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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-12-08'town of Dryden Conservation Board 93 East Main Street, Dryden, NY 13053 607.844.8888 "L 216 Craig Schutt, Chair 40 Nancy Munkenbeck Bob Reek Charlie Smith Steve 13issen Milo Richmond Stan Marcus Bard Prentiss Town Board Uaslon - Dave Makar Environmental Planner - Dan Kwasnowski December 8, 2008 Meeting Summary Present: Stan Marcus, Nancy Munkenbeck, Bob Beck, Charlie Smith, Steve Bissen. Excused: Bard Prentiss, Craig Schutt. Absent: Mike Richmond. Guests: Deb Marcus, Mary Ann Sumner Town Board Liaison Present: Dave Makar Decision Summary: 1. The CB unanimously voted to recommend Nancy Munkenbeck as Chair of the CB for 2009, ® 2. The CB unanimously voted to recommend Dave Makar as the Town Board liaison to the CB for 2009. News updates, etc, Dan noted that the DEC is currently undertaking an update to the State Environmental Quality Review Act forms. He will send out a link to a website with information. EMC Update - Stan Marcus Stan informed the board that the EMC's activities at this point involve finding and electing a new Chair. Year End Activities The Town Supervisor indicated to Dan that she would like the boards to have a clear plan of work for 2009 that the Town Board could endorse by resolution during the January organizational meeting. The CB had a long discussion over potential and outstanding projects and how to prioritize work for the year. The following list was developed in order of priority: 1. Develop Riparian Buffer Ordinance. 2. Open Space Plan. 3. Review Updated Zoning Ordinance. O t 11% C� 4. Design /Update Website. 5. Review Natural Area Management Plans. 6. Revisit and update Renewable Energy Ordinance. There was various discussion regarding each of these items, such as timing, limits on the amount of time to complete and other factors. The Riparian Buffer Ordinance should be completed in the first 6 months, whereas the Open Space Plan should be completed in 12 months. The Open Space Plan will also need a proposal to guide the process and better define the goals and purpose of the plan early in the year. The updated zoning should be an out of meeting review by each member, and then discussed, briefly, during one, or two CB meetings. The Design /Update Website item came out of a request to "do something" regarding the Emerald Ash Borer and the desire to better provide information to town residents regarding environmental issues, as well as a general desire to have a better more functional website that could also host information on meetings etc. The Conservation Board will also review management plans of natural areas prepared by the Environmental Planner in coordination with the CB. Finally, there was discussion of the possibility of revisiting the "Renewable Energy Ordinance" for at least corrections if not a complete policy revision. A Climate Change policy was discussed, but it was determined that it would be better addressed in a near future revision of the Comprehensive Plan, The CB also discussed a recommendation to the Town Board for appointment of the CB's Chair, Craig Schutt had indicated (Craig was not at this meeting) previously that he was interested and willing to serve as Chair for another year. The CB discussed the ® issue and were happy to let Craig serve again unless someone else were interested. Nancy Munkenbeck indicated her desire to serve as Chair. After a brief discussion, it was decided that Craig would likely not mind, and may be relieved, to have someone else serve as Chair. It was also noted that possibly the CB could at least informally adopt a policy of rotating the Chair position each year. The CB also decided that they would recommend that Dave Makar continue as the Town Board Liaison in 2009. Another related topic of discussion was the town meeting schedule and the possibility of changing the CB's regular meeting to later in the month. Currently, the meetings (Town, Conservation and Planning Boards) are often jammed together, sometimes in one week. It would be beneficial if the CB could meet later in the month thereby making it easier for staff to prepare for the meeting, as well as making it more feasible for the Town Board to refer items to the boards while allowing