HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-17Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Meeting on Monday, February 17, 2020
At Dryden Town DPW
Attendance: Steve Winans, Milo Richmond, John Kiefer, Bruno Schickel, Chris & Diane
Tessaglia Hymes, Susan Ashcroft, Rosalie Borsik, David Fogel, Bob O’Malley, David Bravo-
Cullen, Dan Lamb, Bob Beck, Alice Green, Todd Bittner, Joe Wilson, Loren Sparling.
Call to order (7:03 p.m.) – Bob Beck
Additions to agenda: Diane announced that the Design Committee would meet this week.
Approval of January minutes
Brief reports:
• Game Farm/DEC update – Dan, Bob
Dan reported that the Task Force is back to where we were a year and a half
ago with the DEC Stewardship agreement. We want to renovate and maintain the
two trestles in the Game Farm to town standards, but the DEC has recommended
replacement of both. Dan said he was in touch with Jim Farquhar and hasn’t heard
back from him. He noted that the DRT TF has had a good relationship with the state
for this project. The NYS Parks Office of Recreation and Historic Preservation
(OPRHP) has put grant money behind the project, and they have rejected the 3-year
stewardship agreement offered by DEC. Dan said he’d be glad to take direction from
DRT members about how to proceed next.
Bruno said to stress with state representatives that a longer-term
stewardship agreement would solve a number of issues for the trail’s development.
Bob suggests we should go to the governor’s office if we don’t get a more reasonable
response, as suggested by the Town Attorney. Dan said he hopes it doesn’t come to
this because he thinks it could be create pushback.
Milo thinks the problem lies within the agency, between two regions within
DEC that are involved in the pheasant raise and release program. Todd thinks this
has nothing to do with pheasants; it’s institutional bureaucracy. He said the
pheasants issue was settled with the original stewardship agreement. The problem
is that various players in DEC don’t have full information about the stewardship
agreement and the state parks grant. This isn’t a high priority at DEC; it is a matter
of inertia. He suggested setting a time deadline to give some sense of urgency for
the decision.
Bob noted again that the indemnification clause that has been included in all
other easements should be included in a permanent agreement. This takes the DEC
off the hook for liability. The Town has a permanent water and sewer easement for
that parcel. Kathleen McIsaac said this is the only easement that is holding up the
State Parks grant contract. The Town has not been reimbursed for project expenses
incurred since the State Parks grant award in December 2017.
Dan asked about the deer management program possibilities for the Town’s
Parke Dabes site as an enticement to DEC. Todd said he’d be glad to consult about
how that program could be managed. Bob pointed out that the Rail Trail section in
the Game Farm would provide an opportunity for DEC to have some signage and
promote its activities. Alice added that the 3-year stewardship agreement did give
the Town of Dryden authorization to renovate the trestles in the Game Farm.
• Game Farm Road crossing update – Alice, Bob
The Town of Ithaca has now officially joined Dryden in requesting speed limit
reduction from 55 to 45 MPH on Game Farm Rd. Bob, Alice and Jason Leifer met
with Town of Ithaca Supervisor Rod Howe and Deputy Supervisor Bill Goodman to
discuss a three-way memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two towns
and the county spelling out each municipality’s responsibilities at the crossing. The
Town of Ithaca is willing to pursue the MOU, and the two supervisors agreed to set a
meeting with the County Attorney and Highway Superintendent. The Towns will
also discuss using pro bono engineering assistance from retired county highway
engineer John Lampman, and whether there is a need to have the plan stamped by
an engineering firm. Todd noted that the County Highway department gave a verbal
commitment to lower the highway grade north of the crossing.
• Easements update – Bruno, Bob
Route 13 Pedestrian Bridge
Erdman Anthony, the engineering firm working on the Route 13 pedestrian bridge,
has now provided estimates indicating it will be significantly less expensive to build
the bridge if the Town can acquire a 33-foot easement from the former Vanguard
Press. Bruno reported that he spoke with the company’s general council to seek a
meeting with the owner, who lives near Philadelphia. He said he would make an
appeal for the right of way as a donation, since the owner is a philanthropist who
has made large donations in the past. Bruno wants to make the case that this is a
community project that has lots of volunteers and wide support.
Hall Woods Rd section
Bruno also said he commissioned another survey by Mike Reagan which shows that
a row of pine trees on the Hall Woods Road section is about 8 feet from that center
line and on the south side of the rail bed. With the easement, he thinks it will be
possible to keep the trees as a visual buffer from the print shop property for nearby
residents. Bob O. said he is concerned about the effect of drainage issues there.
Bruno said there would be a ditch on the north side of the trail, and one or two small
culverts will be necessary.
Pinckney Rd.
Bruno also got professional help to look at the washout issue under the power lines
at the NYSEG property east of Pinckney Road.
Bob said Nick Huber, co-owner of the storage unit at Pinckney Rd., has agreed to
sign the easement.
• TAP Grant committee report - Bob, Todd, Bruno, John, Dan
Bob reported that the committee believes that the new information and estimates
from Erdman Anthony will be sufficient for the Town Board to approve the
agreement to backstop funds for the TAP grant work on the Route 13 bridge. Todd
said that the committee decided to limit the scope from the original plan, now
focusing on Hall Woods to Monkey Run Road. But if the consultants determine that
it’s in the Town’s interest, we can add a greater part of the trail into the project.
Todd suggested seeing if the public hearing on the project could be at the agenda
meeting earlier in March.
Town of Dryden Comprehensive Plan: “Dryden 2045”
Presentation of process and request for input – John K., Alice
Alice and John presented a short slide show outlining efforts to update the Town’s 2005
Comprehensive Plan. Discussion and comments included the following:
• The Town plan should address the County Comprehensive Plan, including its energy
roadmap.
• The Plan should address issues in the Villages, and look at other good efforts in
other towns.
• Need more communication between the Town and the Villages
• Dryden’s regulatory environment has made it difficult to do the kind of nodal
development the plan recommends. Make it easier to do the kind of development
the Town wants to do.
• Dryden needs mixed housing with commercial, greater walkability.
• The county plan designates the Route 13 corridor as a growth node. DRT allows
more walkability along this section. .
• Encourage in-fill development rather than sprawl.
• There’s no water and sewer in Etna, which makes it hard to make this a growth
node.
Threats to consider in planning:
• Due to Climate Change, rainfall events will be more frequent. These can overwhelm
the EMS system etc. Additional invasive pests will be threats to agriculture.
• Other threats include the current tax burden on residents, over regulation, and the
difference in property taxes between school districts in different parts of the town.
Opportunities to consider:
• Internet access promotes economic development and also can help reduce the
Town’s carbon footprint. This is a common good public utility.
• Expand housing choices. Allow more rental property to be built easily. There are
more people renting now. Tax advantages of home ownership are diminishing.
• Need to look at affordable housing within the Town.
• Keep the sense of community.
• Large farms are doing well. But smaller ones aren’t.
• County did an agriculture plan, but there are lots of smaller farms starting up in
niche areas. If there were 60 small farms rather than the current concentration, it
could offer a different economic model.
• Facilitate Farm to Table.
• Greater promotion of tourism.
• Brookton market shows the impact of one business. Clark’s Sure Fine is a great
community asset.
• There’s a need for more after school programming/ recreation area in the Town.
• Sharing services will be increasingly important. Code enforcement, courts, DPW,
emergency preparedness.
Next meeting scheduled for March 16 in Dryden Village Hall
Adjournment at: 9:08 pm
Submitted by Alice Walsh Green