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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-12TB 11-12-15 Page 1 of 5 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING November 12, 2015 Present: Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner, Cl Joseph Solomon, Cl Jason Leifer, Cl Linda Lavine Absent: Cl Gregory Sloan Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Jennifer Case, Bookkeeper Ray Burger, Director of Planning Supv Sumner opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. Board briefly discussed the Tompkins County Energy Road Map and Supv Sumner asked the board to review the information provided. Joe Wilson distributed a letter for the board’s consideration. Budget Modifications – There is a request from the Recreation Dept moving $1000 from Marketing/Advertising to Community Recreation and $1000 from Recreation Equipment to Community Recreation. The modification is the result of contributing toward the purchase price of the new printer/copier for the building and an unexpected expense. RESOLUTION #161 (2015) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the following budget modification: From Acct To Acct Amount A4330.414 Marketing/Advertising A7330.4 Community Recreation 1,000.00 A7020.201 Recreation Equipment A7330.4 Community Recreation 1,000.00 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Cl Lavine Abstain There is also a request from the Court for a budget modification and payment of three vouchers tonight depend on its approval. They propose to move $500 from court security to contractual for unforeseen expenses. The court needed to provide an interpreter for a deaf person on two occasions. Supv Sumner suggests approval because there is money in other budget lines and the vouchers to be paid. Cl Leifer suggested modifying their 2016 budget and getting it from zeroing the equipment line and moving it to a contingency line in the supervisor budget for 2016. If not used, the money will be returned to fund balance. TB 11-12-15 Page 2 of 5 RESOLUTION #162 (2015) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the following budget modification: From Acct To Acct Amount A1110.105 Justices Court Security A1110.4 Justices Contractual 500.00 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Cl Lavine Yes There was a discussion about the hours the court offices are open to serve the public. Judge Clauson explained that by giving the clerks Friday afternoons off , they would not be accumulating too much comp time. All paperwork is labeled with new office hours. They may be able to adjust it so that the office is open on Friday afternoons by the clerks alternating days off. He made it clear that by law, the Board is not able to dictate the hours the court offices are open. The court budget is close to the limit on the contractual line and court security. The clerk salary lines will be over about $2400 at end of year. Security has $2300 after the budget mod. Judge Clauson understands the situation and said they have used sheriff deputies who were already in court for hearings other than routine court instead of court officers. It was noted that the new senior clerk is not accustomed to monitoring a budget closely, though the bookkeeper does send monthly statements to department heads. Judge Clauson will meet with Supv Sumner to discuss how to address this. The s alary lines are likely to be over by about $2400 (due to overlap of personnel and training period) and Supv Sumner suggested the use of contingency to cover that. Cl Leifer said that the beginning year adjustment will help cover this. The court will be required have permission from the Supervisor before ordering any equipment. Supv Sumner said there is a need to clarify the difference between equipment and supplies. Furniture is supplies. Planning Board Recommendation about Comprehensive Plan – Supv Sumner stated the Planning Board has recommended that it is premature to do a rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan at this time and suggest additions of specific sections (attached). While she appreciates the recommendation, she doesn’t entirely agree. Amendments are in order in a couple of areas. She asked the board to review the document and will put it on next month’s agenda meeting discussion. The board might want to suggest that some portions be written as actual amendments such as open space, environmental protection and transportation. The board discussed asking the Planning Board to make a presentation to the Town Board. Supv Sumner said it is time to update the comp plan and if it is not done soon it will become increasing outdated and the effort to update it will be increasingly huge. Craig Anderson said the Conservation Board is working on a natural resources plan and the Ag Committee is working on the ag plan, and those should be considered in revising the comp plan. The zoning law is only three years old, so there isn’t a lot of history to work with. Perhaps they should look at the comp plan three to five years after these others are TB 11-12-15 Page 3 of 5 involved. Supv Sumner said those can be additions to the comp plan and having a ten year old plan is past, not future, planning. Supv Sumner will communicate with the Planning Board that the Town Board would like a presentation at 6:00 p.m. on December 10. Finance Reports – Supv Sumner said this time of year is interesting because the report shows actual expenditures and balances. She suggested the finance committee should review and report to the board on four or five items of interest at regular intervals. The town may be short on sales tax revenue this year, but it is not particularly worrisome because we will be $30,000 over in mortgage tax. Other revenue lines are over and we should meet the budgeted goal in the A fund. There are no particular concerns in expenditures. The retirement bill is substantially lower than budgeted for in the A fund. The B fund has exceeded revenue by several thousand dollars and is comfortably below budgeted expenditures. DA revenue is almost entirely sales tax and is what it is being funded 100% by sales tax. Not as much has been expended for equipment as expected. $160,000 of $400,000 has been spent. It was said the Highway Superintendent has a plan for that money. CHIPS money is anticipated to be the budgeted amounts. Paperwork is going in tomorrow so hopefully we will have it by the end of the year. That will make revenue in DB on target. Expenditures are comfortably under budget. Freese Road Bridge – The Conservation Board has passed a resolution in support of maintaining the bridge in its current configuration. Supv Sumner said she understands that projected is back-burnered again. Jeff Smith of Tompkins County Highway says it will be replaced with a two lane bridge, but is not on the county infrastructure report for 2016 or 2017. Cl Leifer said he understands it is planned for 2019 construction and the town’s share would be $538,000 for a two lane bridge. He will talk with Jeff Smith and said the county should cover the extra cost if it is two lanes. Supv Sumner noted that bridges are not intended to be traffic calming devices. Ray Burger is going to invite Jeff Smith to meet with our boards regarding the intent of bridge work in the town in the coming years. Supv Sumner said the County won’t invoice the town until the Malloryville Road and Red Mill Road bridges are both completed and that is unlikely to happen in 2016. Zoning Law amendment – Ray Burger distributed an amendment to the amendment that was previously introduced. If the board approves, it will need to be introduced and a new public hearing held. The idea with this amendment is to take review of these types of projects to the Planning Board for site plan review for up to 4 buildings on one parcel and to the town board for a special use permit if it is more than five buildings. The breakpoint of four is similar tracking as minor-major subdivisions. Supv Sumner said she likes the idea given there is room for septic system and so forth, but wants to protect neighborhood character. The planning board in their site plan review has the option to call for a public hearing. This does not apply to farm worker housing. R Burger will clean up the draft for introduction next week. Supv Sumner noted she went to a meeting on the Game Farm Road trail this morning. Two sportsmen groups were represented. She thought it was interesting that one of them thought CAFO’s have an impact on hunting and that increasing herd size takes liberties on areas that should be protected. TB 11-12-15 Page 4 of 5 Public hearings are scheduled for next week for the sewer rent laws. Supv Sumner is withdrawing the one for SS1 because she wants to change the rate. That one will be introduced next week. 1402 Dryden Road – Storage Squad – Applicants have submitted a SWPPP and it is being reviewed by TG Miller. They will probably have something next week, but it won’t be reviewed by the engineers by next Thursday. The tradeoff of time for space is their choice. The plan calls for using an underground gallery system which is a newer way of dealing with stormwater. They need site data to show that the soils can accommodate what they are planning. Applicant is confident that any change in the site plan due to the stormwater plan would be a scaled down project. The hearing will be left open. The board briefly discussed landscaping requirements for the storage place across the street. It was noted that Incodema has not finished their landscaping either. Perhaps the code offices need to evaluate their time planning and priorities. 902 Dryden Road – Applicant has not nailed down the flood zone yet. They need to get FEMA to commit or do a hydrologic study to nail down a number. They will also likely scale down the density. Applicant will not be present next week, and the board will l eave the hearing open. There are still public concerns. Lee Shurtleff of Tompkins County Emergency Response has notified the town that a company has asked to co-locate on a county tower in the town. This company previously tried to co-locate on an ATT tower. The owner of the SAGA tower kicked the applicant off for bad behavior. The county has no special use permit so the town can’t amend it. Equipment swaps are generally straight forward. The County has reviewed the engineering and is okay with it. The town regulates the tower not the equipment, but Supv Sumner wants to do a resolution to show the town is aware of it. It is a change of equipment and a municipal tower. The town’s law encourages co-location but may not require anything because it is municipal tower. The