Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-02 03/02/2021 CONSERVATION BOARD 03/02/2021 Members Present: Gian Dodici (Chair), Bob Beck, Anne Clark, David Wilson, Nancy Munkenbeck, Craig Schutt, Andrew Miller, Jeanne Grace, Tim Woods Absent: Liaisons: Loren Sparling (Town Board), Simon St Laurent (Planning Board) Guest(s): The meeting was called to order at 7:02 PM Review and approval of minutes dated January 26, 2021 On motion made by C. Schutt, seconded by A. Clark, minutes were unanimously approved as written. Ag Committee update: On February 3rd the Ag Committee talked about the comp plan and what they would like to see. They called a special meeting on the 17th and came up with a resolution for the Town Board and a bulleted list as to what they want to see. The committee talked about the stretch energy code, but they came to a conclusion that they don’t have enough information to make a resolution. What is the stretch code? This is a 2023 energy code, so we are looking into the future. The stretch code encourages greater energy efficiency in terms of installation and use of renewable energy. If we subscribe to this, we’re more eligible to receive grants. It would be enforced the same way the building code is. Planning Board update: The Planning Board is going forward with the comprehensive plan conversation. There will be future public meetings of some kind, but the current round is closing. They’ve also talked a little bit about the stretch energy code and storm water discussion. The Planning Board passed a resolution supporting the Conservation Board’s resolution on Dryden Lake dam. Rail Trail update: B Beck- I expect to have the fully executed agreement for the trail through the game farm from DEC. We don’t have the signed contract back from Albany yet, but we should soon. 03/02/2021 That will enable us to move forward with renovating the trestles at the Game Farm and hopefully opening up that section of the trail that goes from Game Farm Road to the east Ithaca rec way. Deer Management: T Woods has not gotten any feedback from hunts that were held in other towns such as Trumansburg and Lansing. There is a no hunting local ordinance in Freeville village so they would have to overturn that for the hunters to conduct a hunt site. The other two are outside of the Freeville village limits. J Grace manages the sites in the City of Ithaca and says that their deer management hunt season is going on now until the end of the month. She thinks that if the board feels strongly enough about conducting these hunts, the board should get something rolling soon because this is the time of year to do it. Comments: • In Ithaca, they just use bow, but they can use gun if that is what the permit is for. • You cannot set up under 300 feet from the road. • Make sure the volunteer hunters are really dedicated. • If in a residential area, bow should be used. • Hunter’s in other towns use equipment such as bows, infrared lights, and night vision goggles. Storm Water Law A business owner wants to move his metal roofing business into an existing building on Southworth Road. This business is metal roofing for buildings. He wants to add on to it. Someone from the Planning Department had gone up and said there’s no worries. Then others from the Planning Department started looking at it and said where is the storm water plan? Then the question came up of how big of an area is it, and why does it need storm water? Dryden has a substantial storm water law that they are supposed to enforce. It goes much further than the MS4 regulations. This law includes: • Any land development activity with an area of disturbance greater than or equal to 5000 square feet. • Any land development activity regardless of size within 100 feet of a surface water of the State of New York or a wetland. • Any land development activity involving a minor disturbance 500 feet or longer or 3 feet or wider on average slope of 5% from the high point to low point along the line of disturbance. 03/02/2021 An applicant provides a notice of ground disturbance. The Town then determined which of three types of storm water permit would apply to the proposed project. The three types of permit are: A Sediment and erosion control plan, a basic storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP), and a full SWPPP. A simple SWPPP that talks about ground disturbance and gives guidelines they (the applicant) need to follow. For the full SWPPP there’s proposed construction and proposed construction conditions. Questions/Comments • Who is enforcing this? The town isn’t. • I think its problematic. • Why are we making laws if were not going to enforce them? Basically they are issuing permits that go against the town laws. • Hopshire has never had a storm water plan. All the water goes under route 13 to Etna Lane and floods the trailer park. • The Planning Department should not be issuing permits without the storm water plan. • It’s either an enforcement issue or a staffing problem. • Fill sites are supposed to have a storm water plan as well. • What can we do as a board? • We should bring it to the attention of the Town Board. • They are issuing permits that go against town laws. • Most of the links on Dryden website don’t work to read about this. • Google Town of Dryden stormwater law and it comes right up. • Could the town be fined for this? Yes, if there is a lawsuit. • Are the code enforcers acting in good faith? G Dodici and C Schutt are going to work on a resolution to bring to the Town Board. On motion made by B Beck, seconded by N Munkenbeck, the meeting was adjourned at 8:02 PM. Respectfully submitted, Emily Banwell Deputy Town Clerk