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Home My WebLink About2024-10-Town Newsletter October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 1 Danby Town News Danby Volunteer Fire Company Halloween Event Saturday, October 26th from 2 to 6pm. Danby Fire Station There will be magic shows, "table or treat" candy, crafts, and a demo of the new Extrication tools. Costumes are encouraged! We are looking for Danby community members who wish to participate/help! please email: info@danbyfiredept.org Public hearing Monday, October 7, 2024 at 6pm Override the tax cap for 2025 budget More budget information on next page. Danby Volunteer Fire Company Doug's Fish Fry Tuesday, October 29th, 11am-6pm Danby Fire Station Part of their sales will go to the Danby Volunteer Fire Company Scan the QR code below for the menu October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 2 Notes from the Town Supervisor Joel Gagnon 2024 has been a very fruitful year for us growers, with exceptional crops of just about everything. While awfully dry in the home stretch, the sunny dry conditions made for the best quality in years. This will be a vintage year for grape producers, a nice contrast to the disastrous freeze we endured in 2023. Even in the frost pocket I occupy there were peaches and plums, the first since 2021. Every year is different; this is one for the record books! Budget Budget Season for 2025 is under way. I am responsible for proposing a tentative budget by the end of September, informed with input from the various departments and groups coordinated by Laura Shawley. The Town Board would like to minimize the tax increase to fund the budget, but staying under the tax cap will be difficult. For example, insurance costs are projected to increase around 14%, and income from the mortgage tax is much diminished due to fewer sales and refinancing. We have a healthy fund balance (this is basically money saved and held for future projects and as a cushion against disaster) and we will likely use some of it to limit the tax increase. We propose to pass a tax cap override local law to enable ourselves to exceed the cap. This has been our practice for many years to give us flexibility in budgeting. Special Event Law The Town Board reviewed a revised draft of a special event law in September and agreed that we are ready to move ahead with the formal process of approval. The next step lawyer review. Barring major changes from the lawyer’s review, the law will likely be subject to public hearing and then possible passage in November. The draft is linked on the front page of the town’s website (Danby.ny.gov). Planning Initiatives Neither our Zoning Law nor our Subdivision Regulations are static documents. Despite a major re-do of the zoning law in 2022, there are features that the Board and Planner have identified as worth amending. The same thing applies to the Subdivision Regulations. Creating a committee to tackle this task was talked about at the first September Town Board meeting; and how to structure it is on the agenda for the September 23 meeting. I expect to be able to report next month how this will work. A related issue is the revision of the town’s Comprehensive Plan. This is a guiding document for the regulations we adopt. It sets forth a vision of where we are, and where we would like to be, with goals and objectives identified. The last major rewrite was in 2003, so we are overdue for revisiting it. We hope to get to this in 2025. Our Planner, Greg Hutnik, proposed to have the Planning Board begin the process by looking at the goals and objectives: what has been accomplished, what remains undone, and what is missing that merits consideration in revising it are likely topics. This approach, endorsed by the Town Board, with the hope that the Planning Board can accomplish their review in the next few months, is the beginning. The framework for the actual work of revising the plan has yet to be worked out but will certainly be a topic of discussion and decision by the end of the year. October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 3 Notes from the Town Clerk Mariah Dillon Greetings Danby Residents Attention dog owners! Our new town clerk's software does not allow for dog license renewals or invoices to be sent by email. The clerk’s office will be sending out notices via the postal service, of local dogs’ non-compliance with current New York State law regarding dog licensing. If you get such a notification, please ensure your dog is up to date with their rabies vaccine and renew your dog license. If your dog is no longer with us, please accept our deepest sympathies – and let us know! Everyone in the clerk’s office LOVES dogs. (We have treats for dogs that visit us!) 607- 277-4788 We have a new process in place for renewing dog licenses online: 1. The clerk’s office requires confirmation of a dogs' rabies vaccination prior to licensing, this can be done by sending us a copy of the dogs' current rabies vaccine. 