HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Minutes 2015-07-28 Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee
Tuesday,July 28,2015
Final Minutes
Members Present: Russ Wedemeyer, Christianne White, Claire Forrest, Sharon Tregaskis, Dean Koyanagi
Others Present: Mike Smith, Bill Goodman.
2. Member Announcements/Concerns: Claire Forrest mentioned that NYSEG is tree trimming near her
house and will be doing work in area for a year. It is impeding traffic past her farm.
C White mentioned USDA grant to repair eroded streambank, work will be done in summer 2016 by
George Sheldrake. Coy Glen also had a big wash out. Town is doing some work to reline culvert north of
Coy Glen Creek/Hackberry Lane.
Claire Forrest has seen the hemlock wooly adelgid on her property. Loss of hemlocks will change our
ecosystem, especially around gorges. There is a good film that has just been produced on the subject.
Mark Whitmore is Cornell expert.
4. Ithaca Town Board Report/ Update: Bill stated that the Town applied to do a feasibility study for Inlet
Valley area, re farming/economic development potential. There have been two meetings of the
Economic Development Committee for the Inlet Valley so far.
The Town is considering changes to create an ordinance to allow chickens in more places in the Town.
Farms are allowed in low density zoning. Guinea hens are considered non-domestic and a nuisance.
Town noise ordinance only refers to electronic noise.
Sign committee chose not to take any suggestions put forth by farmers. They don't like clutter and
basically, don't like signs. The maximum per parcel will be doubled from 12 square feet to 24 square
feet. Don't know if it makes sense to allow signage to promote economic development, as in the Inlet
Valley.
Farm City Day has been renamed to Family Fun Day on the Farm.
5. Approval of Minutes—May 12, 2015: Sharon moved to accept, seconded by Claire, all in favor, passed
unanimously.
6. Update on Planning for the Town Board Farm Tour(Fall 2015): Steep Hollow not doing their maze
but could demonstrate need for signage. Lisa Ferguson would like to do a more in-depth tour. Other
potential farms include the Teeters and Indian Creek Farm. October 16, tentative date, Mike Smith will
continue to move forward with the planning.
7. How can the Ag Committee help their own future farmers: Dean Koyanagi is a mentor for
Groundswell and on an advisory committee at Cooperative Extension. It is hard to attract interested
kids to be potential interns. We could do informal outreach. Wedemeyers would love some horse-crazy
kids in future.
How could we increase public visibility of farms/farm issues? Party? Social event? Invite generations to
mingle?
Monika Roth is also connected with Landlink, which partners people who want land with people who
have land.
8. Selection of guest speakers or topics for future meetings: David Brong from Pleasant Valley Electric
would be interested to come...half his customers are farmers and he could give an interesting
presentation on electricity on farms. Andy Boerman from Ithaca Agway or someone on farm
taxes/accounting are other possibilities.
9. Town's Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan: Need to review goals and recommendations at a
future meeting.
10. Other Business:We should try to get in Town newsletter. Maybe something on forestry or deer
issues. Treegate, Laughing Goat and Steep Hollow Farms are all in the Deer Management Focus Area.
City is getting complaints from West Hill about the number of deer. We have all experienced unknown
hunters coming on land. Also runners!
Tree Gate advises everyone to photograph farm buildings, inside and out, in case fire happens.
Documentation of contents would have been easier if they had had photographs. Some things are hard
to value in retrospect. They will not be doing summer CSA because of their fire.
There has been Japanese stilt grass (invasive)found on West Hill. Brown dead patches.
Dean Koyanagi motions for adjournment at 8:28 pm, seconded by Sharon.
Minutes by Christianne White