HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2010-01-07 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board
January 7, 2010 7.30 p.m.
Final minutes
Members present: Jon Meigs, Diane Conneman, James Hamilton, Nirav Patel, Kristine
Shaw, Andrew Goodell, Eva Hoffmann
Staff: Darby Kiley
Persons to be heard: none.
Members' Concerns: none.
Chair and Coordinator Reports:
Chair: Diane thanked all members for their timely production of comments for NYDEC's
dSGEIS on hydrofracking in Marcellus shale. She reported some interesting facts from
the NY State Agricultural Society meeting she attended in Syracuse: fossil water is not
replenished, water needs better valuing and cost assessment, water in the Great Lakes
takes 100 years to turn over and hence needs better long-range planning for its use,
40% of world population depends on agriculture, carbon emissions should be assessed
as results of lifestyle, 1 gal. milk takes 2 gals. water, 1 gal. milk production emits 1/4 lb.
carbon. Diane also noted that VA had banned cul-de-sacs in new subdivisions.
Coordinator: Darby noted Planning Board held a public hearing December 15 for the
Holochuck DEIS. Staff comments on the DEIS were reviewed at the Jan 5 meeting.
Staff will be meeting with DOT, DEC, Cayuga Medical Center (road entrance).
Applicants will be working on a Supplemental EIS needed to manage a dump site found
on the property.
The Cornell Water System Improvement project is seeking approval for a site plan
modification because the original plan to bore under the creek would not work because
of the substrate under creek bed. Cornell is proposing to dig an open trench to install
the pipes. The East Hill Rec Way would be closed for a couple weeks during that
construction. Approval for this trenching was delayed because of a timing issue with the
county's GML 239 review. (Nirav takes this Rec Way route often, and thought CU was
making a mess there. Other members agreed to visit the site soon.) Towns of Ithaca
and Dryden applied to the Park Foundation for funding a sustainability planner position
for three years. Town Board also submitted comments on the draft SGEIS on gas
drilling. TB meeting on January 11 will include public hearing on comprehensive plan
changes and language changes in conservation zoning purpose section. Additional
Conservation Zoning language changes may be available for review at next CB
meeting.
Business: the minutes for the 12/3/09 meeting were approved with one small revision.
After discussion and some revision, this finalized 2010 Work Priority list was approved:
Conservation Board 2010 Work Priorities
• Monitor the Town's Comprehensive Planning process, and promote
environmental conservation in this plan.
• Monitor town adoption of the recommended set of scenic views to be protected
and develop tools for public education on the importance of scenic resources.
Complete the design and installation of at least one scenic resource sign by the
end of the year.
• Participate in development of final report and encourage enactment of Coy Glen
Conservation Zone.
• Investigate invasive species management on Town properties. Establish priority
invasive species and sites for eradication, especially swallow-wort around Teton
Court water tank at Deer Run. Educate residents and municipal staff on invasive
species.
• Investigate options for tree preservation local law; follow up on recent
recommendations to Codes and Ordinances Committee for changes to
Conservation Zoning for tree protection. Look into tree ordinance proposed by
Yorktown's Tree Conservation Advisory Commission last year.
• Monitor and engage as appropriate efforts to manage Town deer populations.
Educate residents on deterring deer and preventing deer damage.
• Continue to monitor and comment as necessary on regulations related to natural
gas drilling. Provide outreach to residents.
• Continue ongoing activities such as Fischer Award, Environmental Review
Committee reports to Planning Board, and respond to Town Board requests.
• Investigate planning for Natural Heritage Preservation Program development and
possible future funding.
Regular Reports and Updates:
Environmental Review Committee: Nirav reported their December 15th meeting
created comments for the Holochuck development. ERC wants to hear developer's
response to these comments.
Scenic Resources Committee: A meeting planned for the end of December had to be
cancelled, but SRC plans to meet again on Feb 2, 2010 to work on East Shore Park
view sign.
R. Fischer Award Committee: James has had emails from Sustainable Tompkins and
the Finger Lakes Land Trust, indicating these groups could soon be considered official
nominees for the award. The FLLT wanted to know if they could propose a posthumous
nomination for Carl Leopold, founder of the FLLT. Members agreed that this would be
acceptable, as nothing in the award's description prohibits it. James will notify FLLT that
a Leopold nomination would be welcome. Diane will ask Tom Reimers to nominate
someone.
Tompkins County EMC: Kristine reports EMC is restructuring their committees, and may
ask her to be on more than one. She passed out pest info on the emerald ash borer.
Sixmile Creek Volunteer Monitors: no news
City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: no news.
Comprehensive Plan: West Hill traffic study needs to be broader: not just traffic counts,
but ideas with a wider vision. Town has a 42% share of the Ithaca Area Wastewater
Treatment Facility use, and future development of IAWWTF may require Town help.
Town has a 75 unit limit for its use of Cayuga Heights WWTP, so development in the
Northeast may find itself constrained by this limit. The East Shore Drive water line isn't
big enough for direct transmission of drinking water to West Hill, so Bolton Point water
for the west town has to go via VCH, NE, East Hill; it takes water a day to arrive via this
route. Bolton Point plans to supply City of Ithaca drinking water while Six Mile Creek
WTP is being rebuilt. The next Comp Plan meeting will address energy issues.
Neighborhood feedback will be sought, perhaps by Town Newsletter. Building codes
might be changed to promote energy efficiency.
Other Business: 2010 committee membership was officially recognized as follows:
ERC: Eva, Tony, Jon, Nirav, Andy
SRC: Tony, Jon, James, Eva
R. Fischer Award: James, Susan, Diane
Kristine thought her EMC job would be taking extra time as County revised its structure,
but offered her ad hoc help with committee work when needed. ERC noted it would
occasionally seek her help for large projects.
Members agreed that the Coy Glen Conservation Zone needs immediate promotion.
The boundaries as indicated on the Sept. 30, 2009 map used during the field trip site
visit should be good enough for now, though they may be subject to later revision.
Darby expects to bring more specific paperwork for getting Coy Glen CZ established to
our next month's meeting.
Jon noted that the 9.30 adjournment on the planned agenda seemed later than it need
be. Diane agreed that meetings could be shorter when possible.
Darby noted she had an interesting Emerald Necklace and Finger Lakes Trail Study
from the FLLT that members could read if they wanted. James borrowed it, and will
return it soon.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8.53 p.m.
These draft Minutes generated by James Hamilton 1/10/10
Adopted 2/4/10