natural Area: The Ithaca Falls Natural Area Community Design Session which the NAC sponsored was well attended: 25 on Saturday, 30 on Sunday,with 18 people attending both days. On Saturday, Tom Suozzo from the DEC took people on a tour of the lower and upper areas and the tunnel. The DEC and EPA are on an aggressive work schedule for the lead clean-up,with prep work in April and the clean up beginning in May. The EPA will be in charge of the Ithaca Falls site and the DEC the Ithaca Gun site. There will be two"public availability" sessions before the work commences. They are still TBA and will be advertised in the newspaper. Jack Harmon is in charge of these sessions. Sarah is maintaining contact with Jack for the NAC. There was substantial consensus at the Design Session. The recommendations included making it obvious where to enter the site,keeping the area beyond the entrance as natural as possible, limiting development on the"island"(between the gorge and the raceway),exposing some ruins and keeping within the management guidelines stipulated by Cornell when the City purchased the site. There was considerable discussion of how and when to present the design sessions conclusions to the Mayor,Common Council and the Board of Public Works. It was decided to get a condensed report of our suggested guidelines for the clean-up prepared as quickly as possible and pass it on to the Mayor,the Board of Public Works and the EPA and the DEC. t �< i- r • Natural Areas Commission -- 3/11/02 Page 2 Then the Ithaca Falls subcommittee should meet to flesh out the proposals for the Natural Area, so this can be presented to the Board of Public Works and Common Council. We should also try to get on the Board of Public Works agenda to report the design session results. There was a detailed discussion of what should be included in the proposed guidelines for the EPA's site remediation. 1. Plants on cliff sides and large native trees on the island should be preserved. There should be a buffer of trees retained between the path and the creek. EPA needs to take care when moving large equipment on the site. NAC should mark trees that are important to preserve. 2. Soil that needs to be replaced should be of the same soil type and pH as the soil that was removed. It should be replaced to the same depth as now exists. 3. Attach list of species currently on the site as a guide for revegetation. 4. Try to maintain similar species diversity as now exists on the site. 5. No lawn area should be established. 6. NAC should mark buildings, structures and ruins that should be retained. 7. Contaminated soil and rock should be removed from the bottom of the cliff,but should not be scraped off of the cliff face. Instead, what falls off after the initial clean-up should be monitored and removed if necessary. 8. Fishing access should be maintained during trout season. We have learned that Wally Diehl, from North Carolina, is trying to purchase the Ithaca Gun factory site from Mark Finkelstein. He would like to develop apartments, office and retail uses in the main former factory building,and a restaurant and inn on the"island." He would like to meet with us and explain his ideas. Sarah will contact him about setting up a date for an on- site visit. Concern was expressed that part of his plan might detract from the natural setting if it involves intense development of the"island"and too near the edge of the gorge. At the Design Session, hope was expressed that there could be improved public access to the"island"and its spectacular views of the Falls. Kat Lieberknecht,who works for the Finger Lakes Land Trust and who attended the Design Session,has written to the NAC, indicating that the Land Trust might be able to help the City apply for funding to purchase and/or preserve the"island." Natural Areas Commission, City of Ithaca Minutes of November 19, 2001 Present: Dan Hoffman(chair), Nancy Ostman, Sarah Steuteville, Dick Fischer, Elizabeth Mullholland, Harry Littell (notetaker); ex officio: Bill Sprengnether(Planning Dept). Absent: Linda Buttel; ex officio: Andy Hillman(City Forester), Roxy Johnston(Water& Sewer) Reports: Dan notes that Roxy has reported that the Army Corp of Engineers is still considering the landslide area above the Lower Reservoir as a possible site for a stabilization project; Roxy will report at next NAC meeting. Vacancies: The NAC is still looking for two city residents (to replace Aaron Couture and Nancy Ramage). Southwest Natural Area- Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The NAC believes it is inappropriate to put facilities for treatment of stormwater from a commercial project on public parkland. The current, proposed site plan for the Widewaters