HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-01-08TB 1-8-15
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TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
January 8, 2015
Present: Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner, Cl Joseph Solomon, Cl Jason
Leifer, Cl Linda Lavine
Absent: Cl Gregory Sloan
Elected Officials: Erin Bieber, Deputy Town Clerk
Other Town Staff: Jennifer Case, Bookkeeper
Dave Sprout, Code Enforcement Officer
Supv Sumner opened the meeting at 7:07 p.m.
RESOLUTION #24 (2015) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #13
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #13, as audited,
vouchers #1028 through #1109,totaling $4,720,326.70, and further authorizes payment
outside Abstract #13 (2014 funds) of the Workers Comp bill in the amount of $145,905.00.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
RESOLUTION #25 (2015) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #1
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #1, as audited, vouchers
#1 through #13 ($85,339.53) and TA vouchers #29 and #30 ($3055.47), totaling $$88,395.00.
2nd Cl Solomon
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
Supv Sumner explained that when the public hearing for the proposed zoning law was
set for January, there wasn’t enough time to get the response from the County pursuant to
General Municipal Law §239 and would like to set the hearing for February 19, 2015 at 7:00
p.m.
RESOLUTION #26 (2015) – INTRODUCE PROPOSED ZONING LOCAL LAW
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
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RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby introduces the attached local law entitled
“Town of Dryden Zoning Law” and schedules the public hearing on adoption of the same for
February 19, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
RESOLUTION #27 (2015) – OFFICIAL ADVERTISING
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board designate The Ithaca Journal as the official
newspaper of the Town of Dryden for the year 2015.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
RESOLUTION #28 (2015) – DESIGNATE OFFICIAL DEPOSITORIES
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that the Town Board designate The First National Bank of Dryden and the
Tompkins Trust Company as the official depositories for the Town of Dryden for the year 2015.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
The board would like the finance committee to discuss long term investment for the
town.
RESOLUTION #29 (2015) – APPOINTMENTS
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby makes the following appointments:
o Bambi L. Avery as Receiver of Taxes and Assessments.
o Bambi L. Avery as licensor for Games of Chance and Bingo.
o Town Supervisor has the power and duties of administration and supervision of the
Town of Dryden Special Improvement District functions to be performed on behalf of
the Town Board
o Town Supervisor has the power and duties of administration and supervision of the
Town of Dryden on Special Assessment Fund functions to be performed on behalf of
the Town Board.
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2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
RESOLUTION #30 (2015) – AG COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby appoints Kim Lamotte and Douglas Barton to
serve as members of the Agriculture Advisory Committee with terms expiring December 31,
2017.
2nd Cl Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
RESOLUTION #31 (2015) – APPOINT AG COMMITTEE CHAIR
Cl Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby appoints Evan Carpenter to serve as Chair of
the Agriculture Advisory Committee.
2nd Cl Solomon
Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Leifer Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
Supervisor appointments and committee assignments were discussed and will be made
after further consideration by the Supervisor. Cl Leifer said he would like to start attending the
fire chiefs meetings.
Supv Sumner noted there is not sufficient staff in the Planning Department any longer
to seek out and write grant applications and follow through with them. The Infrastructure
Committee will help with the Varna transportation plan.
The 284 Agreement has not yet been completed by the Highway Superintendent.
Cl Leifer said the committee for water resources protection needs to be put together by
the end of the month to work with Steve Winkley of the NY Rural Water Association on the
Dryden project. He suggested it include a representative from Planning Board, ZBA, Town
Board (J Leifer), Ag Advisory, Conservation Board, Planning Department (D Sprout) and
possibly the Highway Department/DPW. Hilary Lambert has been asked to be a part of the
group because of her work with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Organization. J Leifer will provide
the Deputy Clerk with information on the project and contact chairs of the boards and
commissions to explain the project and ask that they select a representative. They expect to
convene this group in March.
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Foundation of Light
Special Use Permit Application
Dave Sprout presented the board with a copy of the application submitted by
Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Road, to construct a one story, wood framed 2565 square
foot addition to its existing building to accommodate event attendees who may wish to stay
overnight. He said the department has determined that this is a retreat as well as a religious
institution, so it will need a special permit for this expansion. He said that people have been
camping on the property for events, and this will provide a permanent shelter.
The board will need to determine whether there is a need for full site plan and consider
the use. This will be on the agenda for next week and the board will schedule a public hearing
for the following month. Full SEQR will be required, and any conditions considered.