2. Once we have confirmation of current rabies vaccination we will send you a link to the pay portal. The cost is $12 per year for a fixed dog, or $24 per year for intact dogs. As always, if you are able, feel free to stop by Town Hall with current rabies vaccination information and we’ll renew your dogs’ license on the spot! With our migration to Microsoft Office nearly behind us, Blake is now focused on entering building permit data into our permitting and licensing software. This will enable our community to access this information efficiently and effectively. Unfortunately, I have recently been made aware that historically, getting a building permit for construction projects in the Town of Danby has not been a priority. Information about some building construction within the Town simply does not exist. I’m hopeful that the new licensing software will make it easy to apply for and receive a building permit, and we can build a reliable database of information as we grow together as a community. I’m continuing to learn about local governance in my role as your Town Clerk, especially in regard to democracy. In a democracy, government data is transparent, so that citizens can evaluate and make decisions and participate in the process of making rules (and correcting bad rules). As opposed to a dictatorship, where data is controlled and hidden from the public, and ordinary citizens have no say. With that I want to remind everyone 18 or older to vote in the coming election! As U.S. Rep. John Lewis said, “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.” The Town Clerks office has voter registration forms for those not yet registered. Please stop by and pick some up. The deadline for registering to vote in the next election is October 26, 2024. Stay Safe Out There! Some Hunting Seasons Early bow hunting season (deer, bear): 10/1-11/15 Youth Firearms: 10/12-10/14 Turkey: 10/19-11/1 For details including more categories, go to dec.ny.gov October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 4 Notes from the Planner's Desk Greg Hutnik There have been questions recently about “cluster subdivisions” – what they are, when they can be used, etc. – and some incorrect information being shared in the community about how they can be used. The questions and answers below are intended to clear up any misinformation. What is a cluster subdivision? Per Town Law §278: “‘cluster development’ shall mean a subdivision plat or plats, approved pursuant to this article, in which the applicable zoning ordinance or local law is modified to provide an alternative permitted method for the layout, configuration and design of lots, buildings and structures, roads, utility lines and other infrastructure, parks, and landscaping in order to preserve the natural and scenic qualities of open lands. A cluster development shall result in a permitted number of building lots or dwelling units which shall in no case exceed the number which could be permitted, in the planning board's judgment, if the land were subdivided into lots conforming to the minimum lot size and density requirements of the zoning ordinance or local law applicable to the district or districts in which such land is situated and conforming to all other applicable requirements.” Danby’s Subdivision Regulations require that a cluster subdivision can only be applied to a property that is 5 acres or more. So if I have a 7-acre lot in a zone district that requires a minimum of 10 acres per new lot, can I use the cluster subdivision provision to subdivide my lot into two lots? No. The minimum lot area requirements in the zoning district always dictates how many lots can be created, regardless of using the cluster subdivision provision. Even if a property is 19 acres in a zone district that requires 10 acres per new lot, a subdivision would not be allowed (unless an area variance was approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals to reduce the required lot area). The lot area minimum requirements of the underlying zone district dictate the maximum number of lots that may be created. In other words, cluster subdivision is NOT a tool to create more lots than what the zoning would allow. Can a 2-lot subdivision be considered a cluster subdivision? Yes. The purpose of a cluster subdivision is two-fold: (1) to preserve open space and (2) to reduce the amount of infrastructure and utilities needed for new lots. There is no legal mechanism for the Town to mandate that more lots be created for it to be deemed a cluster subdivision. A cluster subdivision simply caps the number of lots to be no more than what would be allowed when applying the minimum lot area requirements in the underlying zone district. Can the cluster subdivision provision be used again on the same property? Yes, as long as the zoning requirements are met for new lots and not expanding the number of permissible lots by using clustering. If you have any zoning or planning related questions or comments, or would like to schedule a time to meet with me, please call or text 607-592-0417 or email planner@danby.ny.gov. October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 5 Tompkins County Legislature News Dan Klein There will be a public hearing for the Tompkins County budget on Wednesday, October 30th at 7:00pm. The public can comment in person at the Daniel D Tompkins Building, or by Zoom with one day’s advance notice. Details about the budget can be found at TompkinsCountyny.gov. Conservation Advisory Council Margaret Corbit The Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) met on Tuesday, September 10 at 7 pm. Here are the highlights of the meeting. Leslie Connors of the Town Board attended and announced that