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Home My WebLink About2010-03-04-AG & FARMLAND Ulysses Town Agriculture & Farmland Protection Planning Committee March 4, 2010 Meeting Minutes Present Members : John Wertis, chair, Chuck Houghton, Ann Filley, Bob Howarth, Mark Ochs, Tony Potenza, Bruce Austic, Allison Pritts Absent : Bob Weatherby, Chaw Chang Town Staff: Sue Poelvoorde Town Board Liaison : Liz Thomas Consultants: Monika Roth Meeting called to order at 7 PM Announcements: 1 - Bruce mentioned that there is great concern about how agriculture is being portrayed by the activists pushing the Farm worker bill . Agricultural producers need to be more active in defending their image . 2- Monika circulated info on a March 13 meeting on Landowner Coalitions pertaining to gas lease education/negotiation that will take place in Dryden . Additions to the Agenda : The following were offered by John : -when do we move into strategies/actions pertaining to zoning issues we are identifying -when should Kevin be asked to join our meetings given limited funding and need to optimize his time -should landowners who are not currently leasing land to farmers be surveyed as to why or why not -next meeting plans Minutes of Feb. 17 meeting: Minutes were mailed to Austic, Potenza, Houghton, Weatherby, and emailed to members with email on Monday March 1 . Some members indicated they did not receive minutes . Monika (and Debbie) apologized for not getting them out sooner given the weather and closings at the end of February. Bob H. expressed concern that he had not received the minutes and had not had time to review them. He indicated he disagreed with the wording of the landowner survey discussion but was not prepared to suggest changes given that he had not received the minutes prior to the meeting. He asked that minutes be tabled given that he had not had sufficient time to review. Motion made to table by Howarth. There was no second to the motion . Motion failed. John W. provided corrections to the Zoning discussion as follows : Article III: "negative" : there should be mention of the Town policy that designates one seat on the Planning Board as an "ag rep" Article V: 5 .2 "positive" : Right to Farm statement should be added; question about whether the Ag Data Statements are requested by the Town when actions are being taken on proposals for development in state designated ag districts Article V : 5 . 6 "negative" : ag commerce should be an allowed use and should not require a special application to the Town Board and subsequent review by the Town Planning board (as this is time consuming and costly) . Article V : 5 . 6 question of Town authority to regulate CAFO — (clarification by Bob H .) permissible under Ag District Law if public health threat is of concern and documented. Article V: 5 . 7 "negative? " : minimum 2 acre lot size (omit is "detrimental to agriculture" — continue with rest of sentence then omit "so ag practices are not restricted". Correction to Landowner survey motion : second by Bob H . not Bob W . Motion to approve minutes as corrected made by Filley, second by Ochs, all in favor. Old Business Zoning Review — Alison raised questions about previously reviewed sections IV and V : Article IV (page 21 ) definitions: add beekeeping, greenhouse high tunnels, agritourism. . Make sure ag definitions are consistent throughout the zoning code and ag plan. Article V : why is buffer zone is missing from A- 1 zone? Check State DEC/Soil & Water recommendations for buffer zones . Also add beekeeping and greenhouse/high tunnels . New discussion : Article VI. 6 . 1 A-2 zone Purpose statement is inconsistent with definition of fairgrounds . Article VII [R1 ] — 7 .2 Permitted use : agriculture is permitted, add right to farm statement. Also flag lots can interfere with farming; zoning ordinance does not offer control or direction where to use this tool (flag lots) Article VII 7 . 3 Permitted accessory uses : Temporary buildings should include hoophouses/high tunnels, greenhouses . Suggestion made to check state definition of temporary buildings . Add Roadside stand definition . Consider adding non-commercial garden center, greenhouse and nursery to R- 1 as per R2 . Other uses : ag commerce/non-traditional farming — need to address . IN GENERAL: Need to clarify definitions for what is agriculture : review state definition, other examples . . . Town of Ithaca, and be consistent with how agriculture is defined. Article VIII. Add right to farm statement; temp buildings to include greenhouse/ hoophouse; ag commerce; what would distinguish NON-commercial garden centers , greenhouse and nursery would be allowed as is in R2 . . Everyone agreed it would be good to include . Article IX - No comments Article X — No comments Article XI — No comments Article XII — No comments Article XIII — Should farm retail outlets such as wineries , produce stores be mentioned specifically (indicates support for Agricultural Added Value activities) . Also add farmers ' markets . Article XIV. IL — Agricultural Commerce is listed (define), but not agriculture . "Ag commerce" can only be on the farm property therefore it does not make sense not to include agriculture . Add right to farm statement . Article XV. — Agriculture is listed as a permitted use, perhaps this should be further defined to specify Agricultural or Farm-based and Environmental Education (eg Cayuga Nature Center) , not to include agriculture in general . Add right to farm statement? Article XVI — Development districts — these are specific to location . Podunk Ski is no longer operating. Ag & Markets law would view Stover Sawmill as part of the farming operation and the store might be viewed ag commerce (perhaps not by Town definition) . 16 . 3 .4 item # 4 may be outdated, not sure Farm Bureau has a tire program any more . Monika will check with Ag & Markets on this . It may be more trouble to change than is worth if the Stover ' s are ok with it. Ended at Design Standards Article XVII — p. 81 . — continue next meeting Pages 110- 127 pertain to major subdivision, skip this section. Landowner Survey : John W . raised the point that a key question is what we want from this survey . . . to understand landowner intention in the future . Chuck raised the concern that confidentiality be maintained and that some questions may be too personal that people may not answer. Monika will add a note on the introduction to the survey indicating the survey is confidential and name is optional . Several members suggested fewer questions, only those that are really essential and others felt it was ok as presented . Motion by Austic, second by Houghton to gave authority to Monika to make changes and send the survey a small test group of landowers for feedback, all in favor. The survey is to be mailed to landowners currently renting to farmers and who receive ag assessment. Agenda additions : 1 . Zoning recommendations : John asked about process . . . after we complete the zoning review, do we want to go back to items that have been noted and make suggestions for changes or do we postpone until we work on strategies and actions steps for the entire plan. Motion made by Ochs, second by Pritts, that we proceed next to suggest recommended zoning changes to items that we have identified while it is fresh in our minds. 2 . Inviting Bergmann Consultant Kevin Kelley to meetings : John asked when would be appropriate to invite Kevin to our meetings : Committee members felt that they prefer to continue working through documents and recommendations and invite Kevin when more work has been completed. 3 . Survey for landowners who do not receive agricultural assessment : John asked whether it also be mailed to larger landowners that are not currently renting to farmers . The committee members did not feel this was necessary. Next Meeting: March 18 , 7 PM Tentative Agenda : -start with section XVII — complete review -recommendations for zoning changes/additions/wording 9 : 00 PM Motion to adjourn made by Filley, second by Austic, all in favor.