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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 1997-04-03x ,n TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD MINUTES FINAL APRIL 3, 1997 Approved 7/17/97 PRESENT: Chair Phil Zarriello, Vice Chair Kara Hagedorn, Elizabeth DeProsse, Eva Hoffinann, Lois Levitan, Barney Unsworth, John Yntema ABSENT: Frank Baldwin, Jon Meigs, Richard Fischer STAFF: Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning; JoAnn Cornish, ERC Coordinator; Geri Tierney, CB Coordinator GUESTS: Fred Noteboom, Town Highway Superintendent; Lachlan Chambliss Chair Zarriello opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. The Board had a discussion on the recent Town Newsletter and the article by Chair Zarriello. The Monkemeyer proposal was pulled from the Planning Board and the Town Board agendas because Mr. Monkemeyer did not provide the needed information to proceed with this proposal. Mr. Kanter stated that the agreement that Mr. Monkemeyer and the Planning Department had was not acceptable to Mr. Monkemeyer. The idea of a larger area for a park space would be ideal, but further discussion with Mr. Monkemeyer is needed. The Board discussed which members could contribute time to the Earth Day Celebration on the Commons, April 18-26. The Board also discussed what would be on the table for this celebration. The Planning Staff agreed to work with the Conservation Board on the displays. Planner Tierney passed around an article about green parking lots and a handbook on the Unique Natural Area in the Town of Ithaca for the Board to review. Chair Zarriello reported on the Cornell University Veterinary Incinerator Project which is moving very slowly. DISCUSSION OF TOWN HIGHWAY POLICIES: Highway Superintendent Fred Noteboom explained how the Highway Department deals with sedimentation. The Highway Department has become more sensitive to this issue over past year. Road stabilization work is needed in several areas of the Town including the Coy Glen area. In some areas, the Highway Dept. has used fabrics fences for sedimentation control . The Dept. is also attempting, instead of cleaning an entire length of a ditch, to only clean portions of it, as a means of slowing runoff. On some of the steeper roads, piping is being considered as an alternate to ditching because of high erosion rates and road safety. The Dept. plans to buy a hydro seeder to seed the ditches after construction had been done. Herbicides are limited to use of Roundup for poison ivy control. Lois Levitan stated that she has some concerns on the steep ditches on Elm Street, mostly for safety reasons. Mr. Noteboom stated that Elm Street is narrow, with little shoulder and deep ditches. Ms. Levitan asked if there are alternatives to digging the ditches deeper. Planner JoAnn Cornish stated that the deepest ditches on Elm St. are in the City. Mr. Noteboom stated that installing storm drains in some of these areas would be costly, but desirable. The Board expressed concern about the deep ditches along the road and the safety of pedestrians and bicyclist on Elm Street. Kara Hagedorn expressed concern about the ditches overflowing on King Road, and asked what could be done. Mr. Noteboom stated that King Road would be repaved with new drainage being installed this year. Ms. Hagedorn asked if the Highway Department was responsible for cutting the trees on Sand Bank Road. Mr. Noteboom responded, yes, that some trees needed to be removed for safety reasons. TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD FINAL MINUTES 4/3/97 Ms. Hagedorn stated that the State Park directs many people to Sand Bank Road to get from Lower to Upper Buttermilk Park and the appearance of Sand Bank Road is part of their Park experience. Mr. Noteboom explained the Highway Department maintenance operations along Sand Bank Road. Ms. Levitan asked if there is a way to change ditch slopes; presently, steep ditches act like storm drains and offer little mitigation of storm runoff and accelerate erosion along the ditch. Mr. Noteboom stated that there are possible drainage structures that could be installed to alter slope. Ditches along Orchard Hill Road have some of these structures, which work well. The Highway Dept. also has to maintain the capacity to handle a certain amount runoff volume to prevent street flooding. Additionally, the capacity of the ditches generally needs to be increased as areas upstream are developed to handle the increased runoff. This has been experienced along Elm Street and West Haven Road from the EcoVillage project. Ms. Hagedorn asked if Sand Bank Road was widened when the trees were removed. Mr. Noteboom responded no, but it appears wider because of armoring the shoulder with asphalt along one section of the road. Trees were removed for safety reasons, and also to help keep the ditches clean. Mr. Noteboom stated that he would be glad to help anyone with questions or concerns. He can be contacted at the Highway Department. DISCUSSION OF COY GLEN UNIQUE NATURAL AREA BOUNDARIES: Chair Zarriello reminded the Board of the CB draft report on "Coy Glen as a Biological Corridor". The Board needs to address what areas of Coy Glen should receive attention and be protected (i.e. conservation easements and zoning). The CB needs to identify boundaries for protection, mainly to protect the Unique Natural Area (UNA) of Coy Glen. Planner Tierney pointed out on a map the area of Coy Glen and the ownership of the area. She pointed out possible boundaries of where the Conservation Board should consider. She also showed a map of the land use in the area. Signage about the UNA should be considered for people to understand the uniqueness and fragility of the area. While inventorying the area for the boundaries, if and where the signage could go should be considered. Dogs should not be allowed into the UNA, or they should be kept on a leash. The Board discussed having literature at the Earth Day Celebration, about keeping dogs leashed while walking on Town trails and in UNAs. EcoVillage borders on the Coy Glen UNA, so putting signage up about dogs being on leashes make more sense. John Yntema asked if there are places in the Town where dogs are not permitted. Director of Planning Kanter stated that there are leash laws, but because of lack of enforcement many dogs are allowed to run loose, such as along the South Hill Recreationway. Mr. Noteboom stated that this has been a problem with a lot of the Town trails; people are walking their dogs in areas where dogs are not allowed or they are not leashed. Chair Zarriello stated that dog awareness is one component of protecting DNAs, but the Board also needs to consider protection zones that limit development. Planner Tierney suggested that a committee, composed of the Conservation Board members, Planning Staff, and other interested groups walk the Coy Glen area to determine appropriate boundaries for its protection. Planner Cornish asked if this committee would need to contact the landowners for permission to walk private lands. In the past, many landowners did not respond to this type of request. Ms. Levitan stated that there was a proposal in the late 1970's to make this area into a State Park. Many of the problems associated with the Town's interest in this area probably is a carryover from the proposed State Park. Ms. Levitan thought landowners would be more receptive to the Town if they were aware of its interest in protecting this area as a UNA. Planner Cornish stated that the landowners should still be contacted before the group walks the area. Ms. Hagedorn asked what would happen after the boundaries are defined to protect the area. Chair Zarriello stated that conservation easements would be one option. Director of Planning Kanter stated that acquisitions would be another option, and perhaps a purchase of development rights program, which the TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD FINAL MINUTES 4/3/97 Town is considering at this point. Chair Zarriello stated that this Board needs to find out what needs to be protected, and along the way think about mechanisms to do it. This time of year would be a good time to do this. Director of Planning Kanter stated that the Planning Committee would be meeting on April 14. If this Board thinks it is a good idea to start a committee with other groups and boards, then he would mention it to the Planning Committee. The Conservation Board agreed with Mr. Kanter's idea. Planner Tierney will produce copies of a map for the Coy Glen area for each member to take and review while walking the site. Some members of the CB volunteered to walk the UNA. The Town Newsletter also has an article about dog control from the Parks Department. If the SPCA is notified, they would follow up on all complaints of dogs. The Planning Department would be coordinating a field trip to the UNA for people to review the area. Ms. Hagedorn stated that Planning Board member Greg Bell would not be able to attend the meeting. Mr. Bell will be asked to come back at another time. Director of Planning Kanter gave a brief description of what the Planning Committee and the Planning Board do separately and together. The Planning Committee meetings are open to the public. Chair Zarriello stated that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) from Cornell University Lake Source Cooling Project has been submitted to the Planning Department. It is a large draft that should be divided up into pieces for the Conservation Board to review. This review of the DEIS is for completeness and adequacy, as addressed in the scoping process. Comments are needed by April 21, 1997. Director of Planning Kanter stated that the Planning Board and the Town Board are also involved agencies. The Planning Board is reviewing the site plan for the East Shore Drive site where the facility is going. The Town Board might be asked to rezone the property because a lake source cooling facility is not one of the allowed uses. Planner Tierney has agreed to review the sections of DEIS that relates to the site plan and zoning issues. The Planning Board has already concurred that Staff will do that on their behalf. DEC wanted additional input from the involved and interested agencies before they accept the project for full public review and comments. Chair Zarriello closed the meeting at 9:30 p.m. Minutes transcribed by DK 04/07/97; edited by PJZ 06/06/97, and JAY 06/26 & 29/97. N� A J. h'. :ki TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD MINUTES THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1997 PRESENT: Phil Zarriello, Chair; Kara Hagedorn, Vice -Chair; Elizabeth deProsse, Eva Hoffmann, Lois Levitan, Barney Unsworth, John Yntema. ABSENT: Frank Baldwin, Jon Meigs, Richard Fischer. STAFF: Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning; Geri Tierney, CB Coordinator; JoAnn Cornish, ERC Coordinator. GUESTS: Fred Noteboom, Lachlan Chambliss. Chair Zarriello opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. The Board had a discussion of the Town's Newsletter, and the article from Chair Zarriello that was printed in the Newsletter. The Monkemeyer proposal was pulled from the Planning Board agenda and the Town Board agenda, because Mr. Monkemeyer did not submit all the necessary information. Mr. Kanter stated that the agreement that Mr. Monkemeyer and the Planning Department had was not acceptable for Mr. Monkemeyer. The idea of a larger area for a park space would be ideal, but further discussions with Mr. Monkemeyer is necessary. The Board had a discussion on what members could contribute time to the Earth Day Celebration on the Commons. The Board also discussed what would be on the table for this celebration. Earth Day is April 18 through April 26. The Planning Staff agreed to work on the displays with the Conservation Board for the table. Planner Tierney passed around an article about green parking lots, and a handbook on the Unique Natural Areas in the Town of Ithaca. Chair Zarriello stated that the Cornell University Veterinary Incinerator Project has been stalled. DISCUSSION OF TOWN HIGHWAY POLICIES: Fred Noteboom, Highway Superintendent stated how the Highway Department deals with sedimentation. This situation has become more sensitive this past year, that the Coy Glen area needs some work done. In the drainage areas in the Town, we have used the fencing sedimentation control fabrics. We are also attempting, instead of cleaning a ditch straight through, to try to be more careful by cleaning certain areas to slow the water down before it runs off. On the steeper slopes, we are looking into piping some of the ditches. A hydro seeder has been purchased to more rapidly stabilize areas after construction. Herbicide use is minimal, but some roundup is used on poison ivy and wild rose. Lois Levitan stated that she has safety concerns on the Elm Street steep ditches. Mr. Noteboom stated that Elm Street tends not to have much room anyway, and there is not much shoulder on the street. Ms. Levitan asked if there another approach to cleaning the ditches without digging the ditches deeper. Planner JoAnn Cornish stated that the deepest part of the ditch happens to be in the City. Mr. Noteboom stated that it would be costly to put storm drains in some of these areas. The Board had some concerns about the road configuration with the steep ditches, where people could not safely walk or ride their bikes on Elm Street. Kara Hagedorn stated there was some concerns on King Road about the ditches over flowing, and asked what could be done. Mr. Noteboom stated that King Road would be repaved with new drainage being installed this year. Ms. Hagedorn asked if the Highway Department was responsible for cutting the trees on Sand Bank Road. Mr. Noteboom responded, yes. There were a number of trees on that road. Sand Bank Road is not used a lot, but some of the trees needed to be removed for safety reasons. Ms. Hagedorn stated that she sends a lot of people up and down Sand Bank Road to Upper Buttermilk Park from Lower Buttermilk Park and this was part of their park experience. Mr. Noteboom explained the maintenance the Highway Department does to Sand Bank Road. Ms. Levitan asked if there is a way to change the slopes of the ditches. Right now they act like storm drains because they are very deep and straight. Mr. Noteboom stated that there are some possibilities using drainage structures. Orchard Hill Road has these structures in the ditches, which work very well. They have to maintain a certain amount of volume in those ditches because during a storm they would carry a certain amount water volume to handle the run off. The main concern is to try and keep water out of the road base for safety reasons. Rocks would clog the pipes as banks give way. There is increased run off on Elm Street and West Haven Road from the