shopping center calls for detention ponds for stormwater runnoff to be located inside the Southwest Natural Area. However, it is agreed that having runoff detained in ponds is better than having no such ponds at all. Nancy recommends a design that will create a natural looking wetland that will be attractive to birds and will include wetland plants. Depth of the ponds is crucial in order to have the area wet year round. Dan presented a list of 17 proposed NAC comments on the Draft EIS for the Widewaters project. Discussion from the committee resulted in the approval of the following final list of 19 comments, to be submitted by November 28th: DEIS =Draft Environmental Impact Statement(for Elmira Road Shopping Center) NAC =Natural Areas Commission SWNA= Southwest Natural Area(a/Ida"designated substitute parkland") 1. The DEIS does not address potential impacts on the SWNA(such as noise, glare, fumes, litter, etc) other than drainage. 2. The DEIS does not address whether"remediated" soil will be or should be placed in SWNA, and, if so, exactly where it would be located. (The NAC reiterates its objection to the placement of any remediated soil from the clean-up on the Widewaters site in or directly adjacent to the SWNA,because of concern that such placement will make it more likely that an increased level of contaminants will then affect the SWNA.) 3. The NAC reiterates its objection to the placement of the berm (intended to buffer the project from adjacent parkland) in the SWNA rather than on the project site. The NAC does not consider this to be a proper use of public parkland. NAC 11/19/01 Page 2 4. The NAC objects to the placement of stormwater treatment/detention in the SWNA rather than on the project site. It is the NAC's understanding of Section 267, A(2) of the City of Ithaca's Zoning Ordinance that it is not proper to allow stormwater from a new parking area to flow on to adjacent property. Since Widewaters is legally bound to convey the substitute parkland to the City, in exchange for City-owned land which Widewaters needs to construct its project, any building permit issued for the current site plan will result in a violation of the ordinance. 5. The detention ponds as proposed are not part of the Master Plan the City has adopted for the SWNA; they will interfere with trails and woods shown in the Plan. 6. If(despite the objections of the NAC) the City approves a site plan which allows the berm and the detention ponds (etc)to be located in the SWNA, then these facilities should be designed to be as compatible as possible with the nature and character and needs of a natural area, and this one in particular. For the various reasons set forth herein, the NAC does not find the current design to meet these criteria. 7. It is not clear from the DEIS how much runoff(by volume)will not be detained and treated by the retention ponds (and thus will run through the swales or spread out across the SWNA). This figure should be provided. Also, the DEIS does not explain what will happen to runoff that occurs after the "first flush" and whether it will displace the"first flush" from the detention ponds. 8. It is not clear from the DEIS and accompanying maps and diagrams exactly what the design of the proposed detention ponds would be. Depth and steepness of slopes could affect what plants will grow in the ponds and how much filtering occurs. 9. The NAC reiterates its preference to have as much stormwater runoff as possible from the project site enter the Inlet at the most northerly(downstream)possible point. The current plan shows most of the runoff entering at a more upstream location, in the midst of the unchannelized portion of the Inlet. It is the unchannelized portion that is the most ecologically rich and most prone to bank erosion. Directing the heavier flow of runoff (which will be warmer than water in the Inlet and contaminated with heavy metals) into the unchannelized section will result in more erosion and greater biological impacts. 10. The site plan should require the planting of trees (such as box elder) and other vegetation to buffer the mowed banks of the detention ponds from the rest of the SWNA. Otherwise, the banks will present an unnatural appearing visual impact when viewed from the SWNA. (Is it necessary for the banks to be mowed?) 11. The berm should have an average width of at least 75 feet, so it can accommodate at least 2 (staggered)rows of trees (not just one, as the current plan indicates); should be planted with shrubs as well as trees; and should have variable contours rather than running in a straight line. -i NAC 11/19/01 Page 3 12. The final site plan should require the developer to ensure the long-term survival (or replacement, as necessary) of all required plantings. 