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Home My WebLink AboutCB 2026-03-31 CB 2026-03-31 Final 1 CONSERVATION BOARD March 31, 2026 Virtual (via Zoom) Present: Jeanne Grace (co-chair), Steve Bissen, Gian Dodici, Nancy Munkenbeck, Craig Schutt, Tim Woods (arrived 7:15 p.m.), Naomi Cator-Szymanski (alternate) (arrived 7:14 p.m.) Absent: Anne Clark (co-chair), Kate McKee, Andrew Miller Liaison(s): Spring Buck (Town Board) The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Report: Environmental Management Council (EMC) There was no report this month due to S Bissen being out of town when the EMC convened. Report: Town Board S Buck reported that the Town Board is exploring the transition from fire departments into a fire district. The reason for doing this would be to shift administrative and reporting burdens away from fire chiefs to a dedicated board. A session featuring guest speakers from other communities that have undergone this change is planned in order to discuss the pros and cons of a fire district. Report: Zoning Advisory Group N Munkenbeck reported that the Zoning Advisory Group (ZAG) is considering substantial changes to the subdivision law to prioritize land preservation. Key proposals include: Development limits. On agricultural lands with soils of importance, structures would be prohibited on more than 50% of the buildable land. Mandatory conservation subdivisions. Any subdivision involving four or more houses on agricultural land would automatically (rather than optionally) be classified as a conservation subdivision. She recommended to the ZAG that the Conservation Board be listed as an authorizing body for ecological reviews. This would allow developers to seek input from the Board on such matters, potentially increasing the Board’s workload but providing a free resource to the community. New Business: Presentation by Crystal Buck Due to the absence of Crystal Buck (Farmland Protection Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County), her presentation concerning a letter of support for a grant application to secure NYS Open Space Conservation funding for land purchase on Lower Creek Rd was postponed. New Business: Current Status of Rail Trail Construction J Grace reported (via an email from Alice Green, chair of the Rail Trail Task Force) that a footbridge replacement project (with associated wetland protection plan) has received full approval from the DEC and Army Corps of Engineers, as well as funding from donors including CB 2026-03-31 Final 2 Cornell, the Triad Foundation, and the Finger Lakes Runners Club. Several culverts in the area have already been replaced, and construction of the footbridge is expected to be completed by early fall 2026. Construction of the Route 13 pedestrian bridge is underway and ahead of schedule. The bridge is expected to be in place by December, with an opening celebration planned for spring 2027. T Woods then provided a detailed update on Rail Trail construction based on his monthly inspections of the intersecting roads and conversations with construction crews. His report covered specific physical progress, structural concerns, and ongoing landowner disputes. Near the intersection of Rte 13 and Rte 366, Town road crews recently replaced a four- to five-foot diameter concrete culvert with a large black PVC version. Additional corrugated PVC sections are being staged for another creek bed where the rail bed parallels fields near Etna. T Woods confirmed that the trail’s current path near the Rte 13/366 turn follows the edge of the woods and does not cut between active farm fields, which avoids infringing on agricultural operations in that specific area. The stretch from Hallwoods Rd to Pinckney Rd has been completed for approximately 18 months. This project involved excavating the hillside, using large limestone blocks for stabilization, and building an elevated roadbed. T Woods noted that fill was placed in adjacent wetlands during this phase, reportedly with the permission of the Army Corps of Engineers. To the east of Pinckney Rd, a 100-year-old 6’ x 6’ concrete structure over a stream is currently crumbling. T Woods reported seeing large chunks of concrete in the creek downstream and noted that the construction crew has no plans to fix it at present. Ownership of the rail bed from Rte 366 through Etna to Kirk Rd remains a major impediment to completing the trail. T Woods reported significant friction regarding a 2.25-mile section of the rail bed (from a point about 800 yds from Johnson Rd all the way to Rte 366) that remains private property. S Buck interceded by stating that the Rail Trail Task Force is reportedly seeking a grant for a study to identify alternate routes that bypass non-consenting properties. T Woods continued that landowner Cindy Marquis owns 1.5 mi of the rail bed and is adamant about not allowing the Rail Trail through her property. She is investigating what she considers the illegal filling-in of two stream beds on her property by Town crews without her permission and would like those fills removed to allow the streams to flow again. A sizable flooding issue was highlighted where beavers have filled in the newly installed culverts, causing stream water to back up into lakes on both her property and that of Ron Szymanski. This has reportedly prevented the landowners from being able to hay those sections of their land. He emphasized that these landowner and drainage issues represent a big impediment to the buildout of the Rail Trail that the Board needs to fully understand. Old Business: Discussion of Trillium Woods Farm Development Proposal S Buck reported that the developer seeking to subdivide property on Hile School Rd has submitted a revised proposal. The developer attended Planning Board meetings to understand community concerns and adjusted the sketch to align with the proposed update to conservation district laws. The new proposal includes donated land for environmental conservation and 60 acres dedicated to maintained farmland. CB 2026-03-31 Final 3 Further discussion was postponed to a separate in-person meeting (before the next Planning Board meeting, scheduled for April 23) so members can review physical maps and sketches of the development proposal. While April 9 was found to be problematic due to conflicts, April 13 was proposed as a potential date, to be confirmed via email. N Munkenbeck reminded Board members that the Board (in a previous incarnation) had voted to hold extra meetings as necessary to deal with SEQRs. Old Business: High School Representatives Due to the absence of the two Dryden High School students that expressed interest in joining the Board, this agenda item was postponed to next month’s meeting. Review and Acceptance of Minutes The Board reviewed the minutes for January and February 2026. A correction was noted to change the phrase “lots of little bots” to “lots of little lots” in the February draft. RESOLUTION #4 (2026) – ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES FROM JANUARY 27, 2026, AND FEBRUARY 24, 2026 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 January 27, 2026, as written, and February 24, 2026, as amended. 2nd N Munkenbeck Roll Call Vote J Grace Yes S Bissen Yes G Dodici Yes N Munkenbeck Yes T Woods Yes N Cator-Symanski (alt) Yes Mayors’ Monarch Pledge S Buck is signing the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge on behalf of the Town. This initiative requires the Town to commit to at least three specific actions annually to support pollinator health. The Board discussed potential activities that could be done towards this goal: Education – Providing information about pollinators in the Town newsletter Seed distribution – Organizing seed giveaways, especially at community events like Dryden Dairy Day Habitat restoration – Restoring lost monarch habitats and planting pollinator-friendly species (e.g., basswood trees) on Town-managed lands such as the Rail Trail N Munkenbeck suggested a partnership with the Native Plant Society to support these goals. G Dodici wondered if the Town is actually willing to commit to restoring habitat, acknowledging that signing this pledge is a good first step. In quickly researching the pledge online, he noted that “by taking the pledge, you are committing to both restore habitats in your community and encourage your residents to do the same.” That is a big lift, and he will hold the Town to doing that. CB 2026-03-31 Final 4 This will be placed on the agenda of a future meeting. There being no further business, on motion made by N Munkenbeck, seconded by G Dodici, the meeting was adjourned at 7:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Loren Sparling Deputy Town Clerk