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Home My WebLink About2024-04-09 CAC MinutesTown of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 1 of 6 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Draft Minutes of In-person Meeting in Town Hall, and via videoconferencing Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Council Members present: Jonathan Zisk (Meeting chair), Joel Gagnon, Anne Klingensmith, Don Schaufler, Renee Owens Council Members absent: Margaret Corbit, Katharine Hunter, Brittany Stein Others present: Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary), Ronda Roaring (Danby resident) Meeting was officially called to order at 7:12 Deletions or Additions to Agenda: Secretary Keokosky announced she would not be able to attend the May CAC Meeting. Owens asked for an addition of the newsletter discussion (last item at end). Privilege of the Floor (PoF): Roaring commented that she would like to see several problems with minutes not being posted cleared up. Also that she would like to see the CAC accomplish more. She reported that her neighbor was doing a big logging job in her woods during the same time as the breeding season for birds and she would like to see more easements for such big property owners. Owens brought up the topic of the Federal Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Act permitting as a first step (see: https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-bird- permits). It was in effect between .. and August 15. There was some discussion over this being a gray area and not usually paid attention to unless reported and there was evidence available (afternote: Oct 2021 revision: See https://www.fws.gov/regulations/mbta ) Approval of February 13, 2024 minutes Owens moved to approve  Fisk seconded  Approved by all present Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 2 of 6 March 12 2024 minutes approval put off until a confusion on Timber Harvesting section could be cleared up. REPORTS AND UPDATES (from the agenda and additions) ????? 1. Report from Tompkins Cornell Cooperative Extension Farmland Protection Educator on monies available to farmers for preserving farmland, and buying development rights – Crystal Buck Buck talked to the CAC on what the implications were and how to apply for the Farmland Protection Grant (See: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2023/09/21/gov-- hochul-announces-over--6-million-in-grants-to-protect-farmland- ) Buck said it was a long process and took a lot of effort. The NY money is divided between different 6 different regions and Tompkins County is in the Southern Tier region. It is a rolling grant and last year there was 5 million allocated to that region, which, as far as she knows is still available. The farm applicant must be approved in a pre-application process done by the county. Buck explained to the group what makes a compelling application (one is that there must be a demonstratable threat of development) and that even a small farm of 10 acres is eligible. (The county is now doing pre- application for Spring of 2025). Once the rigorous, preapproval process is completed and the farm enters the Southern Tier pool, the money is pretty much awarded on a first come/first server basis (because of the limited number of applicants). Buck said, that through notification of whether or not the money is awarded comes reasonably quickly, the downside is the lengthy time and money (2-3 years) it takes for the bureaucracy to complete the property rights transfer legal work and release the grant (legal costs are compensated out of awarded money). This is also time consuming for the easement granting organization. Among other things, Buck noted that this program is not for everybody, but it is a good opportunity for farmers in transition (to create a ready pool of reinvestment cash). Another comment is that it does not necessarily decrease the property value. It is often looked at in resale as protecting your land. Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 3 of 6 For more information see Crystal Buck in Tomkins CCE. or David Behm in Ag and Markets. See https://agriculture.ny.gov/land-and-water/farmland- protection-implementation-grants-program . Mr Behm’s email is at the end. Buck said he is a helpful person to begin with. Discussion followed on possible farm applicants, and group concluded the best solution was just to announce the availability or program. 2. Status Report: Conservation Easement Tax Abatement – Gagnon Gagnon said that town board had asked Danby County Legislative representative, Dan Klein, to get state legislators, Anna Kelles and Lea Webb to sponsor a bill requesting that the Danby tax abatement be grandfathered into existing easements - but they have had no feedback yet. Klingensmith commented all we can do is push. Klingensmith moved that CAC asks the Town Board to report back progress made with State Senator Lea Webb and State Assembly member Anna Kelles to amend the legislation so that tax abatement can be granted to easement owners who have signed easement agreements prior to the enactment of the original legislation granting abatement. It is our understanding that Dan Klein was asked to engage with this issue. Schaufler seconded Approved by all present 3. Status Report: Easement monitoring – Owens Owens is putting together easement lists and info. In her continuing efforts to make order out of easement monitoring, she created a spreadsheet on ZOHO to organize information. She encouraged members to look at it and update their “parent” related files. Google sheets (docs?) can be loaded into ZOHO. Next monitoring date? Using July as a working date. Notification for “parents” (responsible person for each easement). Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 4 of 6 Next easement up for monitoring is Wimsatt. Owens is still rounding up related files. Monitoring announcement letters still must be formalized and sent out to easement owners. 4. Status of Timber Harvesting law – Schaufler, Zisk Schaufler reported that subgroup had met and was working on what should be included in Danby road law, along with county and state road access laws, to be used as a tool by the Danby Highway superintendent to monitor road use and damage. This is in addition to NYSDEC regulations that affect streams, stream crossings, and sedimentation from logging activity. Concerns: • Use Best Management Practices (BMP) • sediment in streams and erosion (who reports it?) Gagnon spoke to town lawyer, Guy Krogh, who said to check other town’s logging laws. Secretary Keokosky reminded the group that a previous CAC member on this committee, George Adams, had done extensive research and surveying on other town logging laws. Zisk said he would speak to Adams. Some discussion on the possibility of including refence to Migrant Bird Act - brought up by Roaring - in draft law. Zisk said that Logging Operations don’t usually require the kind of oversight, such as that provided by Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). Owens said that she was going to check the Migrant Bird laws again, as defined by DEC. Primary way of avoiding problems with birds is simply timing (avoiding nesting months). She said that mainly the DEC wants you to have a plan, which they usually always go along with. 5. Updates on on-going easements – from leads on each easement Andi Goldsmith (gladstone) – Zisk – finishing in next two months Ben Altman- Zisk – finishing in next two months Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 5 of 6 Brian Caldwell – still talking about zones Butje – on hold 6. Status of checklist to “trigger CAC involvement in town planning of land use”– Zisk Zisk reported that trigger is becoming more urgent as plans develop for Hornbrook Rd. property. New owners are talking about a building used to house 10 people. Planner Greg Hutnik is asking them to show design of a sceptic system that can work there for 10 people. Property has a watershed issue and erosion issue. Stream on property originates below Curtis Rd. Zisk reviewed the things needed for a trigger and said he would email a draft copy to CAC members. 7. Newsletter Discussion – Owens Owens reported her frustration on waiting for a newsletter that provides CAC with what it needs (i.e. better communication to Danby residents). She wants to add context to current town newsletter to make it more interesting. Owens wants the town to hire someone to assist or replace the current volunteer so the newsletter would be able to go beyond reporting municipal news only. CAC members also expressed concern that article editing is being done by the editor, and not being returned to the author for changes. They preferred set guidelines, such as number of words, no political content, etc. and suggestions to the author. There was no Executive session Next Meeting is on May 9, 2024, at 7p.m. Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 6 of 6 Adjournment at 9:30 pm _____________________________________________ Submitted by Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary)