HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-16TB 6-19-22
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TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
June 16, 2022
Zoom Hybrid
Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl James Skaley,
Cl Loren Sparling, Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez
Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk
Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent
Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director
Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to Supervisor
Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:04 p.m. Board members and audience participated
in the pledge of allegiance.
Cl Sparling shared some edits to the May minutes.
RESOLUTION #100 (2022) – APPROVE MINUTES
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the minutes of May 12 and May 19,
2022.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes
Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes
Cl Skaley Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSED LOCAL LAW
AUTHORIZING TOWN’S PUBLIC BODIES TO USE
VIDEO CONFERENCING
Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:05 p.m. This proposed law will allow the
town’s public bodies to use video conferencing technology to participate in public meetings. It
would allow members of policy making boards to participate from home or another location if
there was a quorum in person at the town hall. The town attorney has been asked an opinion
on whether this would apply to advisory boards. It is in response to what has been happening
under the Governor’s executive orders during the covid emergency. This pro posed law is based
on a model law produced by the Association of Towns.
The board will vote on this in July.
There were no comments from the public.
Cl Lamb said by providing virtual attendance opportunities, more people are having
access to meetings.
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The hearing was left open at 6:09 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING
CNY AUTOHUB
SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION
FOR VEHICLE SALES AT 129 NORTH STREET
Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:10 p.m. Ray Burger explained the applicant
currently has a successful business at 119 North Street and are looking to expand to a larger
lot. The business sells used cars, trailers and has a U -Haul rental component. There is a
revised site plan and a draft resolution that includes conditions to address the potential for
future sidewalks in the area, and installing of some landscaping per commercial design
guidelines. Entrance to the site will only be from Route 13 with an exit/entrance on Ellis
Drive. The Village of Dryden was informed and submitted no comment.
Applicant Dave Donlick said he received approval for his current site 3.5 years ago. He
is currently leasing, has looked for a location to purchase, and the property next door became
available. It is not necessarily ideal, but works, and he would like to maintain the great
relationships with repair shops in the community that he has formed. The move will allow the
business to grow.
There is a condition that if adjacent properties install sidewalks, this property will have
to install sidewalks. It could be that DOT may redo the road and DOT may install a sidewalk
along that section of road. It was decided to put a deadline of two ye ars for installation of a
sidewalk.
The public hearing was closed at 6:23 p.m. and the board reviewed the short
environmental assessment form.
RESOLUTION #101 (2022) - NEG SEQR DEC - APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT
AND SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR AUTOMOTIVE AND TRAILER SALES LOCATED AT 129
NORTH STREET, TAX PARCEL 38.-1-31.2
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
WHEREAS,
A. The proposed action involves consideration of the application of David Donlick for Special
Use Permit and Site Plan Approval for automotive and trailer sales located at 129 North Street,
tax parcel 38.-1-31.2; and
B. The proposed action is an Unlisted Action for which the Town Board of the Town of Dryden
is the lead agency for the purposes of uncoordinated environmental review in connection with
approval by the Town; and
C. The Town Board of the Town of Dryden, in performing the lead agency function fo r its
independent and uncoordinated environmental review in accordance with Article 8 of SEQRA,
(i) thoroughly reviewed the Short Environmental Assessment Form (“EAF”), Part I and any and
all other documents prepared and submitted with respect to this proposed action and its
environmental review, (ii) thoroughly analyzed the potential relevant areas of environmental
concern to determine if the proposed action may have a significant adverse impact on the
environment, including the criteria identified in 6 NYCRR §617.7(c), and (iii) completed the
EAF, Part 2.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
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1. The Town Board of the Town of Dryden, based upon (i) its thorough review of the EAF, Part I
and any and all other documents prepared and submitted with respect to this proposed action
and its environmental review, (ii) its thorough review of the potential relevant areas of
environmental concern to determine if the proposed action may have a significant adverse
impact on the environment, including the criteria identified in 6 NYCRR §617.7(c), and (iii) its
completion of the EAF, Part 2, including the reasons noted thereon (which reasons are
incorporated herein as if set forth at length), hereby makes a negative determination of
