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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2014-05-01 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board May 1, 2014 5:30 p.m. Final Minutes Members present: James Hamilton, Eva Hoffman, Jon Meigs, Kristine Shaw, Michael Bennett, Michael Roberts, Carrie Simon. Absent: Ellie Roberts, Vladimir Micic. Staff: Mike Smith Guests: None. Persons to be heard: There were no persons to be heard Members concerns: Eva recently attended the annual meeting of the Academy of Science. She circulated a joint report by the Academy and the Royal Society of Science and a video she recommended, We've Got the Power; Climate Change Evidence and Causes. She recommended both as good information on the issue. Chair and Coordinator Reports Chair: James reported that the pothole on the East Hill Recreation Way at Mitchell Street has been filled. Thanks to Rich Schoch and his department. James also advised the board that Comments on the EPA rule change on the Clean Water Act are due on July 21. http://www2.epa.gov/tiswaters . James suggested that by next month we should be ready to discuss our proposed comments. James attended a Parks and Trails meeting at Town Hall. At the meeting there was recognition given to neighbors that had adopted their local parks. James discussed that natural areas protection at this point had to include deer management. James pointed out areas in the Town adversely affected by deer including East Hill. James felt that his comments were not well received. Coordinator: Mike reported that the Planning Board's next meeting is May 5. The agenda includes: • A proposal to install a scoreboard for the ball field at Tutelo Park that is outside of the zoning limits • A proposed water tank replacement for Christopher Circle • A permit for special event tents at the Agava restaurant • A proposal for 25 glamping sites at La Tourelle • Sketch plan for Greenways (adjacent to Eastwood Commons) off Honness Lane by INHS At this time there is nothing on the agenda for the May 20'h meeting The Montessori school is looking to add a temporary addition of 1100 square feet. Jon suggested that the ERC look at the Greenways sketch plan and submit comments. Minutes: The March and April minutes were approved as corrected. Business: Discussion of DGEIS for the Towns Comprehensive Plan: Deadline for submission is next Monday. James circulated his comments on water pricing and deer management. Jon wanted to join James comments as a board. Mike R. moved and Carrie seconded to adopt James comments for the board and send them to the Town Board(resolution attached). Members are free to provide their own comments as individuals. Discussion on Planning a NY Invasive Species Awareness Week event: The NY Invasive Species Awareness Week is July 6 though July 12. Dates for a swallowwort removal event were discussed and 7/10 looks to be the best date for the board members. There is a website listing community events, http://www.nyis.info/blog/. We can post our event there. The East Ithaca Nature Preserve or the Westhaven Preserve were suggested as possible Town sites. Mike S. will check with Rich Schoch on the site. Further considerations are getting neighborhood involvement and general outreach. Demonstration of public mapping websites containing environmental information: Mike S. demonstrated resources on the Internet for environmental issues. • NY Heritage Program Conservation Guide was suggested for researching specific species. • DEC Environmental Resource Mapper identifies ponds, lakes and streams. Using layers and legends on this site determines what gets highlighted. The Tell Me More function provides information on specific items and habitats. • Tompkins County GIS has interactive maps, including the Natural Resources Inventory. The map layers function is at the lower left of the screen. James also told us about the ACME mapper for finding a specific longitude and latitude. Deer mana eg ment: Mike R. circulated a draft report and asked for feedback from the board. He was concerned about the digestibility of the information and asked specifically for feedback on relevancy and organization. The draft references the report for 2004. It was suggested that it was only necessary to briefly mention the prior report but it was useful to note any statistical changes. Carrie said that headings were helpful and James suggested including some graphics or images. Page numbers were also requested. It was also suggested that we include concrete steps the Conservation board could take to implement the report. The Board was asked to email Mike R. with additional comments so that he can provide a new draft by the next meeting. Pest management policy update: The following are examples of a neighbor of the Town utilizing pest management that we can use to present to the Public Works Committee. • Jeanne Grace, the City of Ithaca Forester, plans to have 130 hemlock trees treated to prevent adelgid infestation. The Finger Lakes Native Plant Society went out hunting adelgids with Jeanne Grace. • Cornell Plantations Natural Areas has plans for managing adelgids and trapping and culling deer as well as other invasives • Syracuse/Onondaga County is setting aside funds every year for the removal of ash trees because of the Emerald Ash Borer infestation. Next steps for the committee is to get back to the public works board with examples of plans Kristine is going to look up the DEC information on management of Ash Borer, Swallow wort, adelgids and deer. Regular Reports and Updates: Environmental Review Committee: no report. Scenic Resources Committee: The SRC sent Mike S. a request for an updated brochure for discussion at the June CB meeting. Communications Committee: This Sunday is the presentation of the Fischer Award to the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society on the South Hill Recreation Way. Tompkins County EMC: Eva covered the monthly meeting. There was a presentation on Syracuse's "Save the Rain"program. Rainwater is collected and directed into city landscaping. Both municipal works and private entities are supporting this program. More information is available at http://savetherain.us Sixmile Creek Volunteer Monitors: CSI's 10h Annual Symposium was