county tower had site plan review, but this is a private enterprise co-locating on a public tower. The equipment cabinet is a small cabinet. Cl Leifer will investigate this. RESOLUTION #163 (2015) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #11 Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #11, as audited, general vouchers #855 through #946 ($790,082.70) and TA vouchers #56 and #57 ($3,356.29), totaling $793,439.08 2nd Cl Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Cl Lavine Yes Cl Lavine would like the Energy Road Map listed as a future agenda item. Joe Wilson submitted a letter suggesting what the town’s comments about it might be. Supv Sumner asked the board to read the information provided and check out the power point presentation from the open house. Cl Lavine said she has attended presentations and J Wilson’s comments seem appropriate. TB 11-12-15 Page 5 of 5 There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk Town of Dryden Planning Board July 23, 2015 RESOLUTION #11 – The Planning Board has decided that it is premature to engage in a rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan at this time. WHEREAS, there have been relatively few cases where the Comprehensive Plan and its zoning amendment implementation have been tested so far, and WHEREAS, the Planning Board’s analysis is that, while there are sections of the comprehensive plan that could be clarified and new sections added to cover issues not contemplated 10 years ago, no areas have been identified that require immediate attention and that make the Plan at odds with the current goals of the community, and WHEREAS, the town will need to focus its attention on completing the Agricultural Plan and the Natural Resources Plan over the next year or two, THEREFORE be it: RESOLVED, that Planning Board recommends to the Town Board of the Town of Dryden that it is premature to begin a major rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan at this time, and RESOLVED, that the additions of new sections to address those unanticipated issues, including areas of energy conservation and sustainability, economic vitality, recreational opportunities, and transportation improvement, can and will be adequately addressed as a set of guidelines for desired development that can be referred to in the Comprehensive Plan until such time as a Comprehensive Plan rewrite is deemed necessary. 2 Comprehensive Plan Review The Town of Dryden Planning Board proposes to include in a revised Comprehensive Plan, if such a revision occurs, the following sections: Analysis and Suggestions for Modification of the Dryden Comprehensive Plan to Include Energy Sustainability, Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Design Guidelines, and the Incorporation of STAR Community Goals. 3 Analysis and Suggestions for Modification of the Dryden Comprehensive Plan to include Energy Sustainability Martin Hatch and David Weinstein Current Plan: In the Dryden 2005 Comprehensive Plan, the mention of energy considerations only occurs once. In the “GOALS” section, it states: 6. Open Space and Environmental Protection Objectives Encourage development that promotes conservation of energy and water resources and minimizes where possible adverse impacts such as loss of agricultural and forest lands, soil erosion and sedimentation, and storm water run-off. “ Proposal for modification of the Dryden Comprehensive Plan to include energy sustainability: The subcommittee on Energy Sustainability proposes that we add relevant sections to the Comprehensive Plan and Dryden Zoning Amendment that direct developers to follow the recommendations in a new Guidelines for Sustainable Energy Development and Usage, similar to our current Guidelines for Development. A proposal for these guidelines is included later in this document. Further, the following sections should be added to the Comprehensive Plan to outline the actions to be taken by the Town to further the goal of energy sustainability in Dryden: Potential Town Actions: 1. The Town should set support the development of local energy generation by providing information in the following steps: • Perform an analysis of the legal, physical (resources), social and economical barriers hindering local energy generation, and provide corrective actions (subsidies, regulation, campaigns…). • Identify public and private high thermal energy consuming buildings/facilities and produce recommendations for lower energy-use alternatives without loss of functionality. Typical highly energy consuming public facilities are: Swimming pools, sports facilities, office buildings, hospitals or retirement homes. 4 • Consider and potentially introduce renewable energy installations’ requirements (such as space for alternative energy systems, such as solar PV or thermal, biomass, or geothermal, so that these systems would not be precluded in the future. • Show publicly the successes of renewable energy measures, implemented in public buildings, such as the Town Hall’s geothermal system. • Identify the potential in each new development for the use of renewable energy sources (solar thermal, solar PV and biomass) or micro-cogeneration. Consider the potential for adapting the design of new developments to the requirement of these technologies. 