HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2021-06-03 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board(CB)Meeting
June 3, 2021, 5:30 p.m.
(via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer(Chairperson),Lindsay Dombroskie,James Hamilton,Eva Hoffmann, Joann
Kowalski (Vice Chairperson).
Members absent: Karen Johnson Feltham, Carolyn Lee,Vladimir Micic,Michael Roberts, William VanDyke.
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner.
1. Persons to be heard: None. Mike S.has received an email from a person interested in the CB.
2. Members' Concerns: Lori asked what happens when persons go through the site plan application process for a
project, get approval,but then don't follow through by doing the project. Mike S.responded that they have 36
months to get started by doing something that is part of the project. If they don't start it,they have to come back to
the Planning Board to ask for an alteration or extension. In any case,they are not able to use the project until it has
received a Certificate of Occupancy.
James requested a new membership list. Mike S. will email that out to everyone.
Joann reported on wetlands seminars she had participated in and referred to an email with a link to where the
seminars can be seen again. James and Lori asked her to share this information with everyone. (Please see Joann's
June 7,2021 email to us with subject line: NYS DEC Wetlands Webinar information. E.H.)
3. Chairperson and Coordinator Reports:
Chairperson: Lori shared pictures from the Town's East Shore Park and the new signs for the Cayuga Lake
Blueway Trail(lttl.psualalce.corn/caa-lake-blueway-trail/).
Coordinator,Mike Smith: Mike reported that the Town may start a hybrid system for meetings from July 1,having
both Zoom and in person attendance available for board members, staff and the public.
He also mentioned a grant opportunity for the Town to apply to the State Park system for help with design of the
land,trails,benches and similar amenities for the 74 acres of Town land at Culver Road. The deadline is at the end
of July and the CB may be asked for a letter of support.
4. Approval of minutes from April 1 and May 6, 2021: The minutes could not be approved due to lack of a quorum.
5. Continue discussion of deer management: Could not be done because both Mike R. and Carolyn were absent.
6. Finalize plans for using the CB Facebook page as part of the 2021 NY Invasive Species Awareness Week
June 6-12 : James has submitted a proposal to Finger Lakes PRISM for how to handle our part of this program
this year. He stated"We want to post 7 daily invasive management actions from Sunday, June 6 to Saturday June
12. 1 can post autumn olive and buckthorn; can we have 3 or 4 other members to handle other invasives in their
property?Probably you've got one or two from this list: garlic mustard,Japanese knotweed,wild parsnip,privet,
honeysuckle,multiflora rose, swallowwort, Japanese barberry,Asian bittersweet. Anything else on the Finger
Lakes Native Plant Society's list for Level 1 invasives at bllps://hlnps,or;/l2l z tti/i.1� zs;w s. would be good,too.
www Ugm1)c)d.org has links to good reference info about invasives, as does www forestjaima=es.or Y. Posts need
to explain why the invasive is harmful, exactly how to be sure it is identified correctly, and how to effectively
manage it without making matters worse or wasting time and effort. Some invasives,like lesser celandine, are best
managed at certain times in their life cycle, as for instance while blossoming, so make sure you're tackling the
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problem at an appropriate time." Eva said she could send photos of Swallow-wort to Joann for posting. Joann said
she can do garlic mustard and Lindsay can add a couple.
7. Continue to review the draft"Volunteer Member Position Description": James stated that we need to focus on
recruitment of new members even if we have a full board. Joann felt we could remove the date in a document like
this and that the third page with instructions on how to be a public servant should be separate from the rest of the
document.
There was a discussion about sending written copies of reports to the minute taker in order to make that job easier.
That would apply to the regular monthly reports and updates,but also to other ones.
To emphasize the commitment of membership, the document should state something like"The Town of Ithaca
needs volunteer members"instead of just asking for volunteers. It's acceptable to miss some meetings, especially if
we have a full board,but regular attendance is very important so that we can have a quorum and can move on with
our business by taking votes. We agreed to continue to discuss how we are going to use this document and how to
handle the process of getting new members at the next meeting.
