HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-05-2021 CAC Minutes I Town of Lansing
2 Conservation Advisory Council Minutes
3 Thursday, August 5, 2021 6:30 PM
4
5 Present via Zoom Excused
6 Robyn Bailey Andra Benson
7 Thomas Butler Todd Walter
8 John Fleming Karen Edelstein
9 John Greenly
10 Carrie Koplinka-Loehr
11 David Wolfe
12
13 Other Staff via Zoom
14 C.J. Randall, Planning Director
15 Heather Dries, Code Clerk
16
17 Public Present
18 Andy Zepp, Finger Lakes Land Trust
19
20 Co-Chair Tom Butler opened the meeting at 6:32 pm
21
22 Approved the July 1, 2021 CAC meeting minutes as amended.
23
24 Public Comments via email to tolcodes@lansingtown.com
25 - No Public Comments by email before or while meeting was live streaming on YouTube
26 at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2FgU2xFnDyGS8DwXgoJwA
27
28 Consideration of 146 Myers Road (R.O. Ruff) conservation easement as test case for a Town
29 Conservation Easement Program
30 - The CAC will need to create a process to prioritize conservation easements.
31 - The property up for consideration is a very small piece of land.
32 - The Finger Lakes Land Trust supports Town involvement that goes beyond just the CAC.There
33 needs to be support from the Town Board as well.
34 - The Finger Lakes Land Trust cannot manage all small conservation easements.
35 - The property is already listed for sale.There are concerns over the conveyance of the
36 conservation easement if the property is sold before the easement is in place.
37 - The Finger Lakes Land Trust is available for technical support.
38 - The Catholic Church land could make the Ruoff property more valuable as a conservation
39 easement.
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40 - Other properties in that area may be interested in a conservation easement along Salmon
41 Creek.
42 - The Land Trust Alliance website has good framework for conservation easements.
43 - There will need to be a site inspection once per year.This typically happens with the property
44 owner and a representative of the Town, possibly the Code Enforcement Officer.
45 - Andy Zepp recommends one more survey of the Ruoff property.
46 - The conservation easement could take several months to implement.
47 - It would be beneficial to know what kind of financial impact this will have for the Town.
48 - Carrie will reach out to Attorney for the Town (Guy Krogh) regarding the funding to care for the
49 conservation easement.
50 - The CAC would like to see continuity with the conservation easements. Salmon Creek is a high
51 priority for conservation.
52 - John Greenly will be present at the 8/18 Town Board meeting to field any questions they may
53 have.
54 Motion to Support the Establishment of a Conservation Easement Held by the Town of
55 Lansing to Protect 400'±of Salmon Creek Located Near Salt Point with the Potential of
56 Enlarging the Easement with Other Properties in the Future.
57 Moved by: Tom Butler Seconded by: David Wolfe (Motion Carried)
58
59 Bell Station Update:
60 - NYSEG has been stating that the auction for the land at Bell Station should be any time now.
61 - The Finger Lakes Land Trust is working with Heorot,AES Power, and New York State to design a
62 public wildlife management area with 4000'±of lake frontage and 350 acres.
63 Open Space Index:
64 - Most municipalities hire a consultant to help create their Open Space Index.
65 - The Director of Planning is pursuing a $50k budget, as well as additional grant funding.
66 - The CAC will need to create a budget based on the extent of the Open Space Index they intend
67 to create.
68 - The CAC has viewed several Open Space Index documents for other municipalities.The CAC
69 would like to use the Town of Bethlehem Open Space Plan as a template.
70 Discussion:
71 - Please complete the PERMA courses that you have been assigned. If you need assistance, please
72 reach out to Jenna Hoellerer.
73 Co-Chair Tom Butler called the meeting to be Adjourned at 8:14 pm.
74
75 Minutes taken and executed by Heather Dries.
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