2. Provide information and support to the stakeholders • Organize informative meetings with stakeholders to demonstrate the economic, social and environmental advantages of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Provide financial resources to consumer associations and NGOs to disseminate these benefits to final consumers. Consider promoting distributed energy generation as a marketing project. • Create agreements with other public entities or associations, providing training courses focused on technical, environmental and financial issues to installers, consulting and engineering companies. • Create an info-portal (for example, a section on the town’s web site) on the renewable energies and energy-efficiency sectors in your town, with practical and timely information for citizens (where to buy biomass, where are the best areas to install wind energy or solar thermal/photovoltaic collectors, list of installers and equipment…). Such database may include information on best practices in your town. 3. Set up regulations and actions that promote local energy generation projects • Modify planning regulation where necessary to consider accommodating the infrastructures required in alternative energy use. • Create incentives for energy-efficiency improvements or renewable energy sources included in proposals. 4. Ensure the availability of space to achieve projects • If needed, provide public space to install local distributed energy generation installations. Consider setting aside large unused spaces to promote renewable energies. 5 Potential Town Actions by sector: 1. Residential Sector Objective: Promote, support, and enable increased energy efficiency and renewable energy systems in residential uses. Potential Strategies: Energy Efficiency and Conservation  Encourage new residential construction projects to build beyond the minimum buildings standards by voluntarily participating in the Energy Star Qualified New Home Program. (Generally, Energy Star Qualified New Homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than buildings built to the 2004 International Residential Code.  Residential Energy Assistance Program (REAP): Encourage households to partake in subsidized home energy audits.  Insulate Program: Encourage residents to partake in the insulate programs, such as those which offer a rebate on the cost of upgrading insulation.  Promote Energy Sw eep Programs which provide education to homeowners on ways to be more energy efficient, as well as distribute and installs low cost items such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), low flow showerheads, clothes drying racks, and referrals for subsidized weatherization services.  Energy Star Appliances and Computers: Encourage and provide educational materials on purchasing Energy Star certified household appliances and electronics.  Identify best practices from other communities that encourage more energy efficient and sustainably built homes.  Encourage and support the development of net zero energy homes. 6 Clean Energy  WindSource: Encourage residents to voluntarily purchase cleaner electricity.  Solar Hot Water Systems: Encourage residents to take advantage of the rebates on solar hot water systems.  SolarRewards: Encourage residents to partake in solar rebate programs for installation of photovoltaic solar panel systems. 2. Commercial Sector Objective: Promote, support, and enable increased energy efficiency and use of renewable energy generation in commercial and industrial. Potential Strategies: Energy Efficiency and Conservation  Encourage conforming to United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for New Construction  Develop a Green Business Advisory sub-Committee Clean Energy Technologies  WindSource: Encourage commercial businesses to choose cleaner energy sources. 3. Municipal Sector Objective: Increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy in buildings and operations. Potential Strategies  Encourage LEED standards for new construction and renovations.  Establish energy reduction goals for each town building and facility. 7  Encourage the Town to purchase Energy Star computers and office equipment  Establish a desired average fuel efficiency goal for the town’s vehicle fleet. 4. Transportation Sector Objective: Reduce transportation energy consumption through a combination of increased vehicle mileage, reduced mileage traveled, increased transportation system efficiency and increased use of mass transit and non-polluting transportation options. . Potential Strategies: Encourage Mode-Shifts and Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled  Encourage use of public transportation by encouraging major employers to participate in the transit programs, and making bus stops more user friendly.  Enable and encourage biking by adding and extending bike paths, increasing bike path connections, and by improving bicycle safety and usability of city streets.  Encourage youth to use alternative modes of transportation, including programs through the high school level.  Encourage car-pooling.  Explore feasibility of installing electric recharging services and bio-fuel stations. Improve Vehicle Fuel Economy  Encourage residents and businesses to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles.  Provide education on ways to enhance the efficiency of vehicles, such as sufficient tire pressure and clean air filters. 8 5. Economic Development  Explore development of low-carbon, renewable, and non-traditional energy generation to stimulate economic development and job creation.  Support green development that promotes local economic growth through clean energy jobs and that demonstrates energy sustainability living and learning solutions on varying scales. 6. Land Use  Make recommendations to town board on ways to review and amend zoning regulations to meet accommodate energy efficiency. Use planning to produce a more walkable community, better bicycle access, and less car dependency.  Improve the carbon capturing capacity of the environment by promoting healthy trees, grasslands, farmland, and open space. 7. Cooperation and Collaboration with Other Energy Programs Objective: Coordinate with government and non-government energy programs that affect the town and develop financial incentives for energy sustainability. Potential Strategies:  Continue involvement with efforts by other municipalities.  Take full advantage of energy and funding resources of regional, state, national energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.  Investigate new financial incentive programs.  Be supportive of the waste reduction projects in area, such as single-stream recycling and zero- waste events. 9 ENERGY EFFICIENCY and SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Guidelines Applicable developments are required to implement energy efficiency and production, energy conservation, and sustainable design principles as found in these guidelines. 22.1 Purpose: In accordance with the Town of Dryden’s policy on energy efficiency and conservation, this section is adopted as in the public interest to lessen the town's dependence upon energy sources which may, from time to time, be uncertain and result in increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It is also found to be in the public interest to encourage and support energy efficient practices that are likely to have beneficial impacts on the economy, the environment, and the public health. It is the intent of this ordinance to enhance and supplement existing federal and state incentives for tax treatment and other benefits related to alternative energy usage, energy efficiency and sustainable design. Interpretations by the Planning Board shall be made so far as possible to preserve the intent of these guidelines and the developer and home owner’s ability to benefit from these programs as well. 22.2 Residential Development: recommendations for energy efficiency shall be adopted by the Planning Board. 22.3 Non-residential Development. 22.3.1 The Planning Board shall recommend that non-residential developments achieve industry energy efficiency benchmarks 22.3.2 Each development should consider the following subsections: A) Renewable Energy Production . 1) Eligible generation installations shall be limited to wind, PV (photovoltaic) solar, biomass. 2) Innovative Technologies, such as fuel cell, co-generation, and small-scall biomass. B) Sustainable Design Requirements. 1) Building Site and Materials. a) Orientation  Buildings shall be oriented on the site to 10 optimize passive solar heating and cooling opportunities.  Buildings shall be oriented so as to minimize wind loads on structures.  Windows shall be placed to maximize solar penetration during the winter months and minimize solar penetration during the summer months. Lot layout shall be shown on an approved plan to insure that structures can comply with this requirement. Directions and orientations shall be noted on the recorded plan for the lot to alert the builder/lot owner of the optimal orientation. b) Reuse of Existing Materials and Recycled Content  Demonstration that the applicant will use recycled content materials in the site development and construction.  The project must provide adequate storage and collection of recyclables both during and post construction. Post construction recyclable areas must be easily accessible to all building occupants/users and be sufficiently sized for storage and collection of non-hazardous materials including at a minimum paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals. c) Use of Local and Regional Materials  In order to reduce the environmental impact of materials shipping, the project should use building materials that provide long-term durability and decreased maintenance costs; are extracted, processed and manufactured within New York; and are made from renewable resources or materials wherever possible. Relative values of local materials to overall materials cost shall also be considered for assignment of values with the range. d) Construction W aste Management. Promote efficient use of solid waste by diverting construction, demolition and land clearing debris from landfill disposal, and by redirecting resources for recycling and reuse.  Develop and implement a construction waste management plan as part of the Planning Board approval process that quantifies material diversion 11 goals and the procedures for achieving them.  Recycle and/or salvage, demolition, and land clearing waste generated through site preparation. 