EcoVillage project. Some of these developments have caused runoff problems. Ms. Hagedorn asked if Sand Bank Road was wider with the trees being removed. Mr. Noteboom stated that it looks like that. One of the reasons to move the trees away from the ditch for safety reasons and to help keep the ditches cleaner. Mr. Noteboom stated that he, would be glad to help anyone with questions or concerns of the Town, and they could contact him at the Highway Department. DISCUSSION OF COY GLEN UNIQUE NATURAL AREA BOUNDARIES: Chair Zarriello stated that the draft reports Coy Glen as a biological corridor. The Board needs to address what areas of Coy Glen should receive attention and be protected (i.e. conservation easements and zoning). The Board needs to identify what boundaries should be considered for special protection from a biological or hydrological standpoint. This is mainly to protect the Unique Natural Area (UNA) of the Coy Glen area. Planner Tierney stated that the Elm Street and Elm Street Extension is a particular area of interest for boundaries. Ms. Tierney pointed out on a map the area of Coy Glen and the ownership of the area. She pointed out possible boundaries. She also showed a map of the land use in the area. Basic signage should be considered for people to understand the UNA area. While inventorying the area for the boundaries, it should be considered, where the signage could go. Dogs should not be allowed into the UNA, or they should be leashed. The Board discussed having literatw•e at the Earth Day Celebration in regards to having dogs kept on leashes while walking them on the Town's trails and the UNA paths. EcoVillage residents have a connection on a back road to Elm Street through the UNA, which the residents tend to walk a lot. John Yntema asked if there are places in the Town where dogs are not permitted. Director of Planning Kanter stated that there are certain leash laws such as in the South Hill Recreationway, but it is difficult to enforce. Mr. Noteboom stated that this has been a problem with a lot of the trails that the Town owns. People are walking their dogs in an area where it is not allowed, or the dogs are not leashed. Chair Zarriello stated that dog awareness is one component of this. The other component is an area that should delineate from be protected from building. This is something this Board should be considering. Planner Tierney suggested a committee be set up between the Conservation Board, Planning Staff, and other groups interested, to walk the boundaries to check the maps to see where the line should be drawn. Planner Cornish asked if this committee would need to contact the landowners to inform them of the group walking the area. In the past, not all landowners agreed to this. Ms. Levitan stated that there was a proposal in the late 1970's to make this area into a State Park. People did not like the idea of having ball fields like Buttermilk Falls in this area. It was felt that if the landowners were informed of the purposes of the walk thru they would consent to site visits by town officials. Planner Cornish stated that the landowners should still be contacted before the group walks the area. Ms. Hagedorn asked what would happen after the boundaries are defined to protect the area. Chair Zarriello stated that conservation easements would be one option. Director of Planning Kanter stated that acquisitions would be another option, and perhaps the purchase of development rights program, which the Town is considering at this point. Chair Zarriello stated that this Board needs to find out what needs to be protected, and along the way think about mechanisms to do it. Director of Planning Kanter stated that the Planning Committee would be meeting on April 14. If this Board thinks it is a good idea to start a committee with other groups and boards, then he would mention -A to the Planning Committee. The Conservation Board agreed with Mr. Kanter's idea. Planner Tierney will produce maps for the Coy Glen area for each member to use while walking the site. Some of the members of the Conservation Board volunteered to walk the UNA for the boundaries. The Newsletter also has an article about dog control from the Parks Department. If the SPCA is notified, they will follow up on all complaints of dogs. Ms. Hagedorn stated that Planning Board Member Greg Bell would not be able to attend the meeting tonight to address the Board. Mr. Bell will be asked to come back at another time. Director of Planning Kanter gave a brief description of what the Planning Committee and the Planning Board do. The Planning Committee meetings are open to the public (including other members of Boards.) Chair Zarriello stated that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) from Cornell University Lake Source Cooling Project has been submitted to the Planning Department. It is a large draft that would be divided up into pieces for the Conservation Board to review individually. This is the period for the Conservation Board to review the DEIS for completeness. While reviewing the DEIS, the Board needs to make sure everything is addressed for the scoping process. Any comments need to be addressed by April 21, 1997 for Cornell University. The draft should be ready for public review in June. Director of Planning Kanter stated that the Planning Board and the Town Board are also involved agencies. The Planning Board is reviewing the site plan for the East Shore Drive site where the facility is going. The Town Board will need to rezone the property because lake source cooling facility is not an allowed uses in that area. Planner Tierney has agreed to review the sections of DEIS that relates to the site plan and zoning issues. The Planning Board has already concurred that staff will do the review on their behalf. The Planning Staff will be asking the Town Board do so the same. If there are any comments to be submitted, the Planning Staff will be sending the comments. DEC wanted additional input from the involved and interested agencies before they do accept the project for full public review and comments. Chair Zarriello closed the meeting at 9:30 p.m. .-. �.�=� arking lots are an ever-increasing blight on the American landscape. As metropolitan areas sprawl farther and far- ther from transit -friendly cores, surface parking becomes the common denomina- tor of the urban fabric and its most visible feature from the air. The most egregious f�akz a cow (.Lvil�als� Let That Soak In Landscape architects are finding ways of putting storm water to good use in `green" parking lots. Landscape Architecture 1 60 1 NOVEMBER 1996 impacts of these veritable seas of parking have to do with storm water. Conventional parking lots seal off the absorptive quality of soils, pre- venting rainwater from soaking into the ground and replenishing crucial groundwater resources. With every rain, parking lots' subsurface drain- age systems send erosive torrents of runoff—laden with pollutants that drip from cars and collect on the parking -lot surface—cascading into local streams. Here and there, however, proto- types exist of contemporary "green" parking lots that—among other things—allow storm water to soak into the ground. One such protocype is to be found at the Oregon Muse- um of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland. Designed as a demon- stration project to reduce runoff in the rainy Pacific Northwest climate, the project aims primarily at im- proving water quality by filtering pollutants from the museum's 800 parking spaces before the runoff en- ters the nearest water body (in this case, the Willamette River). Where- as a conventional lot would aim at getting the water off the site as quickly as possible via catch basins that would flush it through under- ground storm sewers into the Willamette, the OMSI design fea- tures seven bioswales—linear re- tention basins designed by Murase Associates, a Portland -based land- scape architecture firm—that move the runoff as .slowly as possible along a gentle incline. At the lowest point of the swale is a raised drain inlet that empties into the Willamette, but in practice the rainwater rarely gets that far. River rocks and small wooden check dams placed at thirty-foot intervals cause the water to pond, giving it time to soak into the soil. Native wetland plants --cattails, bulrushes, and yellow iris, among others—further slow the water while helping to biologically break down pollutants; chose that escape this gauntlet are captured in the topsoil, where they are attacked'by soil microorganisms. Thus fil- tered, the storm water seeps through the subsoil into the underlying water table. The city's Bureau of Environmental Ser- vices asked OMSI to build the bioswales in 1990. They were the brainchild of Tom Liptan, ASLA, a landscape architect with the Bureau who had become aware of pioneer- ing work on grassed bioswales at the Uni- versity of Washington and felt that the idea should be tried in Portland. OMSI manage- ment supported the concept and directed the project engineer to pitch the lot so that it would drain into the swales. OMSI then directed Murase Associates to plant the swales in a way that would more richly interpret the water that falls on the site. The Murase team originated the idea of check dams and native plants in lieu of turf and proposed cutting approximately two feet off each parking stall (only 16.5 feet for a full-sized car) and applying the saved space to widening the swales. The outcome, according to a computer model of the site, is that the swales hold runoff longer than the engineer had calculated, with the result that they will fully infiltrate .83 inches of rainfall in a twenty -four-hour period. This accounts for about seventy-five percent of all the rains that fall on Portland annually, The oms1 parking lot in Portland, Oregon, Is a prime ex- ample of the "bioswale" approach to dealing with pollut- ed runoff from parking lots. The primary goal is water quality --cleansing the water by filtering it through wet- land plants and topsoil before It soaks Into the groundwater. vl - The swales can Infiltrate :• ` ` most storm water. Only In very heavy _- storms does the raised drain�� come Into play. o L L L L o \ 1 % says nn Liptan. The computer model estimates that sixty percent of water -polluting suspended solids in the runoff is captured in the swale topsoil; with a few improvements Liptan expects a pollutant capture of ninety percent. The parking design recently won an honor award from an Oregon consortium of municipal governments. Landscape Architecture 1 62 1 NOVEMBER 1996 Not surprisingly, the question visitors to OMSI most often ask is whether the swales are a breeding ground for mosquitoes. "They don't hold water," is Liptan's re- sponse. "The water drains into the soil quickly enough that mosquitoes are not an issue." But this may not be true on all sites, Liptan cautions; much depends on the soil and its permeability. Most encouraging for the future of such projects, the OMSI parking -lot design saved $78,000 as compared to a conventional lot with its expensive catch basins and drainage system—a cost savings that Bob Murase, FASLA, says has helped him successfully mar- ket the bioswale concept to several clients in the Portland area. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Environmental Services is monitoring the infiltration at OMSI and promoting the bioswale concept elsewhere in the city. "It's an excellent way to use runofffrom the park- ing lot—and it's inexpensive," says Liptan. He notes that the time-honored landscape details for parking lots—the familiar raised landscaped area above the curb, usually mounded so that any rainfall runs off onto the pavement—are the very antithesis of the direction in which the profession should be going. Even on projects on which a landscape architect cannot implement a complete bioswale treatment, says Liptan, he or she should eliminate the mounding so that rain- water stays on the planted areas instead of flowing away from them. "Storm water should be part of the land- scape architect's design palette," Liptan says. "We need to be much more involved in the water that falls on a site than most of us are. currently. Landscape architects have a num- ber of skills to contribute toward taking a chunk out of the water -pollution problem." Unfortunately, bioswales are not every- where the success they seem to be at OMSI. "As I sit here today, I'm not sure they're a viable idea," says Derek Booth, the director of the Center for Urban Water Resource Management at the University of Washing- ton. The problem, says Booth, is less in the concept than in the execution. Bioswales have, for several years, been mandated for large developments in many jurisdictions in western Washington, but slipshod project design, construction, and upkeep have too often turned bioswales into washed-out gul- lies that degrade storm water rather than enhance it, says Booth. If bioswales are to gain widespread support from public agen- cies more examples as successful as the ONO For the Discriminating Client 1%L,W=1V4LN0M Old World Craftsmanship Magnificent wrought iron & custom wood gates for the great estates of the world. Specialty Wrought Iron Projects ! We will design, fabricate & install our beautiful gates along with a full compliment of electronics. 