Kristin McCarthy was appointed by the Town Board and has accepted the position as Secretary for the CAC. Kristin will be joining us for the October meeting. Connors graciously agreed to serve as Secretary for the September 10th meeting . Ben Altman contributed to the Privilege of the Floor, asking that the CAC make progress on his easement. Don Schaufler reported that he received excellent input on the draft Timber Harvest Law from the Highway Department and will be revising the draft with the hope of sending it to the Town Board by year’s end. We spent most of the meeting talking about the new and nearly complete Kartman easement. The Council reviewed the documents and found the maps developed by Greg Hutnik, Town Planner, to be especially valuable. We hope this easement will be approved by the Town Board at the October 7th meeting. We had two virtual visitors at the meeting including one who is new to our community. Community members are welcome to attend via hybrid or in person. Logging in via Zoom (link in calendar) is a fun way to get a sense of who we are and how we work. Our next meeting is on October 8 at 7 pm in the Town Hall. Tompkins County Transportation Committee (News Release) The Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council (ITCTC) is updating its Long-Range Transportation Plan for Tompkins County. The plan covers the 20-year period through 2045. The purpose and primary objective of the transportation plan is to develop a common vision for the future of transportation in Tompkins County. A complete draft of the plan is available for review before it moves to the formal committee approval process. The deadline for comments is November 1, 2024. The ITCTC will review the plan at their November 5 meeting, with final approval expected at the December 17 meeting You can view both the current transportation plan and draft proposed update at the ITCTC web site: www.tompkinscountyny.gov/itctc/. Topics covered by the Long-Range Transportation Plan include: pedestrian and bicycle transportation, traffic circulation, maintenance of infrastructure, safety, transit, trail development and more. For additional information or to provide your input you may contact the ITCTC at 274-5570, email itctc@tompkins-co.org, go to the agency web site www.tompkinscountyny.gov/itctc/lrtpupdae, or visit the ‘Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council’ on Facebook October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 6 Danby Seniors Theresa Klinger Come join us for our next dish-to-share lunch on Thursday, October 3rd at 12 Noon at the Danby Community Church. We meet the first Thursday of the month, so mark your calendar for Thursday, November 7th as well. Bring your own table service and a dish to share with a serving utensil. UPCOMING TRIPS: Fall Foliage Train Excursion: There are still a few seats available for this train ride scheduled for October 16th. For more information or if you have already signed up and have not paid yet, please contact Theresa at tklinger617@gmail.com. Rockettes Christmas Spectacular: There are a few seats still available for this day trip to NYC on December 4th. Contact Tammy at tml24@yahoo.com for more information. The Annual Christmas Party will be held at the Eagles Club this year located at 161 Cecil Malone Drive, Ithaca, (behind Wegmans) on Monday, December 16th. The event will be held in the Banquet room and cost is $27/for members. If you would like to join us, please get in touch with Tammy at tml24@yahoo.com. Danby Youth Commission Jamie Sorrentino Last call for Danby Youth Grants for 2024 There is a small handful of $100 grants left for this calendar year. The Danby Youth Commission offers $100 grants for youth to participate in recreational activities of their choosing. A link to the application and eligibility criteria can be found on the Town of Danby website. Applications will be reviewed on a first come, first serve basis Getting a treat at Danby Food and Drink Fish caught at Jennings Pond!! October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 7 Youth Programs Heidi Doggett hd289@cornell.edu Danby’s Fall programs are open for registration! For the month of October we have after school Halloween Costume and Crafts programs for every age, including one at LACS. We’ve also got a special 9 am-4 pm Halloween program at Brooktondale Community Center on Friday October 25. It’s open to grades 4-8 (homeschoolers in that age range who don’t have ‘grades’ are welcome too). Even if you don’t want to make a Halloween costume or you’re purchasing one, you can come do crafts or learn special effects makeup like old age, character face painting, and (for the middle schoolers) small wounds and bruises. For youth costumers, we ask that this year they work on a few challenging accessories at the program while planning to complete pieces like homemade pants and shirts at home. We can help them embellish clothing, but we’re not set up to help them sew it. We’ll also be making fake eyeballs and using them in various props and accessories, experimenting with LEDs, and having some spooky snacks. You can register at bit.ly/41jUwDO or contact Heidi at hd289@cornell.edu or (925)240-3572 with questions. Important: these programs are open to 4-8 graders. Sticking to this age range is especially important for Halloween programs. We