Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 Enfield-Town-Government-Newsletter-July Sept 2014.pdf1 Town of Enfield 168 Enfield Main Road http://townofenfield.org July-September 2014 Newsletter Enfield Town Boards Meetings are held in the Community Building, 1st floor Town Board: 2nd Wednesday, 6:30pm Town Supervisor Ann Rider 277-3478 ann-rider@townofenfield.org Vera Howe-Strait Town Council Members Virginia Bryant 387-9376 Mike Carpenter 277-4204 Vera Howe-Strait 273-1413 Beth McGee 229-7870 Planning Board: 1st Wednesday, 7pm Chair, Dan Walker 387-6394 Ann Chaffee 272-6460 Dawn George 273-1247 Steve Givin 273-7434 Calvin Rothermich 272-5930 Red Poney Carpenter 279-2372 Henry Hanstein 727-3746 Town Offices Town Clerk 273-8256 Alice Linton, Town Clerk Sue Thompson, Deputy Town Clerk Town Office/Clerk Hours: Monday-Thursday, 3 pm - 6 pm Highway Department 272-6490 Barry Rollins, Highway Superintendent Town Highway Office Hours: Monday-Friday: 6 am - 2:30 pm Town Court 273-0363 Justice Poole: Monday, 5:00 pm Code Enforcement Office Community Building, 2nd floor Code Enforcement 277-0266 Alan Teeter, Code Enforcement Officer Code Enforcement Office Hours: Monday thru Thursday 8:30-11 am Wednesday 5-7 pm - Community Bldg, dwnstrs 882-9958 Town Historian Sue Thompson 272-6412 Enfield Volunteer Fire Company Roger Lauper, Chief 272-8757 Art Howser, Deputy Chief Tucker Snyder, 1st Assistant Chief Andy Senno, 2nd Assistant Chief Alan Teeter, Captain County Legislators Dave McKenna Enfield/Newfield 564-7243, dmckenna@tompkins-co.org Jim Dennis Enfield/Ulysses 387-4058, jpd821@yahoo.com Report from the Supervisor Dear Residents of Enfield - What a beautiful Summer Solstice weekend! Low humidity, not too hot, perfect. Wonderful event at the new Bock-Harvey Nature Preserve on Rockwell Rd., celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. After a hike through the oldest virgin maple forest in New York State and maybe the Northeast, we had a superb dish-to-pass meal and a round of applause for all the many hours of volunteer labor that the Finger Lakes Trails Conference and Cayuga Trails Club have put into the Bock-Harvey Preserve recently to cut the trails through this newly acquired property and the many hours of labor they donate in keeping the trails open and walkable on all their properties. Our Highway Department will be creating a small off-road parking area at the head of the trail to make it safer for people to use this truly magnificent acreage in the midst of our small Town. An amazing Summer Solstice day in the country. Yes, at last it is summer. With this comes wanting to spend more time outside and people wanting to spend their time in different ways. Some want to enjoy the peace and quiet and some want to engage in sporting activities which create some noise, such as motor-cross and range shooting and some want to ramp up the outside speakers to play music by the pool. Enfield is a Town which prides itself on having few rules. We are governed by the State Noise Related Statutes which covers noise coming from many things: water vessels, cars, motorcycles, guns, construction, manufacturing, highways, quite a long list. Guns cannot be louder than 90dB(A) for 1 hour a day and 85dB(A) for up to 8 hours a day, boats need to operate not louder that 90dB(A) and sometimes not louder that 75dB(A), motorcycles can’t operate louder than 86dB(A) when going over 35 mph. So how loud is that? Here are some common noise levels: normal conversation, 60dB; baby crying, 80dB; police siren, 80dB; hair dryer, 90dB; orchestral crescendo, 90dB; power mower, 100dB, chain saw, 110dB; rock concert,120 dB; fireworks, 130dB. There are measurement devices that make precise calculations on these matters. I’m hoping that here in Enfield we do not have to resort to these expensive measurement devices. I am hoping that residents that want to engage in activities which create noise will be mindful of their neighbors. Stay away from the dinner hour, don't start too early n the day, keep the noisy activity to an hour or 2. Can you do anything to lessen the sound? Put up sound buffers? Do it in a densely brushy area which (continued, page 2) Public Hearing Tuesday August 5 at 4:00 PM On the Black Oak Wind Farm IDA application At the Enfield Community Building 182 Enfield Main Rd., upstairs 2 Need a Space to Meet? The Enfield Community Center is available for Enfield community events and activities, and has tables and chairs available. To reserve space, or report a problem with the facility, contact the Town Clerk for the appropriate referral. From The Town Clerk Summer is moving right along – we continue to be busy issuing licenses and helping citizens find answers to their questions. Remember that copies of approved minutes are available on the town’s website www.townofenfield.org. If you get a new dog, you can print off the license form from the town website and mail it in with proof of rabies; we will then issue you a dog license. If your dog is spayed or neutered, the fee is $10 per year; unaltered dogs are $20 per year. Finally just a reminder that hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased at our office. By purchasing your license in Enfield, the local portion of fees will stay in Enfield and not go to another municipality. Hours are 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or call 273-8256 and we will make arrangements to meet you at a different time if needed. Alice Linton, Enfield Town Clerk (From the Supervisor, continued from page 1) absorbs sound? The owners of the shooting range in the center of the hamlet have been open and responsive to the recent complaints from their neighbors. Shooting ranges are governed by DEC rules. This