487 E.Main St., Mt.Kisco, NY 10549 4300 S. U.S. Hwy. 1, Suite 203-206 Jupiter, FL 33477 800.486.7553 – 914.241.7120 – 914.666.5802 fax e-mail <dongore@ns.computer.net> CIRCLE 32 ON READER SERVICE CARD rlAkTHE "POLY PLANTER" ADVANTAGE o JAI PRODUCTS GUARANTEES; 'Planters that will never crack, chip or break. THE INT_ENT . ,Great for outdoor planting, in any climate. Immediate delivery and competitive pricing. CHOICE FOR YOUR -28 colors available/custom color matching. PLANTING NEEDS. *Lightweight & nestable, saves on shipping. Please call for your free Poly Planter catalog. JAZ PRODUCTS INC. �� P.O. BOX 3504 THOUSAND OAKS, CA. 91359 NOVEMBER 1996 1 63 1 Landscape Architecture PHONE (805) 525-8800 FAX (805) 525-8808 CIRCLE 346 ON READER SERVICE CARD -1cology project must be built and monitored to determine how successfully they in- filtrate and filter storm water. _ Last spring Booth and his colleagues began a small-scale but exacting mon- itoring of a different approach to mit- igating the impacts of storm water. On one corner of a King County parking lot they installed four different types of permeable paving systems. Sophis- ticated equipment will monitor how well such systems stand up under cars, how much water really percolates through the various paving systems, and how clean it is. Final conclusions are not expected until the parking lot has seen at least two years' worth of usage, notes Booth, but this study should eventually demonstrate how well these systems address runoff manage- ment in the rainy Northwest. A much larger -scale research effort in Washington State was the Impervious Sur- face Reduction Study recently completed in Olympia, a city that is serious about pro - tecting its water resources. After carefully documenting the effects of runoff from roads and parking on Olympia's water quality and quantity, the study went on to put in place a set of strategies with the truly remarkable goal of smaller and fewer parking lots in fu - ture developments throughout the city. How does Olympia propose to accom- plish this intent, which flies in the face of current development practices across the country? By implementing a num- ber of such strategies as forcing devel- opers to size parking lots to truly reflect their needs. Olympia found in its park- ing study that developers routinely ow - supply parking to meet a single "peak - day" projection—the needs of retailers at the height of the Christmas rush, for example. Based on such projections, Olympia found developers were actu- ally building up to fifty-one percent above nonpeak needs. Olympia's new parking requirements require develop- ers to build according to "median" parking ratios that reflect day-to-day use. In addition to such strategies to reduce parking citywide Olympia has built few demonstration parking lots to promote various kinds of permeable paving. Fortunately for planners and land- scape architects in other cities, Olympia is eager to share what it has learned. Although the Olympia study is perhaps extraordinary, jurisdictions of varying sizes CIRCLE 327 ON READER SERVICE CARD Landscape Architecture 1 64 1 NOVENIBER 1996 nationwide are beginning to struggle to find ways of minimizing water quality and quan- tity impacts from the proliferation of park- ing lots. An excellent introduction to such efforts is "Impervious Surface Coverage," an article in the Spring 1996Journal of the Amer- ican Planning Association. Its authors, Chester Arnold, a water -quality educator, and James Gibbons, a natural -resource -planning edu- cator, are principals with the MEMO Project, which uses GIS technology to educate land - use decision makers about nonpoint-source water pollution from roads and parking. Their article, which is quite readable and features an extensive bibliography, provides a sense of the ways in which runoff issues are being dealt with nationwide. Bruce Ferguson, FASLA, the author of Stormwater Infiltration (Lewis Publishers, 1994), discovered an unusual approach to paving on a research trip through the Northeast last summer. In the upscale sub- urban community of Medford Village, New Jersey, he was surprised to find widespread use of the most humble paving material in the world—gravel. This material was large- ly abandoned as a result of the overengi- neering of parking lots since about the 1930s, but when Ferguson saw gravel being used with consistency and sensitivity in the heavily used center of the historic, well-to-do commercial and governmental ' / ih.G._• .od Irivus Fum�oue Sp«c..lim / Coun Can - Designer and Direct Importer of Authentic Classic English Solid Teakwood Garden Seats and "We need to be much more involved in the water that falls on a site than most of us are currently. Landscape architects have a number of skills to contribute toward taking a chunk out of the water -pollution problem." area, "I really concluded that gravel pave- ments had a future," he recalls. Gravel is, of course, much more perme- able than a conventional parking -lot surface, and Ferguson found it used for entire park- ing lots and many residential driveways in Medford Village as a means of complying with a storm -water -infiltration plan pre- pared for the township in the 1970s by Ian McHarg, FASLA. Perhaps the most wide- spread application of gravel was as stalls in conjunction with an asphalt traveling lane—"a beautiful solution," writes Fergu- son in his travel notes, "because the travel- ing lane is stable enough to make anybody happy, while the stalls are permeable enough to absorb both the rainfall upon the stalls and the runoff from the traveling lane. Of course, overflow must be expected in large storms; that's what adjacent grassed swales are for." In specifying the crushed stone Ferguson notes that the tradeoff is be- tween a coarser grade, which drains more readily, and a finer grade, which is more walkable and accessible to the disabled. Among the most permeable parking sur- faces are those that allow rurfgrass to grow through an open cell of concrete or plastic. As a previous Landscape Architecture article ("Grass Paving Systems," June 1994) point- ed out, such systems are appropriate only for temporary use because grass will not survive consistent daily use. But as the Olympia study documented, much more parking is truly temporary than we generally suppose. Bu;Li'. 21, Free Shipment from Stock Sustained Yield Timber Sources Site Furnishings forALU( ' '� Quality &Service Interior and Exterior Use.=M_#_ since 1977 Country Casual 17317 Germantown Road, Suite 5226 Germantown, MD 20874-2999 1-800-284-8325 • 1-301-540-0040 ;. Fax: 1-301-540-7364 72 page colour catalogue Call or write us for more information y Benches • Swings • Planters • Chairs Tables • Umbrellas • Trash Receptacles Furniture Grade Modular Architectural EMBER 1996 Eco 1 o g y that his design for a Wal -Marc parking lot chat would drain to planted infiltration beds (see "Is Sustainable Attainable?" Landscape Sports stadia, for example, are typically used Architecture, January 1994) "has gone on one or two days a week. Such light "event nowhere." On the other hand, his design Cor parking" allowed the City of Miami to use a planted infiltration area in the middle of a grass paving system for the new parking the parking lot at the new visitors' center at scalls at the Orange Bowl. The driving lanes Canyonlands National Park in Utah has are conventional asphalt. been built and is functioning well. It cap - "Overall, it's working out really well," tures runoff, not only from the parking lanes says Enrique Nunez, ASLA, a landscape and stalls, but from the roof of the building architect with the Department of Commu- as well—and it has no drainpipes at all. nity Planning and Revitalization who was "It's a struggle to get those built," Wenk involved in the design and implementation admits. "You're fighting some pretty in - of the parking. The paving system for the grained thinking." He cites the lack of project was Grasspavez, a recycled -plastic agreement among engineers about the effects of allowing water to infiltrate beneach Grass will not survive consistent pavement; some fear it may expand and heave the asphalt. Even at Canyonlands, daily use. But as the Olympia where the soil is sandy and drains well, the client insisted on drilling down and fractur- study documented. much more ing the bedrock with dynamite to ensure drainage. Because of the technical subtleties parking is truly temporary of such projects Wenk advises always col- laborating with a geotechnical engineer. than we generally suppose. Much experimentation and monitoring has yet to be done before permeable park - product by Invisible Structures of Aurora, ing lots are widely accepted. A greater hur- Colorado. Nunez confirms that the grass dle, however, may be educating the public. pavers have helped to eliminate runoff, It will take many successful examples of although the site does have a conventional alternate parking to win the acceptance of storm -water system. the average motorist. Landscape architects If—as the Olympia study discovered— can play a key role in designing and dis- much retail parking is only used at peak seminating such examples. LA periods, then large chunks of the parking at malls and shopping centers are appropriate SOURCES for grass paving. Although mall developers Center for Urban Water rarely seize this opportunity, Westfarms Resources Management Mall in Farmington, Connecticut, found it Department of Civil Engineering a welcome solution to a parking dilemma. University of Washington, Box 352700 When the mall proposed adding 4.7 acres of = Seattle, Washington 98195 parking, primarily to accommodate the Contact: Derek Booth, Director Cont Derek Christmas rush, the local zoning board pointed to a requirement that a certain por- Impervious Surface Reduction Study tion of any site remain in greenspace. A grass City of Olympia Public Works Departmenc paving system (again, Grasspavez) enabled 837 Seventh Avenue, S.E. Westfarms Mall to get its parking while R O. Box 1967 meeting the greenspace quota. Once in- Olympia, Washington 98507-1967 stalled the added parking percolates so well (360) 753-8454 that the existing storm drains did not have i Contact. • Cedar Wells to be enlarged, according to Bill Bonhoff, ASLA, a landscape architect with Invisible Center for Watershed Protection Structures. 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 300 The successful examples of permeable Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301) 589-1890 parking presented here should not obscure Ask for Green Parking Lots, the technical challenges of making such Site Planning for Urban Scream Protection parking work in the contemporary urban (Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, environment. Bill Wenk, FASLA, reports 1995). NOVEMBER 1996 1 67 1 Lands TOWN OF ITHACA 126 EAST SENECA STREET, ITHACA, N.Y. 14850 TOWN CLERK 273-1721 HIGHWAY 273-1656 PARKS 273-8035 ENGINEERING 273-1747 PLANNING 273-1747 ZONING 273-1783 FAX (607) 273-1704 P ° M kra-M&IM TO: I61 FAX # FROM: FAX FAX # (607) 273-1704 DATE: RE: (00�lkk Number of Pages (including cover sheet): ?I -- Comments: Comments: 'fre v Review of the Lake Source Cooling E.I.S. Section 2:3:4 - Mysis Relicta APR 1 4 WT TOWN OF ITNACA P! ANNING ZONING, FNGINEER!NG TI -ds crustacean is very important in the marine food chain, and moves vertically through various water depths in order to use darkness as a protection against predators. The supposition is that Mysis can be repelled from the water intake through the use of a low-power light bulb. Affixed to the intake, this bulb will be strong enough to repel Mysis, but not powerful enough to attract other species. And, since they will avoid the intake to avoid the light, they will not be trapped by the intake current to any considerable degree. Probably this is a reasonable expectation, based on the research and the studies made in the lake. But one sentence in the text puzzles me... "Devices will be installed to monitor entrainment of this species so that action can be taken to correct potential problems". Just what "action "can be taken in the event that this procedure is not working satisfactorily is not clear. It might be more practical simply to conclude that at certain times of the day, and of the year, there will be some entrainment of Mysids, but not enough to cause any significant reduction in their population. Section 2:3:6 - Zebra and Quagga Mussels In this case, the E.I.S assumes that these mussels, particularly the Quagga, will be an ongoing problem. They seem to thrive at the low water temperatures found at the intake pipe level, more so than the Zebras. So steps are planned for their removal, using physical, rather than chemical means. Pigging of the pipes, manual cleaning, hot water and foul release coatings are all envisioned as procedures which, used in combination, will be effective. Some minimal release of copper from the pipe coating and turbidity from the manual cleaning can be anticipated, but these technologies should be sufficiently advanced by now to be reasonably economical as well as effective. Section 2:3:7 - The Cayuga Lake Fish Community The areas of concern here are both the deep water intake and the shallow water outflow. The consultant studies and research elsewhere seems to indicate that the cold water species among Cayuga's 45 current lake -dwelling varieties prefer temperatures warmer than those at the depth of the proposed intake. Only the Slimy Sculpin (delightful name) is comfortable here, and fortunately it is a bottom feeder. There is no real evidence as to what varieties of fish and what numbers will be attracted to a lighted intake at this depth. And the potential for entrainment of Alewives and Smelt during the winter months seems significant. In some other locations this problem has been addressed successfully using hydroacoustic devices at the intake level. Presumably high frequency sound will be more of a repellent than a weak light will be an attraction. We hope so. P.O. Bo: 591, Little Falls, N.Y. 13365 Dear Town Supervisor: 4 I FEB 2 11997 R( �1 'c Feb. 15, 1997 Is beaver flooding of town roads and lands a problem? If it is, please consider using proven water control devices. This is a good time to look into these cost-effective, long-term ways to prevent beaver flooding because funding for such devices from the Governor's Clean Water -Clean Air Bond Act is expected to be available soon. If your town has a population of 75,000 or less, it is eligible to apply for money to finance these devices that effectively prevent beaver -flooded lands and roads. Currently procedures to implement the Bond Act are being developed, and we have been assured by Senator Bruno's office that the beaver flow device funding, which falls under the $50 million for "flood control, projects"(see p. 19 of the Bond Act draft) will be available in a few months. If interested, contact: Gavin Donohue, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, 50 Wolf Rd., Albany, N.Y. 12233-1020 by March 7. (Please send a copy to Senator Joseph Bruno, 909 LOB, Albany, N.Y. 12247.) Our educational non-profit organization has researched water control devices for beaver flooding, and consulted nationwide for over ten years. We can offer advice on the best methods for specific sites. We have an eight -page booklet "How to Prevent Beaver Flooding" about effective solutions for $1, and the "Outwitting Maine's Beaver Beaver" video from the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, for $10 plus $3 for postage and shipping. The 22 -minute video shows the installation of the easy, popular device that was developed in New England .0 protect road culverts. Hundreds of th.esP a.re now successfully _ preventing beaver -flooded roads in several states. Whether or not your town is eligible for Bond Act funding, we hope you will consider using these cost-effective devices that can save valuable wildlife habitat while also saving work and money for the town. Sincerely, Sharon T. Brown, Director/Biologist 518/568-2077 beavers @ telenet.net YES, I'd like to prevent beaver -flooded roads and lands. Please send the following: "How to Prevent Beaver Flooding" 8 -page booklet on proven solutions. $1 "Outwitting Maine's Beaver Beaver" 22 -min. video from the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheri and Wildlife about the popular device used to protect roads in several states. $1 Postage and shipping is $3 for the video with no extra charge for the booklet. If ordering the booklet alone please enclose a long self-addressed, stamped envelope. Name Address Please make out check to B:W&W and use enclosed envelope or mail to B:W&W, PO Box 591, Little Falls, N.Y. 13365. teawra, ` et':�ricfs Q 01P17if C P.O. E ,x 591 Little Falls, N.Y. 13365 teaivers, `W' Hands .d OWWC P.O. Ou 591 Uttle Falls, N.Y. 13365 YES, I'd like to prevent beaver -flooded roads and lands. Please send the following: "How to Prevent Beaver Flooding" 8 -page booklet on proven solutions. $1 "Outwitting Maine's Beaver Beaver" 22 -min. video from the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheri and Wildlife about the popular device used to protect roads in several states. $1 Postage and shipping is $3 for the video with no extra charge for the booklet. If ordering the booklet alone please enclose a long self-addressed, stamped envelope. Name Address Please make out check to B:W&W and use enclosed envelope or mail to B:W&W, PO Box 591, Little Falls, N.Y. 13365. TOWN OF ITHACA 126 EAST SENECA STREET, ITHACA, N.Y. 14850 TOWN CLERK 273-1721 HIGHWAY 273-1656 PARKS 273-8035 ENGINEERING 273-1747 PLANNING 273-1747 ZONING 273-1783 FAX (607) 273-1704 TO: Conservation Board Members FROM: Geri Tierney, CB Coordinator (7T DATE: 26 March 1997 RE: Our next meeting Greetings. Enclosed please find materials for our April 3rd meeting. I've enclosed our agenda, and an invitation to participate in or create Earth Day/Week events, which we received yesterday from Sandy Wold of the Ad Hoc EarthWeek Committee. Please note that she'd like to be contacted by 3/28 (short notice!) if we'd like to have a table or presentation on the Commons during the Earthday Celebration on Saturday April 26th. This type of forum can be very useful to meet the public, identify ourselves, recruit future members, and spread the good word. New members will also find an excerpt from the Tompkins County Unique Natural Area (UNA) Handbook in their packet, describing the Coy Glen UNA and the nearby Hackberry Woods UNA. I will bring the full handbook to our meeting on Thursday for new (and old) members to peruse; it's a wonderful resource produced by the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, which identifies and documents unique features of worthy natural areas throughout Tompkins County. These areas have no County protection as a result of being included in this Handbook, but local governments are encouraged to use this Handbook as a tool to identify areas for further recognition, and if warranted, protection. Also, please note that the Environmental Review Committee (ERC) will be meeting to review a project just prior to the CB on April 3rd, at 7:00 pm in the Town Board Room. Please feel free to come early and participate in the ERC meeting even if you are not on the ERC. As always, please call me at 273-1747 if you have any questions. See you on April 3rd. TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD 7:30 pm**, Thursday, 3 April 1997 Town Hall Board Room 126 East Seneca Street Ithaca, New York 14850 (Handicap -accessible entrance ramp on West side of building) (607) 273-1747 AGENDA 7:30 pm 1. Persons to be heard 7:35 pm 2. Member Concerns 7:40 pm 3. Coordinator and Chair Reports 7:50 pm 4. Committee Reports 5. Items for Discussion 8:00 pm a. Town Highway Policies with Fred Noteboom, Town Highway Superintendent 8:15 pm b. Coy Glen UNA - Boundaries 9:15 pm c. Planning Board Coordination with Greg Bell, Planning Board member 9:30 pm 6. Adjournment **The ERC will meet just prior to the CB on this date, at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall Board Room. All CB members are welcome. CB Members and Associate Members: Phil Zarriello, Chair Frank Baldwin Elizabeth deProsse Richard Fischer Kara Hagedorn Eva Hoffmann Lois Levitan Jon Meigs Barney Unsworth John Yntema (File Name: c:\28p1an\,cb\04-03-97.agd) EARTH WEEK CELEBRATION GUIDELINES Theme: "Ithaca is Gorges!" WHEN: Saturday, April 19th through Saturday, April 26th. The real EarthDay is April 22nd. We will have events going on throughout the week, culminating in a festival on the Commons on Saturday, April 26th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. CONTACT: Sandy,Wold, 272-3814 (best alter 6:30 PM till 10:00 PM) The EarthWeek Ad Hoc Committee has determined four guidelines for the week-long Downtown Celebration. Please consider but do not limit yourself, your affiliates, students, and/or business to the following themes, concepts, or guidelines. 1. OFFER WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH THE EARTH; for example, tree walks, bird watching, gorge walks, plant/herb identification walks, canoe rides on Cayuga Lake, composting workshops, bike parade, exposure to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's and organic farming), .... 2. CELEBRATE ENVIRONMENTAL VICTORIES, such as land conservation and restoration, rainforest preservation, indigenous animal reintroduction (e.g. wolves and bears), animals removed from the endangered species list; new environmental laws, Greenpeace activities, innovative technologies and house designs.... A. The old growth forest of Camillas, NY (near Cortland) has been saved from logging. Three hundred year old maple trees live there. B. Recently land has been acquired upstream of Six Mile Creek, our local water supply. This land will be preserved from development and protected. C. Currently, the Ithaca Bike Plan is about to go through a City approval process. We need someone to make a display illustrating the Bike Plan. There are also bike trail plans that would be great to illustrate with maps. 3. RAISE AWARENESS of what work still needs to be done: oil spills, global warming, ozone depletion, minimizing consumption, toxic waste, water contamination, pesticides, herbicides,... Key concepts to consider include: • environmental successes and problems are both local and global • minimize consumption and waste (reduce, reuse, and recycle) • simplifying lifestyles • purchase local foods and goods • eat seasonally (e.g., strawberries in summer, apples in fall), eating lower on the food chain • use alternative forms of transportation (walk, bike, bus, or carpool) • learning from other cultures, successes in other countries (e.g., mass transportation, efficiency, self-sufficiency,...) 4. PROJECTS NEEDED TO BE RESEARCHED, DESIGNED, CREATED, AND MANNED ON SATURDAY THE 26TH: A. Lynn Leopold from the County Recycling Program has the whole set-up for teaching recycling. We need someone to contact her and ask if we can use the set-up. We need someone to man the set-up too. B. Numerous videos are available at the public library on many different environmental issues. We need someone to organize a video showing on one or all of the EarthDay evenings. Possible videos include ones on Rachel Carson's life, Greenpeace, and Breast Cancer. �• r• 1-f� 128 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 March 7, 1997 INVITATION: You are hereby invited to plan and participate in Ithaca's Earthweek Celebration. Your affiliated organization has been identified as one of eighty-four local organizations which contribute to the restoration, well-being, or healing of our planet Earth. This year our theme will be "Ithaca is Gorges," and we hope to raise awareness about recent environmental victories and issues concerning our local water supply, among others. We encourage you to think of how you can contribute to the celebration outlined below. Please consider the goals and themes described on the back of this page. Our next planning meeting will be Tuesday, March 18th, 7:00 PM at the Tompkins County Public Library. If you are interested in having a booth at the festival or doing a performance of some kind, please call Dean Mogelgaard at 273-0563 or me at 272-3814 by Friday, March 28th, 1997. Tables are not provided on the Commons, so you must provide your own. If you or your organization already have an Earth Day event planned, let us know and we will list your event in the Earthweek Calendar. Thank you. Sincerely, San.dv'Wol.d, EarthWeek Celebration Ad Hoc Committee TENTATIVE EARTHWEEK SCHEDULE *Saturday and Sunday, April 19th and 20th ZERO TRASH DAY (Recycling, composting, trash pick-up events.) *Monday, April 21st SoPPaR� Ydu,2 L�Gri-C. Fc�aD I'7.'?G/Je.G,�-/` *Tuesday, April 22nd CELEBRATE THE EARTHDAY: FIND ANOTHER WAY TO WORK/SCHOOL DAY *Wednesday, April 23rd SOW A SEED DAY (Nature walks, planter boxes,...) *Thursday, April 24th "WELL" WATER DAY (Local water supply issues) *Friday, April 25th PLANT A TREE DAY (Arbor Day 125th Anniversary, city events, field trip to Camillus old growth forest) *Saturday, April 26th, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (rain or shine) EARTHDAY CELEBRATION (Bike parade, music, skits, info. booths on the Commons) 128 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 FMAR 2 41997 TOWN OF ITHACA P! ANNING,'CNING ENGINEERING *** � ►usn 321 r- ADOPTED RESOLUTION: � Fly Recommendations for the Protection of the "South Hill Unique Natural Area" Town of Ithaca Conservation Board March 6, 1997 MOTION by Jon Meigs, seconded by John Yntema: WHEREAS the Conservation Board has been asked to make recommendations for protecting the "South Hill Unique Natural Area, " an area of the Town of Ithaca containing special flora, rare ecological communities, old-growth forest, and wetlands, as documented by an inventory conducted in 1996 by experts Nancy Ostman and Robert Wesley, and WHEREAS Nancy Ostman and Robert Wesley consider the South Hill Swamp to be one of the two most unique natural areas within the Town of Ithaca, and WHEREAS such flora are susceptible to destruction or reduction in number to below a level at which they can remain naturally viable within their habitat, through human activity or by activity controllable by humans, such as development or the activities of humans and domestic pets within the area, and WHEREAS such flora are of value to the people of the Town of Ithaca because of their scarcity, their aesthetic qualities, their illustration of the history of occupation and development of the Town, and their utility to education and scientific research, which are ultimately of economic importance to the Town, and WHEREAS the Conservation Board intends to continue and complete its work of defining the area meriting protection, including the South Hill Unique Natural Area, and to make recommendations to the Town concerning appropriate protective measures, in 1997, and WHEREAS a complete assessment of the area's resources will not be obtainable until the 1997 growing season is well underway, thus leaving development plans which are currently under discussion for property in and adjacent to the area without benefit of a complete assessment, be it RESOLVED that the Conservation Board asks the Town Planning Board, Planning Department and other agencies responsible for regulating development in the Town, to take into consideration the above matters when reviewing applications for the development and use of property in and adjoining the South Hill Unique Natural Area, and to consult the Conservation Board before deciding on any such applications. AYES - Zarriello, Meigs, Hoffmann, Yntema, Hagedorn, Baldwin, deProsse. NAYS - None. The MOTION was declared to be carried unanimously. Resolution No. 1 - 1997 Filename: Cent12\cb\Reso1s\SHi11UNA.fin F � UCJ 0 I T� TOWN OF ITHACA 21 O4$ 126 EAST SENECA STREET, ITHACA, N.Y. 14850 TOWN CLERK 273-1721 HIGHWAY 273-1656 PARKS 273-8035 ENGINEERING 273-1747 PLANNING 273-1747 ZONING 273-1783 FAX (607) 273-1704 PENDING DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS Town of Ithaca Planning Board March 24, 1997 The following is a list of proposed land subdivisions or development projects for which an application has been received. These proposals are subject to Planning Board review under the Town of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, or other Town Laws. For more information contact the Planning Department at 273-1747. Project No.: 9702226. 1308 Mecklenburg Road. Hubbell 2 -Lot Subdivision. Description: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed subdivision of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27-1-14.1, +/- 11.3 acres in area and located at 1308 Mecklenburg Road, into two lots, +/- 9.9 and +/- 1.4 acres in area respectively. AG -Agricultural District and Residence District R-15. Glenn F. Hubbell, Owner/Applicant. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: April 1, 1997. Project No.: 9701221. Ithaca College, 953 Danby Road. Description: Consideration of Preliminary Site Plan Approval and a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for: 1) a proposed +/- 55,000 sq. ft. addition to Ford Hall to house additional classrooms, practice studios, rehearsal rooms, a +/- 250 seat recital hall, and other facilities for the Ithaca College School of Music; 2) a proposed expansion of the existing " J Lot" parking lot from 160 spaces to 354 spaces; and 3) a proposed expansion of the existing "M Lot" parking lot from 198 spaces to 230 spaces, located on the Ithaca College campus, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel Nos. 41- 1-30.2, -30.5 and -30.6, Residence District R-15. Ithaca College, Owner; Robert O'Brien, Hoffman, O'Brien, Look, Taube & Chiang, P.C., Agent. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: April 15, 1997. Project No.: 9703230. Ithaca College, 953 Danby Road. Description: Consideration of Preliminary Site Plan Approval and a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the proposed placement of +/- 10,170 sq. ft. temporary structure for instructional uses, located on the Ithaca College campus, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 41-1-30.2 Residence District R-15. Ithaca College, Owner; Robert O'Brien, Hoffman, O'Brien, Look, Taube & Chiang, P.C., Agent. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: April 15, 1997. Project No.: 9703229. Cornell University. Reconstruction of Tower Road. Description: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed reconstruction of 1,450 +/- linear feet of Tower Road between Judd Falls Road and Campus Road on the Cornell University campus, proposed to include the addition of bicycle lanes, two bus pull-outs, add new catch basins, and, reconfiguration of curb cuts, and new landscape plantings, located on Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel Nos. 63-1-2.2, 67-1-10.2, -11, and -12, Residence District R-30. Cornell University, Owner; Scott Whitham, Agent. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: April 15, 1997. Project No.: 9701224. 701-709 Elmira Road. Sketch Plan -- Proposed Commercial Development. Description: Consideration of Preliminary Site Plan Approval for the proposed construction of a two-story +/- 21,000 sq. ft. commercial building, with parking and landscaping, to be located at 701- 709 Elmira Road, Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 35-1-29, Business "C" District. J. Ronald Seacord, Applicant; David Lorenzini, R.A., Agent. Status: P.B. reviewed Sketch Plan on 3/18/97. Tentative Planning Board Date: To Be Announced. Project No.: 9702225. 117 East King Road. Montessori School Annex. Description: Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed conversion of a single- family home and garage into a two -classroom facility to accommodate up to 20 students, and construction of attendant driveway, bus unloading, parking facilities and walkways, located at 117 East King Road on Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 43-2-7, Residence District R-15. Montessori School, Owner; Peter Demjanec; R.A., Agent. Status: Received Preliminary App. 3/18/97; ZBA action scheduled for April 9. Tentative Planning Board Date: To Be Announced. Project No.: 9702227. 141 Northview Road. Holcomb 2 -Lot Subdivision. Description: Consideration of Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed subdivision of +/- 0.15 acre from Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 52-1-17, located at 141 Northview Road, for consolidation with Tax Parcel No. 52-1-16, Residence District R-15. Donald F. and Barbara P. Holcomb, Owners/Applicants. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: To Be Announced. Project No.: 9703228. 1300 Block Mecklenburg Road. A. & N. Eddy Request for Rezoning. Description: Consideration of Recommendation to the Town Board with regard to a request to rezone Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 27-1-14.2, +/- 93.5 acres in area and located on the north side of Mecklenburg Road approximately 800 feet west of West Haven Road, from AG -Agricultural and Residence District R-15 to Residence District R-15 in its entirety. Alfred and Nelson Eddy, Owners; Henry Theisen, Esq., Agent. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: To Be Announced. Project No.: 9604197. East King Road. Sketch Plan, Ithaca Estates Subdivision. Description: Consideration of a revised Sketch Plan for the proposed subdivision of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 43-01-3.32, consisting of 24.12 +/- acres, into 22 lots, with 3,000 +/- linear feet of proposed road, and extension of public water and sewer service, located between 128 and 134 East King Road, approximately 2,000 feet east of its intersection with Danby Road, Residence District'R- 30. Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval will initially be requested for Phase I consisting of 8 new building lots. Evan Monkmeyer, Owner; Terrence M. Roswick, Ryan Survey, Agent. Status: Pending. Tentative Planning Board Date: To Be Announced. Project No.: 9511179. ,Vista Lane. Modification of Original Cluster Subdivision. Description: Consideration of Final Subdivision Approval for the proposed subdivision of Town of Ithaca Tax Parcels No. 39-1-25.2 and 39-10-1, 13.55 +/- acres in size, into 7 new building lots, with proposed sewer infrastructure, located at Cayuga Vista subdivision, Vista Lane, Residence District R- 9. Said subdivision is a modification of the original Cayuga Vista cluster subdivision plat, for which Final Approval was granted on April 16, 1985. Dell L. Grover and Edward Mazza, Owners; Lawrence P. Fabbroni, P.E., Agent. Status: Pending. Granted Preliminary Approval, with conditions, on 6/4/96. Tentative Planning Board Date: To be announced. Project No.: 9407137. Bostwick Road (100 Block). First Assembly of God Church, Description: Consideration of Final Site Plan Approval for the proposed First Assembly of God Church, to consist of a 21,226 +/- sq. ft. structure containing a sanctuary, offices, classrooms and multipurpose room, with parking for 200 vehicles, to be located on the south side of Bostwick Road approximately 1,000 feet west of Five Mile Drive on Ithaca Tax Parcel No. 31-4-6.2, Residence District R-30. First Assembly of God Church Owner, Rev. Robert N. Lovelace, Agent. Status: Granted Preliminary Site Plan Approval on 9/6/94; Applicant has applied for ZBA review of request for Special Approval and height variance. Tentative Public Hearing Date: To Be Announced. IT -4 Coy Glen Tompkins County Unique Natural Area SlteCode IT -4 I Surveyor JNLO,FRWTown 11thaca Ownership 1private, Cornell USGS Quad 11thaca West Lat/ I o n g 042° 027' N 0760 032' W Parcel Number 28-1 -32.2,32.3,32.4,10.412,10.413,10.42,20.2,28.52,30,28.51,29;31-1 -2,3. 2,3.1,5,6,10.1,14 Location The main portion of this glen on west hill is west of Floral Avenue and south of Coy Glen Road and south of Elm Street Extension and north of Culver Road. Two tributaries of Coy Glen are north of Elem Street Extenison, north of the bridge. Cover Type Upland forest, old field forest, open water, rock outcrops. Site Description This area includes steep -sided gorge (with stream) and hilltops which are forested. Significance This is an important botanic and geologic site. The hilltop forests, on deep gravel deposits, have uncommon communities and rare species are found. Area is noted for scarce liverworts, mosses and ferns. Physical Characteristics of Site Size (A) 125 Elevatlon 430 to 1120 ft. Aspect INE&SW Too Feature Steep sided glen, hanging deltas, waterfalls Water Bodies Coy Clen Creek Geoloav Exposure of Genesee group shales and sandstones. Area known for excellent examples of hanging deltas now mostly destroyed by gravel extraction. Talus slopes. Large granite erratics. Potholes. Excellent examples joint plane fracturing, fossil ripple marks. Slope(%) Topographic Moisture ® Flat ® Crest ❑ Inundated (Hydric) ®0 to 10 ® Upper Slope ❑ Saturated (Wet-mesic) ® 10 to 35 ® Mid -slope ® Moist (Mesic) ® Over 35 ® Lower Slope ® Dry-mesic ® Vertical ® Bottom ® Dry (Xeric) THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Site Code: IT -4 Page 2 Soils (see appendix for list of soil names) Soil type: % area HpF 65% BtF 15% HpE 3% BgC 5% Ab 2% HdD 5% HdC 0% LaB 5% Vegetation Plant Communities List plantation, hemlock -beech forest, oak -hickory forest, Old -field forest Description of vegetation. (Communities, Slgnlficant/Unusual Features, Species, Age, Structure, etc.) Much of the glen is forested upland. The wooded slopes above the glen are dry and in places xeric. The well -drained gravel deposits have rare plant communities. On the dripping gorge walls a great variety of liverworts, mosses and ferns are found. Some of these are locally scarce or rare. Hemlock is the dominant species in the shady gorge, but oaks and hickories are common on the hillsides above the gorge. Rare or Scarce Species Present Presence of Rare or Scarce Species: Yes Flora Genus & species Rare\Scarce Comments Celtis occidentalis Scarce Asclepias turberosa Scarce Aureolaria flava Scarce Cypripedium pubescens Scarce Andropogon gerardi Scarce Camptosorus rhizophyllus Scarce Quercus coccinea Scarce Desmodium marilandicum Rare Desmodium rotundifolium Scarce Lespedeza intermedia Scarce Lespedeza hirta Scarce Site Code: IT -4 Page 3 Genus & species Rare\Scarce Comments Aster paternus Scarce Porteranthus trifoliatus Rare _ Solidago squarrosa Rare Fauna Genus & species Rare\Scarce Comments Conservation Site Code: IT -4 Page 4 Evidence of Disturbance and Potential for Recovery Gravel mining in areas has removed changing deltas and vegetation, infringed on gorge. Most mining has ended. Adjacent Land Use Residential, commercial (Town services such as bus fleet, coungy services), cemetery Threats to Site Development, logging, further gravel mining, cemetary expansion. Vulnerability of Site to Visitors Site is especially vulnerable to visitors because of steep erodible gorge sides and very shallow fragile soils on crests and outcrops. Special Conservation/Management Needs A greater portion of the glen needs protection. Protective Ownership ® Adequate Buffer DEC Wetland —71 DEC Wetland DEC Mapped Protection Site Code Acreage r comments on conservation Excellent geologic and botanical teaching area. Summary of Special Features ® Rare\Scarce Plants ® Rare\Scarce Communities ® High Quality of Example Comments ❑ Rare\Scarce Animals ® Unique Geology ® High Esthetic Qualities _j 0 \N_ N\ II \ �_ \ I i•. "N' 0 Golf ours A a Sewage f . "I 1 1 1 - —. Disposd Corner' TURArPIKE vo "0 en MIL, • Gaging aN, v I ,, 'k '\ )%' C. 11-50 '.♦ S M, 1q: IT-4 T_j er L I.�o \ \o� •� 1 `.� .,� 1100 -ta i Y: k'ttr1_21 f32, \ i , ! ' •1 i' I✓ � �\� \ :� 1 �v �h ;e,.�/ / . /yc /�, i'' � 7raJer � `�.'L ark A 3�87 i I \ �; h . I % ! J \ -; _ - �. � I Park �I ,�,� i• � I I��• h I � J iooc \\.. y>. �-7=lj�i��)t ����c/�'%/" �' • ;� � Bal PF _7 Pumping S 7N, N_ N`y oma._ La ;rr 'gpw.Nark j; a % - --------- / V� A.7Q 40 (j'r 04 /Z "001 5 i w c Ak LL JY Ai r .,O 1 TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD 7:30 pm**, Thursday, 3 April 1997 Town Hall Board Room 126 East Seneca Street Ithaca, New York 14850 (Handicap -accessible entrance ramp on West side of building) (607) 273-1747 o� P0 AGENDA t� 7:30 pm 1. Persons to be heard 7:35 pm 2. Member Concerns 7:40 pm 3. Coordinator and Chair Reports 7:50 pm 4. Committee Reports 5. Items for Discussion 8:00 pm a. Town Highway Policies with Fred Noteboom, Town Highway Superintendent 8:15 pm b. Coy Glen UNA - Boundaries 9:15 pm c. Planning Board Coordination with Greg Bell, Planning Board member 9:30 pm 6. Adjournment **The ERC will meet just prior to the CB on this date, at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall Board Room. All CB members are welcome. CB Members and Associate Members: Phil Zarriello, Chair Frank Baldwin Elizabeth deProsse Richard Fischer Kara Hagedorn Eva Hoffmann Lois Levitan Jon Meigs Barney Unsworth John Yntema (File Name: c.\28p1a&cb\04-03-97.agd) TOWN OF ITHACA, NY ID:6072731704 TRANSM I T CONE I RMRT I ON REPORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE RAGES RESULT 007 607 272' 4335 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY MAR 26'97 9:09 00'47 STD 01 OK MAR 26'97 9:08 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY ID:6072731704 TRRNSM I T CONF I RMRT ION REPORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE PAGES RESULT 008 607 277 1012 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY MAR X6'97 9:10 00'52 STD 01 OK MAR 26'97 9:10 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY ID:6072731704 TRRNSM I T CONF I RMRT I Oro REPORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE PAGES RESULT 009 16072576497 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY MAR 26'97 9:28 00'47 STD 01 OK MAR 26'9? 9:28 TOWN OF ITHRCR, NY ID:6072731704 11 TRRNSM I T CONE I RMRT ION REPORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE PAGES RESULT 011 607270746 TOWN OF ITHRCR, NY MAR 26'97 9:44 01'23 STD 02 OK MAR 26'97 9:44 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY ID:6072731704 TRRNSt-,I I T CONF I 12MRT I ON REPORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE PAGES RESULT 012 607 272 7692 TONIN OF ITHACA� NY MAR 26'97 10:1.2 00'46 STD 0i OK MAR 26'97 10:12 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY ID:6072731704 TRRNS- 11 I T C ONF I RMRT I ON REF'ORT NO. RECEIVER TRANSMITTER DATE DURATION MODE PAGES RESULT 013 6072726076 TOWN OF ITHACA, NY MAR 26'97 10:14 00'52 STD 01 OK MAR 26197 10:14 IT -28 'Coy Glen Road Hackberry Woods Tompkins County l Unique Natural Area SlteCode IT -28 Surveyor INLO,FRW I Town 11thaca Ownership rivate USGS Quad 11thaca West I Lat/long 042° 026' N 076° 032' W Parcel Number 31-1-3.1 Location Southwest of Coy Glen Road, from Floral Avenue to bend in Coy Glen Road. Cover Type Upland forest Site Description In this wooded area along Coy Glen Road and a small creek which parallels the road there is a fairly large population of hackberry trees. Here a rare butterfly which feeds on hackberry flowers is found. Significance Botanical, entomological; rare butterfly on scarce hackberry trees. Physical Characteristics of Site Size (A) Elevation 450 to 650 Aspect Im To o Feature Creekside and wood, tributary to Coy Glen Creek. Water Bodies Coy Glen Creek and tributary. Geology Slope(%) Topographic Moisture ❑ Flat ❑ Crest ❑ Inundated (Hydric) ®0 to 10 ❑ Upper Slope ❑ Saturated (Wet-mesic) ® 10 to 35 ® Mid -slope ® Moist (Mesic) . ❑ Over 35 ® Lower Slope ❑ Dry-mesic ❑ Vertical ❑ Bottom ❑ Dry (Xeric) Site Code: IT -28 Page 2 Solis (see appendix for list of soil names) Soil type: % area HdC 55% HdD 15% HpF 30% Vegetation Plant Communities List Old -field forest, white pine -red maple forest Description of vegetation. (Communities, Significant/Unusual Features, Species, Age, Structure, etc.) This forested area is a small band near the creek and Coy Glen Road which probably was less disturbed by agriculture and the mine operation. Here hackberry is abundant. This population supports a rare butterfly whcih feeds on hackberry flowers. Rare or Scarce Species Present Presence of Rare or Scarce Specles: Yes Flora Genus & species Rare\Scarce Comments Celtis occidentalis Scarce Fauna Genus & species Rare\Scarce Comments Asterocampa clyton Rare Asterocampa ce/tis Scarce :, Site Code: IT -28 Page 3 Conservation ice of Disturbance and Potential for Recover! This area has been farmed and used for a gravel mining operation. mining spous nave been dumped near the site. Adjacent Land Use Residential, cemetary, natural area. Threats to Site Development. Spraying for other caterpillers would destroy this rare species. Vulnerability of Site to Visitors Not very vulnerable. Special Conservatlon/Management Needs Protective Ownership Yes Adequate Buffer DEC Wetland ® DEC Wetland DEC Mapped Protection Site Code Acreage The small development along Hackbery Lane has a hackberry protection area included as part of the site plan. Summary of Special Features ® Rare\Scarce Plants ® Rare\Scarce Animals ❑ Rare\Scarce Communities ❑ Unique Geology ❑ High Quality of Example ❑ High Esthetic Qualities Comments r. _ R Town of Ithaca,Newsletter #47 4 Protecting our Environment -from the Town of Ithaca Conservation Board Ithacans enjoy the spectacular environment that surrounds them. Did you know that the Town of Ithaca encompasses about 19,000 acres? Nearly half the Town is non-agricultural open space. Some of this area will remain open space in perpetuity as part of the State parks (920 acres), Town parks, and Town recreation ways (70 acres). Development in other parts of the Town may be limited because of designated Unique Natural Areas (3500 acres) some of which include wetlands (840 acres) and old growth forest (15 acres). The Town also includes 665 acres of Cayuga Lake and about 3 miles of lake shore. Many of the main tributaries to Cayuga Lake pass through