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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Packet 2023-03-28 Agriculture Committee Members and Associates (*) A.J. Teeter Farm (Matthew Stalker, Chair), Casper’s Farm (Michael Casper), Forest Family Farm (Claire Forest), Indian Creek Farm / Cummins Nursery (Steve Cummins), Ithaca Equestrian Center (Russ Wedemeyer), Laughing Goat Fiber Farm (Lisa Ferguson), Steep Hollow Farm (Christianne White, Vice-Chair) TOWN OF ITHACA AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 28, 2023 Aurora Conference Room 215 N. Tioga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 (The rear entrance is handicapped accessible) 607-273-1747 Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall or virtually via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/6750593272). AGENDA 6:00 pm 1. Farmers Round Robin – What’s happening on your farm? How the season is going/went? Issues/concerns? Announcements? 6:30 pm 2. Persons to be heard 6:35 pm 3. Chair (Matthew) and Coordinator (Mike) reports / updates 6:45 pm 4. Ithaca Town Board (Bill) report / update 7:00 pm 5. Approval of minutes – January 31, 2023 7:05 pm 6. Review Goal 1 and related recommendations from the Town’s Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan 7:25 pm 7. Other Business - Recommendation of Chair and Vice-Chair for 2023 - Approval of the 2023 meeting schedule 7:30 pm 8. Adjourn Please call (607-273-1747) or email (msmith@town.ithaca.ny.us) if you cannot attend 1 Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Meeting Tuesday, January 31, 2023, 6:00 pm In Person at Ithaca Town Hall (Aurora Conference Room) and via Zoom Video Conference Draft Minutes Members Present: Christianne White (Steep Hollow Farm). Matthew Stalker (AJ Teeter Farm) via zoom. Town Representatives: Bill Goodman (Town Board Member), Mike Smith (Senior Planner), C.J. Randall (Director of Planning). Guests: Leon Ginenthal (Der Rosenmeister Nursery Owner), Dean Koyanagi & Sharon Tregaskis (Tree Gate Farm) via zoom 1. Farmers Round Robin – What’s happening on your farm? How is the season going/went? Issues/concerns? Announcements? Matt reported things are going smooth on the Teeter Farm and they are anxiously awaiting spring. The last of the pigs went off to the butcher also and meat is available for retail sale. Christianne reported a dormant winter on her farm. 2. Persons to be heard: Lee Ginenthal noted that April 2023 will be his 20th year in business as a rose nursery. The inventory list is being updated to reflect current stock and a new labeling system is being worked on to easily identify the plants and then put on a map. April is potting time, and the nursery opens May 1st. Sharon Tregaskis noted Tree Gate Farm is renovating their perimeter deer fencing and planning for the same mix of vegetables and baby ginger to begin growing in the spring. Their farm participation in the local Healthy Food for all Program was also noted and explained as a farm vegetable CSA subsidized share program for low income participants as well as vegetable distribution through No Mas Lagrimas program in the City. C.J. Randall introduced herself as the new Director of Planning for the Town of Ithaca and noted support for the agricultural community. Her past role in the Town of Lansing was discussed and how that town keeps interest the Ag land and farm protection committee. The active ag community and 2015 Ag Plan and implementation is the force of the Town of Lansing’s committee and one of the members has a local /YouTube channel which was referenced at a past Town of Ithaca Ag committee meeting. One of the members also sits on the County Ag Board. Implementation and utilization of the Town of Ithaca Ag Plan was noted a priority for the committee. Revisiting the Plan was noted as needed by the committee and keeping as a live document. Goals and Recommendations were identified and can be revisited at the next meeting as a start. Public focus on the plan could be highlighted in the future, however the first focus will be engaging the existing committee by revisiting the plan and reviewing the goals and recommendations. The importance of keeping the Town of Ithaca Ag committee moving forward and focused was discussed and the problem of reoccurring low attendance at meetings. Being involved with zoning/subdivision regulations and how they can affect preservation of farmland and the economic impacts involved were helpful to Tree Gate Farm owners and they noted the 2 helpfulness of goals checklist being reviewed at past meetings. Upcoming policies that affect farmers hold focus also. The town board updates are interesting to Christianne and engaging the committee when input is relevant is important. Hearing about the involvement in various programs from the other farms is helpful (Fort Baptist Farm on Coddington Road was mentioned as a farm in the Town of Ithaca as well as The Learning Farm and Westhaven Farms). 3. Chair (Matthew) and Coordinator (Mike) reports / updates: Mike reported on the monthly Town Newsletter electronic delivery system and encouraged the committee members to sign up. The continued Town Solar law updates were mentioned, proposing to allow up to 35 acers in Ag zones from the previous 10 maximum. Calls have been coming in from developers with larger proposals. Lastly Mike reported on two new Conservation Easement applications that have been received and will be reviewed by the town committees and board in the future for the PDR program. The PDR program, funding and process was briefly explained. Matt asked if there were negative environmental concerns related to solar projects? C.J. noted the Ag & Market document on the state’s mandates on solar energy installations on agricultural land as a good reference as well as American Farmland Trust as research reference. Agrivoltaics was mentioned as well. Projects less than 120 acres and undergo through local review only and over that size go to the state for environmental review as well however the Town of Ithaca is not likely to see anything that large. 