8. Regular reports and updates:
a. Environmental Review Committee(Mike R.): Mike S. said Cornell University's Multipurpose Building
plans will be back in July and their new baseball field is coming up. Eva will send notes to Mike R.
b. Scenic Resources Committee(Eva): No report.
c. Communications Committee(James): James reported that"the Fischer Award for Primitive Pursuits (PP)
hazelnut transplanting party Sunday morning,May 23,went well: Lori, James,Di(James'wife),Joann,
Mike,Anina(Mike's daughter), attended from CB; Rod and Bill(supervisor and deputy) from Town; Jed
and Megan from PP, and four PP family alumni attended,with Mike Smith taking photos and video and
transporting trees,tools, and planting materials (mulch, water,fertilizer,deer exclosures and stakes). Photos
and video have been posted to CB's Facebook page; text and photos are ready to add to our Town website
whenever the redesign project allows."
Joann reported that she"met with Rod Howe, Town Supervisor,regarding ways to increase exposure to the
Conservation Board's Facebook page. Rod's idea was to possibly have the Town of Ithaca departments
share in posting on one Town of Ithaca social media site. Rod is agreeable to convening a meeting with
department representatives to have further discussion if the CB wants to proceed in that direction. The
members present felt this would not be a good direction to explore and Joann will not pursue but will
inform Rod of the decision."
d. Waste Awareness Committee: No report.
e. Tompkins Count: Lindsay provided her"rough notes" from the EMC meeting:
"UNA Presentation
-no regulatory power in itself...but we may have built it into our Town regulations, (e.g., conservation
zoning)
-Trumansburg (and Newfield?)is going through re-zoning/revisions and is interested in seeing how best to
incorporate UNAs. Does Ithaca have any examples we could lend(how used in our regulations? site plan
review?)
-NY info on bills calling for moratorium on cryptocurrency mining:
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EMC made motion to send a letter to house and senate Albany to support moratorium bills.
Comment needed by June I Oth
Trumansburg/Ulysses Town Focus Update
-Ulysses school is renovating, a lot of items
Additionally: Maria van Dyke might be able to function as Town of Ithaca EMC member?I've reached out
to Maria. Maybe can bring her into CB as well. Some conflicts with her schedule (e.g.,can't attend all
meetings)."
f, Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program(James): "6MC Synoptic Water sampling for chemical
and bacteriological analyses at 15 sites Wednesday morning,May 26; creek is flowing low. Sites are 1.
Plain St,2. Mulholland Preserve, 3. Gasline,4. German Cross, 5. Banks, 6. Beaver Creek, 7.
Brooktondale, 8. Horse Farm, 9. Boiceville, 10. Barile, 11. Six Hundred, 12. Midline, 13. Irish
Settlement, 14. Spur Creek, 15. Yellow Barn. Data are recorded for temperature at the sites,and in lab
measured Chloride, Phosphorus,pH, Conductance,Hardness, Suspended solids, Turbidity,Nitrogen, E.
Coli, Temperature,Alkalinity. The previous March 31,2021 synoptic sample data for Sixmile is now
available online at: .I.i..t.,.tp-.//database.cotiiiiiLtiiity.s.c..i.eii.c.e...org/events/2()()4."
g. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program(James): James reported that"In May,volunteers
were assigned nasal swab Covid testing twice monthly, and allowed to work in Natural Areas if tested
negative.NA Tuesdays in May: Ringwood HWA survey east of Ringwood Rd—2 volunteers& I staff
found five trees with small infestations; I st time ever small infestation found in Eames Bog in 2nd of 3
visits there: around that one very small infestation,no others observed. June I st, dug out wild parsnip,
burdock, and assorted woody invasives around Beebe Lake. In June, Cornell policy is declared "new
normal."Vaccinated volunteers no longer have to submit to bimonthly surveillance testing,though they
need to Attest to Health via online report form before going to Cornell properties."
8. Other Business: Eva brought up the possibility of CB members getting a monthly meeting stipend like Town of
Ithaca Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals members get. She thought that might encourage some younger
prospective members,who have young children and need to pay for a baby sitter while they attend meetings.
9. Review 2021 Work Goals/Discuss August Agend : At the July meeting we will get back to the deer
management discussion,the Volunteer Member Position Description and will finalize minutes that need approval.
10. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:01 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Eva Hoffmann
June 22,2021
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