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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2011-04-07 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board April 7, 2011 Final Minutes Members and associates present: Diane Conneman, Andy Goodell, James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann, Tony Ingraham, Jon Meigs, Kristine Shaw Staff present: Mike Smith Persons to be heard: None Member concerns: On Thursday April 14 there will be a DEC meeting in Candor regarding the draft plan for gas drilling in Shindagen Hollow and the Danby State Forest, interested members were encouraged to attend. Chair report: The Chair expressed thanks to Andy Goodell for information on the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid scouting trips. Lake cleanup information from the Cayuga Lake watershed was made available for those members interested. Diane recently made a presentation on scenic resources at the City Garden Club. The presentation was well received. Staff report: The Planning Board granted preliminary approval of the Holochuck project earlier in the week. The Belle Sherman Cottages final site plan and final subdivision plans will be presented at the April 19 planning board meeting. In May, the Planning Board expects to see a small two lot subdivision and the Cayuga Medical Center Surgery Unit expansion. The CMC plan will likely be provided to this board's ERC for review and comments. The Cornell Plantations Welcome center will likely be changing out the ballasts in the upward facing lighting for something smaller at the end of the month. There will be more information on this next month. The Town Board will be reviewing the appointment of Kristine Shaw as the Town liaison to the County EMC. Minutes: March 3rd minutes approved with minor corrections. Updates: ■ The region's Emerald Ash Borer Task Force is in place. The initial meetings were scheduled for March 9 and April 7. Representatives from government, academia, environmental groups and other segments of the community are represented. The initial meetings focused on organization and goals. The first objective of the TF is education; to target the people/organizations in the community involved with the relevant trees. A planned effort will be to build upon the attention to and recognition of the purple traps. It is proposed to wrap Ash trees in purple surveyors tape on Arbor Day, possible locations within the town include Tutelo Park, along the East Ithaca Recreation Way and on South Hill. Another education proposal includes tabling at the Ithaca Festival and identifying Ash trees at Stewart Park. The Cornell Cooperative Extension is involved in developing a tabletop display that could be used at public locations and events for education and outreach. Ash tree identification guidelines will be distributed to the Board along with EAB identification information. Other identified community resources for the possible distribution of educational materials include the New York State Parks, NYSEG and pesticide retailers. An inventory of Ash trees is needed and this board has been asked to provide some input on that process. The first priority would be to identify hazard trees and areas with a high concentration of Ash trees. The board discussed possible resources for conducting the inventory including, the Cayuga Trails Club and Boy Scout troops. Tabling for Earth Day on the commons is not likely for this year but is a suggestion for 2012. Educating property owners of the benefit of identifying the trees on their property and thereby avoiding damage and liability because of damaged trees is another outreach idea. The National Plant Diagnostic Network has a representative working on making educational materials, bookmarks, etc. The NPDN has a first detectors education program available online at http://www.npdn.org/. There are six 20-minute training modules available. Larger audience trainings are also available. Board members asked for training on identification of the relevant trees to be able to assist in the education and outreach process. The board discussed whether the town should/could undertake creating an inventory of trees on town property and should it include all tree types or only Ash. An inventory of only Ash is a much higher priority and ought to be the first effort, although a complete inventory would be useful to have. Further discussion included a proposal to have property owners identify the trees on and adjacent to their property. ■ The Town and Cornell Plantations are working in concert to handle the Swallow-wort around the watertank on South Hill. Small progress is being made in managing the invasion. The soil and water conservation district is continuing to distribute Larissa's fact sheet on invasive species from last year. ■ Eva presented on the Codes and Ordinances Committees progress on the Forestry Issues in Conservation Zones. Eva described the makeup of the board, their function, common practices and considerations. One issue the Committee is grappling with is the definition of clear-cutting. Considerations include the lot size and the percentage of clearing that would be clear-cutting. Harvesting of trees for firewood is a common practice and will likely be excluded but the committee will have to specify how much could be harvested and how often. Even the unit of measurement is an issue. Copies of the proposed law are available