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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2011-01-06 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board January 6,2011 7:30 p.m. Final Minutes Members present: Diane Conneman, James Hamilton,Nirav Patel, Kristine Shaw, Andrew Goodell Staff. Mike Smith Guests: Ellie Stewart,prospective member; Sara, Brenda Lee, Eli attending for a Government course fieldwork assignment Persons to be heard: Ellie Stewart, recently retired from her work with City School District, wants to join. As she's seriously committed to working with us, we were glad to welcome her and to introduce ourselves briefly. Members' Concerns: Nirav is worried that Belle Sherman Cottage construction might harm the young Fischer Award Juneberry tree we planted near the corner of that property. Diane will write the developer to make sure they're careful about Tom Reimer's award tree. Chair and Coordinator Reports: Chair: Diane went to a NYS Agricultural Society conference on Local Food. She found the information on the need for locally produced vegetables especially interesting. Larissa Smith is absent from tonight's meeting because she's attending that conference. Larissa will soon be moving to Virginia Tech, so we hope we can benefit more from her expertise before she goes. Coordinator: Mike reported the Belle Sherman Cottages got preliminary site plan and subdivision approvals. The Holochuck development Environmental Impact Statement is due to be revised, incorporating suggested changes. Two small developments upcoming in February will be a plan to put Verizon antennae on Riley Robb Hall at Cornell and a revised site plan for the Goldenrod subdivision at Bundy and Hopkins Rds, with buildings clustered farther away from the wetlands. Business: the minutes for the 12/2/10 meeting were approved with three small revisions. The minutes of the 11/4/10 meeting were approved as revised at last month's meeting. Members present signed up for minute-taking responsibility at some 2011 meetings. Members checked a draft list of their name & address,phone & email, term of office, committees &responsibilities for accuracy in the Year 2011. The 2011 Work Priority list was discussed and revised. The last priority, concerning a National Heritage Preservation Program,was dropped. Mike will print up a draft version with our suggested changes to our work involving invasive species (ash borer may require Town action; we should seek expert opinion on what to do about them and other invasive species both plant and animal);public education(not just about scenic resources,but other important issues like invasives should have educational info at or linked to Town's website; a new Priority Item should address the website itself); Coy Glen Conservation Zoning needs pushing along (how can we encourage Town action on this?); tree preservation (both from ash borer, and changing Town law to protect trees more), and gas well drilling (focus attention on biocides in fracking fluids; possible Town action to assure eco safety of regulated drilling) for approval at our next meeting. The board discussed a resident's complaint about the new outdoor lighting at gateway speed humps around Forest Home. Diane, Kristine, Andy and James had all visited the neighborhood at night recently; Mike brought photographs of several different night-lighted scenes. We all agreed that the fancy new lamps were much less objectionable than the standard sodium vapor and mercury arc street lamps along Forest Home's roads. The new gateway lamps are well-shielded from the sky, with nearly all their illumination directed down at the ground around the speed humps. Much worse were the new spotlights in the freshly-constructed Plantations parking lot, which shine up into the branches of newly planted trees in landscaping along the sidewalk east of the lot. Mike noted that the new Town lighting ordinance requires lights brighter than 1000 lumens to be shielded from the sky, and these tacky spotlights seem disturbingly bright. If any lamps in Forest Home need further Town investigation,it would be these upwardly shining spotlights,not the gateway lamps. Diane noted that Forest Home residents had approved plans for the gateway illumination,but not for the Plantations landscaping tree-light extravaganza. Mike reports that final Town approval of the new Plantations landscaping will address the objectionable spotlights. All agreed, however, that we find the gateway lamps acceptable. Diane explained that new language on tree conservation is not ready for our discussion yet. It will combine elements of the Town of Gardiner's Timber Harvesting law and other regulation more focussed on the need to prevent landowners from clearcutting areas larger than one acre per year. Regular Reports and Updates: Environmental Review Committee: Nirav noted they'd reviewed draft site plans for the Belle Sherman Cottages development. Scenic Resources Committee: Diane and Tony found the Public Works Dept.not very receptive of the new Interpretive View Sign for East Shore Park, as they had no convincing proof that the Town Board had really approved of it. A subsequent conversation with Town Supervisor addressed this problem,but the project may need clearer formalization. R. Fischer Award Committee: James reports that Liz Walker's nomination for the 2009 prize awarded to A. Carl Leopold was so strong that she will be reconsidered for 2010, especially as she's just published a good book in 2010. Invitations for other nominations will be published in local media and a couple updates revising the Town's Fischer Award web page, allowing electronic mail nominations,will be emailed soon to Mike Smith, now our new contact person. Tompkins County EMC: Kristine reports EMC heard Sue Ritter present news of our Stream Setback ordinance, and got good feedback on this still ongoing project. The Education committee at EMC is updating an invasive plant species list. Mike suggested this new publication should give clear photos to help people identify invasives, as well as offering alternatives to gardeners who might be considering planting invasives. Sixmile Creek Volunteer Monitors: no news City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: no news. Comprehensive Plan: December's meeting focussed on energy issues: promoting walking and alternative energy use. The comp plan needs not only a special energy plan,but the inclusion of energy efficiency in all the other parts of planning. The primary goal of a carbon-neutral Town Government operation needs eventually to be broadened to all of the Town's public life. Other Business: 2011 committee membership was officially recognized as follows: Environmental Review Committee: Nirav chair, Andy, Eva, Tony, Jon. Scenic Resources Committee: Tony chair, Jon, James,Eva. Richard B.Fischer Environmental Award Committee: James chair, Kristine, Diane. Tompkins County Environmental Management Council: Kristine. City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: Jon. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring: James. Other business: Meeting schedule for 2011: James suggested changing the June meeting to the second Thursday in that month, to allow participation in the Ithaca Festival. With that change approved by all,he proposed the resolution, seconded by Andy, that the CB 2011 schedule monthly meetings as follows: Jan 6, Feb 3, Mar 3, Apr 7, May 5, June 9, July 7, Aug 4, Sept 1, Oct 6,Nov 3, Dec 1. The board approved the motion unanimously. Nirav wanted to be sure that he was reappointed to the next two year's membership. He'd responded to the request that he declare his interest in doing so,but hadn't heard back. Having endured her first meeting with this board, Ellie Stewart assured us that she was still committed to joining. Diane noted we might save time and energy by considering her participation in today's meeting as an acceptable interview and all members present agreed that we would be glad to have Ellie as a new member, and look forward to seeing her again at least monthly. We unanimously requested that Diane write the official letter recommending the Town Board appoint her as our eighth member. This will leave one position open, as nine members are allowed by law. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m. These draft Minutes written by James Hamilton 1/8/11,revised by Diane Conneman 1/10/11.