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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-05-21 77 9 1 Planning Board Minutes Public Hearing - Comp Plan May 21 , 2003 TOWN OF DANBY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES PUBLIC HEARING - COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAY 21 2003 PRESENT : Chairperson Sarah Newman Planning Board Members : William Farrell , Laurene Gilbert, Linda Hansen, Olivia Vent, Lee Washesky ABSENT : Robert Roe (Excused) Arrived late . Others Present : Carol Sczepanski - Secretary Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer Members of the Public : Roy Casterline, Joel Gagnon, Doug Gillogly, Esther Dotson, Ronda Roaring, Eileen Wright, Naomi Strichartz, Norbert Nolte, Dave Furness and others COMMUNICATIONS : Affidavit of Publication Memo from Tompkins County Planning Letter from Highway Superintendent - William Hall Chairperson Sarah Newman reported to the public present that comments may be made until June 30 , 2003 on the Draft Comprehensive Plan . Public Hearing Declared Open Chairperson Sarah Newman declared the public hearing open at 7 : 10 p .m . and read the following Notice of Publication : "PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 21 , 2003 at 7 : 00 p . m. at 1830 Danby Road , Ithaca, New York for the Draft Town of Danby Comprehensive Plan . All interested persons will be heard either in person or in writing . A Regular Meeting of the Planning Board will follow the public hearing . Dated : May 7 , 2003 Published : May 10 , 2003 By Order of the Planning Board Carol W . Sczepanski , Town Clerk" Chairperson Newman started the public hearing by giving thanks to the people who made this evening possible. Susan Beeners our Code Enforcement Officer who has been instrumental over the years in gathering information, bringing it to the Planning Board and doing early drafts of the work that eventually became the comprehensive plan . The final work was done by the members of current and past planning board chairs and planning board members . We have also had some summer interns that have worked with us and done a variety of projects in putting together this draft plan. The plan has a set of goals , objectives and strategies that go with each of the major topics that are considered in the plan . This is how we would like Danby to be in the future Presentation of Summary of the Town of Danby Comprehensive Plan Members of the Planning Board presented an overview of the Draft Comprehensive Plan . . ; 780 2 Planning Board Minutes Public Hearing - Comp Plan May 21 , 2003 Laurene Gilbert - Population and Housing Susan Beeners - Natural Resources Linda Hansen - Economy Olivia Vent - Agriculture Laurene Gilbert - Transportation Olivia Vent - Historic and Cultural Resources Linda Hansen - Community Service Sarah Newman - Utilities and Communications Susan Beeners - Land Use Comments From the Public : Norbert Nolte member of our Town Board and Highway Department Liaison said that Bill Hall and Susan Howe could not be here tonight asked the Board to take into account the comments and concerns of the Highway Department as stated in their communication to the Board. He said he thinks that the Planning Board is doing a good job . A lot of hard hours that he really appreciates that, everyone including Carol for their endless hours and hard work. Chairperson Newman said that the comments from the Highway Department will be added into the record. We have not received any other comments in writing. Douglas Gillogly asked for a copy of the overheads that were presented . He looks at the signs for the park lands and asked if we get support from the State to maintain that land. He will submit other questions in writing . Chairperson Newman said that we do get support through the State by it does not fully cover the expenses that the Town incurs terms of maintaining the roads through State Forest Lands . Dave Furness - NYS representative of the DEC said that New York State pays taxes on NYS Taxable Lands (properties) that helps support the maintenance of the roads . Esther Dotson - praised the plan itself and is very strongly in favor of both the Danby Community Park and a community center and the emphasis on those points on your summary . Arch Dotson - in the process of recovering from the impact of all he has seen tonight. It really ought to be used as a kind of model . We ought to exploit its demonstration of effects and there are many sources of grants and other supports that would be available . It ' s absolutely startling what you have done . Lamar Herrin - there were some phrases he did not understand - page 5 mentioned incentive zoning under B2 - 1 . 2 , conservation overlays on incentive zoning, rural development guidelines ; page 3 A1 . 3 .4 performance zoning . Would like some clarifications on those terms . Susan Beeners explained the terms that Mr. Herrin wanted clarified . Lamar Herrin - asked about D2 . 1 . 3 . He said he had a hard time understanding what is intended by that. He thinks someone should explain that and how those pieces go together. Olivia Vent should we should flag it for clarification at some point . Lamar Herrin - Natural gas is not available on side roads . He has contacted NYSEG and if each neighbor on Muzzy Road from Rte . 