last month. http://communityscience.org. They have data collected now since 2004 for the Cayuga Lake Watershed and beyond. The data collected over this time by the Sixmile Creek Volunteer Monitors establishes a baseline of creek health. There was a BMI night for volunteers and people interested in volunteering at the Langmuir Lab; twenty-four people attended, both new and veterans. City of Ithaca Natural Areas Commission: no report Cornell Plantations Natural Areas: Rare American globeflowers were counted in Salt Road Fen. They are currently only surviving in small micro climates like fens. Three new volunteers graduated the academy this past month. The Aldo Leopold Foundation previewed their documentary on Aldo, Green Fire. It will be seen on public television nationwide. There was no Other Business. For June's agenda, we will finish our pest management feedback for the Public Works Committee and our paper on deer management. We will solidify our plans for a NY native species awareness week event and consider comments on the EPA rule change on the Clean Water Act. We adjourned at 7:38 PM. These draft Minutes prepared by Kristine Shaw. ADOPTED RESOLUTION: Comments Regarding Draft Comprehensive Plan and DGEIS Town of Ithaca Conservation Board May 1,2014 Motion made by Michael Roberts seconded by Carrie Simon BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Conservation Board hereby makes the following comments regarding the Town of Ithaca draft Comprehensive Plan and the related DGEIS: We like the new Comp Plan and the dgeis on it, but think both could be improved by a closer consideration of two issues the Conservation Board has been addressing lately: namely the need to promote water conservation with a new three-block increasing rate billing structure that encourages consumers to reduce usage, and the need to consider white-tail deer overpopulation a severe threat to their natural habitat. It's wonderful that the water conservation rate restructuring has been included in the Comp Plan. But not so good that it has been given an "Open" priority, under which action should be taken by 2019-2024 if not before. Ever since Katie Stoner showed the CB how municipal power used to pump water through the Bolton Point water system was responsible for 45% of the Town's GHG emissions, we've been eager to do something about it.The dgeis seems much too laid-back about global warming, and should recognize more urgency in the need to reduce GHG sooner rather than later. If the 2020 Energy Action Plan is going to work, couldn't we make water conservation a higher priority? Please consider moving the Implementation Strategy for Energy and Climate Protection on page 82, EC-3-13 "Water pricing based on use"from Open to High Priority. If we can't get Bolton Point to restructure rates, let's have Ithaca government itself recognize the urgent need to lower GHG and initiate a leadership position by restructuring rates billed at the Town level.The CB has after much study and discussion twice resolved the need for revised water rates, first on June 9, 2011, then again most recently at its November 7, 2013 meeting.The most recent resolution included eight very convincing references backing up the importance of this program, and has been clearly minuted on the Town's website. We will not be comfortable with the low "open" priority given this program in the Comp Plan. The need for the Town to consider the overpopulation of deer as a menace to wildlife habitat should be at least mentioned in the Comp Plan. Since the only time the word "deer" appears in that plan is when it comes up in reference to the Deer Run development, the dgeis has no grounds for considering the problem at all. But in the CB view of this matter, a Town Pest Management policy would be required to address the need to prevent deer over-browsing in its preserves and open areas. Because we have too many deer, all the native flora is getting eaten;the deer are leaving only invasive species that are crowding out the very few native plants left.The Comp Plan does well to mention the problem with invasives, but by completely ignoring the deer plague, it is leaving out a crucial element in that problem.The Comp Plan's Natural Resources goal NR-4, to "Support private and intermunicipal efforts to protect wildlife and open space" should include the need to manage deer population in order to preserve wildlife habitat. Goal NR-5, to "Support and engage in efforts to control invasive species" should include action to decrease the size of our deer herds, even though deer are native to this area. Without the native predators that used to keep the deer in balance with their habitat, that habitat is getting destroyed. Not only are native plants in danger of extinction, but other animals evolved to depend on native plants are disappearing as their habitat is degraded, turning into an unnatural brambly brush of invasives.The dgeis recommendation to update the Dec 1997 Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan is a good one, but should include specific reference to the need to curb deer overpopulation. Since the dgeis section 2.9.2. on "Wildlife habitat" seems to recognize only the threat posed to wildlife by"urban encroachment," it would do well to recognize that "future development" is not just a zoning or building construction issue.The "natural areas" in need of protection are also in need of responsible management, and just letting the deer population go out of control is completely irresponsible.The Comp Plan needs to recognize this, and a good environmental impact statement would necessarily admit that not planning any sort of deer pest control is no way to manage wildlife habitat. If NR-5 included deer population control as an essential part of controlling invasive species, we'd have a better chance of preserving the dwindling populations of native flora and fauna that way too many deer are killing now. You may be sure that the CB will continue in its efforts to get these two important issues recognized in effective Town plans and actions.Thanks for your help in revising the dgeis and Comp Plan so this might happen! A vote on the motion was as follows: Ayes: Michael Bennett,James Hamilton, Eva Hoffman, Michael Roberts, Carrie Simon Nays: None