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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 .
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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
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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
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Public Hearing - Comp Plan
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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