want everyone to have age-appropriate fun! LACS Halloween Costumes and Crafts (grades 6-8) Tuesdays 3:30-6:00, 10/1-10/29 Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: the Gathering, and Games (grades 6-8) Wednesdays 3:30-6:00, 9/25-12/18, *NO PROGRAM 11/27* South Hill Elementary Halloween Costumes and Crafts (grades 4-5) Thursdays 2:00-5:30, 9/26-10/24, *NO PROGRAM 10/3* Halloween Costume and Craft Extravaganza (grades 4-8) Friday 10/25, 9:00am-4:00pm, Brooktondale Community Center . . Ultimate Frisbee at Stewart Park Playing tag at Dotson Park October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 8 Danby Community Groups Danby Community Library Contact: Cindy Parlett library@danby.ny.gov Open Tue 1-3pm, Thur & Sat 10am-12pm Danby Food Pantry Danby Community Church Contact: Joan Barber Open: 3rd Thur 4-6 pm Danby Food Scraps Pickup every Sat 9am – noon behind Town Hall Danby Community Parks Association (DCPA) Website: dotsonpark.org dotsonpark@gmail.com Danby Rural Cemetery Contact: Sharon Boda Sharonboda@gmail.com Danby Seniors Contact: Pat Phelps patriciaphelps2.0@ gmail,com Luncheons: 1st Thur at noon Danby Community Council President: Pamela Goddard Website: danbycc.org Meeting: 1st Thur 7pm Danby Tosspot (Open Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting) Wed 7pm virtual West Danby Community Association (WDCA) Contact: Pat Curran pc21@cornell.edu Danby library News Cindy Parlett Cornell Companions will be at the library Saturday October 5 from 10:30-11:30am. The dogs love to see the children and hear them read or have books read to them. They also love to share hugs! Plenty of books to go around. Hope to see you there! Mystery book selections from TCPL have arrived just in time for Halloween for those of you who LOVE this spooky holiday; be sure to stop in and see them. The Friends of the Library Sale will take place this month and we'll be on the lookout for favorite authors. If you have any suggestions for items you would like us to look for please let us know as we are always updating our list of patron requests. Reminder: If you would like to receive the Danby Town News only on-line or if you know someone who is not getting the Danby Town News (particularly new residents) but would like to, please send an email with that information to: townnews@danby,ny.gov. October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 9 Monthly Meeting Schedule At-A-Glance Group Day Date Time Call-in by Phone Meeting ID Town Board* Mon 10/7 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 882 2697 6101 905098 WDWD Wed 10/2 5:00pm In person West Danby fire station CAC* Tue 10/8 7:00pm 1-929-205-6099 835 4940 5296 879507 FD Tue 10/8 7:00pm In person Danby Fire Station DYC Thur 10/10 7:00pm Online- contact jsorrentino@danby.ny.gov Town Board* Mon 10/21 6:00pm 1-929-205-6099 847 9505 5187 308958 PB* Tue 10/15 7:00pm 1-646-876-9923 893 3897 1114 956288 BZA* Tue 10/22 7:00pm TBD 817 1432 4705 398041 FD Tue 10/22 7:00pm In person at the Danby Fire Station See the Danby calendar for the final, most up-to-date details. (Acronyms in the above schedule are identified below.) *These meetings are hybrid (i.e. both online and in-person at the Town Hall) Boards & Committees Planning Board (PB) Chair: Kelly Maher planningboard@danby.ny.gov Meets: 3rd Tuesday at 7pm Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) Chair: Earl Hicks bza@danby.ny.gov Meets: 4th Tuesday, as needed Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Chair: Margaret Corbit cac@danby.ny.gov Meets: 2nd Tuesday at 7pm Danby Youth Commission (DYC) Chair: Jamie Sorrentino jsorrentino@danby.ny.gov Meets: 2nd Thursday at 7pm Fire District (FD) Secretary: Sharon Gaden, secretary@danbyfiredistrict.org danby.ny.gov/depts/danby-fire-district Meets: 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 7pm Danby Volunteer Fire Company (DVFC) Chief: John Gaden, jgaden@danbyfiredistrict.org danbyfiredept.org West Danby Fire Department (WDFD) Chief: Robert McCray rmccray@danbyfiredistrict.org westdanbyfire.com West Danby Water DIstrict (WDWD) Contact: Scott Wendt, swendt@danby.ny.gov Meets: 1st Wednesday at 5pm October 2024 Town of Danby, New York 10 Town Officials Town Supervisor Joel Gagnon, x1010 supervisor@danby.ny.gov Town Board Meets 1st Mon and 3rd Mon Leslie Connors Paul Hansen H Katharine Hunter Pat Woodworth townboard@danby.ny.gov Town Clerk Deputy Town Clerk Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–4pm Mariah Dillon Cindy Katz clerkoffice@danby.ny.gov x8001 Highway Superintendent Deputy Highway Superintendent Hours: Mon–Thu 6am–4:30pm Keith Shipman, x8009 highway@danby.ny.gov Jack Shawley, x1012 jshawley@danby.ny.gov Town Justices Court Clerk Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-11am Garry Huddle Theresa Klinger Diane Gair dgair@nycourts.gov Town Planner Hours: Mon–Fri by appointment Greg Hutnik, x1007 planner@danby.ny.gov Code Enforcement Hours: Mon-Fri by appointment Steve Cortright, x1006 code@danby.ny.gov Documents/ Historian Mary Ann Barr, x1008 mbarr@danby.ny.gov Bookkeeper Laura Shawley, x1011 lshawley@danby.ny.gov Danby, New York From: 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No.428 Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: 607-277-4788 https://danby.ny.gov Welcome to the Danby Town News! Questions? Email us at townnews@danby.ny.gov