HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-12-10-CAC-minutesTown of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)
Notes of In-person Gathering in Town Hall, and Via Videoconferencing
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024
Council M embers Present: Margaret Corbit, Joel Gagnon, Katharine Hunter, Anne Klingensmith,
Don Schaufler
Council M embers Absent /Excused: Brittany Lagaly, Renee Owens, Jonathan Zisk
Others Present: Greg Hutnik, Kristin McCarthy (staff), Ronda Roaring (Danby resident, via Zoom)
Note-taking began at 7:05pm. Members briefly discussed whether it was still necessary to include
“designate a co-host” as a recurring agenda item.
Deletions or Additions to Agenda: None
Privilege of the Floor: None
Approval of Minutes: Minutes could not be voted on due to lack of a quorum.
Reports and Updates
1. Status of Online Systems, including management of existing documents: Anne provided
an update on the CAC’s online document management systems, reporting the successful
upload of previously inaccessible Laserfiche documents that Town Clerk Mariah Dillon had
located. To maintain clarity about document sources, she added the suffix
"_fromlaserfiche" to transferred files and created new folders for documents related to
easements for which Don's is “parent”. Anne noted that individual easement folder
organization remains the responsibility of the folder’s respective owner. She identified
several items requiring clarification, including photographs potentially associated with
management plans for town-owned properties. Anne also observed how documentation
templates have evolved over the past 14 years, citing the Hansen easement as an example
of older formatting styles. Margaret thanked Anne for the update and for all of her and
Mariah’s hard work.
2. Status of Easement Monitoring: Members reported no monitoring had been completed in
the past month. The group identified that the Hoffman (Bruce Hill) easement remains
unmonitored. Anne offered to assist Don with uploading his Palmer report to the shared
files folder. Katharine announced that although her term on the CAC was ending, she would
be willing to accompany others on monitoring visits. The group discussed membership
reappointments and their two-year staggered term system.
3. Update on “Reasons to Involve CAC in Proposed Development” document: Margaret
and Anne have sent their suggestions to Jonathan.
4. Status of Timber Harvesting Law: Comments from Jonathan have been incorporated into
the current draft, and Chris Sprague, senior forester with the DEC Region 7 Office, indicated
he will provide additional feedback by year-end. Additional next steps include sharing the
document with CAC again and with the town clerk for administrative review. The group
discussed the appropriate legal classification for the document. A key consideration was
enforcement authority, particularly regarding the highway superintendent's ability to halt
logging operations that damage town roads. Joel explained that if such enforcement powers
are needed, the document must be established as a local law. However, if the document
only requests information disclosure, it could function as a policy. He added that if existing
highway law already grants the necessary authority, the document could be structured as a
policy that references and implements those existing powers. Input will also be included
from the town zoning officer, who serves as the stormwater management official. For
clarity’s sake, the group plans to refer to the document as the "timber harvesting law" or
"logging law” in future CAC updates.
5. Discussion of Use of Executive Session: The group discussed the appropriateness of
entering executive session when discussing easements being negotiated. Concerns were
raised about maintaining confidentiality while ensuring transparency. Margaret proposed
that the group explicitly ask landowners at the outset if they are comfortable with public
discussion of their potential easement. Greg Hutnik, Danby’s town planner, shared an
anecdote highlighting the importance of clear communication and potential confidentiality
concerns. The group acknowledged the problems associated with both public disclosure
and lack of transparency. The group discussed restructuring the CAC meeting agenda
template to better accommodate both public and confidential easement discussions,
potentially grouping confidential items together toward the end of meetings to streamline
executive sessions. Due to quorum requirements, no formal motion could be made during
this meeting. The group will further research the matter and revisit it in January.
Updates on Ongoing Easement Development: CAC members reviewed easement
developments. The Ravencache easement still needs monitoring. Further clarification is
required regarding ownership and monitoring responsibilities for the Melchen-Schott
easement. The Hansen easement is now commonly known as the Hansen-Selin easement.
The Curtiss easement had a clerical errors in filing - the tax parcel number was incorrectly
cited and the easement schedules were not filed with the text. A resolution to correct this
error is being sent to the town board. Jonathan is responsible for correcting the folder. The
group discussed the importance of clear and concise language in legal documents related
to conservation easements, as well as careful attention to process to avoid mistakes like
those made in filing the Curtiss easement. The group also discussed the appropriate
naming conventions for easement folders, deciding to use the original landowner's name
followed by any subsequent owners.
Regarding the Altman easement, Jonathan reported that he will incorporate the landowner's
vision, accommodating maple sugaring and traditional Indigenous land management
practices, into the easement language. He will collaborate with Greg to transfer existing
drawings and zones into a digital format.
Greg also reported on two other potential projects:
West Jersey Hill Road Property: Greg reported on a 74-acre property on Jersey Hill that
extends to Lick Brook and W. King Road. This property contains steep slopes and wetlands
and is part of Danby's habitat corridor. The owner is considering subdivision while placing
most of the property under easement, with plans to present to the Town Planning Board in
January. The group discussed baseline monitoring procedures, potential CAC input on
clustered subdivision placement, and the possibility of restoring historical Finger Lakes Trail
access through the new easement. Greg requested to be included in the walk-through for
the baseline observation report.
Ithaca Waldorf School Property: Greg also presented on the Ithaca Waldorf School's
proposal for a subdivision. An existing conservation area requires review, though there is
uncertainty about enforcement capabilities due to documentation issues. The town
attorney noted insufficient legal recording of restrictions for the conservation area in the
plat map. Joel provided historical context about conservation easements, and the
discussion highlighted the importance of specific documentation in County Clerk filings.
Greg said he may ask CAC volunteers to walk part of the property to inform the town
Planning Board of suitable conditions for a subdivision approval.
6. Executive Session: None
7. Meeting Wrap-up: Greg thanked everyone for their time and shared that his family is
relocating closer to Danby, which should enable him to attend CAC meetings more
frequently. The group briefly discussed member recruitment, and Katharine confirmed
receipt of Don’s application to renew his seat. Kristin reported that the Kartman easement
paperwork has been filed with the County Clerk. Additionally, Katharine reminded everyone
of the upcoming town holiday party at her house on Saturday.
Adjournment: The gathering ended at 8:30pm. Submitted by Kristin McCarthy, Secretary