some time for the board members to be able to adequately review information. The date that initially appeared to make the most sense is the last Tuesday of the month. Town Land Donation The CB briefly recapped a discussion of the Open Space Gift Evaluation Sheet prepared by Dan. The questions appear to be sufficient until the Open Space Plan is prepared, and a more policy driven strategy is developed to rank the different question areas against. This led to a discussion of the emerging Recreation Master Plan and how that plan may fit into an Open Space Plan. It was unclear how the two may or may not ® compliment efforts. Riparian Buffers Dan presented again the material that was discussed in November. The publication will be emailed again, and paper copies mailed. It seemed that the model law in this Montgomery County publication was the closest match to the policy objectives in Dryden. The meeting adjourned promptly at 9:30 p.m. CONSERVATION B13ARD 43 East Main 5frnat CHAIFi: NANCY MUNKENEECK Drpdvn, NY 1$063 CRAIG SCHUYT BO S $ECK T 607 844-8B88 CHARLIE 5 oMPTH F 607 X44•$008 STEVC SPBSEN dank9dryden.ny.us M11=0 RICHMOMID STAN MARCUS w cfen n BARD PRENTIS9 8[IARO LIAGMN+ DAVID MRKAR TOWN ErivIRONMENTAL PLANNCR: 0AF# KWASNOWSKI Meeting Notes January , 2009 Conservation Board Meeting Present, Nancy M., Craig S., Bob B,, Charlie S., Mike R., Bard P., Dave Makar, Dare Kwasriowski. Guest: Martha- Decision Ummary; The CB passed a resolution endorsing a letter to be sent to the Governor requesting that the real estate tax continue to fund the Environmental Protection Fund, and that the state maintain the current funding level, Recommendation that the Town Bo -ard write a letter as well. KNIM . EMC Update ' Stan ` Excused . Workplan review - Additions, subtractions. , . C8, r En ON I oil r4r'MRff.;91M1TM. ire 07i 5.'Open Space Planning - • • ; r sr * • •■ . KOM :rte � F M MIS W �• rJ # * �tl 11 r ll'•. .A` r • • •_ a RMs * = rii11. s +i • t - + -o • .l j 'r r't sA .a f *8*. 1r� FIRFURNO i- •� y A� 1 1+ AA it A= 11 11111IMM + r ' • ra ' ■ A A • il-r i� � r r r. �- r i r :#. r i- A# +l lid 'AA =1 - +� -r Other topics discussed. Tompkins County Planning Agricultural Features Focus Areas - There is a meeting with farmers concerning the Counter's ongoing Ag Focus Areas effort. The 1313 re- quested that the County come and discuss this plan with them. Scott Doyle will be contacted. The regular meeting of the CB ,will be the last Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm. 0 Another notice will be posted concerning the open seat on the Conservation Board. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday February 24th at 7:30 p.m- O N Meeting Notes - February 24, 2009 Conservation Board 93 East Again Slreet Chair: Nancy Munkenbeck Dryden, NY 13053 Cram Schutt T 607 844 -8888 Bob Beck F 607 844 -8008 Charlie Smith dankiudryden_ny.us Steve Bissen ww 1t Milo Richmond�`" Stan 'Marcus Bard Prentiss Board Liasion: David Makar Town Environmental Planner: Dan Kwas- nowski DRAFT Present: Nancy M., Craig S., Bob B., Charlie S.,Steve B., Mike R., Stan M., Bard P., Dave Makar, Dan Kwasnowski, Guest: Mary Ann Sumner, Hillary Lambert, Stefan Wagner, ?. I'm adding a section here called old business to remind the CB what they said they were going to do in the previous month. Old Business (not discussed during the meeting) • Jan, 2009 - The CB passed a resolution endorsing a letter to be sent to the Governor requesting that the real estate tax continue to fund the Environ- mental Protection Fund, and that the state maintain the current funding level. • Open Seat - The open seat should be announced in the newspaper, again. Decision Summary: No decisions were voted on during the February meeting. 1. Presentation by Scott Doyle: Scott Doyle was not able to attend the meeting, but said the department was still gathering information and was planning a meeting, likely at the town hall, in the spring. 