D Sprout said their office has been visited by someone who would like to build 8
duplexes on about 5 acres in a rural ag district. There is plenty of road frontage. Under
existing zoning this only requires a building permit and stormwater plan. He noted the town
does not have any density requirements, except in mixed use commercial districts. The town
may want to change the definition of multi-family dwelling to cover this. There was discussion
that essentially density in rural areas is regulated by septic permits.
Supv Sumner said if this is something the board is concerned about it, they could ask
the Planning Board to consider a zoning change. D Sprout noted that it isn’t likely a lot of
people will want to do this, but it could become a problem.
Cl Lavine would like the Planning Board, in its review of the Comprehensive Plan, to
consider an energy/sustainability kind of thing with respect to use of solar power, wind power,
geothermal, etc.
The board discussed a possible presentation by Sustainable Tompkins on renewable
energy sources, how long the presentation would be, and when might be a good time for that.
NYSEG representatives will be at the meeting next week to talk about the West Dryden
Road project. The idea is to give them an opportunity to present the facts and the board an
opportunity to clarify the facts, without backing them into a corner to the point they don’t want
to talk at all. The questions need to be phrased clearly so as to make them answer able. Cl
Lavine said she wants to know why the pipe is the size and type it is.
Cl Lavine handed out a partial transcript of a conversation Irene Weiser had with a
representative of the Public Service Commission. She said there are people of the opinion that,
based on a look at our zoning law, there is nothing that exempts the project from Town Board
review. Supv Sumner said there is also nothing in the zoning or subdivision law or site plan
review, that requires a review. It does not include infrastr ucture along the road that is covered
by the franchise. Cl Leifer and Cl Lavine believe the franchise does not exempt them from
review, and NYSEG should have site plan review. Supv Sumner said public utility delivery
lines are defined differently because of the franchise.
Supv Sumner said she believes the Lansing gas reinforcement project will meet future
flow and pressure requirements for additional load growth. There is presently a known project
in the Town of Lansing to build a large use multi-use development at the intersection of Route
34B and N Triphammer Road for an anticipated load of 90 million cubic feet per hour at 60
psig. There has also been a strong interest by several local developers to obtain natural gas
service. The length of the project is 5.82 miles in Dryden and 1.57 miles in Lansing. It will be
a 10” wrapped steel main (124 psi) that will allow NYSEG to feed the Town of Lansing’s project.
The main also has the capacity to serve load growth in Lansing and Cayuga Heights.
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Modifications to the Freeville gate station are necessary to connect and serve this gas main.
The gate station capacity is being addressed by NYSEG and Dominion under separate project.
The gas main will tie into an existing 8” steel main on Warren Road. A ne w gas regulator will
be installed on Warren Road to reduce the pressure from 124 psi to 60 psi for the 8” main.
Cl Lavine said she understands that Lansing expects to have the right to review the
project.
Supv Sumner said there is no compressor station as referenced in a recent
communication from a resident. It is reasonable to ask NYSEG to confirm that the information
in their April 16, 2014, email is accurate, and to encourage people who are facing easements to
require that that description of the project be incorporated into the easement.
There was discussion about use of eminent domain and the possible procedure for that.
Next week board members will be able to ask questions of the NYSEG representatives.
Residents will be communicating questions to board members prior to the board meeting.
Among items to be clarified:
Why is the pipe 10” when there will be a reduction to 8” at Warren Road?
Why is it 124 psi initially and then reduced to 60 psi?
It was stated the pipe would serve the equivalent of 30,000 people. What do they
anticipate?
The scope of what could be allowed under the easement. Could a larger pipe be put in
place in the future?
Whether this current pipe could bear a higher pressure.
Some would like to know whether Cayuga will be repowered through this pipeline? (If
so, the board has passed a resolution against repowering Cayuga.) Supv Sumner said because
of the whole gas network, it would need to be more specific, more like: Cayuga is going to need
x number of cubic feet per hour, and this will provide what amount toward that total?
Supv Sumner noted that residents will be free to make a statement that includes a
question for NYSEG during citizens privilege, prior to NYSEG’s presentation.
Supv Sumner asked if the main purpose in reviewing this project to affect the
repowering of the Cayuga power plant.
J Wilson would like NYSEG to have to go through a special use permit process.
Cl Lavine said there is a new mindset about renewable energy and the question of
whether or not we should be encouraging the build out of infrastructure.
There was discussion about limiting the pressure of the pipe because that is related to
safety, whether it is dangerous and whether it devalues or enhances the value of the property.
A large distribution line that does not benefit the properties it travels through is a different
story. The more residences and multi-residences it serves, the higher the pressure would have
to be, increasing the risk to the people whose property the line travels through.
There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried,
the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
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Transcribed from digital recording
Bambi L. Avery
Town Clerk