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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-17 568 1 Planning Board Minutes March 17, 1999 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MARCH 17, 1999 PRESENT : Chairperson Arch Dotson Planning Board Members : William Farrell , Laurene Gilbert, Linda Hansen, Robert Roe, Olivia Vent, Nancy Weitzel Others Present : Carol Sczepanski - Secretary Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Torn Chafelo - Tompkins County Planning Lauren Bishop - Ithaca Journal Members of the Public : Carl Ballo , Mike Thurnheer, Chris Gartlein, Jennifer Tiffany, Naomi Strichartz, Toni McBride , Donald Barber, Peter Moore, Paul Moore, Esther Dotson, Richard Oltz, Walter Sczepanski , John Shepardson Sr. , Jane McGomgal , Carl Crispell and others . Chairperson Arch Dotson called the meeting to order at 7 : 00 p . m . and anounced that the general purpose of tonights meeting is for the Planning Board to hear from interested and involved residents from the Town of Danby concerning the sector of agricultural . Privilege of the Floor: Robert Roe reported that the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council reviewed the overview of the proposed community building site . A resolution of support is expected . Chairperson Dotson reported a meeting was held in West Danby on Saturday, March 13 , 1999 that was well attended and very successful . It expands the base of knowledge of what we have and what the people want and what they hope they can secure with respect to the comprehensive plan and the whole development of the Town of Danby. The Planning Board should consider the HUD Economic Development Initiave Funding from the County Planning Department . Tompkins County Planning Reprot : Linda Hansen reported that at their last meeting, Larry Fabroni , Assistant Superintendent of the Ithaca City Public Works Department and the committee received information on the plans for expansion and improvements for the Wastewater Treatment Plant system . She has obtained information on finding and help that is available for communities of less than 10, 000 residents for water and sewer districts . The County has hired a new Circit Rider and a new Environmental Planner. The County Planning Federation has proposed to have a joint meeting with one of the Town Planning Boards and Danby is a possibility. Members of the Public : Jennifer Tiffany - 525 South Danby Rd. - has a small heard of sheep on a small farm and reported that she also has a planning background . She thinks that an inventory. Donald Barber - 66 Hilltop Road - has a pretty large farm and is trying to retire . He now has a beef herd and does a lot of hay work that he sells around Danby . Carl Crispell - Coddington Road - has a cow/calf herd, basically sells calfs at about eight months of age . Works about 250 acres and owns 147 acres. Peter Moore - 150 East Miller Road - has crops of about 250 acres and hopes to be milking cows in the spring . 569 3 Planning Board Minutes March 17, 1999 space . There is also dificulty in finding someone to keep non agriculture lands mowed so that it dosen ' t turn into scrub brush and unsightly lands . Susan Beeners made the following comments . ! ) The County did a study on services provided through taxes . For every dollar a resident pays in taxes they get $ 1 . 17 worth of services. For every dollar paid by a farm property they only received forty cents ($ .40) back in services and that was in school taxes . 2) Everyone in this room would like that Planning Board as part of their recommendation to pursue Approval of February 17, 1999 Minutes A motion was made by Robert Roe and seconded by William Farrell to approve the Planning Board February 17 , 1999 minutes as submitted. Carried Unanimously 570 2 Planning Board Minutes March 17, 1999 John Shepardson - 80 Muzzy Road - is semi retired and raises a few heifers and pigs Chris Gartlein - 250 Hill Road - land is mostly forest land and does some forest management . Toni McBride - 1432 Danby Road - has small cow/calf operation and sells calfs for veal . Walter Sczepanski - 54 East Miller Road - does a little farming with his two (2) brothers . The farm was a former dairy farm but now is basically a crop farming operation and a few beef They work about 500 + acres of crop land All the feed and equipment dealers are gone throughout all of Tompkins County . Motorists have no respect for the slow moving vehicles and crossing 96B is extremely dangerous . Danby fire tax is based on 100% assessment and assessments on property are unfair. A noise ordinance is being considered and that would hurt farming operations . Deer are getting to be problem for crops as well . He said he dosen' t think we are going to see sustained agriculture in Danby . Mike Thurnheer - Hill Road - has a farming operation on Hill road of a few beef cattle and cuts a little hay . Most farmers are week-end farmers or part time farmers due to the fact that not many people can make a living in farming. Many people like the open space and it' s very nice and have the opportunity to enjoy the open view. A reduction in farmers taxes would be nice because they are the ones that provide the view and open space . Richard Oltz - 552 Comfort Road - has 100 acres that he pays taxes on. He recently sold a five (5 ) acre lot that now has a house on it and only about 3/4 of an acre is mowed and it just doesn' t look right . Comments from residents : 1 ) how farming has changed in Danby over the last thirty (30) years 2) there are no longer supportive services for the farming industry in TompkinsCounty . 3 ) markets for agriculture products have disappeared 4) farming as we know it is going out of Danby on a big scale . 5 ) there appears to be a lot of small and hobby farming operations 6) soil conditions are poor and expensive to maintain for crops 7) there is a lot of diversity in the farming in Danby 8) fire tax on 100% assessment unfair on agricultural land 9) there are a number of State and County grants and programs available to help small farming operations 10) machinery must be transported out of town at a considerable expense as the only local dealer in Danby was shut down due to zoning . 11 ) designating special land areas for agriculture only would be a mistake 12) noise ordinance is a nuisance ordinance for agriculture operations 13 ) not many people want to buy large tracts of land 14) assessment of properties not always fair and misunderstood Toni McBride suggested that if the survey results showed that people value agriculture in the area even though the majority may be on a small farm level , then making decisions for clusters or of allowing a farmer to sell off land has to be done very carefully. We don' t have water here and water surveys are very critical . Allowing development cluisters can impact residents further away than just the clustered area. A resident farmer said that the County Ag Districts come up for eight year reviews and that it would be nice if the Planning Board would be in support the next time the review comes up as they have been in the past . He would also agree that this would apply to the fire tax on agricultural land . Chris Gartlein said that the taxing of land is upside down. Tax should be related to what is taken off the land . There was discussion on the issue of a noise ordinance and its relationship to farming operations and how to protect the small residential land owner who wants to see agriculture lands remain as open