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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Minutes 2021-07-21 Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Meeting Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 7:00 pm (Hybrid Via Zoom Video Conference & Aurora Conference room ) Final Minutes Members Present: Matthew Stalker(AJ Teeter Farm), Chair, Claire Forest (Forest Family Farm), Christianne White (Steep Hollow Farm). Members Absent: Ariel Casper(Casper's Farm) Vice-Chair, Lisa Ferguson (Laughing Goat Fiber Farm), Steve Cummins (Indian Creek Farm), Russ Wedemeyer (Ithaca Equestrian Center), Jamie Baker(Sweyolakan Farm), Sharon Tregaskis (Tree Gate Farm), Town Representatives: Mike Smith (Senior Planner), Bill Goodman (Deputy Town Supervisor) Guests: Bill Hilker(Honeyrock Farm) 1. Persons to be heard-none. 2. Member announcements and concerns: Claire asked about the Town Board actions or intent regarding changes to regulations to allow Marijuana growing? See Town Board report below. 3. Chair (Matthew) and Coordinator(Mike)reports /updates: Town Planner Mike Smith reported that the Town is designing a new website, existing Ag committee info will be transferred and possibly a future Agenda item could be to discuss new content to be added. Matthew recommended highlighting the Town Farms that participate in the Fall festivals on the Website. A Grant application is in progress for Town owned property on Culver Road in the West Hill area for parking, trails, picnic area, benches, etc. Mike explained this would increase public access of the Preserve and the area offers nice views and habitat for passive recreation use. 4. Ithaca Town Board(Bill)report/update: Bill G gave updates on the Towns changes after the recent legalization of recreational Marijuana use. The Town has the opportunity to decide if it will allow dispensaries for sales and then if yes, in which Zoning Districts. No Town Board opposition has been raised. The growing end (commercial and individual) is regulated by the State and the rules and regulations are still being formalized for implementation. The Town Planning Committee will discuss the dispensary end and make a recommendation to the Town Board in the future. The Inlet Valley rezoning was discussed to encourage Economic Development. The consultants have some language drafted that is being reviewed and revised by the Personnel Committee for recommendation to the Town Board for public hearing and final action. One public meeting in early June has been held along with a separate meeting for large stakeholders/property owners. The Town Website has related information and the Committee was encouraged to check for updates there as well. The new neighborhood code being implemented for the South Hill(King Rd/9613 intersection) area was noted, upcoming Charette this Fall. A consultant group has been hired to help set up the regulating plan 1 and run the Charette process to gather public input. Bill identified some approved development in the area and noted the intent to bring in more food and beverage production or sales, a full list of the intended development is on the town Website. Claire commented that she expressed her opinion in the prior Charette that allowing additional development in this proposed area would be detrimental to existing surrounding agriculture on West King Road. She stated that the large new lights that are on the existing gas station, "ruin the night sky" on her farm over 1 mile away and she just wanted her opinion noted. Christianne agreed that lighting is a valid issue and appropriate to bring up at the upcoming Charette and related public hearings. Bill noted there are lighting regulations in the new Neighborhood Code and the Town has an existing lighting ordinance as well that requires dark sky complaint lighting. The Learning Farm on.Enfield Falls Road has proposed farm education activities and temporary dwelling units such as Yurts. The Ag district Zoning prohibits some of this so the Planning Committee is reviewing the language and may recommend changes for the Town Board to consider or may recommend alternate ways to approach this type of development such as PDZ. This will likely come back to the Ag committee for opinion once more details progress. 5. Approval of minutes—July 28, 2020,November 17, 2020, and March 30, 2021-tabled none were available for approval, also no quorum for action. 6. Discuss ideas for the next Town Board farm tour—Fall 2021. Mike Smith briefly explained the 2020 Tour was cancelled due to Covid and 2019 Tour has two farms to be visited and one cancelled at the last minute, therefore no Tour was held that year either. Bill G was in favor of planning a tour for 2021. The Ithaca Equestrian Center/Wedemeyer Farm expressed interest as well as the Jackman Orchard/Vineyard vegetable farm next door, Mike planned to inquire with those farms. Matthew mentioned possibly seeing which Ithaca Farms are at the Farmers Market as a resource as well. 7. Other Business: none 8. Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m. • Next meeting 11/30/2021 6:00 pm. Minutes were drafted by Planning Admin Staff Abby Homer 11/23/21 2