13. Any lights placed on the backs of the main buildings (next to the SWNA) should be located as low as possible and directed only downward, to minimize light spillover into the SWNA. 14. The NAC objects to (a) the lack of a connection between the Black Diamond Trail and the project site; and(b) the lack of a pedestrian connection from Route 13/project site to the SWNA. Notwithstanding the debate over who should pay for such connections, they should be designed into the site plan, for implementation by the appropriate party or parties. 15. The NAC is concerned about the proposed location and drainage of the"snow storage area." It appears that melt and runoff from stored snow will drain directly into the SWNA, without any treatment or detention. The NAC recommends that any snow storage area be designed to direct meltwater into a detention pond. Furthermore, the NAC recommends that the use of deicing agents be restricted because of the close proximity of the project site to the SWNA. 16. This past summer, a portion of the designated substitute parkland now held by Widewaters and under contract to be conveyed to the City as part of the SWNA was illegally plowed and planted in corn. This action destroyed recovering vegetation and eliminated a small wetland area. The final site plan should require the developer to take steps to remediate this damage in a timely fashion. The NAC recommends that the cornstalks be disked into the ground,that the ground be smoothed out and that a seed mix of native plants (only) be spread across the disturbed area. 17. The"alternatives" section of the DEIS should include a viable site plan with a reduced scale (showing the berm and detention ponds within the commercially-zoned area,rather than within the SWNA). 18. The DEIS should include, in the"alternative stormwater management" section, a design which incorporates several wide, vegetated islands in the parking lot intended to help filter stormwater runoff. 19. The NAC observes that most of the trees shown on the planting list submitted by the developer are not native species. Plantings on the berm or adjacent to the SWNA or the Black Diamond Trail should contain only native species (as suggested by the Design Guidelines for the Southwest Area and Elmira Road-Meadow Street Corridor). Adjournment Notes submitted by Harry Littell City of Ithaca NATURAL AREAS COMMISSION Minutes--December 10,2001 PRESENT: Dan Hoffman(Chair), Linda Buttel,Richard Fischer,Harry Littell; ex offcio: Roxy Johnston, Bill Sprengnether. ABSENT: Sarah Steuteville,Nancy Ostman,Beth Mulholland; ex officio: Andy Hillman. INTRODUCTIONS: Bill S. is the new Environmental/Landscape planner and will be attending on behalf of the Planning Director, in JoAnn Cornish's stead. MINUTES: Minutes from October and November not yet submitted for approval. REPORTS &ANNOUNCEMENTS: Linda B.reported that the bulletin board at the parking area off Giles St. still has no lock and is being used regularly for private ads/announcements. It was determined that Andy Hillman is in charge of the key and lock. She also reported that trash is increasing in that area—it may be related to the warmer than normal weather. Jill Tripp has apparently applied to be appointed to fill one of two vacancies on the NAC; she is still awaiting word on her application. Linda B.recently met a person who might be interested in serving on the committee and is an environmental scientist. (Name to be confirmed.) EROSION CONTROL UPDATE: Roxy J.reviewed the history and current state of the Bond Act grant for Six Mile Creek. The original grant included 5 rip-rap projects as well as riparian buffer work and monitoring. The rip-rap sites were funded(50%match). Jose Lozano submitted an application for work on the old landslide area above the lower reservoir and the Old 600 Rd. slide, for funding through the Army Corps' Section 14 program. Several attempts were made to follow-up w/the ACE,with no response. Eventually,the project was altered to fit with the fluvial geomorphology technique(explanation below). The new project area is a continuous stretch from the silt dam(upstream from Burns Road) to German Cross Rd. Two years of survey data have been collected on this stretch of stream and design of the plan will be started this winter,with the hopes of implementing it this summer/fall. Recently,the ACE contacted Jose L.to proceed with a site visit from the original application. An NAC representative and guest joined us at the Old 600 Rd. site—no NAC members were able to attend the visit to the landslide area above the lower reservoir. The ACE representative is awaiting some more information from us on the reservoir site before completing a cost/benefit assessment on the project. More updates will follow. Fluvial geomorphology differs from rip-rap and traditional engineering in that it stabilizes and improves habitat. Also, it is a design based on natural hydrologic regimes (allowing a stream to take a more"natural,"meandering course) and is meant to be more self-sustaining. Roxy noted that the NAC was a stakeholder in the original grant because the original application included locations within the Wildflower Preserve. The NAC is still a stakeholder in any project that might be proposed on the lower reservoir site through the ACE programs. It is also part of the Six Mile Creek Partnership (a group formed around the riparian buffers and monitoring initiative —the unfunded portion of the Bond Act-which was eventually funded through a grant from the US Forest Service). NAC 12/10/01 Page 2 Roxy was asked about surveying the pipeline in the lower reservoir slide area. This will happen soon using the City's new GPS equipment. Dan H. asked whether there could be some kind of shutoff built into the pipeline upstream of the slide area, so that if a break occurred,the water flow could be stopped. Also,it was suggested that sediment concerns exist in Fall Creek as well as Six Mile Creek. Roxy said she would forward that information to the Fall Creek Watershed Committee to see if they are interested in adding that to their new monitoring program. SOUTHWEST NATURAL AREA: (1)The NAC comments on the Draft EIS were submitted. The Planning Board is letting Widewaters draft responses to all the public comments and will vote on whether to accept those as the official response to the comments. After that,the comments and responses will be published,with a 10 day window for further public comment. Dan H. will contact JoAnn Cornish to insure that the NAC is made aware of when the Final EIS is published. Roxy,Dan and Linda B.will review the document to formulate any further comment the NAC might want to give. (2)Bill reported that his review of the Widewaters site plan showed that the berm is too steep to support vegetation and he will suggest regrading from a 3:1 slope to a 2:1 slope to the Planning Board. This will widen the berm intrusion into the parkland by 18-34'. Bill will calculate the total acreage of the berm and detention ponds inside parkland for the NAC to review. Bill also reported that the proposed plantings were too sparse (vertical and horizontal) and that the species selected were not consistent with natural vegetation. He also suggested extending plantings to include detention ponds and make them blend more into the setting of the parkland. It was suggested that he review the Southwest Natural Area Master Plan for a list of `approved' planting species. SIX MILE CREEK NBATUIRAL AREA: (1)Linda B. will write a letter to the City regarding the issues of ranger coverage in the new natural areas. There is desire to keep Six Mile Creek coverage at least at its current level,and a separate concern about the need to have some coverage at Ithaca Falls and possibly Southwest. (2)Bill will be the designer for the Six Mile Creek walkway tie-in to downtown. The new owner of the Wilcox Press site has asked the City to rezone the site,to allow taller buildings. During that process, the City's right-of-way will be moved from the middle of the site to the edge of the creek. Current plans have the 3 restaurants moving into the Dean building and removal of their current buildings. The NAC would like to see some kind of tie-in from the creek walkway to State Street. ITHACA FALLS: In a settlement with EPA,the City will pay$150,000 for cleanup of lead. Of that, $35,000 will be taken from the$50,000 set aside for improvement of the Natural Area. This will leave only$15.000,much less than was originally anticipated. The NAC would like to have a formal plan developed for the site before any work is done. Bill will help the group with this effort. He will collect current and historical site information,and will try to help remediate any damage caused by the clean-up efforts. Dan will find out who the EPA contact is for the project, in order to start a dialogue on the cleanup plan and any restoration efforts. FUERTES BIRD SANCTUARY: Richard is looking up historical information on the site. The Cayuga Bird club appears to be interested in working with the NAC to monitor the area. RANGER GUIDELINES: Deferred until the next meeting due to lack of a quorum. Notes by Roxy Johnston •Sarah Myers nac agd.jan03.doc Page 2 • NATURAL AREAS COMMISSION MINUTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2002 • Members Present: Dan Hoffman (chair),Linda Buttel, Richard Fischer, Harry Littell,Zev