shooting range is in compliance with the DEC rules for safety. They have agreed to not use the very loud gun. They have agreed to not shoot during the dinner hour. They have agreed to be mindful of prolonged continuous target shooting. I am hoping that when similar problems arise, residents can speak civilly and in a good tone of voice to their neighbors and work out some accommodations to fit everyone’s needs. There is much less need for regulation when we can work it out amicably among ourselves. Enjoy the summer. You’ll find me at Grassroots (with my ear plugs) listening to the music at 120dB and then at the Jersey Shore where I can hear the outside music stage at The Stone Pony from my daughter’s porch, two towns over. That must be130dB, if you’re in front of the stage. Ann Rider, Supervisor From Code Enforcement: New e-mail for the Code Office: code-officer@townofenfield.org After a long cold spring it would appear that summer is finally upon us, and with that an increase in building permits - everything from new houses to swimming pools. I receive many calls about what projects require a permit and which do not. To simplify that question, generally speaking, if you are repairing or replacing what you already have it does not require a permit, but if you are adding something new, with a few exceptions, it does require a permit. Another question I often get is “If I'm replacing something and it does not require a permit, does it need to be brought up to current code?” The answer to this is somewhat more confusing, as sometimes it does and sometimes not. A good example would be replacement windows. If you are replacing windows with the same size window, then no permit is required and it's okay if it does not meet current codes. However, if you are adding a new window or changing the size of an existing window, it does require a permit and would need to meet current codes for energy efficiency and possibly egress. Another example would be replacing or repairing decks: although a permit may not be required, railings and handrails would need to be installed to meet current codes. One other question I have had several times this year is what if work was done by a previous owner and the new owner finds that the work was done without a permit. This creates several problems, as most likely there is concealed work that was never inspected. In most cases we try to work with the new owner to get it resolved, but it creates a problem issuing a certificate for uninspected work - and when there is electrical work they may have to uncover work to have it inspected by an electrical inspector before I can issue a certificate. So, it's always best to ask questions first instead of asking for forgiveness later. Alan Teeter, Town of Enfield Code Enforcement Office Enfield Road Information The major transportation routes through the Town of Enfield are State Route 79 (Mecklenburg Road) and State Route 327 (Enfield Falls/Enfield Main Road). There are 12 center line miles of State road, 24.7 center line miles of County road in Enfield, and 44.45 center line miles of Town road. The Enfield Highway Department is responsible for all maintenance of Town roads. To report problems with Town roads (roads with no center painted line), contact Highway Superintendent Barry “Buddy” Rollins at 607-272-6490 Monday through Friday,6 am – 2:30 pm, or email highway@townofenfield.org. To report issues regarding other roads: New York State Department of Transportation: 756- 7072; Tompkins County Highway Department: 274-0300. Some roads in Enfield have portions that are seasonal and are not treated or plowed from December 1 through April 1. Residents that continue to use these sections of road do so at their own risk. These roads include part of West Enfield Center Road and Butternut Creek Road from Thomas Rd to VanOstrand Rd. These seasonal roads are posted with signs that read “Seasonal roads, no maintenance Dec 1st through April 1st”. During inclement Winter weather, there are four routes that are run with Town trucks. Each route has approximately ten center line miles, which are 20 miles both ways. Depending upon the amount of snow it takes approximately four hours to run each route. Cinders are not available anymore, We only use sand on the roads for the most part. We do have a salt/sand mixture which we rarely use on paved roads under certain weather conditions. 3 Helpful Tompkins County Web Sites (all begin with http://www.): Government: co.tompkins.ny.us Legislature: tompkins-co.org/legislature Assessment: tompkins-co.org/assessment Board of Elections: tompkins-co.org/boe Clerk: tompkins-co.org/clerk Health Department: tompkins-co.org/health Highway Department: tompkins-co.org/highway Solid Waste: recycletompkins.org Public Health Director Reports Case of West Nile Virus Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director at the Tompkins County Health Department reports the first confirmed case of West Nile Virus (WNV) this year in Tompkins County. The case is an adult resident of Tompkins County. West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Less than 1% of people who are infected will develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis. Mr. Kruppa noted that while a person’s chance of getting sick may be low, it is important to keep in mind that everyone is at risk of becoming infected with WNV and it is important to take precautions. “The best way to protect yourself and your family from WNV infection is to avoid exposure to mosquitoes. He urges Tompkins County residents to take the following preventive steps for avoiding mosquito exposure: · Eliminate standing water which serves as mosquito breeding areas: · Dispose of used