HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-11 CAC MinutesTown of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 1 of 5
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)
Minutes of In-person Meeting in Town Hall and via videoconferencing
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Danby, New York
Council Members present: Jonathan Zisk (Meeting Chair), Joel Gagnon, Katharine
Hunter, Don Schaufler, Brittany Lagaly
Council Members absent: Margaret Corbit, Renee Owens
Others present: Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary), Ronda Roaring (Danby resident –
via Zoom), Anne Klingensmith (Danby resident perhaps interested in becoming a
CAC member)
Meeting was officially called to order at 7:14
Deletions or Additions to Agenda: None
Privilege of the Floor (PoF):
Roaring and Gagnon –Roaring asked about existing copies of fliers that Mary
Woodsen had made and Gagnon mentioned that he has just found a digital copy
of her rack card. Roaring suggested Owens use her newness in town to introduce
herself, talk about land preservation, and pass out flier, especially since there
were some older owners of large parcels there (in that area where they both
lived). Zisk said it was good idea and she should suggest it to Owens. Roaring will
send her an email.
Introduction of Anne Klingensmith: she said she had been invited by Zisk to
attend CAC meeting. She had retired recently and had been on both the Danby
Planning Board, in the past, and the Tompkins County Environmental
Management Council (EMC) more recently, and was interested in checking out
the CAC for a few months with the intention of possibly joining.
Approval of June 13, 2023 minutes
Schaufler moved to approve
Zisk seconded
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 2 of 5
Approval unanimous for those present.
REPORTS AND UPDATES (from the agenda and other additions)
1. Update on Town Board’s review of Tax Abatement in exchange for
conservation easements - Gagnon
Gagnon reported that a public hearing on the local law enabling tax
abatements for land protected by conservation easements (both temporary
and permanent)was scheduled for July 19 and town board could possibly
pass it on the same day.
PoF: Keokosky suggested that Roaring had recommended a meeting of all
people holding conservation easements, which seemed to be a good idea,
in order to let them know the latest developments.
Discussion followed on the CAC being charged with screening requests for
temporary easements, and establishing a framework for the criteria for
refusal. Gagnon explained that small landholder temporary easements are
sometimes not worth the hassle. Cost/benefits analysis to CAC had to be
based on quality of the land and criteria have to be set ahead of time. Zisk
volunteered to work on it.
PoF: Keokosky suggested that meeting with current conservation easement
holders might come first to give some feedback. Hunter’s concern was
that some people who have lived here longer or have become more
involved think that their opinion may have more weight. Others felt it was
the CAC’s responsibility to set criteria. Zisk said that Planner West had
warned him that not all land warranted being protected by a conservation
easement.
Joel offered the history of whole abatement for conservation easement
initiative and reiterated categories:
15-29year temporary easements receive a 50% tax abatement
30-49 year temporary easements receive a 75% tax abatement
50-75 year temporary easements receive a 85% tax abatement
Permanent easements receive a 90% tax abatement
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 3 of 5
(Note: Tax abatement reduction applies to Danby’s annual property
tax (excluding buildings – i.e., the column for land in the assessment
report).
Zisk suggested criteria could be based on his short trigger list to alert other
boards to pass applications by the CAC. Hunter noted that some people
might not want to bother with abatement - should criteria then be
adjusted? She reminded group that capturing development rights is an
important goal no matter what the quality of the land.
2. Status of DEC approval of Timber Harvesting law – Schaufler
Planner David West, who was going to schedule a meeting with DEC, will be
leaving on July 28. Gagnon said there was a strong new planner candidate
but meeting with DEC doesn’t have to involve planner. Schaufler noted
that meeting was a courtesy on our part. He will call and arrange for a
meeting, getting 3 dates so others can go if they want to.
3. Update from committee on monitoring – Hunter and Zisk (others?)
Hunter thanked for the gift of a monitor volunteer. Zisk suggested he and
Hunter meet with him at a meeting at Mary Woodsen’s property.
Keokosky said she would forward the volunteer, Curtis Jirsa’s, contact info
to group.
4. Updates on Easements – from leads on on-going easements
Mary Woodsen: Mary discovered a huge pile of shards on her land that
need to be looked at. Is it ancient of just a recent dump?
Andi Gladstone: Zisk will get together and work out details of zones. She
asked do her woods deserve the highest level of protection? She is
concerned about forest management. Zisk asked about people who
wanted to walk her land.
Ben Altman: Wants to get busy working on it. Wants to write into
easement Haudenosaunee stewardship/use of land. Keokosky will send
the group the web site of the Dennis Conservation Land Trust in
Massachusetts who do something similar with Wampanoag Nation.
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 4 of 5
(https://dennisconservationlandtrust.org/dclt-nlc-cultural-respect-
easement/ )
Butje: Need to find where Planner West left off. Zisk will talk to him
tomorrow.
Sherman: Brittany scheduling a walk soon.
5. Report on status of checklist to trigger CAC involvement in
Town Planning/Land use discussions - Zisk
Zisk had previously made short check list of 5 items. Others need to add
what they think useful. Interactions of things like water and land are also
important to make clear the larger meaning of habitat loss.
Discussion followed on the implications of all this. Gagnon asked if there
was any property that wasn’t affected? Even a small building could
compromise the habitat. How does it interact with SEQR (see
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/permits_ej_operations_pdf/seqrhandbook.p
df ). West had brought up that it would add time to the approval process.
PoF: Klingensmith noted that habitat loss happens in little bites at a time.
She brought up pollinator pathways and useful local plants of all kinds. She
thought it was an opportunity for education. Hunter agreed – she
mentioned large lawns vs leaving space to grow meadow for birds. But she
reminded the group that the hamlet was for consolidating development,
though in Danby, there is still a lot of wildlife in the hamlet. Gagnon asked
if we were talking about the exception, or the rule.
Zisk noted that the Planning Board might not see the actual property – just
a survey map. Klingensmith reminded people that a unique natural area is
important even if on the edge of a property or just overlapping it. Zisk said
that UNAs will be added as a trigger.
6. Status of NYSACC conference follow-ups – Keokosky
Keokosky made it clear she is not the official representative and she has
only attended the first meeting. She verified that Ben Altman and David
West are speaking, and she could supply dates and information on the
website (https://www.nysacc.net/2023)
Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 5 of 5
Dates: Sessions only virtual on Wed, Sept 20. Sept 21/22 are field trip
days. Keokosky said she would try to get the list of speakers and field trips
for the next meeting. There is a Meet and Greet from 5 to 7 on
Wednesday at a bar on Cayuga Lake called the Deep Dive and a conference
reception at a restaurant, Coltivare, around a block from the Commons, at
5pm on Thursday.
(Later:
Speakers
https://www.nysacc.net/2023/virtual-speakers-schedule
Field trips
https://www.nysacc.net/2023/field-trips-in-person )
7. Status of Bear presentation/webpage changes - Owens
This discussion was skipped since Owens was absent
There was no Executive session
Next Meeting is on August 8, 2023 at 7p.m.
Adjournment at 8:31 pm
_____________________________________________
Submitted by Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary)