HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-07-28Conservation Board Meeting Minutes
® Town of Dryden, New York
28 July 2009 - 7:30 "Town Hall 93 C. Main Street
Board Members
Present: Milo Richmond; Craig Schutt; Bob Beck; and Nancy Munkenbeck, Chair;
Absent: Stephen l3issen; Charles Smith; Stan Marcus; and Brad Prentiss;
Quorum present: No
Others Present: David Makar, Town Board Liaison; Meghan Jacquet, Open Space Planner;
Proceedings
7:42 pm Munkenbeck called meeting to order. No approval of last month's minutes was
0 made due to lack of quorum.
Jacquet provided material by Tompkins County Publication Thinking Local in Tompkins
Count }:, a collaboration of research articles that focus on the local issues.
Jacquet provided brief overview of the draft Open Space Preservation Plan, schedule of her
activities, and a plan review of three open space planning documents. The meeting; was then
open to discussion and critic of draft plan and open space goals.
General values of open space were exchanged. Richmond stated his desire of a plan that
advances and improves management of open space. Munkenbeck stated a need for the
document to be written with clarity and usability to its potential users. Schutt state his need
For a document to serve as a guidebook for future land development. Munkenbeck followed
up by stressing the need to incorporate infrastructure and its restriction and expansion as to
how it influences open space preservation efforts.
After a short discussion the board strongly agreed with the stated list of purposes in the
• introduction section of the draft planning document; and felt the community at large also
shares similar concerns and would support protection over resources in list, especially water
0 quality, viewsheds, and historic sites.
The board members skipped over the plan review section to discuss more thorough the draft
planning document. Richmond and Munkenbeck shared concerns on needing to identify
migration corridors and isolated areas that provide vital animal/ amphibian/ plant habitat.
'l'here were concerns that many sites are not identified and perhaps additional survey work
should be done to identify them. An ofTicial migration map was discussed as a tool to better
protect these areas. Munkenbeck went on to share concerns of preserving areas strategically
around villages where dense development is expected to occur. There was a mutual
apprehension amongst board members on this issue, as well as ensuring that the villages are
not boxed in by preserved lands that limit the very areas were growth is desired. "There was a
general agreement that preservation should not be preserved in hest, but in logical patterns
and portions just as developed lands should be expected to follow.
Makar stated that residents have expressed a need to keep Dryden the way it is. Makar added
that sometimes in order to preserve the character and sense of place; a change in regulations
® is required to maintain the current environment.
'['here was a disagreement on exactly how growth would expand and in what direction from
the villages and hamlets. The Carpenter farm was brought up several times, as an example of
preservation, and questions on how preserving a fan -n so close to a village would affect future
development patterns or how it would influence future preservation efforts.
The board unanimous felt that the community as a whole is very supportive of preservation
efforts; much more then forty years ago. A few members shared slight urgency to act now
and plan ahead for a time when this may not be the case and a planning document, such as
the open space preservation plan, maybe more controversial but an adopted plan would prove
beneficial in hard land use decisions to come.
Richmond stated the growth of Tompkins Cortland Community College should be realized
and decisions and planning should incorporate this growth in its open space and trail systems.
Trail systems were discussed at some length for their need and fixture benefit they would
® offer residents, especially in the networking of surrounding communities to each other.
ak,ar also stated a small bolt growing change is occurring in now families moving to
Drydcn. These residents arc bri jig ing new expectations o19serv1c:es from the community and
its oMr,ials; recreation and pedestrianlbicycIicaI linkages is part oFthis expcctation-
Fhe goals Ind objectives section oFthe draft clocurn ent was accepted with minor changes and
inclusions. The board members added a rnore thorough revle%v of draft document w i I I have to
be done beForc next meeting, The board also wanted to ensure that proper tilde is al lot to the
u I I corn petICion of the {IOCUrn ont and gLICst1011 - Iarquet's availability in the com1ng year.
Jacquet's response was Nxi'ble and accommodating,
,After a short discussion the meeting vas adjourned at ] 0: prn.
Minutes submitted by LkCquct,