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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-04-26Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Page 1 of 5 Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Members Present: Bob Beck, Craig Schutt, Gian Dodici, Tim Woods (Alternate), Milo Richmond, Steve Bissen, Jeremy Sherman (at 7:30), Nancy Munkenbeck (at 7:45) Liaisons Present: Linda Lavine, Town Board, David Weinstein, Planning Board Guests: Kyle Hollenbeck The meeting was called to order at 7:14PM Valor Strength and Fitness: Kyle Hollenbeck Mr. Hollenbeck presented his idea for fitness stations along the Jim Schug trail. The kits are expensive (around $6000 for a 10 station kit) but they come with everything needed. If constructed to the company’s specifications, the company will assume a level of liability. T. Woods has experience with Fit-Trail products and is supportive of this endeavor. The signage is included; Mr. Woods said the signs are metal and tend to last a long time. - Mr. Hollenbeck has talked with the DPW and received assurances that they are willing to maintain the equipment and work around the equipment while maintaining the trail. S. Bissen moved to recommend this project to the Town Board - M. Richmond seconded - minimal environmental impact - minimal cost with sponsorship - increased potential of use - unanimously approved - D. Weinstein is writing the resolution Review and approval of minutes from March 29, 2016: C. Schutt moved to approve the minutes with recommended clarifications. M. Richmond seconded the motion and the minutes were unanimously approved. Town Board: L. Lavine - Ms. Lavine deferred to B. Beck who indicated the relevant topics would be addressed later in the meeting. Planning Board: D. Weinstein - The Tiny Timbers project on the corner of Freese Road and Route 366 will be presenting their Site Plan for review tomorrow night at the Planning Board meeting (the Planning Board will be meeting at the Varna Community Association). Buzz Dolph is the builder, Noah Demerest is the architect and Nickolas Bellisario is the owner. - The Board expressed some concern regarding the expansion of Bellisario’s fill area in relation to Fall Creek. D. Weinstein pointed out that there is a strip of land (owned by himself) that will help keep a 100 foot buffer between the Bellisario property and the river. - The Board is reviewing the Renewable Energy Law to allow large scale solar units Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Page 2 of 5 Ag Committee: C. Schutt - George Frantz attended the Committee meeting. He has reviewed the zoning law and indicated the various places that he recommended changes. There were not many recommended changes; he felt that the zoning was fairly good. Water Resources Committee with Steve Winkley - C. Schutt shared Mr. Winkley has contacted a variety of folks to see what their concerns were regarding the local water quality: ground water, aquifer, high sulfur and iron levels, etc. - This was basically a meeting to share his plans. He will be creating a survey to be put on the Dryden website for feedback from residents. He believes that he will be able to identify areas with issues based on the feedback. - He has plotted the data on wells that the DEC has identified and the aquifers in the Town - This project will produce a huge amount of information that will be beneficial to the Natural Resources Conservation Plan. DRYC: no report Tompkins County EMC: S. Bissen - S. Bissen did not attend the last meeting - The UNA subcommittee is working on getting contractors to go out to conduct site visits. They are reviewing the UNAs for border reconsideration. New and Continuing business: May 3rd – Public Referendum on the purchase of the property on Pinckney Road. The next Rail to Trail Task Force meeting will be held Wednesday, May 18th, 7PM at the Dryden DPW. - This will be the third meeting - The Town Board has approved a resolution creating the Rail to Trail Task Force - It will not be a subcommittee of the Conservation Board but rather a separate “task force” under the Town Board - There will be a member from each of the Town’s volunteer boards/committees = 4 members and then the Town Board will appoint 5 members of the public - B. Beck has offered the Town Board a list of potential members but the Town Board feels that they need to choose and appoint without his input. - D. Weinstein was surprised that the resolution didn’t offer criteria for the 5 public members. He would like to see what they are expecting or looking for in a candidate/appointees. - L Lavine asked what areas/criteria the Board feels the Town Board should consider. - Geography – the trails are going to pass through Freeville, Etna, and Varna and the Task Force should have representation from all areas - Grant writing will be necessary so a person with those skills will be desirable - The ability to meet and negotiate easements with the public Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Page 3 of 5 - N. Munkenbeck suggested that the ghost of the CEAs might be part of the Town Board’s reason for not using B. Beck’s list of suggested members. She reported that at another meeting (a previous RTTF meeting) Todd Bittner had suggested the Town residents still associate the Conservation Board with the CEAs and that could have a negative impact on the RTTF if it was approved as a subcommittee of the Conservation Board. - L. Lavine vehemently responded to N. Munkenbeck’s comments basically stating that the continued conversation regarding CEAs is inappropriate, useless and irrelevant. - N. Munkenbeck responded that she was simply reporting what had been said at another meeting and that she didn’t necessarily agree. - M. Richmond expressed concern that the 5 public members might not be on board with the Task Force’s goal. He has not heard from other Town Board members and hopes that the Town Board doesn’t appoint folks that are not in favor of trails. - L. Lavine stated that she will ask the Town Board to clarify where they stand on the trails and she will work to appoint folks that are like-minded. N. Munkenbeck moved to recommend Bob Beck to serve on the Rail to Trail Task Force as the member from the Conservation Board. M. Richmond seconded the motion which was unanimously approved. NRCP: Biological Resources “To Protect and Enhance Dryden’s Biological Resources”: - T. Woods asked what the base line is that the Conservation Board is trying to protect. Are they looking to the biological resources of 50 years ago or contemporary resources? - N. Munkenbeck indicated she believes it is the contemporary resources; what resources do we have now that we want to protect. - T. Woods said that there is a huge change since he was a child. Is successional growth good or is it destroying natural resources? Do we want to bring back more farm fields rather than letting them be reclaimed? Many years ago, the hills around here were denuded and they are starting to grow back so where is the line? - B. Beck stated that the heading that has been in discussion is the big topic and the topics below should deal with those issues. - D. Weinstein pointed out that this list does not cover the goal to maintain the large diversity of habitat in this Town. He believes this should be an added goal. - N. Munkenbeck does not believe it is possible to maintain that diversity because we cannot tell people what to do with their land – ending up with 1/3 grassland, 1/3 forest and 1/3 aquatic is a realistically unreachable goal. - Would this be a guide for the Planning Department to advise as they talk with developers or is this an aid to folks who are already working on maintaining the diversity of the habitat like the Durland Bird Habitat? Both? - N. Munkenbeck suggested removing number 10 – maintaining natural disturbances doesn’t appear to be a reasonable goal. - The Board agreed to change the wording to “recognize the value of natural disturbances as a benefit to certain natural habitats” - #8 was changed from broad buffer zones to viable buffer zones Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Page 4 of 5 - #4 was changed to “maintain forests both mature and successional with intact vegetation and undisturbed forest floors wherever possible and allow certain parcels to pass through natural succession so it grows into natural, additional forest land.” - The Board discussed adding an additional goal to include diverse habitats that would include habitats other than forests. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30PM. Respectfully Submitted, Dryden Conservation Board April 26, 2016 Page 5 of 5 Erin A. Bieber Deputy Town Clerk