environmental significance (“Negative Declaration”) in accordance with SEQR for the above
referenced proposed action, and determines that an Environmental Impact Statement will not
be required; and
2. The Responsible Officer of the Town Board of the Town of Dryden is hereby authorized and
directed to complete, and sign as required the determination of significance, confirming the
foregoing Negative Declaration, which fully completed and signed EAF and determination of
significance shall be incorporated by reference in this Resolution.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes
Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes
Cl Skaley Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
RESOLUTION #102 (2022) - Approving Site Plan and Granting Special Use Permit for
Automotive and Trailer Sales at 129 North Street, Tax Parcel 38.-1-31.2
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
WHEREAS,
A. David Donlick has applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to conduct automotive and
trailer sales at 129 North Street, Tax Parcel 38.-1-31.2; and
B. The proposed car and trailer sales and display will occupy an existing commercial
building and lot; and
C. An application, sketch plan, and Short Environmental Assessment Form (SEAF) have
been submitted, and
D. The Town Planning Department considers the application complete and in conformance
with the requirements of the Code of the Town of Dryden (Code) for review under §270-11
and §270-12, and
E. A public hearing was held on June 16, 2022, with public comments registered in the
meeting minutes and considered by this board, and
F. The Tompkins County Planning Department review pursuant to §239 –l, -m, and –n of
the New York State General Municipal Law is not required per our Inter-governmental
Agreement exclusion II. F., and
G. The Stormwater Management Officer reviewed the proposal and concluded that no
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required, and
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H. Pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and its
implementing regulations at 6 NYCRR Part 617, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden
has, on June 16, 2022, made a negative determination of environmental significance, after
having reviewed and accepted as adequate the Short Environmental Assessment Form
Parts 1, 2, and 3, and
I. The Town Board has reviewed this application relative to the considerations and
standards found in Code §270-11 for site plan review and §270-12 for Special Use Permit.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Town Board approves the sketch plan documents, submitted with the application
dated April 28, 2022, and revised May 31, 2022 as site plan for 129 North Street,
conditioned on the following:
a. Landscaping additions will include three trees along North Street and two trees along
Ellis Drive. Trees to be planted and maintained and shall have a minimum height at
maturity of 15 feet.
b. When sidewalks are built to either side of this parcel the ow ner shall install sidewalks
along the frontage of this parcel within two years.
c. A travel lane of 18 ft. minimum width shall be maintained around west, north and east
sides of building.
d. Driveway on North Street is for entrance only and shall be marked for no exit.
2. The Town Board hereby finds that the considerations for approval of the requested
Special Use Permit listed in Code §270-12 have been met, specifically that:
a. The proposed use is compatible with the other permitted uses in the Mixed Use
Commercial zoning district and compatible with the purpose of this district as
automotive sales is an allowed use in this district and this parcel is located along the
Route 13 corridor with other commercial businesses;
b. The proposed use is compatible with adjoining properties and with the natural
and manmade environment, as this proposal is for the re-use of an existing commercial
facility with minimal site changes proposed. There are banks on adjoining properties to
the north and west;
c. Parking, vehicular circulation, and infrastructure for the proposed use is
adequate as addressed by conditions above. The requirement for parking islands is
waived. The requirement for sidewalks along the frontage is one of the conditions above;
d. The overall impact on the site and its surroundings considering the
environmental, social and economic impacts of traffic, noise, dust, odors, release of
harmful substances, solid waste disposal, glare, or any other nuisances has been
considered and found to be negligible, based on the informatio n and reasons in the
Short Environmental Assessment Form;
e. Restrictions and/or conditions on design of structures or operation of the use
(including hours of operation) necessary to ensure compatibility with the surrounding
uses or to protect the natural or scenic resources of the Town have been incorporated
into the site plan;
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f. The project complies with the requirements for site plan review and conforms to
the Town’s Commercial Design Guidelines to the maximum extent practicable in that:
the proposed use is an adaptive reuse of an existing site, the existing building has a
street facing front entrance and is somewhat in line with adjacent buildings in regard to
setbacks. Landscaping is being added;
3. The Town Board, finding that the applicant is in compliance with all other provisions of
the Code and other applicable ordinances, approves a Special Use Permit for automotive
and trailer sales at 129 North Street with the Town of Dryden Standard Conditions of
Approval as amended August 14, 2008.