for personal review only and comments by board members, but are not for public distribution at this draft stage. The committee continues with this lengthy and multi-faceted process. Eva notes that caution, thoughtful consideration and patience are necessary in the process of drafting proposed legislation. Committee Reports: ERC: Nothing to report Scenic Resources Committee: This committee's comments on the Scenic Resources Inventory are being consolidated for staff and should be available soon. The current draft inventory is available on the website and members expressed concern that it was not clearly identified there as a draft. Tony distributed the proposal for East Shore Park Exhibit and went through the elements in the proposed signage. The exhibit will orient, educate and promote awareness of the view. The exhibit will measure 42 by 24 inches. A cost sheet is included in the proposal. Sample materials for the exhibit were available and passed around. The material imbeds the graphic into the exhibit. Costs will only remain within the budget if all necessary approvals are obtained ahead of time and no changes are made after the project is handed over to the designers and illustrator. It would be helpful to have a count of the number of visitors to the park to include in the justification for the exhibit. Estimates of the number of park visitors were discussed. Diane congratulated the committee on the great job putting the proposal together. A discussion on whether the map should be included in the exhibit or available as a pamphlet in an attached container ensued. Concerns with a pamphlet included keeping the exhibit stocked and who would be responsible to do so, the trash made by discarded pamphlets and the resources and cost incurred by making pamphlets. The process for identifying a designer and illustrator needs to be determined. Tony knows of possible candidates. The CB endorsed the proposal and there was consensus that the proposal should be moved ahead. Tony will speak with Herb about next steps. Diane will assist if needed. R. Fischer Award Committee: A committee at EcoVillage is pondering the choice of tree for Westhaven preserve someplace near Helen's way. The tree planting party is scheduled for Saturday, May 14'h from 11:00 AM to Noon. Rich Schoch advised that the Parks Department had to remove some trees along Helen's way a while ago, so he is glad we can plant a new tree there. Kristine agreed to bring refreshments for the event. EMC: Kristine reported that the ERC subcommittee of the ERC is looking at the City of Ithaca's Cascadilla Creek dredging project proposal. Issues with the proposal include the noise, duration of the project and the dewatering site, among others. Comments and concerns from the CB were solicited. Kristine will distribute the link for the website to members. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program: Volunteers will sample the creek on Monday April 11. Fifteen sample sites will now include two new sites at tributaries with gas leases in their drainage areas. City of Ithaca Natural Areas: Jon asked if the Board would like to see a presentation from the Level Green Institute's project on a Year in the Life of Six Mile Creek. The Board felt that the information Jon provided was sufficient for members to seek out more information based upon their individual interest. The City's Streets and Facilities manager is promoting the use of the Boy Scouts to maintain Six Mile Creek. The Scouts are a resource that the town should keep in mind. Comprehensive Plan: The last meeting included discussions about the Gateway area into the Town on Route 13. Curb cuts were considered for safety and attractiveness. Other Business: Jim is continuing workshops with the Plantations Natural Areas Academy. The program requires attendance at 8 workshops and at least 40 hours of "directed stewardship activities,"which are jobs helping the Plantations Natural Areas staff with research and maintenance of natural areas. The first workshop was on Hemlock Wooly Adelgids. Since then Jim has been hunting HWA for 25 hours in 9 different locations: a) in and around the Mundy Wildflower Garden, b) along the Mann Library Slope (1 infestation), c) along the south bank of Bebee Lake below the Mann Library slope, d) along the south west part of Fall Creek bank in Monkey Run NA (no infestations found there), e) in Eames Bog and Mud Creek Swamp NE of Freeville (none found), f) Warren Woods (one heavily infested hemlock there), g) at Coy Glen's North bank, Westernmost third(none found), h) Ringwood Preserve (none found), and i)the North central part of Fall Creeks Monkey Run NA (none found). Many hemlocks have been killed in areas south of Tompkins. Hemlocks grow on slopes along creeks and are important for water quality and wildlife habitat. Mark Whitmore is planning an experimental release of an adelgid predator beetle from Ohio, perhaps in Warren Wood. Cornell is treating some of their most valued trees with a systemic insecticide, Imidaclorpid, injected in the soil around the roots. For information on volunteering at the Plantations go to http://www.comellplantations.org/get-involved. For information on HWA go to http://www.comellplantations.org/our-gardens/natural- areas/invasive/hemlock-woolly-adelgid. Diane will invite Kate Stoner to present on the Green House Gas Emissions Study at the May 5 h meeting. Adjourned at 9:28 PM.