the Town; Fall Creek, Six Mile Creek, Buttermilk Creek, Enfield Creek, Cayuga Inlet, and Cascadilla Creek provide miles of recreational opportunities and scenic beauty. The Town staff and various Town boards strive to ensure the quality of the Town's environment now and for future generations. We can all contribute to a clean and healthy environment by being aware of factors contributing to non -point source pollution of our waterways. Non -point source pollution is pollution which enters our waterways from diffuse origins in the watershed, such as oil -laden runoff from paved areas and fertilizer -laden runoff from lawns and agricultural areas. Non -point source pollution is considered by many to be the greatest current threat to our nation's waterways. We can help reduce non -point source pollution by remembering not to dump waste oil or solvents on the ground or in storm drains, by following directions for fertilizing your lawn and garden, by not burning trash, by using a carwash and washing your car away from storm drains and ditches and without harmful detergents. Together, we can all make a difference! Handicall Parking Permits - con't behalf of the disabled person. Temporary parking permits may be issued to anyone who is certified by a physician as unable to walk without the help of an assisting device, and to visitors from another country who are disabled and traveling in New York State. Qualifications for issuance of the permits are: completion of a qualified application with proof of disability, proof that the applicant is a resident of New York State, and proof that the applicant is a resident of the city, town, or village issuing the permit. Permits are provided free of charge. Temporary permits are issued for a period of up to six months. Standard permits can be issued for a period of up to five years. Applications and compliance information can be received from the Town Clerk's Office during normal office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or residents may call (607) 273-1721 or FAX (607) 273-1704. Town of Ithaca 126 East Seneca Street Ithaca, New York 14850 -mac-- -- Bulk Rate U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #555 ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 Town of Ithaca Newsletter Volume 47 Town Watershed Management by Director of Engineering, Daniel Walker On February 25, 1997, a Public information meeting was held in the Dewitt Middle School Auditorium to discuss stormwater manage- ment in the Town of Ithaca. Approximately 75 to 80 people attended the meeting. Representing the Town of Ithaca were Catherine Valentino, Town Supervisor; David Kline, Town Councilman; Fred Noteboom, Highway Superintendent; John Barney, Attorney for the Town; Dan Walker, Town Engineer; and Jonathan Kanter, Director of Planning. Ronald Anderson, Village of Cayuga Heights Mayor, and Brent Cross, Cayuga Heights Village Engineer, were also in attendance. Supervisor Valentino explained that the Town Board had spon- sored this public meeting as an opportunity for the residents of the Northeast Ithaca area to meet with representatives of the Town, to both express existing concerns regarding stormwater management, and to have the Town representatives explain what was being done by the Town to address these concerns. Director of Engineering Dan Walker gave a brief description of the Northeast Ithaca watershed area including a base map showing water- shed delineations, drainage patterns, identification of developed areas and remaining open spaces, the Dewitt Pond detention area, and the principal Renwick Brook Watershed. Highway Superintendent Fred Noteboom described current drainage projects including improvements to Dewitt Pond and culvert installation on Brandywine Drive, as well as projects that have been tentatively planned for the upcoming construction season. They in- cluded: completion of the Brandywine Drive culvert installation, addi- tional improvements to the Dewitt Pond outlet structure, installation of a catchbasin on Maplewood Drive, drainage improvements on Texas Lane, increase in the size of drainage structures on the south side of Christopher Lane, general ditch cleaning, and replacement of various culvert pipes. Supervisor Valentino opened the meeting for public comment. Over 30 residents expressed concerns about current problems, as well as concerns about potential future problems if additional development oc- curs in upstream areas. Supervisor Valentino invited anyone with drainage and flooding problems to mark areas of concern on the water- shed map. Several people took this opportunity to identify their homes and problem areas on the base map. Supervisor Valentino concluded the public comment period by thanking participants and indicating that the Town of Ithaca plans to be pro -active in developing a stormwater management plan and will work cooperatively with adjacent municipalities to minimize and re- duce impacts of development. Town Councilman, David Klein addressed the future plans of the Town of Ithaca regarding watershed management, and began by ex- plaining that he has firsthand experience with problems in -the - area since he lives on Winthrop Drive and is downstream from the area that is being developed as Arrowwood Drive. He explained that the Town does not have direct control over (continued page 2) Spring 1997 Leaf and Brush Pickup from Highway/Parks Department The Town of Ithaca Highway/Parks Depart- T1V1_ ment will be picking up yard waste (brush, leaves, garden waste, and grass clippings) starting April 14, 1997 and continuing until fin- ished. This service is for all areas of the Town of Ithaca outside the Village of Cayuga Heights and the City of Ithaca. All yard wastes must be at the road- side by 7:00 a.m. on the first day of collection. There will be no second collection and no call backs. Leaves must be bagged in biodegradable. paper bags (30 gallon bags are available at Agway). Fill bags and place on the road shoulder. Fold over open- ing of bag to close. Do not staple or tape. No loose piles of leaves will be picked up. Brush should be piled in neat bundles with the cut ends facing forward and going with the flow of traffic (i.e. up the street). Do not tie bundles. Place bundles along the shoulder of the road or at the end of the driveway where no shoulder exists: Do not place any materials in- the ditch. No metal, rock, glass, roots, stumps, or lumber scraps will be picked up. Limb diameter must be 8" or less. For more information, call 273-1656 or 273- 8035 between 6:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Park and ®Den Space Plan !U12date by Asst. Town Planner, George Frantz The Planning Department has completed the draft Town of Ithaca Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan. The document out- lines steps the Town can consider over the next two decades in order to ensure high (continued page 3) IInside This Issue Town of Ithaca Newsletter #47 2 OQerating Permits for Multipg Residences by Director of Building and Zoning, Andrew Frost Since January 1, 1993, the Town has had Local Law #9-1991 requiring residential buildings containing three or more dwelling units or apartments to have a Town issued Operating Permit. Buildings with three or more dwelling units are also known as multiple residences. Since 1993 the Town's inventory list of such buildings has expanded. It is believed that there are multiple residences being occupied in the Town of Ithaca without Operating Permits. If you own or maintain such a building in the Town and do not have an operating permit, please contact the Building/Zoning Department at 273-1783. It is not the intent of the Town to prosecute property owners for not having a permit, but rather to issue permits and bring the properties into compliance. Copies of the law are available from the Town Clerk. UpcomingPaying and Parks Proigcts This year, the Highway Department will be reconstructing and repaving Pennsylvania Avenue, Kendall Avenue, Burns Way and West King Road. On the schedule for the Parks Department is the construction of a new basketball court at Eastern Heights Park. Stormwater Management - con't development occurring in the Village of Lansing, but that the Town Board and the Town staff are working with the Village to encourage Cornell (the owner of Ar- rowwood) to provide an appropriate drainage evaluation and implement measures to reduce stormwater runoff impacts. The Town has determined that a stormwater man- agement plan is a number one priority. This includes drafting a stormwater Management Ordinance that will probably be enacted this year. The ordinance will pro- vide an additional level of review and drainage control beyond the authority that is currently available to the Planning Board during site plan and subdivision re- views. Work has already started on the inventory and drainage analysis portion of the Stormwater Manage- ment Plan and will continue aggressively through the next few months. As this plan is developed, a number of actions may be proposed including possible drainage im- provement districts, plans for improving existing drainage systems with maintenance plans and access easements, and possible additional drainage structures or retention structures. These improvements will proba- bly be implemented as a capital plan. The Town Board will keep the public informed on the progress of stormwater management in the Town of Ithaca with reports in the media and notification of fu- tvre public meetings. Codes and Ordinances Committee Making Progress on Zoning Ordinance Revisions by Director of Planning, Jonathan Kanter The Codes and Ordinances Committee has been working diligently on revising the Town's Zoning Ordinance over the past year. It has been a number of years since the Ordinance, which dates back to the 1950's, has been updated. The Committee has now reviewed all sections dealing with specific zoning districts. Definitions have been updated and clarified. Regulations regarding "home occupations" are proposed to be updated to better reflect the fact that many more people now work at home. New uses, such as "adult day care," which hardly even existed a decade ago, are being added to the list of permitted uses in the Ordinance. The Committee is contemplating a simplified, one stop procedure for those special approval uses that also require site plan approval. The proposal would be to have the Planning Board be the single approval agency, whereas the current procedure requires an applicant to appear before both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Several new or revised zones are being considered. A new "Educational" or "Planned Development" zone is being considered for the Ithaca College campus. The Committee is also trying to come up with ways of strengthening the "Agricultural" zone to encourage farms to remain in the town and preserve agricultural land for the future. These and other ideas have been recommended in the Comprehensive Plan that was adopted in 1993. The Codes and Ordinances Committee will continue working on the Zoning revision over the remainder of -this year, and -will be seeking -input from Town of Ithaca residents as the process proceeds. Anyone with suggestions or questions can contact the Town's Planning Director, Jonathan Kanter, at 273-1747, or Andrew Frost, Director of Building and Zoning at 273-1783. Cornell Veterinary School Incinerator Update by Councilwoman Mary Russell Town Supervisor Catherine Valentino, Town Councilwoman Mary Russell, Town Councilman John Wolff (representing Citizens Concerned about Medical Waste Incineration), Director of Planning Jonathan Kanter and Conservation Board Chairperson Phil Zarriello are participating with other representatives of the community and representatives of Cornell in the Cornell -Community Waste Management Advisory Committee. The Committee was established to evaluate options for Cornell's regulated medical and pathological waste disposal/management system. Community concerns regarding the originally proposed incinerator project and its permitting process, which had minimal opportunity for public involvement, resulted in the formation of this ground breaking Cornell -Community effort. The Community Dispute Resolution Center has been retained as a facilitator to coordinate the collaborative problem - solving approach of the Committee. Significant time has been spent on establishing ground rules for the process. An important concept that has evolved is the need to analyze Comell's waste stream and to focus on a waste minimization plan. A preliminary work plan has been prepared and working groups (sub -committees) have formed to gather information on specific topics. Committee work continues, meetings are open to the public, and all are welcome. Town of Ithaca Newsletter #47 3 A Reminder to all Dog Owners from the Parks Department by Rich Schoch, Highway/Parks Department This is a reminder to dog owners that Local Law No. 2 of the Year 1979 requires use of a leash whenever dogs are off their owner's property. Also, it is unlawful for dogs to defecate, urinate, or otherwise commit a nuisance anywhere other than on their owner's property. The two - most common complaints of people using our Town parks and trails are unleashed dogs and dog waste left by irresponsible dog owners. The Town of Ithaca provides all of its residents with many park and trail facilities. We ask all dog owners to abide by the leash law and clean up after their dogs. Enforcement of the Dog Ordinance is provided by the S.P.C.A. which serves as the Town's Dog Control Officer. A copy of Local Law No. 2 is available at the front desk in Town Hall. Park and Open Space Plan Uig -cont quality park and recreation opportunities for residents in the most cost effective manner. It also identifies and recommends methods by which our scenic, ecological and agricultural resources can be better protected. The draft plan updates and builds on plans which the Town adopted in 1977 and 1984. The draft plan recommends that the Town continue to develop small neighborhood parks, to be located within convenient walking distance of homes. It also recommends that the Town develop up to three community parks to provide picnic areas and pavilions, play areas and, where appro- priate, undeveloped natural areas, as well as facilities for organized sports programs for youth and adults, such as soccer, baseball and softball. Cur- rently, Town residents rely on the City, State and local parks in surround- ing municipalities for these facilities. In addition to parks, the draft plan envisions a network of bicycle and pedestrian paths which will connect neighborhoods with parks, work and shopping, as well as provide an opportunity for horseback riding. The Plan stresses the need for the Town to pursue intermunicipal co- operation and public/private