2nd Cl Lamb
Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes
Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes
Cl Skaley Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
PUBLIC HEARING
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT
Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:25 p.m.
John Kiefer, Planning Board Chair, said this is a second public hearing. The Planning
Board held a public hearing in April. There was a comment that a presentation from the
consultants who wrote the plan would have been nice, so Sam Gordon of EDR is here tonight
with a presentation. He noted the presence of young people in the audience tonight and
welcomed them.
Comments at the first hearing included:
Why is the document so long? It is mostly data. It is a technical document for leaders of
the community to make decisions in the future. The actual recommendations are about 20
pages.
Why is this an amendment to the 2005 plan and not a replacement? The 2005 plan has
good stuff in it such as a section on cluster subdivisions. That resulted in changes in local law
and is an important piece that we want to keep. The amendment brings in things that are
missing from the 2005 document. For instance, the word “climate” does not appear in that
2005 document. 2045 includes the town’s first climate action plan. It is an amendment
because it does not replace the 2005 plan; it updates it.
Sam Gordon, Planning Practice Leader with EDR, said it has a been a pleasure to work
with Dryden’s Planning Board since 2019 to draft this plan here. A comprehensive plan
represents a community-supported vision and that is why they go through a process of
community engagement in the development. This plan provides a future land use vision, and
the idea is that future zoning updates would happen to conform with the land use vision
presented. In New York State, comprehensive plans are not required for local municipalities,
but if you have one, you are required to follow it. It is also a policy document, so it guides local
land use regulations, but it also can be turned to when making decisions to guide future
growth and development. Reference to the plan can be used when applying for future funds.
The document serves as a road map for how to proceed as a town and there is an
implementation plan at the end.
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See slide presentation attached.
Cl Skaley noted that the rental population didn’t seem to be responsive to the survey.
Affordability may be more impactful on the rental population than homeowners. S Gordon said
what they do know in looking at the data for the town, is that there is a significant amount of
the population that is housing cost burdened whether they are homeowners or renters. It is an
issue that the town should figure out how to address. There is not a lot of commercial and
industrial land in the town. Looking at ways to diversify the tax base could reduce the burden
on single family property owners. There are recommendations on increasing density and
diversifying housing options available. It was noted that every upstate community is currently
experiencing a housing problem. The housing market has been driven by single -family home
ownership, but that has changed significantly across the country and this state.
Cl Vargas-Mendez asked if there was a breakdown of where the survey responses came
from geographically. (EDR will get that.) He wants to know to what extent voices that are not
in this medium are being expressed in this plan. Did they hear from populations that are not
usually being listened to or approached in the way they should have? Cl Lamb said they tried
to do as much outreach as possible. Cl Skaley noted the high percentage of renters in the
Varna area.
Cl Lamb said one thing that prompted the board to go to the Planning Board to start
this process was the lack of sustainability and addressing greenhouse gases and energy. He
asked that people notice the pages in the plan on the climate action plan and ways to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in the town and be in concert with efforts at the state level. This is
new material for the town. He is pleased with how that section turned out.