2) Construction Envelope Energy Conservation. Increase the amount of energy saved through conservation programs to include but not be limited to: Any mechanism for insulation that exceeds the NY Energy Code. Successful completion of air leakage tested to comply with Best Practices of Technical Standard 1 of the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association: Type Air Permeability m3/(h.m 2) at 50 pascals Best Practice Normal Offices Naturally ventilated 3 7 Mixed mode 2.5 5 Air conditioned/low energy 2 5 Factories/warehouses 2 6 Superstores 1 5 Schools 3 9 Hospitals 5 9 Museums and archiv al stores 1 1.5 Cold Stores 0.2 0.35 Dwellings Naturally ventilated 3 9 Mechanically ventilated 3 5 Additional items may be considered provided they are also eligible for the federal tax credit for energy efficiency. 3) Potential for alternative systems of heating and Cooling. a) Installation of a solar water heating system rated at 1000 watts of thermal power per 450 gallons per day of usage. b) Geothermal systems with a sufficient capacity and efficiency as projected by the manufacturer to save the average energy costs for conventional heating and cooling units by 30%. c) Wood-pellet and other biomass heating systems in 12 sufficient output to provide over 50% of the base heating load for the entire structure. d) The installation of a hydronic radiant heating system for the structure. e) Reduce the building’s heat load by either using roofing materials with a minimum Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of 78 for roof slopes less than or equal to 2:12 or a minimum SRI of 29 for slopes greater than 2:12; or install a vegetated roof for at least 50 percent of the roof area. f) Ductwork insulated to a minimum of R-6 if located in an unconditioned space, including attics, basements, and exterior walls. Exceptions include insulation for exhaust air ducts or ducts within HVAC equipment. g) HVAC piping in unconditioned spaces conveying fluids at temperatures above 120 degrees or chilled fluids at less than 55 degrees must be insulated to a minimum of R-5. 4) Innovative Technologies. a) The Planning Board may approve on a case-by- case basis the use of innovative building technologies and that there are sufficient environmental, economic, and experimental benefits to be gained from the installation. 5) Operational Requirements a) No idling policy b) Reduced lighting after hours using LED light fixtures. c) Smart Panels installed as a demand side management program. 13 Incorporation of STAR Community Goals in Town of Dryden Comprehensive Plan Joe Laquatra, Tom Hatfield, Craig Schutt GOAL AREA: Economy & Jobs: Create equitably shared prosperity and access to quality jobs Business Retention & Development Objective: Foster economic prosperity and stability by retaining and expanding businesses with support from the business community. Recommended action: Reactivate Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and charge it to develop incentives and initiatives to attract and retain businesses. For example, the IDA could:  manage a revolving loan program to help area businesses,  serve as a conduit to the tax-exempt bond market for local not-for-profit employers,  foster the growth of businesses that create quality jobs and increase the tax base. Green Market Development Objective: Increase overall market demand for products and services that protect the environment. Recommended action: Environmentally preferable products (EPP) are products and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared to competing products or services that serve the same purpose. They may include, but not be limited to, items that:  Contain recycled materials  Minimize waste  Conserve energy and/or water  Consist of fewer toxic substances  Reduce the amount of toxic substances disposed or consumed  Protect open-space  Lessen the impact to public health The Town is urged to establish an EPP Purchasing Program. Through its purchasing power the Town could reduce the environmental and public health impact of Town government and foster markets for EPPs. Local Economy, Quality Jobs, and Living Wages Objectives: Create an increasingly self-reliant community through a robust local economy with benefits shared by all. Expand job opportunities that support upward 14 economic mobility and provide sufficient wages so that working people and their families can afford a decent standard of living. Recommended action: The Town is urged to educate town residents and businesses on steps they can take to improve energy efficiency in homes and commercial structures. Resources are available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for no-cost blower door tests that assess the energy efficiency of structures. Low-interest loans from NYSERDA can be used for air-tightening measures, insulation, and high-efficiency space conditioning equipment. NYSERDA grants and loans can also be applied to photovoltaic and wind energy systems for homes and businesses. The Town is urged to educate future members of the Town labor market about careers in energy efficiency. Presentations could be made to teachers of Dryden Central School about Building Performance Institute (BPI) curricula in community colleges throughout New York State. BPI-accredited contractors are in demand for work in the weatherization and renewable energy sector. Targeted Industry Development Objective: Increase local competitiveness by strengthening networks