HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-14 CAC Minutes, DraftTown of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 1 of 5
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)
Draft
Minutes of Video Conference (Zoom) Meeting on
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Danby, New York
Council Members present: Margaret Corbit (Acting Chair), Joel Gagnon, Mary
Woodsen, Jonathan Zisk, Katharine Hunter
Council Members absent: Clare Fewtrell (chair), Brittany Legaly, Don Schaufler
(came in later)
Others present: Elizabeth Keokosky (secretary), Ronda Roaring (Danby resident),
David West (Town Planner), Alanna (last name?)
Zoom Meeting was officially called to order at 7:12.
Privilege of the Floor (PoF):
Deletions or Additions to Agenda: None
Approval of May 10, 2022 Minutes deferred till next month
REPORTS AND UPDATES from Agenda
1. Update on Proposed Solar Panel Farm and possible Bird Survey –
Joel Gagnon
Town Board approved zone for solar farm and Norbut modified panel
placement to avoid deliniated wetlands, which were instead made into a
reserved area to avoid wetland issue altogether. This area is set aside as
habitat for the northern harrier (which is a medium sized raptor) that
hunts there. Norbut was ameanable to grebe survey (that was
discussed by Bill Evans at last meeting), but it will have to be worked
out as a separate issue. Plans were sent to Planning board for site plan
approval.
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2. Status of town board review of the change in Residential & Active
Use Zone in the easement template – Joel Gagnon
Gagnon ran template changes past town lawyer, Guy Krogh. who made
slight modifications in wording. No public hearing is required. The
language proposed was incorporated into Legaly easement
(Ravencache).
3. Updates on Passed and Proposed Easements: Ravencache (Lagaly),
Woodsen (Zisk), Sherman/Lassoie (Lagaly and Hunter), any
others?
Ravencache – public hearing next Wednesday, June 22. Could be
approved by Town Board on the 22nd, as well.
Woodsen property – No progress due to a bike accident suffered by Zisk.
He needs to walk area to get some GPS numbers. He requested CAC
members comment on content of his schedule C and style of writing
used.
Sherman property – put off because of Covid, ticks, spongy moth
devastation, and heat – Lagaly might be out of commission because of a
serious leg injury. Zisk volunteered to help Katharine.
Hoffman property – got subdivision approval (although there is no real
subdivision – the process allows clustering of dwelling units in lieu of
actual subdivision). Bryan Hunter, a neightbor and 30 year resident of
Bruce Hill Rd had difficulties with placement of driveway so close to his
house, so driveway needs to be moved in plans. Easement needs
finalizing of boundries for various easement zones.
Gagnon wanted to use language from Melchen/Palmer easement for a
proposed cabin, that is not a residence, but the only digital version was
found to be incomplete. (Note: Town Clerk has full hard copy)
4. Status of annual easement monitoring and placing easement signs
– Jonathan Zisk, Katharine Hunter
Jonathan delivered Danby easement signs to Selin. Selin wanted to
delete part of sign that said “no public access” because of Finger Lakes
Trail that goes through his property. It was suggested that the next
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 3 of 5
iteration of signs should have two versions – one with and one without
public access.
5. Status of Timber Harvesting law – Don Schaufler (now attending) &
Jonathan Zisk
Because of communications failure between CAC and the Highway
Department, completion of this document is at a standstill. Schaufler
tried, but didn’t succeed, in getting an appointment with Danby
Highway. They have been very difficult for him to get ahold of . Gagnon
noted that Laura Shawley has been very busy finishing up the town’s
annual financial report, but is almost completed.
Zisk noted that because of Fracking there is an existing heavy vehicle
law already in place that logging could become a part of. Gagnon
reminded them that timber harvest was exempted by Danby’s Right to
Engage in Agricultural Activity law. It could be modified, though.
6. Status of local implementation of varying easement time lines and
tax abatements subcommittee – Fisk for Fewtrell
Fisk reported that committee was still waiting on Planner West, who is
working with the Ithaca School Board on a school tax abatement.. The
School Board may now be more interested in participating since Danby
is including them from the beginning.
Secretary Keokosky asked about status of contacting Orchard Park, a
town which also uses temporary easements, some of which were 15
year easements recently come to term. Gagnon said they had hit a wall
with getting a response from Orchard Park. Their easements were
managed by Planning Board, not the Town Planner. Keokosky
suggested contacting the town clerk for information on who to contact.
The discussion moved on to comparing Danby easements vs. Finger
Lakes Land Trust’s. Since both accomplished the same purpose, did it
make a difference as to which one people chose? Zisk said that FLLT
has a more coherent message. They are more habitat and
environmentally oriented, while Danby emphasizes limiting
development and has a more scattered message of tax savings. He
thought we should develop a more inspiring message. Keokosky
suggested Zisk read the new book called “Regeneration: Ending the
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 4 of 5
Climate Crisis in One Generation” by Paul Hawken, which emphasizes
preserving land as a global priority.
Gagnon said that anything FLLT can do, Danby can also do. An example
given was selling donated properties to raise funds to advance
conservation. Even though we might not have the methods in place to
do this now, it is part of our charter to create them. But he suggested
that, since it has been a while since we strategized outreach, we should
really revisit this. What are our priority areas of properties? What is
our vision? The others also thought this was a good idea.
Corbit suggested we use a Planner West supplied GIS map of already
protected property showing integrated riparian habitat (Pof: Roaring
suggestion) and existing easements, potential easements, Danby State
Forest, and other protected properties as a tool to create a prioritized
vision. She volunteered to talk to West about this.
An assignment was also set for members to re-read enabling legislation
for creation of CAC
7. Status of resolving problems with Zoho – Margaret Corbit
Corbit gave a small online lesson sharing her desktop. She passed on
what she had learned from Town Clerk. Zoho opens tabs with actions
that, if accumulated, stops user from proceeding. Also what user sees
changes with browser.
She is in favor of taking baby steps to learn Zoho. Her first assignment
was to upload a file to a folder she had created called “Test” in CAC
folder on Zoho Work Drive. Her assignment was for everyone to learn
how to upload a file there, and make sure they had rights to do so. It
still was not apparent how to move a file from A to B on the drive.
Corbit was going to check with Town Clerk.
Corbit will write a article for Danby News and a to do list for member assigned
tasks.
There was no Executive session
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Next Meeting via Zoom is on July 12 2022 at 7p.m.
Adjournment at 8:31pm
_____________________________________________
Submitted by Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary)