No preview available
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2016-06-02 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board June 2, 2016 5:30 p.m. Final Minutes Members present: Ellie Stewart (Chair), Mike Roberts, James Hamilton, Vlad Micic, Jon Meigs, Eva Hoffmann Staff: Mike Smith Guests: Martin Kelly & son (high school student earning credit for school and boy scouts) 1. Persons to be heard: none 2. Member Concerns: Eva mentioned the Ithaca Journal articles regarding the Maplewood apartments and the number of opinion pieces recently posted regarding the environmental impact of the project. We should take note of some of the points made in the opinion pieces while making our CB comment to the project. Ellie agreed and suggested that be directed toward the committee. James asked if the current buildings proposed were as disposable as the last. Ellie mentioned that it appears more energy efficient but they aren't talking zero emissions. James would like the board to be made aware of how long they expect the new buildings to last. Vlad asked how high the buildings will be and Mike S and Jon answered that they will be up to four stories. Will volunteered to take minutes for the meeting. 3. Chair and Coordinator Reports: Ellie thanked the members of the board for their hard work on the Fischer Award organization and presentation. Special thanks to non-members who came out and pitched in planting the tree. Ellie announced that Elizabeth Sanders has resigned from the board. Mike brought up the Maplewood project but deferred the discussion to the committee portion of the agenda. The THERM expansion sketch plan came in to the Planning Board and has been distributed to the ERC for review. There were no major issues or discussion from the most recent Planning Board meeting, a few neighbors came but no issues either. Vlad announced that he had to leave at 6:45. 4. Approval of Minutes: Mike S noted that he made the edits discussed before distributing April 7t" James moves to approve and Mike R seconds. James moved to wait on the May 51" minutes edits. 1 5. Discussion of Invasive Species Week: Ellie was concerned with the timing due to travel. Ellie suggested picking the neighborhood first; Vlad suggested getting ideas from Rich Schoch. James proposes Japanese knotweed as a focus. We discussed how to show how to remove the plant and how to demonstrate the application of glyphosate. Eva worried about the public display of herbicides and Vlad shared that concern. Vlad suggested we lean more toward the demonstration of weeding like last year's event. We discussed the issues picking an invasive like Japanese knotweed and how glyphosate is the only way so perhaps we should focus more on a location. James suggested the Pew Trail location which features swallow-wort, garlic mustard, buckthorn, knotweed and also coordinate the event with our deer management efforts. James also suggested a focus on garlic mustard to show that just pulling it up is the worst method and harvest the seeds can be quite tasty. Mike S suggested the Glenside area and Ellie mentioned that that's already been a location for the event. James would like to branch out and focus on other locations citing the parks department invasive removal efforts. Eastern Heights area was chosen as the location, the gazebo in the East Ithaca Nature Preserve. The date was proposed changed to July 21"at 6:30-7:30 but stayed to July 141" James volunteered to connect with Hilary Mosher from the Finger Lakes PRISM to help with promotional items. Ellie volunteered to reach out to the Ithaca Journal and other papers. Ellie will fill in temporarily for the communications committee. Eva wanted to make special mention of Frank Baldwin a former member of the board who donated the land on East Hill. 6. Ad Hoc Deer Committee: Ellie makes a note that due to an email mix up Jon, who expressed interest in the deer ad hoc committee was not included in that committee. Mike R provided the update that much of the committee has not done much. The proposal positions the town as the broker between land owners and hunters by applying for, acquiring and distributing nuisance permits. Mike was stilling working on meeting with Bernd Blossey about his involvement in the committee and the plans he's worked on previously. Vlad asked about private citizens still being the main outreach and Mike R agreed that private landowners as long as they have enough space for legal bow hunting. 2 James made the distinction between nuisance permits which allow baiting and the sport of hunting. Will tried to think like someone who opposes deer management and wonders what someone might think about the town brokering the relationship between land owners, hunters and the nuisance permits. Ellie and James point out that most likely we're not going to change their minds. Mike R and James talks about the monitoring of success by siting the Trumansburg census taking by aerial infrared and the monitoring of oak seedling browsing. Mike R discusses that one of the data points we're still working on is the cost of the plan. Will discussed the outreach to the agriculture committee as an important part of the deer management plan and Mike R added that a draft resolution from the Agriculture Committee (AC) to the town board supporting the plan might be a helpful action. Mike S mentioned that 3 members of the AC would like to be a part of the ad hoc committee on deer management. Ellie mentioned the possible involvement of the Cayuga Heights mayor but she has resigned. Cayuga Heights is working on a replacement. Vlad volunteered to compile the articles on deer management as part of the new forms. Eva gave a brief summary of"Nature Wars" by Jim Sterba. Vlad asked about inviting the AC to the conservation board meeting but Mike R mentions that they'll probably be at the next Ad Hoc Deer Committee meeting. Vlad asks who will be compiling the budget and Mike R mentions that we will be doing that as well. 7. Regular reports and updates Tompkins County EMC Report: Vlad reported that Joe MacMahon, the chair of the City of Ithaca Natural Area Commission attended the meeting and spoke about the second dam area and how it's being policed. They have worked on increasing the policing of it with funds by the town, county and city. Environmental Review Committee: Ellie asked about the Maplewood and the THERM expansion projects as reason for setting up an ERC meeting.The possibility of drafting up a resolution regarding the impact of both projects. 3 Scenic Resources Committee: No new update but Eva proposes to meet after the CB to set up a new time. Mike S updated the board that the scenic views tour brochure has been picked up over 250 times as we've had to refill the first order of brochure paper. Communications Committee: Ellie confirmed that she'll only be a temporary chair for the committee until July meeting. Ellie will contact Carrie to discuss the possibility of taking on the communications committee role. Mike R wanted to make a special note about the event honoring the recent donated land that's now part of the Fischer Old Growth Forest on Cornell Plantations. The donator, David Bandler has also committed to donating another piece of land connected to this. Mike R suggested that we think about a way to maintain the blue bird boxes around town. Eva volunteer to look for one on Hungerford hill. Ellie suggested possible a project for a birding group. Mike S suggested that a planning intern might be able to facilitate updating the signage for the Fischer awards, and will bring drafts to a future meeting. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program:James reported on the regular synoptic sampling analysis on June 16t" City Natural Areas Commission: Nothing to report. Cornell Plantations Natural Areas Program:James reported on planting a bunch of native trees near the faculty tennis courts near Cascadilla Creek. They working on turning it into a natural area. July Agenda: Continuation on deer management proposal and invasive species event. Mike R will be filling in for Ellie. Meeting adjourned at 7:03 pm Minutes drafted by Will VanDyke 7/28/16 4