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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPWC Minutes 2010-05-25 TOWN OF ITHACA Public Works Committee May 25, 2010 Present: Rich DePaolo, Chair; Bill Goodman; Susan Riha; Jim Weber; and Herb Engman The meeting began at 10:35 a.m. The minutes were approved. There was a brief discussion about gas drilling in the Town of Ithaca. Road Preservation Jim Weber felt the information that would be received for the Town is more informational. Most Town roads would not be affected by the high volume of large trucks that the gas drilling might bring. He felt that some of the roads that could be affected would be Poole, Culver, Westhaven, Bundy, and Woodgate (West Hill). The County and State roads are the main access roads—Hayts, Mechlenburg, Trumansburg. Jim said it would be hard to get the equipment up and down on Stone Quarry, Sand Bank, and Elm. Street, Ext., so they would not be used. The Northeast and East Hill has so much residential property, it would be hard to drill there. The Committee discussed the Town’s need to get involved with having Delta do a study to rate the roads if we don’t feel Town roads would be affected. Herb Engman feels the Town needs to be prepared; and Delta’s study could help. Bill Goodman said that a lot of the leases are expiring. He felt that most the drilling will be in the southern region. Herb says he feels the gas companies know where they want to drill. Rich DePaolo said that many times, the gas companies get the rights to the land but never drill. Will they still use the roads? Rich wanted to know how we will handle this. Jim said that we can handle the small areas. We may need to change some planning codes. He explained that Della would look at around 20 roads and rate them (not necessarily all Town roads). Herb was concerned as to who pays for repairs to the damaged roads—concerned tax payers will Public Works Committee Minutes, May 25, 2010 Page 2 pay for it. Rich D. wondered about which would cost the Town less; having our staff rate the roads or Delta. Rich asked if the Town staff can handle rating our own roads, so we wouldn’t have to pay Delta. Jim suggested not doing an assessment until we have a plan in place. Jim said that in new development, the creation of the roads is included in the plans. Herb said that we still need a road preservation law. Rich D. asked if the lawyers for Delta know of any legal proceeding regarding this. Herb said no, but Delta feels that the more municipalities involved in one study could influence courts more. Rich D. wanted to know if Delta would help with legal advice, and Herb said no. Delta feels there is strength in numbers. Rich was also concerned that if we pay Delta and we never have to use the service, are we wasting taxpayer’s money. Jim agreed and said that some staff time will be used on a project to project base. Staff time will be needed to rewirte the local law and codes to planning. Herb felt if we used Delta for the information, it may hold up in court better. Rich asked if Sullivan County (who has used already had Delta rate their roads) has had to act on their local law or go to court. Herb was not sure. Bill asked if we have talked to Sullivan County regarding their program. Herb said that representatives from Sullivan County have been to TCCOG. Rich said the same attorney who wrote their plan did the presentation. Herb informed the Committee that the Dryden Town Attorney is asking the Dryden Town Board to support legislation to have the towns regulate the permitting of drilling in their town, not the State. We need to get started on the wording for the law and put together a schedule for getting this done. Bill asked if we would be paying for just Phase II, and Herb said no it would be the whole package. Herb said the question is if the Town wants to pay $16,000 or do the work on our own. Bill said he would like to talk to Sullivan County. He felt that if it cost us $5,000 for a local law to be written, we would still have staff time involved. Rich would also like to talk to people from Sullivan County. Herb felt that we would go to Sullivan County through Delta. Herb said that Delta has talked to towns, such as Dryden, Danby, etc. Rich felt that Public Works Committee Minutes, May 25, 2010 Page 3 smaller towns need their help, where we, as being larger, have options. Rich asked how many collector road miles does the Town have. Jim said that he would get them. Bill said that he would like to see a map with just the Town roads on it. Herb would like to see leased areas on it. Road Excavation Law This law is for developers that would plan roads and utilities in their subdivision. We are using the Town of Lansing’s and putting a few of our own items in it. Jim said that TCCOG is using the Town of Lansing’s. We have posed our comments to Herb and are ready to move ahead. Some of the changes have been through Committee. Bill asked if Susan Brock should review the law. Herb explained that Guy Krogh has been working on this and has looked at the changes. Jim explained that in 2008 Fred Noteboom worked with Susan on revising the law. This has been reviewed by Cornell Local Roads and the New York State Association of Towns. Rich felt that this should go to the Town Board. Herb recommended putting on the June or July meetings. Helen’s Way Rich explained that Pat Dutt wants to plant eatable foods in the Town’s right-of-way on Helen’s Way. The Committee talked about that on the north side of the road it is open. The ROW is 25 feet from center line. We don’t believe there is a policy. Jim felt there would be some liability issues. Bill explained that Helen’s Way was a part of a road system in the 1950s. Then it became Eco-village’s emergency access road. Rich felt there would be room to put plantings in the ROW. Jim said it is not a Town standard. Jill said there would be issues regarding flooding on Westhaven Road. Water comes down Helen’s Way. There was a discussion regarding the long-term maintenance and putting screening up to bring it back to what it was like before the Town put drainage in the ROW. Rich felt that we should plant what is maintainable by the Town. Jim said that Pat would like to have at least eight trees planted along Helen’s Way. Bill said that the Town did take down the trees that formed a canopy over the road, but Public Works Committee Minutes, May 25, 2010 Page 4 he did not feel that we should put in eatable vegetation in the ROW. Herb admitted that the Town has solved the problems with the water, but now people on Westhaven Road are upset; not the residents on Helen’s Way. The Committee felt that Public Works should draw up a plan and circulate to the people who use it for their review. Jim said we could do it. John Licitra’s thesis John Licitra said that he has worked in a wastewater treatment plant for two years and wants to do a thesis on Stormwater and Wastewater Collection Systems. He has been to the Personnel Committee, and they suggested reviewing it with the Public Works Committee. John said that he would like to work mostly in the Northeast. He would like to evaluate the amount of water flows and where they are coming from. There are many people that hook their sus pumps to the sewer system, which is not acceptable. He would like to reduce that so the Town’s system is not processing clear rain water run off. Herb informed the Committee that he has contacted Cornell University to see if there is a way they could defer some of the cost of tuition for Town employees. Rich asked if housing for Cornell would tie into this project, and Jim said it would and would establish parameters. Jim added that this project is already a part of the work that the Engineering Technicians do for the Town. John said that he would like some financial help. Herb asked if the Public Works Committee is OK with this project to move ahead and go back to Personnel Committee. The Committee agreed that we should move ahead with this project. Bill asked what smoke testing was. Jim explained that smoke is pumped into the lines and it will show if they are illegally connected to the Town’s sewer. The next meeting will be June 22. At that time, we will reevaluate the rest of the year’s schedule then. The meeting was adjourned at 12:00