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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB 2025-11-25 CB 2025-11-25 Final 1 CONSERVATION BOARD November 25, 2025 Hybrid Present: Gian Dodici (chair), Steve Bissen, Anne Clark, Jeanne Grace, Nancy Munkenbeck, Craig Schutt, Naomi Cator-Szymanski (alternate) Absent: Kate McKee, Andrew Miller, Tim Woods Liaisons: Spring Buck (Town Board) Staff: Loren Sparling (Deputy Town Clerk) “*” denotes attendance via Zoom The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. Review and Acceptance of Minutes N Munkenbeck suggested via email that the draft minutes be corrected to reflect that the Freeville Farmer’s Market is seeking permission to hold winter sessions on Sundays inside the Freeville Methodist Church, not the Dryden Farmer’s Market. RESOLUTION #11 (2025) – ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 28, 2025 G Dodici offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that the Conservation Board of the Town of Dryden hereby accepts the meeting minutes of October 28, 2025, as amended. 2nd A Clark Roll Call Vote G Dodici Yes S Bissen Yes A Clark Yes J Grace Yes N Munkenbeck Yes C Schutt Yes N Cator-Symanski (alt) Yes Report: Agriculture Advisory Committee C Schutt reported that the Ag Committee did not meet this month. Report: Environmental Management Council (EMC) S Bissen reported that the most recent EMC meeting was primarily an internal session focused on strategic planning, with limited external business to report. He confirmed, however, that the County legislature has unanimously approved the proposed biosolids resolution. The resolution was praised as comprehensive and well-drafted, with special recognition given to Kate Darfler (chair of the EMC) for her work on it. While the Board discussed passing its own resolution in support, it was concluded that this was no longer necessary, as the County measure had already passed. (Members wanted it on record, though, that they support the County’s resolution.) The discussion prompted a broader conversation about the definition of biosolids, distinguishing between treated human waste and agricultural byproducts like manure from digesters. Report: Climate Action Committee CB 2025-11-25 Final 2 A Clark reported that the Committee is concentrating its efforts on preparing a formal statement to the Town Board about data center development, to be presented at the public hearing on the topic on December 18. The current proposal seeks to limit data centers to a maximum size of 5,000 square feet and a maximum power consumption of 1 megawatt (equivalent to the consumption of 40 homes). Several significant concerns were raised by Board members regarding the proposed restrictions and potential enforcement mechanisms. The potential exists for developers to circumvent size and power limitations by constructing multiple smaller data centers on a single parcel or adjacent parcels. The legal uncertainty of the Town’s authority to regulate private power consumption and the practical challenges of enforcing such limits were noted by S Buck. A potential solution that is being discussed involves requiring data centers to submit their monthly or quarterly utility bills for verification. The need for meaningful consequences for non-compliance, with a proposal to build significant, enforceable fines directly into the zoning law, was also suggested. A Clark related that the Climate Action Committee’s official position is a preference for a complete moratorium on data center development. However, acknowledging potential legal challenges to a moratorium, the Committee is prepared to support strong, specific, and enforceable restrictions as an alternative. Board members raised several broader concerns regarding the impact of data centers on the community. There is significant anxiety that energy-intensive data centers will drive up local electricity rates, which have reportedly almost doubled in the past year. The experience of other communities, where the cost of new power infrastructure was passed on to homeowners, was cited as a cautionary tale. Questions were raised about NYSEG’s capacity to deliver sufficient electricity to the Town of Dryden without requiring costly infrastructure upgrades. A recommendation was made for the Town to officially confirm this capacity with the utility provider. Because data centers operate at maximum capacity 24/7, they create a new, inflexible demand on the grid. This could create a competitive scenario for power during extreme weather events, when residential demand also peaks. A proposal was floated to legally require data centers to switch to their on-site fossil fuel generators during periods of high community-wide energy demand (e.g., heat waves), thereby prioritizing the public grid for residential and local business use. The legality of this measure also requires investigation. The requirement that all energy consumed by data centers must be acquired from renewable sources is also being considered. S Buck noted, however, that the only way for this to be tracked is for the data centers to submit their bills for review. Report: Town Board S Buck provided an update on local telecommunications infrastructure, indicating that an unused cell tower on Snyder Hill Rd is set to be reactivated by T-Mobile. The tower’s physical structure will not be altered. It is hoped that this reactivation will improve cellular service in known dead zones, including Ellis Hollow, Varna, and stretches of Route 79. This news led to a general discussion among members about the persistent lack of reliable cell service in various parts of the Town, with specific mention of poor coverage on Midline Rd. Old Business: Bob Beck Memorial Garden CB 2025-11-25 Final 3 The Board celebrated the success of the recent planting day for the Bob Beck Memorial Garden project. The morning was well attended with approximately 12-15 volunteers, with all planting being accomplished by 10:30 a.m. Official gratitude was extended to J Grace for her leadership in organizing the event, to the Town Highway Department for providing invaluable support (including site preparation, digging holes for plantings, staining the fence, and delivering mulch), and to the Town for administrative assistance with the project’s account. Future plans for the project include the construction of benches in the spring, the installation of a commemorative plaque, and a formal dedication ceremony to be held once the project is fully complete. J Grace confirmed that she would follow up on the order for the black locust wood to be used for the bench. She will also reach out to the Plantsmen Nursery to arrange a pickup time/date for the containerized linden tree that was donated by them. A hole has already been dug for it and multiple Board members offered to transport the tree to the planting site. Old Business: Zoning Rewrite N Munkenbeck reported that the Zoning Advisory Group’s (ZAG) most recent meeting was dedicated entirely to a detailed review and editing of the code’s definitions section. The Committee is now beginning its work on Phase 2 of the rewrite, which will address housing. This phase is expected to be a year-long process. C Schutt raised a point regarding potential future discussions within the housing phase of the zoning rewrite. He noted anecdotal information that suggested an idea was being considered to increase minimum lot sizes for new residences and mandating that half of each lot be placed in a conservation easement as a way to maintain green space. This idea was met with concern from other Board members, who argued that such a policy would increase sprawl across the Town, contradict the stated goal of promoting affordable housing by making individual homes more expensive, and put additional development pressure on valuable agricultural land. The Board concluded that this topic is not under immediate consideration by the ZAG and that the Board will monitor the rewrite process for future opportunities to provide formal input if the issue arises. New Business: Expiring Terms of Board Members The terms of five Board members are set to expire at the end of the year: G Dodici, N Munkenbeck, C Schutt, J Grace, and N Cator-Szymanski. N Munkenbeck, C Schutt, and J Grace all confirmed their interest in being reappointed for another term. G Dodici also expressed his interest in remaining on the Board but would like another member to assume the role of Chair for the next term. A Clark and J Grace were identified as potential candidates for the position and the three will discuss the possibility of a co-Chair arrangement offline. S Bissen’s term as the liaison to the Environmental Management Council is also expiring. He is willing to continue in the role, and with no other volunteers, he will be reappointed. New Business: EPA Rollback of Regulations CB 2025-11-25 Final 4 N Munkenbeck raised an urgent concern regarding a recent decision by the EPA to roll back regulations on certain PFAS-containing pesticides used on food crops. The Board’s primary concern centered on the potential for increased environmental contamination from these “forever chemicals.” Members noted the paradox of working to prevent the spread of PFAS through one vector (i.e., via biosolids) while the federal government permits its direct application to agricultural land and food sources. The discussion focused on whether New York State possesses the legal authority to enact its own, stricter regulations to counter the federal rollback. The consensus was that the State likely has the authority, similar to how it strengthened wetland protections this year following a federal rollback from five years ago. New York State is already one of the most regulated states (e.g., regarding groundwater and air), and these regulations are the only way that we can preserve an environment that is somewhat safe for us to live in. The majority of industries are not going to regulate themselves. The Board agreed on a strategy of advocacy, recommending that members reach out to State Assembly representatives, specifically mentioning John Lemondes and Anna Kelles. The possibility of the Board drafting a formal resolution in support of state-level restrictions was also raised as a future action. New Business: Grant Opportunity J Grace shared information about a new, no-match state grant program designed to fund the acquisition of conservation land. A webinar explaining the grant is scheduled for December 3 (at 1 p.m.), with an application deadline in mid-February. The grant appears to be for preserving green space to prevent development, which could potentially include uses like trails and athletic fields. This prompted a discussion about a specific 220-acre parcel on Hile School Rd that is currently for sale as a potential candidate for this grant. The property was noted for its significant ecological value, including a wildflower woods (Trillium Woods) and wetlands that feed into the Owasco Inlet headwaters. The property is being sold as a single parcel for an asking price of over $900,000 (with an assessed value of $750,000). One of the heirs selling the property has stated they will not break it up. However, there is known interest from other parties, including local farmers, in acquiring portions of the land if it were to be subdivided after a sale. Recognizing that the state grant process can take two or three years, the Board discussed the need for an entity that can act quickly. Andy Zepp of the Finger Lakes Land Trust has already been contacted to explore preservation possibilities, as such non- governmental organizations often have the capital and experience to secure properties upfront while awaiting grant funding. The Board formally decided to cancel its December meeting. The next scheduled meeting of the Conservation Board will take place in January. There being no further business, on a motion made by N Munkenbeck, seconded by A Clark, the meeting was adjourned at 8:21 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Loren Sparling Deputy Town Clerk