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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2022-06-02 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting June 2, 2022,4:30 p.m. Final Minutes Members present in-person: Lori Brewer(Chair),James Hamilton,Joann Kowalski Members present via Zoom: Eva Hoffmann, Elise Edwards Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner Guests: None 1. Persons to be heard: None 2. Members' Concerns:Joann: A town resident saw oak trees experiencing lots of defoliation on the East Ithaca Recreation Way and she wasn't sure what was happening.Joann emailed Joe Talbut about the concern, and he said it was the spongy moth problem.Joe mentioned that they don't have the staff or resources/time available to deal with the problem right now. Discussions were had among members about the spongy moths and tree's ability to survive defoliation and potentially produce more leaves later in the season after the first leaf out. 3. Environmental Review Committee (ERC): Lori Brewer, Chair—Lori reported that there were two projects this month that the ERC committee has already commented on, in preparation for the June 7tn Planning Board meeting agenda and one other project still needing review. i. One project involving alteration of an antenna of a cell tower has been reviewed by the ERC and was straightforward. ii. Renewal of the Holochuck Homes Subdivision/Development:This project requests for a time extension given that subdivision approvals in the Town expire after 10 years if no construction work has occurred on the project or if any of the lots have not been transferred.The ERC has discussed that much can change over ten years in regard to natural resources and concerns were expressed about the time period that has passed and granting renewal without further investigation of these changes. Mike S. mentioned it is not common for things with these types of projects to sit for as long as this one has, and typically after the review these items proceed with development. iii. The project still needing comment is a subdivision on Ridgecrest Road. 4. Chair and Coordinator Reports: Chair, Lori Brewer: Lori mentioned that during the Fisher Award event, it was discussed the tabling events coming up and the possibly needing a new table cover. We may want to use the conservation board money for a new table with the new logo. A vote was taken about buying this table cover with the new logo, everyone was in agreeance. Discussion about waste management sub-committee needs and how it would have been nice to hand things out to the Ithaca Reuse folks, however we currently do not have a brochure to hand out to potential new members. Lori (chair) mentioned that we could develop a "We need you" flyer to be able 1 to hand out to prospective members. Suggestions were made that this would be a trifold brochure to get people to look at things we already have and to gauge if they would be interested in joining the conservation board. Coordinator, Mike Smith: Mike mentioned meeting formats, moving forward.Waiting to see if the state executive order will be extended in a couple of weeks regarding official requirements of meeting formats.The state had a new law in April for each municipality to create their own law for things to be virtual or in person.The Town has decided to allow a zoom option, so the zoom option will be a permanent option for all future meetings for members and the public. However, when the conservation board wants to have a quorum there needs to be at least 5 people in person for a vote to take place. If that is the case,then zoom members can vote, if not, a vote cannot take place. Once we have more people (9 people total)this will be easier, however as of right now all five members will need to be in person for a quorum. If someone is going to miss the meeting or if they need to go virtual,they will need to tell Mike S. and Lori ahead of time.Associate members can be virtual or in person. Lastly, Mike S. mentioned that if members are going to be virtual,they need to be seen heard and recognizable in order to be at the meeting as a member.All meetings and minutes will be posted on the website and minutes need to be posted within 2 weeks of the last meeting. Further details about these requirements can be found in "Videoconferencing Public Body Meeting Participation Policy" as defined in Public Officers Law§102 and in conjunction with Town of Ithaca Local Law 11 of 2022 We need to update the CB brochure and Scenic Views Map &Tour pamphlet soon. Mike S. mentioned the planning department has an intern starting who is a student at Cornell University in landscape architecture.The intern has tasks already for the summer, but this might be an opportunity if we need any updates to the brochure etc.that we could ask her to be involved in. 5. Approval of minutes: No quorum, minutes will need to be approved in July. 6. Invasive Species Awareness Event: Plans for