Public Comment
Marie McRae, 13 Ringwood Court West, read the following resolution passed by the
Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force in support of the comprehensive plan,
inclusive of the climate action plan:
Whereas, the Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force has been working since 2018 to
increase the energy effic iency of Dryden’s municipally owned buildings, and updating infrastructure so
that Dryden can be more resilient to climate change, and
Whereas, the Dryden Planning Board has completed a three-year public process to update the Town
Comprehensive Plan (Dryden2045) to address issues including Affordable Housing, Transportation,
Walkable Communities, Development in the Conservation and Agricultural Zones, Economic
Development and Climate Change and Energy, and
Whereas, the Dryden2045 Plan includes a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that maps out practical goals and
action steps that the Town may take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the effects of
ongoing climate change, and
Whereas, the Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force members have considered and
discussed the Dryden2045 Plan and its CAP recommendations, and
Whereas the Task Force members believe the Dryden2045 Comprehensive Plan and its Climate Action
section provide important and essential guidance for Town decision makers for the next twenty-three
years, now
Therefore, be it resolved that the Dryden Climate Smart/Clean Energy Task Force strongly recommends
Town Board approval of the Dryden2045 Comprehensive Plan update, including the Climate Action Plan.
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Chuck Geisler, 517 Ellis Hollow Creek Road, said he wouldn’t want to live in a town
that didn’t have a comp plan and 25-year guide. It is a joy to live in a town that has this
framework written down. There was some good struggling in the language and conceptual
pieces and recognition of the good material in the 2005 plan. An example of that is the fact
that the second most prevalent form of home ownership or rentership in the town as of 2005
were mobile homes. We have a long way to go in collecting data because we don’t know where
we stand with regard to that today.
He feels that at the end of the day this is a good mirror of who we are as a community
and town. He is proud to have participated. He learned a lot trying to bring things forward,
particularly in the area of housing and affordability.
It isn’t so much that this draft plan provides answers, but really stimulating questions
that we need to think about. Such as our relationship to farmland and how we are going to co-
exist with it in the future. That is terribly important. What are the pathways and options for
affordable housing and the matrix within which that fits? Another thing is the dominance of
the Route 13 corridor through the town. It is driving more and more of our decisions. Some of
it is advantageous and some is deadly and ugly and difficult. I t is in transition and the town
will have this plan to help deal with that very important corridor.
Joe Wilson said he wanted to react to concerns we all share, that segments of the
population didn’t necessarily respond to the overall document. This is not legislation. It is not
a specific set of things that will happen. This is the structure around which we can start to
reach out again to our residents, saying now we are considering a specific action. When we
publicize specific actions under consideration, folks who would not necessarily respond to the
multi-page 2045 document, will respond when they see how it touches their lives more directly.
The Town Board will do everything it can and listen to its citizens on how to reach out to
specific populations who have not spoken out yet.
Students were present from the Dryden High School Climate Change Class and read the
attached letter in support of this plan and future actions to combat climate change.
It was noted that three letters in support of adoption of the comp plan amendment have
been received and are on the website.
The hearing was left open to the July business meeting. Comments and edits by board
members will be sent to Ray Burger who will send them on to the consultant. Any substantive
changes will require another public hearing on the resulting document.
It was suggested that the word “can” should be changed to “should” in the document.
S Gordon – The plan should be something that people can refer back to and used for
decision making and that community members can use to make sure that decisions are made
in accordance with what they said they wanted. If the board feels very strongly that certain
things need to happen, having stronger language is a way to provide people with the
ammunition to hold someone accountable. The difference between can and should or can and
shall is significant.
Tony Salerno, Planning Board member - Urged the board to be careful with substantive
changes because the document has been reviewed by the town’s advisory boards and people in
the town. Substituting the word will or shall, will really change the meaning of the plan. They
seem like simple words, but if that is done, the plan should be put back out. He doesn’t want
people to think there was bait and switch or something along those lines.
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S Gordon – The really important thing is that this plan leads to action. It sets an
agenda for the future that you can follow through on. Figuring out a way to foster the
implementation of the goals and actions set forth is critical. The implementation plan is set up
in a way to track your progress.
J Skaley - The town has now created an Affordable Workforce Housing Committee and
are drawing on expertise to see what can be done and how we can do it. He hopes the
committee will begin to make recommendations to the town and village boards.
