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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-04 work session April 4, 2018 TOWN BOARD WORK SESSION MEETING LANSING TOWN HALL BOARD ROOM 29 AUBURN RD., LANSING, NY April 4, 2018 PLEASE NOTE: The primary purpose of the Town Board Work Session is to be informational/educational for the benefit of the Board Members. Public comment will be taken at the regular meetings when the items are scheduled on the agenda. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Supervisor, Edward LaVigne, and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Roll call by Laura Nemecek, Deputy Town Clerk, showed the following to be Present: Andra Benson, Councilperson Katrina Binkewicz, Councilperson Doug Dake, Councilperson Joseph Wetmore, Councilperson Edward LaVigne, Supervisor Absent: No one absent Also Present: Guy Krogh, Town Counsel, Ted Laux, Michael Long, Town Planning Consultant, Dan Veaner, Lansing Star, Terry Carroll, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Lin Davidson, Chris Williams, Suzanne Hinderliter, Deb Trumbull, Pete Larson, Mike Koplinka-Loehr, Nick Newcomb, Lansing Ledger/Ithaca Times, Steve Emlen, Tom Butler, John Dean, Maureen Carroll, Vince Mehringer, Larry Beck, Gay Nicholson, and a few other attendees. Supervisor, Edward LaVigne, stated he and Town Planner, Mike Long, met with Terry Carroll from Cornell Cooperative Extension regarding a time sensitive issue. Town Planner, Mike Long, stated Terry helps communities throughout the Southern Tier Region to comply with Smart Energy Programs. He noted there are several $50,000 grants available and the Town of Lansing has already completed two out of the four criteria needed to receive the grant. Clean Energy Communities Grant Program – Terry Carroll, Cornell Cooperative Extension Mr. Carroll spoke about the Clean Energy Communities Grant Program which is a NYSERTA Program. To qualify for the grant the Town of Lansing must complete four out of ten actions and the Town has completed two of the four actions needed. The two actions the Town completed are: the Code Enforcement Officer attended a training in Syracuse and the Town of Lansing participated in the 2014 Solar Tompkins Campaign. The two additional actions the Town needs to complete are: Benchmarking and Unified Solar Permit. Mr. Carroll stated the grants are available on a first come first serve basis and there are seven $50,000 grants left in our region. He noted the grant must be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Carroll stated that some popular projects are switching street lights to LED, installing solar on buildings, installing heat pumps, and electric vehicle stations. Once a municipality is designated for the grant they have ninety days to complete the grant application and the application must be specific as to what improvements are going to be made. There is no matching requirement and twenty five percent (25%) of the grant is paid up front. The Town will have three years to implement the work. Supervisor, Edward LaVigne, thanked Lynn Day for taking the initiative on this. He noted that we are off to a good jump start by having already completed two of the four actions needed and that resolutions will be presented at the next Town Board Meeting in two weeks. April 4, 2018 Comprehensive Plan Presentation – Councilperson, Joseph Wetmore Councilperson, Joseph Wetmore, gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the 2017 proposed Comprehensive Plan versus the current 2006 Comprehensive Plan. The objectives of the presentation were to understand what is in a Comprehensive Plan, what issues are important to Lansing, become familiar with what is in Lansing’s cu rrent Comprehensive Plan, and become familiar with the proposed Comprehensive Plan. Joseph stated that the Comprehensive Plan is essentially the Work Plan for the Town Board and the ultimate goal of the Plan is to try to answer the questions of where do we want to be in five to ten years and what kind of roadmap will it take to get there. Topics discussed during the presentation were: Town and Village survey findings, demographics, recreation, housing, education, transportation, zoning changes, residential, commercial and mixed use zones, low and high density zones, tourism, census data, future land use map, farming, development, Town Center lands, Agriculture Plan, Bell Station, environmental impacts, heavy industry, trails and paths, sustainability, energy and climate changes, and controversial changes between the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee’s Draft and the Planning Board Draft. Joseph noted the Town Board is reviewing the current Planning Board Draft along with the public comments and that if the Board decides to make some significant changes the draft will have to go through another 239 review. If the Town Board decides not to make any significant changes the next step would be the SEQRA review. Comprehensive Plan Discussion Several residents addressed the Town Board regarding their questions and concerns with the proposed 2017 Comprehensive Plan. The following are the concerns brought up by the residents:  Bell Station – Why not recreational?  Include number of people and number of houses  Include Environmental Hazards and Threats to the Town and residents  Lake Shore High Density vs. Lake Shore Low/Moderate Density – Without numbers indicating density how can you tell the difference?  Lack of imperial data, numbers, and statistics – Include actual numbers, statistics and charts  Town Center Land  Incorporate public feedback  Create a Citizen Engagement Committee for input  Future Land Use Map – What supports the change?  Why Commercial Mixed use along Route 34B?  Include a public health and quality of life section  Include school system and education  What integrative thinking went into looking at different goals and how they may come into conflict with each other?  Language around the Agriculture Zone – Impinges upon the rights of non- agriculture residents living in that area  How to regulate farm CAFO’s (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) Councilperson, Joseph Wetmore, stated that page forty three (43) of the Comprehensive Plan includes the hazards facing the lake. He noted that the Planning Board took out the industrial hazards as part of their editing. Joseph stated that the Plan should incorporate how the Town plans to balance assets and liabilities. Councilperson, Andra Benson, stated she would like to see an Environmental Advisory Committee. She noted farmers pay a lot in taxes and do not receive a lot of benefits. Fifteen to twenty (15-20) years ago Cornell did a study for the Town of Lansing, the results from the study show that for every one dollar ($1) farmers pay in taxes they get twenty seven cents (27¢) worth of services and all other non-farm owners get one dollar and fifty two cents ($1.52) worth of service for every one dollar ($1) paid in taxes. Councilperson, Katrina Binkewicz, stated it’s important to acknowledge types of industry and their benefits as well as risks in the Plan. She noted that certain sections of the Plan might need additional elaboration. Katrina stated she would like the Town to have a Conservation Advisory Board to present advice to the Town Board. April 4, 2018 Councilperson, Doug Dake, stated he’s not opposed to having Bell Station as recreational, but at this time there is no need for it. He noted that in 2013 the Town passed a Resolution that states the Town’s interest in that land being recreational. Town Counsel, Guy Krogh, stated towns can’t regulate CAFO’s; they are regulated by the EPA. He noted the Comprehensive Plan is just the beginning, not an end, and it guides the processes going forward. Guy stated if the Plan itself materially changes a new 239 review would be needed, if sections are re-ordered or repeat information this would not be considered a material change and would not need another 239 review. He noted a SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) is a New York State Environmental Conservation Law to comply with the EPA Mandate under the National Environmental Review Policy. Guy stated the SEQRA needs to be concluded before the Plan can be approved. He noted if a positive findings statement under EIS is concluded in the SEQRA it could take a year or longer to conclude. If a negative declaration under EAF is concluded then the board would be able to move on to approving and adopting the Comprehensive Plan. Guy stated he can start doing the mapping and analysis once the Plan is ninety eight percent (98%) complete. Town Planning Consultant, Mike Long, stated dividing Lake Shore into high and low density areas addresses the problems with the erosion, slopes and ravines. He noted the reason for changing the area along Route 34B is the Planning Board trying to encourage mixed use development in that area. Mike stated public health and education is taken into account. He noted comments and suggestions from the original 239 review need to be incorporated into the Plan. Supervisor, Edward LaVigne, stated the Town has reached out to Iberdrola several times regarding the Bell Station land and he’s still waiting to hear back from them. He added this area can be changed to recreational at any time with a special use permit. Edward noted if the Town changes zoning it can be sued for compensation due to values dropping, which makes the Town vulnerable. He stated if the Plan is approved in May the Town is eligible for a $500,000 Grant that would pay for improvements to Myers Park including a second bathroom structure, reconstructing the pavilion near the kayak racks that is currently deteriorating, and to dredge and reinforce the side walls of the marina. Half the money would come from the State, and the other $250,000 would be in- kind labor by the Town Highway Department. If the Plan is not approved the Town will lose the opportunity, for a second time, to receive the Grant. Edward noted the Plan can be changed and amended once approved and that it’s a guide, concept and a start. The Town Board members agreed to email each other their suggested changes and recommendations for the Comprehensive Plan and a Special Town Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday April 11, 2018 at 6:00 pm at the Town Hall Board Room to discuss the emailed changes. Use of Accrued Sick Time Towards Health Benefit Payments A Resolution will be presented at the Regular Town Board Meeting on Wednesday April 18, 2018. Meeting adjourned at the call of the Supervisor at 8:43 p.m. Minutes taken and executed by the Deputy Town Clerk. Respectfully submitted, Laura Nemecek Deputy Town Clerk