tires, tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or other water holding containers. · Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are kept outdoors. · Turn over wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use. · Change the water in bird baths twice weekly. · Repair window and doors screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering the house. · Avoid the outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. · Dress with long sleeves and pants and cover as much skin as possible to reduce areas for mosquitoes to bite. · Use mosquito repellent that contain DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus and always follow product label instructions. For more information on WNV and how to prevent infection go to: www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/or www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html, www.tompkinscountyny.gov/health Senior Housing Preferences Survey Results Released The Tompkins County Office for the Aging has released the results of its Senior Housing Preferences Survey, conducted during April and May. Considering the increasing older adult population and its effects on the demand for housing in Tompkins County, the Office conducted the survey through its website, targeting older adults who may be considering moving within Tompkins County in the near future. 331 people responded, with the following major findings: · Most survey respondents were age 60-69, with an average age of 67. Most respondents currently live in two-person households (53%) followed by single households (36%). · Nearly half of the respondents (49%) plan to move in the next 1-5 years. Another 31% plan to move in the next 5-10 years and 20% in the next 10-15 years. · Respondents’ top reason for moving is to reduce maintenance and upkeep/downsizing (50%). · Ninety percent of respondents plan to stay in Tompkins County when they move. Of these, 57% plan to move to the City of Ithaca, and 19% to the Town of Ithaca. · Respondents were asked into what type of housing they plan to move, and the most frequently cited response was senior housing complex (24%), followed by condominium (20%) and apartment (20%). · The top three most important factors related to a future home were affordable cost, single floor design and easy access to public transportation. Sense of community, energy efficiency and closeness to grocery and drug stores were next in importance and nearly equivalent in rating average. · When asked how many bedrooms they prefer in their future home the majority of respondents (58%) would like 2 bedrooms, followed by 1 bedroom (25%). The majority of respondents prefer only one bathroom (48%), followed by two (36%). · The most frequently cited price range respondents expect to purchase a home was $150,000-$250,000 (37%), followed by $90,000-$150,000 (34%). As for renting, 43% of respondents expect to pay between $500- $1000 per month, followed by 27% respondents expecting to pay between $1000 and $2000 per month. · Consistent themes repeated throughout 95 narrative comments included: the need for affordable housing options located downtown in the City of Ithaca, close to services and transportation; the lack of housing options for the middle class; and the desire for condominiums. To read the full report, visit the Office for the Aging website at www.tompkinscountyny.gov/cofa and click on the item under the Recent News/Upcoming Events section. 4 Town of Enfield 168 Enfield Main Road Ithaca NY 14850 Have you seen the Town of Enfield Comprehensive Plan? In 2001, the Town of Enfield took on the task of creating a Comprehensive Plan to determine community goals and objectives for the future of Enfield. Ten years later, with many of those goals met, it was determined that it was time to update that plan. To see our current Comprehensive Plan, please visit the Town of Enfield Website at: http:// townofenfield.org/comprehensive-plan-2001 A comprehensive plan provides a process for identifying community resources, long range community needs, and commonly held goals. It also provides a process for developing community consensus and a blueprint for future municipal tasks. Since 2012, the Enfield Planning Board has put much effort into the development of an updated version of that plan through a community survey, community committees, and gaining new information from updated sources. Their efforts have laid the groundwork for the next phase of this project, which will be to enhance the framework of our existing plan and to include new information from the recent draft plan and create a final document. In order to allow the Enfield Town and Planning Boards to return to their regular tasks, a working group is being developed to complete this final phase of work that will include some Planning and Town Board members and Community members as well. All talents and experience are valued and active community participation is encouraged. All meetings will be open to the public. If you would like to be a part of this working group, please contact Town Councilperson Beth McGee at beth-mcgee@townofenfield.org or by calling 229-7870. Your participation is valuable and appreciated. Dates to Remember August 6 Planning Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 7 pm 6 Volunteer of the Month nominations due 13 Town Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 6:45 pm September 3 Planning Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 7 pm 3 Volunteer of the Month nominations due 10 Town Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 6:45 pm October 1 Planning Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 7 pm 1 Volunteer of the Month nominations due 8 Town Board Meeting, Community Bldg, 6:45 pm