Alice Green, as a member of the Planning Board steering committee, urged the board to
keep the language as it is, with the changes the board wants to make as to form, remembering
that there are questions in the plan that we are beginning to answer. They were criticized at
one meeting with someone saying there aren’t enough people in the town to do all the steps
and there are too many items. But we can see y oung people are ready to help and ask the
important questions and find the answers. There is a lot of volunteer energy to keep on
working the questions together. The Housing Task Force will make some elements real, as will
the Climate Smart Task Force. She thanked Sam Gordon and John Kiefer for their guidance.
She also thanked Travis Crocker and the Sustainability Club and the Climate Change class at
Dryden High School. Many of them came to a youth summit conducted at the very beginning
of this process, and you can see they have been involved for many months since. They have
been asking questions and putting the word out. She thanked the Town Board for considering
this and looks forward to approval of the update and its climate action plan at the July
meeting.
J Wilson strongly agreed with comments to not make changes to make it a mandatory
plan and go back to the public when people thought we were creating a framework for
consideration of policies not a legislative action.
Supv Leifer thanked the Planning Board, consultant, and every one involved in
developing the comprehensive plan update.
HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT
No update.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
The department update is on the website. There is activity on solar farms at 2150
Dryden Road and the Ellis Tract with more tree plantings to replace the dead ones.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
Juneteenth Holiday for Highway/DPW – Supv Leifer talked with the Teamsters
representative. This holiday was requested by the Highway Superintendent and the town
should make sure the union folks know that granting this day is not a precedent. It can be
negotiated in the next contract. Town hall employees will have the day off. After discussion
and contacting the Highway Superintendent, the board passed the following resolution.
Resolution #103 - (2022) Approval of Juneteenth as a Paid Holiday for
Highway and DPW Employees
Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
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Whereas, in 2021 a federal law was passed establishing Juneteenth, June 19, as a paid
federal holiday in commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African -Americans.
Whereas, when the Union Contract was approved, June 19 was not included as a paid
holiday for Highway and DPW employees. Future observance of the Juneteenth Holiday will be
determined by the union contract under negotiation in 2022.
Therefore, be it resolved that effective immediately the Board approves providing al l
Highway and DPW employees eligible for paid holiday time a new paid holiday on Juneteenth
which for 2022 will be observed on June 20.
2nd Cl Sparling
Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes
Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes
Cl Skaley Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
Freese Road Bridge – The plan that was talked about in 2020 was to move the old
bridge to Groton. They appear to have lost interest and we need to move forward. In the fall of
2019, the town agreed to a findings document. We agreed we wanted a single-lane, multi-
girder, truss-style bridge and after some deliberation decided to put the old historical elements
on the new bridge and that the town would maintain it. Federal Highway would require a
maintenance plan for it. The County doesn’t want this. They want a new bridge. We need to go
back and decide what type of bridge we want to put in and look at options. We can leave the
old bridge in place and put a new bridge next to it. We can remove the old bridge and store it
and let it sit somewhere and the project could move forward. We could relocate the old bridge
to the rail trail, and the consultant said it would cost at least $200,000 in moving and
rehabbing expense. Keeping it would be a boondoggle and an expense. We can scrap it and
put in a new truss-style, multi-girder and scrap the old bridge. Or Federal Highway said we
can advertise nationally and make a good faith effort to find a buyer. Cl Lamb would like to
revisit that option with the company who was interested before. The board agrees that he
should contact them.
Game Farm Road Trail Crossing – Cl Lamb reported that Assemblyperson Anna Kelles
was able to organize a meeting with DOT Regional Director Dave Smith. Cl Lamb explained
that despite signage people are still crossing the road and that cars are travelling at unsafe
speeds. DOT sent people out to resurvey Game Farm Road with radar, and they will now agree
to a 45-mph speed limit for the whole road. This augments the Game Farm Road rail trail
crossing plan, and the consultant will integrate that travel speed. The vertical curve still needs
to be addressed. They are prepping an addendum to the crossing plan for county review. In
addition to the lower speed limit, there will be speed advisory signs of 35 mph and flashing
user operated lights, painted crossing lines, pedestrian crossing signs and messaging to trail
users. They are hoping that combination will be enough for county approval of the plan.
ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES
Planning Board - The Planning Board had a lively discussion of outdoor electronic
billboard signage and whether we should amend our law and welcome LED style signs. The
Planning Board passed a resolution asking the Town Board to consider allowing them. This is a
way of reducing non-conforming signs and replacing them with a single electronic sign. People
could apply for a special use permit for an electronic billb oard, and part of the process would
be decommissioning others. There are a lot of DOT regulations already in place.
Ag Advisory Committee - Did not meet last month.
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Conservation Board – Following on the heels of a Planning Board discussion about
stormwater, the Conservation Board also talked about stormwater for about half of their
meeting, the motivating idea behind this being how to slow water runoff on impervious surfaces
before it reached the ditches.
Mention was made about the lack of staffing leading to problems with Stormwater Law
enforcement (currently being worked on), and there being confusion around the simple SWPPP,
how a lack of clarity makes it look daunting to builders.
This segued into a brief update on ditching. Conservation Board members would like to
set up an experimental area to test alternatives to deep ditching in Dryden; these alternatives
have proven successful in other municipalities.
Ideally, the CB are looking for an area with steep slopes that is connected to aquatic
resources, and the headwaters of Six Mile Creek was put out as a suggestion. If set up, the CB
would come back in a few years’ time to look at the results. The Chair is trying to arrange this
with the Highway Superintendent.
Lastly, a proposition was put forth to name the wetland behind Neptune and near
Willowbrook Manor in memory of Bard and Gina Prentiss. Bard loved that wetland which was
located within sight of his backyard, and both were well known for their service and
commitment to the community. This is still in the works, but CB members are all in favor of
this idea.
Recreation & Youth Commission – Andrew Pierce has left employment with the town.
The department is prepared for summer programs and Director Marty Conger will look for
another assistant later in the summer.
David Peck will send the final draft of the DEI the statement by DRYC.
The majority of the meeting was focused on analysis of the summary of the DRYC
survey put out by Tompkins County Youth Services. That survey focused on the challenges of
students, individuals and families and the impact of COVID on them, the community and what
programming was needed.
Rail Trail Task Force – In May they watched a presentation on another rail trail
project. Bob Beck thanked Cl Lamb for working on the Game Farm Road crossing problem and
look forward to a resolution there.
Supv Leifer announced there will be news on the South Hill Rec Way trail next month.
Dryden’s portion of the expansion is small. The Towns involved (Danby, Caroline, Ithaca,
Dryden) will share maintenance and work on their pieces to open it up. Maintenance will be
handled by the highway/DPW departments in each town.
Safety & Preparedness Committee – They had a presence and distributed information
at some local activities, the Freeville Market and the McLean Fire Department. They are still
working on spreadsheet and map of shelters. There is still a vacancy on the committee.
Climate Smart Communities Task Force –
$10K grant application accepted for DPW office building upgrades
Project manager will be assigned to Dryden to conduct standard energy audit of DPW
building ($4200) to establish a baseline.
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Performance and monitoring of the Town solar panels
The warranty with Solar Liberty will be expiring soon. As concerns have been raised
that certain panels are underperforming, Solar Liberty will undertake some data gathering, and
go back to the first three years of performance and compare that with the current
performance.
They will then collect 3 more months of data and reconvene in August for another meeting .
Orphan gas well inventory
Interest was gauged among the members to see if locating the orphan gas wells in
Dryden was something that Climate Smart should be pursuing, and it seems they are, as
Brownfield Cleanup is a stated CSC action.
An update was given by Climate Smart’s newest members regarding Dryden High
School student efforts to address climate change.
An earlier report mentioned their work to install an EV station at the school. They have
now encountered some unanticipated hurdles, which will hopefully be resolved soon.
Broadband Committee – They are getting closer to going live in the pilot area.