4. Ithaca Town Board (Bill) report/update: Bill reported this is his last year on the town board and the supervisor is seeking a new town board liaison for the ag committee. The continued goals and purpose, and interest in the committee is important and should be a focus of the meeting in March if all agree. A zoom, discussion only meeting may gain more attendance than an in person required meeting. July would be Bill’s last meeting and he was thanked for his guidance and updates. Bill updated that the Inlet Valley Overlay Zoning district was adopted after many years of research. The new zoning section along Rt. 13 would promote small businesses, agritourism and other low-density opportunities. The recent acquisition by Grayhaven Motel of the former Cortright property was noted, with the town negotiating for the back portion to assist in the Black Diamond Trail lower portion continuation. The state of the buildings is in need of repair and the intent of the new owners are to invest into renovations for a small event center in the barn. Two houses are also on the property. Bill also noted the former Turbacks restaurant property in that area is said going to public auction as well. 5. Approval of minutes – November 29th, 2022. The November 29th, 2022, minutes were accepted as presented. 6. Other Business: no quorum for the recommendation of Chair and Vice Chair for 2023 and approval of the meeting schedule. Christianne and Matt agreed to check in with the existing committee members who have not been regularly attending, they divided up the names on the list and agreed to reach out. The new farms mentioned this evening would be checked in with also. Inviting a Planning Board representative to an Ag Committee meeting was mentioned and or sharing the goals identified in the Ag Plan. 7. Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 7:14 p.m. • Next meeting 3/28/2023 6:00 p.m. Minutes were drafted by Planning Admin Staff Abby Homer 2/28/2023 Recommendation Implementation Responsibility Status / Actions 1-a List active growers on the Town’s website and through the development of a guide to local farms Short / Ongoing TOI, AC, CCE - created ag webpages in summer 2012; updated in 2022 with new website 1-b Facilitate GPS registration of the locations of agritourism and retail sales of local farm products Medium / Ongoing TOI, TC, CCE - researched and presented instructions at 1/29/13 AC meeting; emailed instructions to all Town farmers 1-g Identify locations for and facilitate additional small-scale farmers’ markets, including “mobile markets” and CSA distribution sites Medium / Ongoing TOI, CCE, AC - new farmers market at East Hill Plaza Area - Aug. 2012 1-f Plant appropriate low-growing perennial herbs and fruits in public spaces for public consumption - possibly associated with community gardens Ongoing TOI Updated March 16, 2023 Implementation Legend: Short-Term (0 - 1 years) - Recommendations that could be implemented immediately, within the first year. Medium-Term (1 - 5 years) - Recommendations that could be implemented following the completion of short term items.Responsible Organization / Agency: Long-Term (5 - 7 years) - Recommendations that are important but would take considerable more time to research and implement.AC = Town of Ithaca Agricultural Committee Ongoing - Recommendations that are to be incorporated into the ongoing activities of the Town Departments, Boards and Committees.CCE = Cornell Cooperative Extension DEC = New York State Department of Conservation NYS = New York State : Identifies recommendations that are critical to supporting agriculture in the Town.SWCD = Soil and Water Conservation District TC = Tompkins County / TC Farmland Protection Board TCCOG = Tompkins County Council of Governments TOI = Town of Ithaca Goal 1: Promote the availability of locally grown foods and other agricultural products 1-c Medium CCE, TOI, TC - The keeping of chickens was added to the Medium Density Residential Zone in 2016 - Sign Law was updated in 2017 - In 2022 the Town added agritourism and seasonal farm lodging facility uses to the Ag Zone 1-d Medium Explore revisions to Zoning and other Town Laws (e.g., Sign Law) to accommodate farm stands, year-round farm markets, greenhouses, value-added product operations, home food production, U-picks, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and agritourism sites TOI, AC Town of Ithaca Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan Implementation Chart Identify any additional land-based agriculture products that are available for local consumption, including biomass products, firewood, local lumber and other agriforestry products - The Town continues to support the West Hill Community Garden, in West Hill Park - The Conifer Village at Cayuga Meadows project included garden space for residents 1-e Explore revisions to Subdivision and Site Plan requirements to require or encourage community gardens in larger new housing developments and provide community gardens (including raised beds, irrigation water, and other facilities to encourage participation of all residents) on Town lands and elsewhere Medium TOI õ õ 3/16/2023 PROPOSED RESOLUTION: Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Schedule of Meetings for the Year 2023 Agriculture Committee Meeting, March 28, 2023 Motion by: Seconded by: . BE IT RESOLVED, that the Agriculture Committee of the Town of Ithaca adopts the following schedule of meetings for the Agriculture Committee for the year 2023. The Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee will meet on dates and times listed below, in the Aurora Conference Room in the Town of Ithaca Town Hall. THE 2023 SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS: July 25 (7:00 p.m.) November 28 (6:00 p.m.) A vote on the motion was as follows: Ayes: Nays: Abstentions: PROPOSED RESOLUTION: Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee 2023 Agriculture Committee Chair and Vice-Chair Recommendation to Ithaca Town Board March 28, 2023 Motion by: Seconded by: . BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee recommends to the Town Board that ______ be appointed as Chair of the Agriculture Committee for the year 2023, and AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee recommends to the Town Board that be appointed as Vice- Chair of the Agriculture Committee for the year 2023. A vote on the motion was as follows: Ayes: Nays: Abstentions: