HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2018-11-01 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
November 1, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Final Minutes
Members present: Lindsay Dombroskie, Hannah George, Elizabeth Hageman, James Hamilton, Eva
Hoffmann, Jon Meigs, Vladimir Micic, Michael Roberts —Chairperson, Ellie Stewart and William
VanDyke—Vice Chairperson.
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner.
Guest: Sam, a graduate student in the Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture Programs at Cornell
University.
Mike Roberts started the meeting at 5:30 PM.
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Members' Concerns: James stated that he is worried about the deer situation. Despite our submitted
document with suggestions for how to deal with it, nothing has happened at the Town Board level. Mike
R. wants to set up a meeting with Bill Goodman. Someone mentioned the Ithaca Journal article with
unhelpful comments about deer control by Bill Mahr. Ellie said she feels we have had some positive
impact and that there have not been as many negative comments as before.
Ellie also feels she is being affected by climate change herself and that it's here sooner than we had
expected. Mike R. stated that there are things we can do even locally about it. Peter Bardaglio of the
Tompkins County EMC has talked about how climate change is happening faster than we thought it
would. Eva mentioned a recent UN report about the science of climate change.
3. Chairperson and Coordinator Reports:
Chairperson: Mike Roberts reported that Joe Talbut and Rich Schoch have resubmitted the Scenic
Resources Committee's (SRC) application for the Route 96B scenic sign placement to the NY State DOT.
Mike had gotten word from the DOT last week, that they now want more information than what had been
submitted with an earlier application from the SRC.
A small newspaper in Iowa has won the Pulitzer Price for their writing about nutrient loading to the Gulf
of Mexico. The Pulitzer Web site has more detailed information. Climate scientists feel that a tax on
carbon release would be helpful. A cap and trade arrangement to control effluents getting into water
might also be helpful. Different programs to control pollution have been introduced in various places.
James mentioned a spill of manure from broken lagoons getting into Salmon Creek locally. Industrial
agricultural operations are getting away with such things, because people don't expect farming to do
damage to the environment.
Coordinator, Mike Smith: Mike reported that the November 20 Planning Board meeting has been
cancelled.
He told us about a conference to be held at Hobart& William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY on Nov. 16,
by the Finger Lakes Research Institute. It is titled Contaminants, Invasive Species and Nutrients, the three
big threats to the Finger Lakes area. There are still places available to anyone interested in attending.
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There has come in a new application for an agricultural easement for 52 acres of land on the south side of
Bostwick and Sheffield Roads. An appraisal has been done and the Town Board has moved to proceed
with the action. The land is located next to a corn field the Bakers use, there is a UNA across the lower
end of the parcel and a nice creek.
4. Approval of minutes from October 4, 2018: Mike R. moved approval of the minutes and Vladimir
seconded the motion, with corrections. The minutes were approved as changed.
5. Regular Reports and Updates:
Environmental Review Committee (Mike R.): Mike reported about a monopole and reconfiguration at the
Silvers property on Elmira Road.
Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): Eva stated that she has started making sketches for the planned sign
for Pine Tree Road. She requested copies of the recent correspondence between the Town's Highway
Department and the NYS DOT regarding the sign permit for Rt. 96B.
Communications Committee (Will): Will reported that there is new Web site Facebook information about
a Sustainability Newsletter.
Tompkins County Environmental Management Council (EMC), (Vladimir): There was no regular EMC
meeting this month. Instead there was a Recycling Forum held at the Tompkins County Public Library.
Vladimir and Eva attended it. The topic of food scrap reuse was touched on, but not in depth.
Representatives from Ontario County made a presentation. Their landfill area is one of three major ones
in northern NY State. 10% of our waste goes there and 30% of those landfills are devoted to waste from
NY City. Tom Shelley talked about micro plastics and problems related to that.
Hannah stated that local landfills that have been closed have continued maintenance, including pumping
leachate. The Hillview waste facility was closed. The amount of demolition and construction materials
have increased in landfills.
There are 15 sites around the county to drop off compostable materials, allowing diversion of some waste
from landfills. Mike R. asked Hannah to brain storm about this topic.
Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James): No news.
Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James): Volunteers spent time weeding in the Six Mile
Creek area and on the Monkey Run Trail.
Deer Management Committee (Lindsay): No report. Mike R. suggested that this item be taken off the list
for now.
6. Other Business: No report.
7. Review 2018 Work Goals /Discuss December Agenda: Mike R. asked us to review the work goals
and let him know of any changes we would like to see.
8. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 6:22 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Eva Hoffmann
February 5, 2019
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