Marketing materials were approved. The fiber line currently ends at Etna Road. They are
working on getting to the Village of Freeville. There are some needed repairs to the railbed.
That delay allows time to catch up for the pilot launch. We are still on track to be the first
municipality to switch on service. A letter regarding access is going out tomorrow.
A meeting is scheduled with state legislators about the bond issues and working with
other municipalities. They are trying to get these things into the fall session.
Affordable Workforce Housing Committee – They continue to meet every two weeks
and have had a variety of people present to them (realtors and developers). Holt architects
talked about how they integrate w/INHS for affordable housing. S teve Hugo will provide
contacts they have for firms who specialize in affordable housing. Noah Demarest of Stream
Collaborative will be at their meeting on the 29th and provide their perspective.
Pattern zoning gives a series of options for developers to choose among and if they
choose one of those areas, they are able to build by right, removing some of the standard
approval processes.
The committee hopes they can pull together the principal things they’ve learned and
provide an interim to the board and villages. It is complicated and there is no silver bullet.
There may be interesting possibilities for the town to invest in with villages. They have located
some good potential sites for development in the Village of Dryden.
Varna Water – They now have a point person at Cornell Real Estate who will assist with
regard to placement of easements. Peter Walsh has put forward a standard easement language
document to be used with an attached map to simplify the process.
Because the time to acquire pipe for the project can take nine months, the town has
been advised to put it out to bid now.
RESOLUTION #104 (2022) – AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF PIPE FOR VARNA WATER
Cl Skaley offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
Whereas, it has been determined that there will be long delays in acquiring the necessary pipe
and attachments to complete the water main installation in the Hamlet of Varna, and
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Whereas, based on the advisement of Jeff Smith from Municipal Solutions that we preorder the
pipe and other attachments so that they will be available by the time we have a contractor on
site to initiate construction; therefore, be it
Resolved that T. G. Miller be directed to initiate a bid order according to our procurement
policy to secure the necessary pipe and attachments and that the available funds in HE Capital
Project Fund for Varna Water, not to exceed $700,000, be used for this purpose to secure a
firm bid.
2nd Supv Leifer
Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes
Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes
Cl Skaley Yes
Cl Lamb Yes
Supv Leifer Yes
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Bambi L. Avery
Town Clerk
background
A community-supported vision to guide
future growth and development
A foundation for regulatory updates,
including Zoning code updates and
development review procedures (e.g., Site
Plan Review, Special Use/Conditional Use
Permit, Subdivision Regulations, and Design
Guidelines)
A policy document to inform future decision-
making, including capital improvement and
budgetary planning
An action plan intended to serve as a
“roadmap” for implementation
scope
The Planning Board
sought to address
contemporary planning
issues and concerns
specific to the town
including affordable
housing, development in
conservation and
agriculture zones,
economic development,
energy and climate,
transportation, and
walkable communities.
timeline
background
background
The town’s location between the
small cities of Cortland and Ithaca
has a significant influence on
development and transportation
patterns.
background
The town’s location between the
small cities of Cortland and Ithaca
has a significant influence on
development and transportation
patterns.
engagement
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engagement
Community Survey
July –August 2020
Divided into eight sections:
+Community Vision
+Growth,Development,and Affordability
+Land Conservation
+Recreation
+Public Water and Sewer Utilities
+Transportation and Walkability
+Energy and Sustainability
+Demographics and Other Questions
engagement
Virtual Public Workshops
Workshop 1, January 20, 2021:
Affordable Housing and Land Conservation
Workshop 2, January 26, 2021:
Transportation and Walkable Communities
Workshop 3, January 27,and February 10,
2021: Economic Development and Energy
Sustainability
plan structure: chapters
plan structure: vision and principles
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure
plan structure
plan structure: sections
plan structure: sections
plan structure: climate action plan
plan structure
plan structure: climate action plan
plan structure: climate action plan
plan structure: future land use
plan structure: future land use
plan structure: future land use
plan structure: future land use
plan structure: future land use
plan structure: implementation
plan structure: plan implementation