HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-10TB 12-10-15
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TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
December 10, 2015
Present: Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner, Cl Gregory Sloan, Cl Linda Lavine
Absent: Cl Jason Leifer, Cl Joseph Solomon
Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk
Other Town Staff: Jennifer Case, Bookkeeper
Ray Burger, Director of Planning
Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent
Supv Sumner opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Highway Superintendent Rick Young provided board members with a copy of his
proposed §284 Agreement for 2016. Supv Sumner said it would be nice to see the 2015
agreement along with a report on what was completed on that agreement and what may not
have been done.
Discussion Items
PEG Co-location on County communications tower – Supv Sumner said she had
received information from Atty Brock clarifying that the town has no need/authority to review
this because it is a municipal project. This is a private company wanting to co-locate on a
County tower. The County never had a special use permit. Supv Sumner would like to do a
resolution acknowledging what they are doing. The County has reviewed it and the tower is
structurally capable of supporting the addition.
1401 Dryden Road – The applicant will be submitting a new site plan. In order to
modify the footprint enough to they will be going to two stories. They will possibly be ready to
move forward in January.
902 Dryden Road – Applicants have not submitted a SWPPP. There is some chance
that it may get to TG Miller for review prior to next week. Supv Sumner said she doesn’t want
to receive it at the last minute and be expected to take action.
Pinckney Road – Supv Sumner reported that Atty Geldenhuys is preparing a resolution
authorizing the purchase offer and the use of fund from the recreation reserve fund and
triggering the permissive referendum. Cl Lavine asked whether funds be taken from the
unappropriated fund balance instead of the rec reserve in the event the seller wanted to close
sooner. Supv Sumner stated the town has that authority but she personally wouldn’t
recommend it. The town has already been under quite a bit of scrutiny about using
unexpended funds and there is a possibility that a permissive referendum will be called. I f
funding from the rec reserve were defeated, then the town will be on the hook for unexpended
funds. It can be done, but it isn’t her first choice. There is some reason to believe that the
timing will still work out.
R Young asked if there is a plan for the property. Supv Sumner said they are talking
about holding it as conservation space, passive recreation space with a trail. In the long range
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they are interested in trail development on the rail right -of-way and perhaps some recreation
area by the creek and there may be space for a ball field. One of the most important parts with
respect to the acquisition was protection of the stream bank and the bridge.
Supv Sumner said there was talk in the past about a parks & recreation department. If
park expansion is going on, she recommends this be investigated in the future by people from
both Recreation and DPW.
Ag Advisory Committee resolution – Supv Sumner read the following resolution from
the Ag Committee:
Whereas, the Dryden Agriculture Advisory Committee is working on a Farmland Protection Plan; and
Whereas, the members of the Committee do not have the expertise to analyze the impact the Town of
Dryden’s Zoning will have on Agriculture; and
Whereas, a review of the zoning is necessary for a successful Farmland Protection Plan,
Therefore, let it be resolved that the Dryden Agriculture Advisory Committee requests the Dryden Town
Board to work with Cornell Cooperative Extension to create and issue a Request for Proposals for a
consultant to review Dryden’s Zoning Ordinance.
She said this has been done but not with an outside consultant. A representative from
Ag & Markets has visited the town before and her take it on is that Ag & Markets will review it
if and when there is a conflict. She and Cl Lavine don’t see the need for a consultant to review
this, but it would be covered by grant funds. Supv Sumner will gather the prior
correspondence string with Ag & Markets for review by Ray Burger and the board. She is
confident that nothing in the zoning is in conflict with the Right to Farm Law, and noted that
Ag is not entirely exempt from every single zoning matter. Cl Lavine would like to set up a
discussion among the various boards to help clear the air.
Planning Board resolution – The Planning Board has passed the following resolution:
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
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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.
Supv Sumner said they could ask the Planning Board to come talk with the Town
Board, but should at least ask them to continue with the parts they are interesting in working
on. She repeated that if we wait much longer, it will be a much bigger project. If you aren’t
reviewing it once every ten years, you are losing ground. She said it would be good if the board
read the information that was previously provided and comment on it.
Energy Road Map – This was discussed briefly last month, and Supv Sumner
suggested the board should review it.
Proposed December 18 Agenda
The board will make two appointments for representation on county boards. One is
Kathy Servoss to Tompkins County Youth Commission and the other is Steve Bissen to
Tompkins County Environmental Management Council. He may also be interested in a
position on the Conservation Board.
The board needs to authorize the Supervisor to execute an agreement for t he county’s
contribution toward the Pinckney Road purchase. The total expense is just under $70,000 and
with a $15,000 contribution from County, it leaves $55,000 for the town contribution.
Hearings for next week include continuation of the hearings for 1401 and 902 Dryden
Road and a public hearing for the local law to change the sewer use rate in sewer district
number one.
Supv Sumner shared the Tompkins County Planning Dept newsletter noting that there
was an article in it about county support for the Pinckney Road property acquisition. The
County Planning Advisory Board has two vacancies – one for a local municipal planning seat
from a non-urbanized area of the county and one at large seat.
Cooperative Extension and the Chamber of Commerce have formed a group to study
commercial applications of energy efficiency.
NYSEG sent out a press release about how they are using drones to inspect the tops of
their substations.
Bob Beck reported that the Conservation Board feels strongly about proceeding with
trails projects. It is one of the most important and appreciated things the town can do for its
citizens and it has been a long time since the Schug trail was completed. They would like to
work on connecting to Freeville and get the problem of going through or past the William
George Agency solved. The Varna to Freeville section that the Design Connect group did a plan
for last spring is waiting for a next move. He understands someone is trying to get an
agreement with DEC to go through the Game Farm and with landowner agreements it can
connect all the way to Dryden.
He would like the Town Board to provide authorization to meet with landowners and
give guidance as to how to proceed with getting signed easements. If there are willing land
owners, this process should not wait. He would like the board to consider the Freeville to
McLean proposal as a long term goal. The Conservation Board resolution of September 2014
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was distributed and he asked the board to agree to move forward on this and get it on the town
map and think of it as a worthy goal. It could mean a trail from Ithaca to Cortland eventually.
The old rail bed goes through the Lime Hollow Nature Center and it would be wonderful to
make that connection.
Supv Sumner reported that she and Ray Burger met with Game Farm personnel and
Barbara Lifton, DEC Chief of the Wildlife Bureau, Joe Racette, and representatives from two
sportsmen groups. The sportsmen groups seem to hold the cards. This came up a few years
ago when they realized the Game Farm was waiting on some kind of endorsement from the
sportsmen groups, and then were told it would not be possible to do it. The sportsmen groups
made it clear that they see no value in trails as a tourist attraction and also noted that there is
no Tompkins County contingent that participates in their organization.
G Sloan stated it seems the proper procedure is to detour traffic to the roads and once
it is clear the Game Farm is blocking completion of the trail, it will change the game and they
will no longer hold the cards.
Supv Sumner wants to keep the pressure on to use the old rail bed through the game
farm. In February or March we will know if there is money available for the Varna
improvements or for this trail project. In the spring we may be able to put out a RFP for design
by an engineer of the Game Farm to Varna section of the trail. Cl Sloan said this will be
resource intensive and he would like to focus on sections of the trail you know you can
complete.
Cl Lavine and Cl Sloan would like to move forward with getting whatever easements
possible along envisioned trails. Supv Sumner suggested the board begin with the Varna area
and direct the Planning Director to coordinate the effort.
Bob Beck said he expects there would be zero impact on any Ag land on the Freeville to
McLean spur. He thinks the issue for those opposed is privacy, but it doesn’t go close to any of
the farm houses. There is some concern about deer hunting. The stretch that needs to be
resolved is getting through Jerry Dell farms and the Cornell vegetable and crop farms. The rail
bed was obliterated through those two farms, but there are ways to get around it.
Supv Sumner said his point is taken about getting it on a map, but there would have to
be a route and some research will have to go into that, especially if there is opposition. It
would take a pretty strong resolution from the board to direct that to be on the map. This
could be on the agenda next week or for January meeting. She would put the Game Farm part
first.
Bob Beck said he would like to get the Freeville to Mclean section on the map and also
think about Freeville to Groton as well. Cl Lavine would like to enlist volunteers to help with
contacting property owners for easements.
After further discussion, it was decided that R Burger will generate something to be
considered by the board, possibly next week depending on his work load.
RESOLUTION #172 (2015) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #12
Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #12, as audited, general
vouchers #947 through #1037 ($570,773.92) and TA vouchers #58 and #59 ($3,462.59),
totaling $574,236.51.
2nd Cl Sloan
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Roll Call Vote Cl Sloan Yes
Supv Sumner Yes
Cl Lavine Yes
There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried,
the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bambi L. Avery
Town Clerk