2. Agenda changes: Move Verizon Wireless portion of meeting before Riparian Buffer Law. 3. EMC Report: Stan Markus reported that the EMC has a new Chair, Amy Risen, and that Stan has chosen to sit on the Invasive Species committee because of his interest in the Emerald Ash Borer. Steve Bissen indicated he might be interested in sitting on a committee as well. 4. Verizon Wireless Tower There was a long discussion of the Verizon Wireless Tower proposed for the Uhl property near the corner of Sapsucker Woods Road, and Hanshaw Road. The pro- ject is before the Town Board for a Special Use Permit under the town's Telecom- munications Towers Local Law. Previously (January, 2009) the Conservation Board determined that at the proposed height (114 feet) with no lighting or guy wires there appeared to be no wildlife im- pact, and that the proposal did not appear to have any other obvious environmental impacts, recognizing that the neighborhood was not happy or comfortable with the proposal, the CB had no specific comment on the project. Before the meeting, two members relayed reports, one by email from a local expert and the other a compendium of studies, that further determined that impacts to birds and bats. These are listed at the end of these notes. During the meeting, residents from the Cardinal Drive neighborhood, and the Town • of Ithaca expressed their concerns over the proximity of the project to Unique Natu- ral Areas, and especially their neighborhood, and relayed the concern of the owner of Ludgate's farm market on Hanshaw Road. They also still question the need for the tower in spite of the explanation provided by Verizon to the Town Board during the January meeting. The CB asked several questions, and noted several concerns regarding the project, such as: • What is the benefit to the Town of Dryden? • The tower is located near one of the very few places anywhere that makes a concerted effort to study birds. Is this tower really necessary, and is it worth the risk to that facilities mission? • It would seem homes are more invasive and threatening to wildlife than the tower; is there a real impact from the tower? • Have they [Verizon] presented alternative sites? • When does an installation like this become a commercial facility in a residen- tial area? A What is the reasonableness of colocation on this facility? Not can someone do it, but will they? Pugc 2 • What are the effects on wildlife? How will this be addressed in the Environ- mental Assessment (SEQRA)? Will the impacts, if any, be substantiated? 5. Riparian Buffer Law: Dan Kwasnowski presented a very preliminary draft of a Riparian Buffer Law. The highpoints of the draft are the utilization of a dynamic buffer that is less arbitrary, and the ability to use a management plan approach to larger properties and projects that allows flexibility and would ultimately protect more habitat and water quality. The draft needs a lot of consideration of definitions, an improved Findings of Fact and Purpose section, and the numbers that are included are cursory and the CB will have to consider some better data and mapping to determine what the buffers may be. Dan asked the CB dig into the law in earnest and come prepared to discuss details at the next meeting. 6. Open Seat: The open seat on the CB has not yet been filled. An announcement will be placed in the paper. 7. Mike Richmond presented several studies that involved some members of the Conservation Board that he thought the board should know about. These include Conserving Natural Areas and Wildlife in Your Community, by Karen Strong a Cor- nell student that worked with some members of the board. And the GAP analysis that Charlie Smith was very involved in, and the new Breeding Bird Atlas of New York State, References Tower Impacts: From Bill Evans via email to Bard Prentiss: The problem with these kind of decisions is that there is not really any solid research to support what's best for birds - in this case, the decision whether to build one higher tower with lights versus multiple shorter towers without lights. Any assessment of relative bird impacts will be largely theoretical. That said, my first thought is that if the taller tower would also have guy wires, then I suspect it would be poten- Page 3 tially more hazardous to birds than several shorter towers. The tower Irghting aspect is less of an issue for birds In suburban areas that already have artificial lighting. My website ww.towerkill.corn has a lot of infarmatron. From harrie Smith: Communication Towers: A Deady y Hazard to Birds, sent as a PDF. From Mike Richmond; htt ;/J ww.dee.n _ ovllards/ 0083.htmi Page 4