partnerships as it develops future park and recreational facilities, and to aggressively pursue federal, state or private outside grants for park development and open space protection. . To better protect the Town's scenic, ecological and agricultural assets, the draft plan recommends a combination of more appropriate zoning and residential subdivision designs for environmentally sensitive or agricul- turally important areas. It also recommends the establishment of a pro- gram to permanently protect from development up to 4,000 acres of the most important agricultural or environmentally sensitive land in the Town of Ithaca. Through a voluntary "purchase of development rights" program the Town could purchase from willing landowners easements restricting future development in targeted areas. At its April meeting the Town Board is scheduled to consider release of the draft Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan for public review and comment, and to refer it to the Planning Board, Conservation Board and Agriculture Committees for their review. The Planning Department ex- pects a public review period of three or four months before the Town Board takes up the matter again. Copies of the draft Plan are expected to be available in Town Hall and local libraries shortly after the April Town Board meeting. An executive summary is also being prepared for public review. Please look for an- nouncements of public information meetings in the near future. ow- Assessment Rolls/Real Property Tax Billing Information: by Joan Lent-Noteboom, Town Clerk/Director of Administrative Services The amount of a property's tax bill is determined by two things: the property's taxable assessment and the tax rates of the jurisdiction in which the property is located. The tax rate is determined by the amount of the tax levy to be raised from all, or part of an assessing unit, and the unit's taxable assessed value. The assessment is determined by the County assessor and is based on the value of the property less any applicable property tax exemptions. The assessment roll (along with the community's tax levy) is the basis for property taxes. The assessment roll, among other things, shows the assessed value of the land and the assessed value of any improvements to the land. It also shows if the property has any exemptions and the amount of the reduction in assessed value as a result of those exemptions. Assessment rolls for each year are prepared by the County and filed according to ownership and condition on the following schedule for the Town. Status Date March 1st Tentative Roll Filed May 1st Last Date for Taxpayer Review 4th Tues. of May Final Roll Filed July 1st Taxes Levied Jan. 1st The assessment roll is a public record and open to inspection by the public. Property owners can make an appointment with the assessor before the tentative assessment roll is filed to discuss the property's inventory and assessment. Once the roll is filed, changes can be made only through the assessment - grievance process. To insure that you receive your real property tax bill during the interest free period, please be sure the mailing address provided to the Division of Assessment is correct. Failure of the collector to mail, or the owner to receive, a tax bill "shall not in any way affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law". (Sec. 922 (3) R.P.T.L.). Information may be confirmed and/or changed (names, addresses, etc.) by contacting the Tompkins County Division of Assessment located at 128 E. Buffalo St., Ithaca, NY; or call (606) 274-5517; fax (607) 274-5507. Information may be mailed to: Division of Assessment, Court House, Ithaca, NY 14850. Handicap Par ing Permits Any NYS resident who qualifies as a severely disabled person is eligible for a statewide handicap parking permit. The NYS Vehicle Traffic Law refers to all NYS residents with permanent disabilities, not just drivers with disabilities, as eligible for this permit. Included are children, the elderly, and others who may not own or drive their own vehicle. Parents or guardians may submit an application on (continued page 4) NYSACC meta. President's Message Since this is a new year, it is time for reflec- tion and re-evaluation. I am one of those people who go through a whole goal setting - goal evaluating agony at the beginning of each year. As I started thinking about this President's Message, I decided to make my agony public. So here are my NYSACC goals for 1997: • The 1997 Conference will be held on Long Island for the first time ever. I intend, with the assistance of Suffolk County's EMC, to create an excellent conference with superb workshops and field trips, so those of you who live upstate will discover how wonderful Long Island really is (even if it is a bit difficult to get here). • I intend to do some hard recruiting for new NYSACC members. How about eight new members as a goal? In the seventies there were many more commissions that were members of NYSACC. Do these CACs still exist? Is there a problem with NYSACC? • I'll work on establishing a relationship with the new acting NYSDEC Commissioner, John Cahill. Mr. Cahill has served as DEC's General Counsel. Perhaps he will join us at our conference. • I will do abetter job of communicating with my Board of Directors. NYSACC's Directors live all over the State. I need to do more letter writing and phone call- ing to keep our lines of communication open. Wow! I've never gone public before. Now that I'm really into it, how about some goals for NYSACC members? • Assist us in increasing membership by talking to other commissions about joining our organization. Can you help us find out any information about neighboring CACs? WintAr 1 QQ7 • Contribute an article to NYSACC News about the activities of your CAC. Let us know what you are doing. In response to our questionnaire, a number of CACs felt the newsletter would be more meaningful with more input from CACs. • Give us feedback on the conference and the newsletter. We are trying to discover why more NYSACC and NYSAEMC members do not attend the annual conference. We'll develop a questionnaire. When it comes, please fill it out. Our new editor, Arlene Kaufman, needs continued feedback. It's your newsletter for networking. Help us make it better. • Apply for one of NYSACC's Environmental Proj- ect Awards. We know you are doing great things. Use the award as an opportunity for publicity. •If you have a meeting of CACs in your county let us know. We can give advance publicity and report on the event after it occurs. Please attend the 1997 Conference on the Environ- ment to be held on October 17, 18, and 19 at Dan - ford's Inn, Port Jefferson, Suffolk County. We promise an exciting, unique experience. Consider bringing your family and extending your stay for a Long Island vacation. There is much to discover here! When you see me in October, you can let me know how well I've done in achieving my goals. To our New Year - may it be full of environmental achievements! Joy Squires President, NYSACC NYSACC NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SYRACUSE, N.Y. 3 Andover Drive PERMIT NO. 287 Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 NYSACC Volume 23 No. Fishkill Welcomes The 25th Anniversary Conference on the Environment hose of us lucky enough to be attend - ing the 1996 NYSAEMC - NYSACC conference in Fishkill were treated to a glorious display of Mother Nature at her best - the spectacular hodge podge of colors often referred to as fall foliage. The conference was held on October 18-20, 1996 at the Holiday Inn and Conference Cen- ter in Fishkill, in Dutchess County. Close to 150 people attended the Conference, run by Conference Coordinator Barbara Kendall and her talented staff, despite the warnings of a nor'easter in the offing. They came together to network, listen to speakers, attend work- shops, and applaud the efforts of their col- leagues. On Friday, October 18th, the New York State Wetlands' Forum, Inc. offered their informa- tional Program on local government wetland Legislation ( see article, page 6 ). Conference attendees who arrived early were able to avail themselves of several excellent wetland workshops. Keynote speaker Peter Berle is welcomed by Lee Hanle Younge, NYSAEMC Presi- dent, Joy Squires, NYSACC President, and Barbara Kendall, Executive Director of the Dutchess County EMC and Conference Coordinator. At 2:00 PM the Conference on the Environment conven- ed with a general assembly and welcome presented by past New York State Department of Environmental Con- servation Commissioner, Michael Zagata, the keynote speaker. Occurring simultaneously were two local trips - one to the Dutchess County Waste to Energy Facility and Materials Recovery Facility, led by Jennifer Chichester, Program Assistant for the Dutchess County EMC, the other a hike on scenic Breakneck Ridge, over- looking the Hudson. After dinner on Friday, conference attendees were wel- comed by Roger P. Akeley, Jr., Commissioner of Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, and were treated to a lively Legislative Roundtable, led by Simon Skolnik, Vice President of NYSACC. The Roundtable featured a frank discussion of environmen- tal legislative issues with New York State Assemblyman Richard L. Brodsky, Michael Finnegan, Co-chairman and Executive Director of the Clean Water/ Clean Air Bond Act Committees, James Ferreira from the Attorney General's Office, and Dutchess County Legislators Tho- mas Quinn and Brad Kendall. Saturday morning brought a selection of workshops and .... the nor'easter! As people scurried from one session to another, they glanced out the hotel windows and were delighted to attend another workshop. Saturday's lun- cheon served as the setting for the NYSAEMC/NYSACC Award ceremony. Peter Berle's presence and stirring words at dinner Sat- urday night were a special treat for all those who were in attendance. Before we knew it, Sunday had arrived. The nor'easter had passed, and the wonderful Hudson River Boat Trip provided us with one last memory. The Legislative Roundtable A lively discussion of environmental legislative is- sues was chaired by NYSACC Vice President Simon Skolnick. Included was a spirited, and obviously supportive, discussion of the proposed Clean Water/ Clean Air Bond Act between Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Chairman of the Hew York State Assembly's Environmental Conservation Committee and Special Assistant to Governor Pataki Michael Finnegan, Co - Chairman and Executive Director of the Clean Wa- ter/ Clean Air Bond Act Committee. Both encouraged passage on Election Day. Dutchess County Legislators Thomas Quinn and Brad Kendall gave the County's perspective on en- vironmental issues. Also participating were James H. Ferreira from the Attorney General's office and Roger P. Akeley, Jr. Commissioner of Dutchess County Depart- ment of Planning and Development, who introduced the Roundtable. The Margery Sachs Service Award Given in memory of Margery Sachs, one of NYSACC's original Directors, this award is presented an- nually to an individual who exem- plifies the qualities of environmental con- cern and service that were part of Margery. The first annual Mar- gery Sachs Service Award was presented to Patricia McConnell for "Lifelong Environ- mental Concern and Service." The award was presented to Pat by Mrs. Joy Squires, NYSACC President, at the Awards Lun- cheon. Pat was secretary of NYSACC from 1977-1979, and became President in 1979. The 10Y ears she served as President from 1979 to 1989 were ears that saw the growth and then decline of con- y servation commissions. It was a difficult time to be president, but Pat managed to keep the organization together. She guided us, represented r R _% ` n fe" v Speakers at Legislative Roundtable, from left, are James Ferreira, Michael Finnegan, RogerAkeley, Jr., Simon Skolnick, Richard Brodsky, Brad Kendall, and Thomas Quinn. our point of view to officials and tirelessly reminded members, and all others, what NYSACC and CACs and CBs were all about. For years Pat did the Legislative Roundtable at our annual Conference. Pat is now NYSACC's Treasurer and has been since 1989. Pat McConnell has obviously played a pivotal role in the survival of this organization. Arlene Kaufman, Editor Joy Squires, NYSACC President Newsletter Office NYSACC Office 3 Andover Drive P.O. Box 1532 Port Jefferson Sta. Huntington, NY NY 11776 11743 (516) 928-3277 (516) 368-6949 NYSACC News isP ublished three times a year. CACs are encouraged to submit press releases, general in- formation about CAC activities, articles, artwork or photography to the editor. For additional copies of NYSACC News and address changes, contact the Newsletter office. 7 NYSACC dse4 Winter 1997 The NYSACC Survey Last Fall a survey was sent to all NYSACC members. We received 44 responses. The graphs below reflect the information gleaned from these responses. Frequently, questions were left unanswered. At other times, more than one response was given. As a result, the totals rarely equal 44. Does a Member Of Your CAC When Was Your CAC Established? Usually Attend The Conference? What Are Your CAC's Priorities? z5 i 0 Establishing/updating OSI El Educating the Public 20 ❑ Monitoring New Development 1950s 5 15- M Establishing/MaintainingTrails 1960s 1960s ❑ Land Use Review 1970s El,„ 10 ❑ Planting &Protecting Trees ❑ Recycling Programs ® 1980s 5 ® Monitoring Wetland Issues ❑ 1990s El Groundwater Issues 0 ❑ Steep Slope Issues Others Are You Reimbursed For Does Your CAC Have Any Does Your CAC Have Paid Staff? Conference Attendance? Environmental Ordinances? 40 D None�� 0 None 1 Part Time 30x vas ❑ Wetlands ❑ 1 Full Time ; ` u ❑ Tree zo ® 2 Part Time ® Steep Slope ❑ 2 Full Time ❑ Noise ]0 - Other 0 Ad, 4P Does Your CAC Have Any Does Your Town Have a Natural Does Your Town Have Mandatory Referrals? Resources Inventory? a Recycling Program? 30 z5 . 0 No zo None ::: :::: ::::.::: ❑ Planning Board 15 , • ;•:•.:'s :•...... ❑ Curbside ZBA 10 ❑ Central Others .`'5-F9 Other 0 NYSACC `ieuw. The NYS Wetlands Forum In a unique co-sponsorship, the New York State Wetlands Forum, Inc. joined NYSACC and NYSAEMC to provide a triple punch at this year's Conference on the Environment. The Wetlands Program took place on Friday, October 18th and offered six workshop sessions. These sessions pro- vided attendees with an opportunity to explore the inte- gration of science and policy. Sally Daly, Chair of the Gov- erning Board of the Wetlands Forum, is quoted as saying, "Not only were various ideas and opinions on wetland ordinances presented, participants had the opportunity to discuss wetlands laws with people now working with local ordinances." Local wetland legislation is not for land use control, em- phasized Jim Donovan, Program Chair. Rather, functions of wetlands, including flood control, stormwater manage- ment, wildlife habitat, groundwater recharge, visual ame- nity, and recreation should be specifically defined and written into local wetland regulations, because it is these wetland functions that regulations protect. Legislation should focus on positive actions to protect the functions of wetlands. An analysis of wetland functions should describe not only the wetland, it should also explain how the wetland fits into the larger system because wetland functions are only part of a complete environmental system. New York State has no sediment and erosion control ordinance to help protect wetlands. Wetland legislation is not the only route available to communities for wetland protection on the local level; protection of wetland functions could be in- corporated into more comprehensive environmental qual- ity legislation. Speakers sharing their ideas included Steve Coleman, Beth Evans, John Meyer, Tracy Kay, Norman Benson, Jennifer Chichester, Steve Mulvey, and Diane Goetke. Local wetland delineation was discussed, including the need for a Town wetland line in addition to the DEC wet- land line and the Corps wetland line. Maps provide a use- ful guide and help in decision making, but if a locality uses wetland maps, the maps should contain extremely prominent disclaimers indicating that lines are subject to field verification. The values of wetland buffer areas should be defined. Local wetland legislation should in- clude the authority under which the legislation is written (implementation of the NYS Freshwater Wetlands Act or home rule), a list of activities that do not require a permit, and either a state ment that all other activities require a permit and/or a list of activities that require permits. Or- dinances should include steps wetland owners can take to enhance wetlands, thus increasing appreciation of land- owners for their wetlands. Existing regulations and regu- latory processes should be examined and brought into the legislation. A local wetland ordinance should also de- scribe the steps needed to acquire a permit, the standards by which the permit will be reviewed, the procedure for appeals, and potential penalties. It should make clear for Winter 1997 the applicant where copies should be sent, review time, and response time. A severability clause will enable most of the legislation to remain intact if one part of the ordi- nance is declared illegal at some future time. The greatest advantage of local wetland legislation is that there is something to enforce to protect functions of wet- lands that do not fall under.DEC and/or Corps regulation or to more comprehensively protect the functions of wet- lands under those programs. The benefits to localities of a wetlands ordinance are actually described in the Dutchess County model ordinance. As stated by Jim Donovan, wetland law tends to focus dis- cussions of wetlands on legal and regulatory issues and away from wetland values. Wetlands then take on the role of liabilities rather than assets. When regulations become the primary way that landowners and the public learn about or interact with wetlands, regulations tend to lessen the importance of education and other activities that em- phasize the natural ecological importance of wetlands. Integrated Pest Management A Highly Informative Workshop I P M is a current hot topic for conservation commissions. This workshop, Integrated Pest Management in Non -Ag- ricultural Settings, was led by Mr. Gunther Fishgold, In- tegrated Pest Management Consultant, and Health Edu- cator for the New York Coalition for Alternatives to Pes- ticides (NYCAP). The workshop covered the principles of IPM, IPM examples in New York State, and resources for IPM. The speaker was enthusiastic about his subject, and a specialist in the field. He introduced a number of work- able ideas, responded well to questions, and gave excel- lent recommendations of non-toxic solutions. Attendees reported that the Workshop was meaningful to begin- ners and to those who already possessed considerable knowledge in the field. The workshop moderator was Jen- nifer Chichester, Program Assistant, Dutchess County EMC. 3 WSACC *C&A4 The NYSACC Awards Every year NYSACC honors those CACs that have found creative ways to enhance the quality of the environment in their community. Presenting these awards provides NYSACC with an opportunity not only to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of member organizations, but also to show by example the kinds of projects that improve environmental awareness and contribute to the quality of life in our communities. The energy and com- mitment shown by the winning organizations is an inspi- ration to all of us as we enter a new year of continuing environmental challenges. Next year's award winning projects are happening right now. Don't forget to nominate those in your community whose work is deserving of this special recognition. Alden Environmental Conservation Commission The Establishment of an A.E.C.C. Resource Research Library 1995 Education Award For many years the A.E.C.C. has received requests for informa- tion on all aspects of conservation. Out of this growing need came the idea of es- tablishing a central information center in the Alden Town Hall. After receiving Town Board approval, members contacted local library in- stitutions of higher learning and placed ads in local newspa- pers seeking dona- tions of books and periodicals on con- servation, preserva- tion of wildlife habi- tat and environmen- tal laws. Marilyn Bensley accepts the award for the A. E. C. C., Eve Fertig, Chair. This project has pro- vided readily available material for research and study in a convenient location. The resource research library is an on-going service of the A.E.C.C. that will continue to meet the needs of students, educators and concerned citi- zens. Winter 1997 Town of Cortlandt Conservation Advisory Council `Commentaries' on the Environment 1996 Education Award To commemorate its 20th anniversary, the Cortlandt CAC decided to publish a selection of the environmental "Com- mentaries" its members had written for a local weekly newspaper, the North County News. First appearing in Feb- ruary, 1989, these articles have appeared monthly since then. The booklet was distributed to Town officials as well as to members of various Town boards and agencies. Cop- ies were also presented to each local school and library. Accepting are Warren Ahneman, Sydney Ashe, Lois Lee, Chair, Lew Leslie and Carl Pratt. Town of Woodstock Environmental Conservation Commission Underground Injection Control/Wellhead Protection Program 1996 Research Award The WEC was awarded a U.S. EPA Underground Injec- tion Control grant. The award was used to develop pro- tection strat- egy for the public water supply. It consists of the mapping of zones of pro- tection for the well- field and educating offi- cials and the public about protecting groundwater. Pictured are: Joy Squires, NYSACC President, and Woodstock members Rubin Lowe, Ann Brandt, Chair, and Mary Burke. 2 NYSACC aeae4 Riding The River... With Frances Dunwell On Sunday morning, after the nor'easter of Saturday night, twenty hardy souls joined Barbara Kendall on a three hour — scenic riverboat tour I on the historic Hudson River. The cruise was narrated by Frances Dunwell, Special Assis- tant to the Commis- sioner for the Hudson River Valley, New York �?State DEC. Frances Dunwell Fran spoke about the history of environmen- tal protection on the Hudson and the birth of the environmental movement in the 1960s over the Storm King Mountain controversy as we enjoyed the mag- nificent fall foliage on either side of the river. Some lucky passengers were able to get autographed cop- ies of Fran's inspiring publication, The Hudson River Highlands. To quote from its foreword - "The Highlands remind us that nature and beauty are es- sential parts of our lives to be protected and preserved. We can do this if we only choose to try. The modern environmental movement was born from the Storm King battle, and with it the activism of people who understood that the stewardship of the earth depends on the commitment of all of us as individuals. For many this was their first time speaking out, putting themselves on the line to fight for something they believed in. The Storm King battle was a creative force, molding human courage. The spirit of the Highlands endures because people inter- vened to protect nature, beauty and a national heritage. The continuing story of the Highlands shows how a few individuals, when moved to action, can inspire thousands to follow, creating new institutions and new precedents. Winter 1997 It reminds us that our relationship to nature can be ob- served and made a part of our lives, and that this is, in fact, primarily a question of how we define ourselves, - who we think we are.The new environmental issues will be global ones and will demand that we adopt the values which have been tested in the Highlands, - that we learn to treat the earth with the knowledge that it nourishes our bodies and spirits. We must be prepared to move ourselves and governments of our own and other nations in this new, yet old, direction. The story of the Highlands has proved that it can be done." New Natural Resource Inventory Course & Guidebook The Dutchess County EMC and the Ulster County EMC are developing a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) course and guidebook for EMCs, CACs and other interested in- dividuals. The course will cover basic inventory techniques and the components of an NRI. The course will also dem- onstrate how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tech- nology can be used to update Natural Resource Invento- ries which may have been done before this technology was available. In gathering materials for the course, representatives re- viewed the NRI guide written by NYSDEC in 1975 titled, "Natural Resource Inventory: A Guide to the Process." It seemed a natural match to use the original 1975 NRI guide as the basis for the updated 1997 course, incorporating GIS concepts. In addition, it made sense to gear an up- dated course and guidebook to EMCs and CACs state- wide, since the original guide was used for a statewide audience. Barbara Kendall, Director, Dutchess County EMC, distrib- uted a questionnaire to CACs and EMCs all over the state in order to develop an NRI course and guidebook to spe- cifically meet their needs. Questionnaire return was re- quested for February 7th with the guidebooks to be com- pleted by March 8th. The NRI course will be held in Ul- ster County. Ms. Kendall can be reached at (914) 677-8223 ext. 126 to answer any question. 5 NYSACC wwt4 Dinner With Peter Berle NYSACC and NYSAEMC members have many pleasant associations and memories of Peter Berle, who was the keynote speaker at dinner on Satur- day evening. Old copies of NYSACC News from 1977 and 1978 picture Mr. Berle looking much as he does today. Peter Berle, host of National Public Radio's Environment Show, was a former NYSDEC Commissioner and former President of the National Audubon Society. He has been in- volved in almost every environmen- tal issue that has engaged the nation over the past three decades. Mr. Berle is one of the most highly respected and dearly loved environmental ac- tivists, as was obvious from the au- dience response. "Everything is interconnected," stated Mr. Berle. People must realize that they are part of the ecosystem. He urged the audi- ence to take pride in the progress that has been made in Integrated Pest Management A Highly Informative Workshop I P M is a current hot topic for conservation commis- sions. This workshop, Integrated Pest Management in Non -Agricultural Settings, was led by Mr. Gunther Fishgold, Integrated Pest Management Consultant, and Health Educator for the New York Coalition for Alter- natives to Pesticides (NYCAP). The workshop covered the principles of IPM, IPM examples in New York State, and resources for IPM. The speaker was enthusiastic about his subject, and a specialist in the field. He intro- duced a number of workable ideas, responded well to questions, and gave excellent recommendations of non- toxic solutions. Attendees reported that the Workshop was meaning ful to beginners and to those who already possessed considerable knowledge in the field. The workshop moderator was Jennifer Chichester, Pro- gram Assistant, Dutchess County EMC. Winter 1997 the last 25 years, from the passage of SEQRA to progress in wetlands management. He praised the work done by en- vironmentalists and stated that "In the last two years in the U. S. we have reached a turning point in how people respond to the en- vironment. Over time we have collectively built up an environ- mental conscience." However, he cautioned that we must tighten zoning laws regarding cellular telephone towers and malls. "You must work to educate your community," Mr. Berle stated. "We can manage our piece of the earth. We need to make things work. The professionals can't do the job without help. We must bring new people to the cause and give kids a sense that they can make a difference. We must preserve that which is around us, and that which we celebrate." Gunther Fishgold TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD UPDATE 4/2/97 MEMBERS 2 -YEAR TERMS Frank C. Baldwin Jr. Elizabeth DeProsse 149 Pine Tree Road 1007 Triphammer Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Ithaca, NY 14850 Home - 272-1796 Home - 257-6678 Term: 2/10/97 to 12/31/98 Term: 2/10/97 to 12/31/98 Richard B. Fischer 135 Pine Tree Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 273-2077 Term: 1/1/97 to 12/31/97 Eva Hoffmann 4 Sugarbush Lane Ithaca, -NY 14850 Home: 273-2389 Term: 1/1/96 to 12/31/98 Jonathan Meigs 235 Culver Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 273-6431 Wk: 274-6550 Term: 1/1/97 to 12/31/97 jonm@ci.ithaca.ny.us Jonathan Meigs 235 Culver Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Home - 273-6431 Wk: - 274-6550 Term: 1/1/97 to 12/31/97 (ASSOCIATE MEMBER) Byron (Barney) Unsworth 232 Renwick Drive Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 272-5827 mcul@cornell.edu Kara Hagedorn, Vice Chair 327 West King Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 277-5622 Term: 2/10/97 to 12/31/98 ymnl@cornell.edu Lois Carol Levitan 766 Elm St. Ext. Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 277-2790 Term: 1/1/97 to 12/31/97 lcl3@cornell.edu John Yntema 993 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 272-7864 Term: 2/10/97 to 12/31/97 (To fill unexpired term) xyzyx@aol.com Phillip Zarriello, Chair 1011 Taughannock Blvd. Ithaca, NY 14850 Home: 273-9405 Wk: 266-0217, Ext. 3014 Term: Chair:1/1/97 to 12/31/97 Member:1/1/97 to 12/31/97 pzarriel@usgs.gov .� hhn Cham bl� sS - .- ion H P d l�0 9 "✓ �-� Vii, ,S o V\ �Vl