HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-26Conservation Board
1/26/2021
Members Present: Gian Dodici (Chair), Bob Beck, Anne Clark, David Wilson, Nancy
Munkenbeck, Craig Schutt, Peter Davies, Andrew Miller
Absent: Tim Woods, Jeanne Grace
Liaisons: Loren Sparling (Town Board)
Guest(s): Gary Macdowell, Steven Bissen
Review and approval of minutes dated December 29, 2020
On motion made by C. Schutt, seconded by A. Clark, minutes were unanimously approved as
written.
The meeting was called to order at 7:11 PM
New Conservation Board Member
The board welcomed Andrew Miller who is now an alternate. M Richmond was also an
alternate but no longer lives in Dryden. P Davies is resigning so it would make sense for A Miller
to slide into a full seated member. We can have two alternates. In a previous meeting, T Woods
suggested adding another member.
G Dodici thanked P Davies for his many years of leadership and hard work.
Conservation Easements
P Davies completed the report on two town administered conservation easements on
Ellis Hollow Road. No violations were found.
Ag Committee
They sent a resolution to the Town Board supporting the Conservation Board’s
resolution. They also talked about the Comprehensive Plan.
Dryden Lake Dam
A Clark has been contacted by numerous people who know she’s on the board, looking
for suggestions and clarifications on what the public could do to help save the lake. She has told
them that the town does not control it, the DEC does, and to contact the DEC about it. She feels
uncomfortable speaking for the whole board.
C Schutt agrees that the public should go straight to the DEC about it but should also
contact the Town Board because that is whose opinion the DEC originally asked for.
L Sparling says that the Town Board only discussed this matter briefly. He does know
that the board received the resolutions from the Conservation Board and Agriculture Advisory
Committee. Other boards and committees are putting together their resolutions supporting the
dam as well. Jason Leifer, Town Supervisor, did convey that the DEC was looking into specifics
to replace the dam which means they have yet to make their final decision. It seems as if the
Town Board is in support of keeping the dam although all of the power is held by the DEC.
A Miller suggests that they take screen shots of the DEC’s Dryden lake website that
highlights fishing and boating as critical things to do at the lake. If they remove the dam, they
are removing something that they are promoting.
Another suggestion is to bring in government representatives to offer assistance.
Critical Environmental Areas
N Munkenbeck suggested that this be a topic in the future because Cascadilla Creek was
in the original plan. It would have been #1 critical environmental area. It is considered a unique
natural area from the source swamp to the Town of Dryden line. She would expect that the
residents in Ellis Hollow would not object to that but would enjoy it. She would like to put that
forth as something to bring up in the next year.
G Dodici: What would the threat be to the corridor? It seems well protected. Most of
the stream seems well buffered from roads and new development. Are there eminent threats
that adding another layer of protection would bring that it doesn’t already have?
N Munkenbeck: It’s generally too late by the time anyone knows that there is a threat to
the CEA. That CEA might automatically create the stream buffer and that could be a nice thing.
On many maps all the little streams on the hill side leading down to the major stream are listed
as Cascadilla Creek. Those are not all in the unique natural area and it wouldn’t make sense if
they were. I’m proposing that it be from the swamp to the Dryden town line that we would
request that be designated to be the critical environmental area.
S Bissen sent a link via chat of the DEC’s definition of what a CEA is. It’s very vague so he
thinks they did it this way so the towns can make their own opinion and can come up with their
own CEA designation. You can find the website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6184.html.
The board will continue this matter in a future meeting.
Rail Trail Task Force
B Beck shared his presentation on the Dryden Rail Trail Maps and his plans to improve
and grow the Dryden Rail Trail.
P Davies and G Dodici thanked and congratulated B Beck for all of his hard work.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Banwell