the June 9th NYISAW event, 5-7PM have Community Science Institute and Cayuga Lake Watershed Network also attending to help with aquatic invasives; Conservation Board members will please attend with some samples of invasives to help teach ID. Finger Lakes PRISM sent us promotional materials and has our event on their calendar. Mike S will post a press release June 3. Joann got the invasive event on the Ithaca times calendar for people to see. 7. Regular Reports and Updates: a. Communications Committee: i. Famers Market Outreach (Joann)-We will now be having a booth at the East Hill Farmers Market where Lori,Joanne and Elise will be there on Wednesdays June 22nd July 27t"and August 24t"from 4-7pm. Lori mentioned to other board members that this will be an opportunity to interact with the public and look for board members.Joann mentioned that the vendor usually does not allow people who aren't non-profits to come in but since it is a smaller market,they will allow us to be there once a month. ii. Fischer Award (James):Tree-planting party for Finger Lakes Reuse went well May 25t". Four small burr oaks went in pre-dug holes nicely;WBNG reporter Ashley Soriano made a TV news 2 report of the show.The tree planting also made the Town of Ithaca June 2022 Newsletter.The Fischer Award hemlock we planted for New York Hemlock Initiative in Forest Home Park had died, probably of drought; asked Joe Talbot to replace it.Joe plans to put a new hemlock there this fall. _ Scenic Resources Committee i James uploaded tn the Tnvvn'sCBOneDrive shared SRC folder aI34mb jpe8ofa draft view sign for the Pine Tree Snyder Hill intersection that's waiting for legal permission from [U for a planting site by the Pine Tree Walkway. Mike S's 4/18/I2 email contains the URL for our CB sharing server space. CB members should check it out and offer opinions for improving it towards final draft that Iron Designs can then polish. Members should also visit the Z tour signs already installed at East Shore Park and the Danby Road pull-off just east of Longview. Mike S—Cornell University has yet to approve the agreement for the installment of the sign. ii. At our new view location, vve have talked about having a bench for people to sit there.The bench on south hill next to the Longview residential center is built in such a way that it has a sloped seat and is not comfortable. Eva plans to try to talk to Joe Talbut about this to ensure that the new bench does not have a sloped seat. We should have a people friendly bench. Mike mentioned that the conservation board might need to buy them rather than the town building one if this is the direction vve want togo. c. Lindsay was not in attendance, and she will update us in afuture meeting about EM[ news. d. Volunteers took a synoptic sample for chemical and bacteriological analyses Tuesday morning, May 24 at 13 sites from headwaters to the Plain St bridge downtown. Creek was running lower than its I5th percentile for this date. e. Volunteers helped take census ofrare Trolius laxus in Groton fen, blooming profusely this spring; repaired damaged tree ex-closures smashed by ice jam flooding in Fall Creek South above Flat Rocks; potted trees &shrubs grown from native seeds collected in Cornell University natural areas for transplanting when their time is right; maintained and blazed trails in Fall Creek North and Monkey Run. O. Lori brought up the July and August meetings,we will meet in person in July and the agreed to cancel the August meeting. 9: Review of 2022 Work Goals/Discussion of Continued Summer and Fall Goals(Joann): a. James and Eva need to discuss what updates are needed and will come up with a list of needs prior to next meeting. The placement of the new sign should be mentioned in the updates and editing of brochure should be done soon. b. We are doing pretty well with this goal. Generally, some new things are posted, maybe once a week and do not just include conservation board things but other relevant things that might be of interests to our residents. c. Activities: Fisher Award Ceremony-Completed, Invasive Week event planned. d. VVe did one event,the blue bird boxes, and xve are doing invasive species and farmers market. Recommendations were made to solicit input of 3 people (at the invasives event and of the farmers market tabling as well)for events that might be of interest to people we talk to, so we can recruit more people. Lori mentioned it might be good to launch a scenic resources event in September or October as another option for a recruitment event.The group agrees that October might be best. e. Work items for July: Scenic views brochure review and sign comments. Planning for scenic views event in October. Discuss more about the scenic view bench and bench measurements,for both the new scenic sign site and the south hill view site. 11.Ad'lournment:The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 PM. Minutes respectfully submitted by Elise Edwards 6/6/2022 4