96B would contribute $2 ,000,00 the line could be extended on that road . Is there any way the Town has any leverage or persuading powers to entice NYSE into supplying us in a better way . Ronda Roaring - South Danby Road - Executive Director of the NYS Coalition for Animals . She thanked the Planning Board who spent so much time working on this . She feels that Sue Beeners is an asset to our Town . She also thanked Ric Dietrich for the Danby Zoning Ordinance as she 81 3 Planning Board Minutes Public Hearing - Comp Plan May 21 , 2003 thinks he did the Town a service . She has a vast number of comments of which most she will make in writing. This Saturday May 24 , 2003 marks 23 years that she has owned her house on South Danby Road. When she purchased that house it was because she liked the ruralness of the area. She liked it because there wasn ' t any development . Now she has one farm, a sheep farm and is 100% surrounded by development . Nobody ever asked her or did any kind of study to indicate what kind of environmental consequences would occur for all this intensive development. In the last 25 years 382 houses have gone up in Danby and 48 of which are in South Danby even though we have most of the Danby State Forest. We have the least available developable land and yet 48 houses have gone up. It has totally destroyed any ruralness for her. We need a definition of rural . She suggested that there be a ten ( 10) year moratorium on building permits in South Danby . She said that in the next twenty (20) years hunting will be illegal in NYS . We will have more cougars , more bears, bob cats and all the other wild life . We will need to really be able to function with these large animals around . Kandea Mosley -from the Ithaca Journal - She asked Sue Beeners to repeat her comments about the areas of the Town with development pressure and interest in preserving areas in Danby . Tim Devoogd - farming in the early 1800's essentially every plat mentioned was being farmed then . Essentially all of Danby now is human made because of active use in the hamlets and forests . He was thinking how we have the opportunity to find out what the balance is between the different kinds of uses now. Is it possible to make a priority before the plan gets approved to somehow being able to think about the kinds of zoning or incentives to preserve vacant land . Liz Roe - 1820 Danby Road - having more regulations is a job for the Danby Zoning Laws and not the Comprehensive Plan . She thinks this is excellent in general in terms of trying to address all of the different constituencies and to leave it open ended enough for future planning. She said she would like to make a point of correction , Ric Dietrich did not bring zoning to Danby he brought Ithaca Zoning to Danby. We have had more development since the zoning we adopted ten ( 10) years ago than the plan we had previously. She commented that she thinks one of the problems that some of us have in Danby is assuming that we all have the same values. If you have a small farm and want to farm what you want to farm, she does not think anyone in the Town should tell you what you should be farming as long as you stay within the State regulations . This is an inclusive plan and she thinks the Planning Board has done an awesome job . Eileen Wright - would like to thank the Planning Board for all the hard work and you can ' t please everybody all the time . Naomi Strichartz - member of the Town Board - thanked the Planning Board and said that they had balanced the difference in the Town in a very measured very thoughtful map . Not one person agrees with another person . We must be careful if you have something that can mean anything at all because of its balance . Revisions to the Zoning Ordinance will balance the Comprehensive Plan . Arch Dotson - among the things that are so impressive about this document at this stage is clear every time a proposal is offered or a suggestion of the direction . One thing affects another thing which affects another thing and that is what planning is about. He urged the Board to think about the systematic opportunities within the plan that you are fashioning . Dave Furness - thanked the Board for all the efforts put into this document. He was here to listen and to hear what the goals and objectives are . He said that we are doing a great job . Bob Roe - Open space is a feature of our environment . Now there are no incentives to keep land open which is quite the contrary to the tax structure . Some of the tools that are for maintaining open space have already been discussed in terms of development issues themselves . Roy Casterline - said that the Land Trust pays no Town and County Tax , School Tax or Fire Tax on their 128 acres in West Danby. Their only payment to the Town is to the Special District to the West Danby Water District . He does not think that large parcels should be removed from the tax 82 4 Planning Board Minutes Public Hearing - Comp Plan • May 21 , 2003 rolls . Public Hearing Declared Closed Chairperson Newman declared the public hearing closed at 9 : 30 P . M . rsC Carol W. Sczep cretary phm-cp . 03