HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2012-01-05 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
January 5, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
Final Minutes
Members present: Andy Goodell, James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann, Jon Meigs, Nirav Patel, Susan Perri
[candidate for appointment at Jan. 9, 2012 Town Board (TB) meeting], Kristine Shaw and Ellie Stewart
Staff: Mike Smith, Environmental Planner
Guests: Ithaca student with mother(school project)
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Members' Concerns: None
3. Chairperson and Coordinator Reports:
Chairperson: None
Coordinator: Mike passed around a sheet for members to sign up for meeting dates when they will be able to
record the minutes.
He reported on Planning Board(PB) activities. The Jan.3rd meeting was cancelled. The agenda items for the
Jan. 17d' meeting include a minor two lot subdivision and the more major Frandsen subdivision of 23 lots off
Park Lane, which has come back after being discussed in 2005 —07. Staff feels a new sketch plan is needed
because of the large number of new PB members since then. Development on the site raises concerns about
drainage and information about storm water runoff has been requested. There will be a proposed new Conifer
development on West Hill and a biodiesel business proposal on Elmira Road coming in soon.
The deadline for the Town's newsletter is Jan. 31. Mike asked for ideas for a CB article before that date.
Andy suggested writing about lawn chemicals. Jon proposed an article about the Richard Fischer Award and
one about the first view sign which has been designed for the Town's East Shore Park. Ellie suggested one
about the fracking dSGEIS and including a picture of the view sign in the newsletter. An article summarizing
what the CB has been up to was proposed.
4. Business: The minutes of the December 1, 2011 CB meeting have been handed in by Andy and will be
reviewed at the next meeting.
5. Continue discussion regarding gas drilling and CB comments on the dSGEIS —finalize letter. Kristine and
Ellie thanked Susan for her help with writing up CB comments. Two corrections were made to the document.
The CB members had a lengthy discussion about the wording in Comment 2 about flood plains and changes
were made to the text. Diane had left comments with Mike about what was meant by "temporary"workers in
comment 12. After another long discussion the board members made changes to the text there too. Ellie
moved, and Andy seconded, a motion to forward our comments, as amended at this meeting, to the NYSDEC.
Mike will send a copy of the amended document to the Town Board (TB).
6. Discussion of Work Priorities and Committee Assignments for 2012. Eva, James and Nirav commented
on the Town's Comprehensive Plan revisions process and expressed their wishes to see the CB more involved
in the process than we have been so far. Jon suggested emphasizing which are the most important items on
the list, perhaps by rearranging them to reflect that. He offered to make up a suggested list. We will
reconsider such a ranking at the next meeting. A number of changes were made to the CB 2012 Work
Priorities list. Mike will prepare a new list and send it out to CB members for the next meeting.
Changes and additions were also made to the list of CB committees.
7. Regular Reports and Updates:
Environmental Review Committee: Nirav had no report.
Scenic Resources Committee: Eva, James and Jon reported that the design of the first sign has been finished.
The next steps are to get the sign made and get it installed in East Shore Park.
R. Fischer Award Committee: James reported that the only nomination so far has been of a good, and
profitable, composting company in the Town of Ulysses. We have until February 9 to make other
nominations. A press release about this award will be going out soon.
Tompkins County EMC: Kristine reported that the EMC is doing organizational work now.
Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program: James stated that the water was close to freezing when it was
sampled yesterday. He announced a presentation sponsored by the Monitors on The State of Sixmile Creek as
Ithaca's Water Supply from 6:30 to 8:30 on January 1 lth in the Borg Warner Room of the County Library.
He will talk about his work sampling Benthic Macroinvertebrates (BMI) as indicators of stream health in Six
Mile Creek. The Six Mile Creek Volunteers are recruiting new members. Rob Ross at PRI and The History
Center are presenting a program on the sustainability of water quality in the Cayuga Lake watershed at
Cayuga Nature Center at 6:30 on Jan. 26.
City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: Jon spoke about a presentation he attended about materials which
will be dredged from the Inlet. The materials are very similar to upland components and it appears they will
have very little undesirable content. There is a possibility of creating a wetland at the end of the lake. But
there will be a huge amount which would overwhelm the selected site. There is still concern about accidental
transplantation of Hydrilla and that issue will be discussed further.
Comprehensive Plan: No report.
Cornell Plantations Natural Areas Academy (NAA): James reported that he has worked on the Cayuga Trails
Club's orange spur trail. He has been learning how to identify trees by their bark. He has logged 113 hours
attending 12 workshops and working at various directed stewardship activities in the Plantations' Natural
Areas. On Jan. 26 he'll be attending the NAA end-of-the-year celebration with a lecture by botanist David
Werier on the relation between NY landscape habitat patterns and the native plants that fit them.
Other Business: Nirav asked if anyone has noticed the increased traffic on Rt. 366 and Pine Tree Rd. It is
going to the City of Ithaca development site south of State St.,just west of the Mitchell St./Rt 79 intersection.
9. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:08 PM.
These minutes were written by Eva Hoffmann
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