Ross, Carolyn Peterson; ex-officio: Kate Mance (for Planning Director) Members absent: Elizabeth Mulholland, Sarah Steuteville,Claudia Jenkins(BPW liaison);ex • • - officio: Andy Hillman,Roxy Johnston Others present: Wendy Wallitt • Carolyn Peterson agreed to be note taker. • Minutes After correcting the spelling of the name Mac Travis,the October 7,2002,minutes were approved • unanimously. The November 4,2002,minutes were approved unanimously as submitted. •• • • Reports and announcements Dan Hoffman reported that Nancy Ostman has resigned from the NAC,as she will be out of town much of next year. Members expressed great appreciation for her expertise and hard work. It is hoped that the Cornell Plantations will name a replacement for her, soon. She will continue work on the Ithaca Falls subcommittee. Zev Ross is a newly appointed member to the NAC. Wendy Wallitt has applied for appointment to the remaining at-large vacancy on the NAC and is waiting for the mayor to act. • The proposed Natural Areas budget line went through the budget process unchanged. Swimming The Commission discussed a memorandum from the City Attorney's office regarding • swimming in city waters and indecent exposure. Because of recent court decisions regarding nudity, • the City Prosecutor has recommended eliminating the provisions currently in the City Code regulating nudity,and utilizing instead the State Penal Law provisions. Also,current City ordinances prohibit nude swimming in waters within the City during daylight hours(and at Stewart Park);the City Attorney's office thinks this may give the impression that swimming is permitted at other times or if the swimmer is not nude. The office has drafted proposed changes to the City Code to prohibit all • swimming,except in those waters designated as swimming or bathing waters. Linda questioned the rangers' approach to swimmers in Six Mile Creek. Dan was concerned about officially banning swimming in the Inlet and at Ithaca Falls, since people have been bathing or swimming there(esp. Ithaca Falls)for a very long time without being bothered. He noted that Ithaca Falls has been used as a local swim hole and fishing site for decades. Would a ban prohibit fishing that involves wading deep into the water? Discussion also covered the enforcement record of new rules and laws. Carolyn was requested to bring the NAC concerns to the Neighborhood and Community Issues • meeting. Concerns are: swimming ban at Ithaca Falls and the potential for a neighborhood uproar, • enforcement beneath the Fall Creek suspension bridge,swimming in the Inlet(eg.,at the Southwest Natural Area),and general enforcement of the rules. Natural Areas Commission 12/9/02 Page 2 Sarah Myers- nac-agd.jan03.doc Page 3 Southwest Natural Area No report Ithaca Falls Natural Area Kate will contact Kathy Gleason about a possible student design project regarding Ithaca Falls,during the Spring semester,and will invite her to the January meeting. Kate noted that in student contract work, it must be specified that their work may be used and the rights to it shared. No update on EPA clean-up because Sarah Steuteville was absent. Six Mile Creek Natural Area Zev spoke with enthusiasm about"Friends of Six Mile Creek"and possible projects. Linda offered to help,as did Wendy. Dan encouraged them to form a subcommittee and to meet to prioritize the projects and to create a plan of approach. The following ideas and projects were suggested: • Removal of garlic mustard(should be done in May,according to Betsy Darlington) • Spread wood chips on the trail • Repair or relocate the crumbling trail at the firtturn off Giles Street • Remove litter • Improve the entrance at Giles Street • Close informal and narrow trails • Create a usage survey • Create educational handouts • Repaint Columbia Street bridge supports • Repair steps on the RecWay side II! • Replace WPA steps is • Site another bench • Don't forget the Rec Way side-as lots of people use it and could help out • Create press releases to recruit help for specific projects • Research grants • Earth Day could be a start point for the project and recruitment of hlp. ti Other business It was suggested that for the next agenda a discussion should take place on the NAC ordinance and the guidelines it mentions for public works activities in the natural areas. The NAC could initiate ideas and refer them to the Board of Public Works. Wendy asked for clarification of our role as an advisory committee or a committee with some authority. We are advisory. Harry noted that there was a bridge offered for sale for$1 in Rochester. Could this be a possible bridge for Six Mile Creek(for the path from downtown)? The next NAC meeting is January 13,2003. I!'