of businesses, suppliers, and associated institutions. Recommended action: The reactivated IDA will be charged with establishing a Dryden Business Association that could advocate for business-friendly policies at the Town and State levels. GOAL AREA: Built Environment: Achieve livability, choice, and access for all where people live, work, and play Housing Affordability Objective: Construct, preserve, and maintain an adequate and diverse supply of location- efficient and affordable housing options for all residents. Recommended action: Offer incentives to developers of new subdivisions to include a percentage of affordable housing in these subdivisions that look no different than market- rate housing. GOAL AREA: Education, Arts & Community: Empower vibrant, educated, connected, and diverse communities Arts & Culture Objective: Provide a broad range of arts and cultural resources and activities that encourage participation and creative self-expression. 15 Recommended action: Because the Town of Dryden has a diverse array of historic, cultural, natural, rural, scenic, and agricultural resources, efforts should be undertaken to preserve these whenever new development occurs. Educational Opportunity & Attainment Objective: Achieve equitable attainment of a quality education for individuals from birth to adulthood. Recommended action: Town of Dryden school-aged residents are served by the Dryden School District, from which students can graduate with a degree from Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3); the Groton Central School District; the Ithaca City School District; and elementary schools in Dryden, Freeville, and McLean. In addition, the William George Agency for Children’s Services serves adolescent boys and girls who are referred by probation or social services departments, school districts, and the Office of Children and Family Services. TC3 is located in the Town. Educational programs offered by Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County are available to all Town residents. Other educational venues available to Town residents include those offered by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), Youth Services of the Town of Dryden, and 4H Acres. These resources ensure that the equitable attainment of a quality education is available for Town residents from birth to adulthood. Town officials should maintain an awareness of the quality of these educational resources and intervene, as appropriate, when this quality becomes vulnerable from internal or external concerns. Historic Preservation Objective: Preserve and reuse historic structures and sites to retain local, regional, and national history and heritage, reinforce community character, and conserve resources. Recommended action: The Town should maintain an ongoing dialog with the Dryden Historical Society to preserve and reuse historic structures and sites to retain local, regional, and national history and heritage, reinforce community character, and conserve resources. Awareness of the Dryden Historic District, located in the Village of Dryden, should be promoted. Social & Cultural Diversity Objective: Celebrate and respect diversity and represent diverse perspectives in community decision-making. Recommended action: As the Town Supervisor appoints members to the Town boards, she/he should do so in a manner that respects diversity and represents diverse perspectives in community decision-making. 16 GOAL AREA: Natural Systems: Protect and restore the natural resource base upon which life depends Invasive Species Objective: Prevent and manage invasive species in order to restore and protect natural ecosystems and the benefits they provide. Recommended action: When the Town Planning Board reviews any development proposal, it should include in its review any possible impacts on Unique Natural Areas and Critical Environmental Areas. Outdoor Air Quality Objective: Ensure that outdoor air quality is healthy for all people and protects the welfare of the community Recommended action: The Town should consider enacting regulations that address and reduce air quality impacts from outdoor wood burning. Such regulations might include: building permits for installation of outdoor wood burners; setbacks from neighboring properties; prohibited use in residential zones; and mandated seasonal-only use. The Town should also consider enacting regulation to limit the cumulative air quality impacts from industrial, diesel, or other similar operations, and should also explore adopting a motor vehicle idling law. Water in the Environment Objective: Protect and restore the biological, chemical, and hydrological integrity of water in the natural environment. Recommended action: The Town should support the ongoing efforts of water quality monitoring in the local watersheds and the Tompkins County Water Resources Council and the Brooktondale Gauge Station. Working Lands Objective: Conserve and maintain lands that provide raw materials in ways that allow for sustained harvests and the preservation of ecosystem integrity. Recommended action: When the Town Planning Board reviews any development proposal, it should include in its review any possible impacts on working lands. Continue to cooperate with Ag and Markets standards and consider extending those requirements to Ag Districts.