HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2022-06-02 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
June 2, 2022,4:30 p.m.
Final Minutes
Members present in-person: Lori Brewer(Chair),James Hamilton,Joann Kowalski
Members present via Zoom: Eva Hoffmann, Elise Edwards
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner
Guests: None
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Members' Concerns:Joann: A town resident saw oak trees experiencing lots of defoliation on the
East Ithaca Recreation Way and she wasn't sure what was happening.Joann emailed Joe Talbut about
the concern, and he said it was the spongy moth problem.Joe mentioned that they don't have the staff
or resources/time available to deal with the problem right now. Discussions were had among members
about the spongy moths and tree's ability to survive defoliation and potentially produce more leaves
later in the season after the first leaf out.
3. Environmental Review Committee (ERC): Lori Brewer, Chair—Lori reported that there were two
projects this month that the ERC committee has already commented on, in preparation for the June 7tn
Planning Board meeting agenda and one other project still needing review.
i. One project involving alteration of an antenna of a cell tower has been reviewed by the
ERC and was straightforward.
ii. Renewal of the Holochuck Homes Subdivision/Development:This project requests for a
time extension given that subdivision approvals in the Town expire after 10 years if no
construction work has occurred on the project or if any of the lots have not been
transferred.The ERC has discussed that much can change over ten years in regard to
natural resources and concerns were expressed about the time period that has passed
and granting renewal without further investigation of these changes. Mike S.
mentioned it is not common for things with these types of projects to sit for as long as
this one has, and typically after the review these items proceed with development.
iii. The project still needing comment is a subdivision on Ridgecrest Road.
4. Chair and Coordinator Reports:
Chair, Lori Brewer:
Lori mentioned that during the Fisher Award event, it was discussed the tabling events coming up and
the possibly needing a new table cover. We may want to use the conservation board money for a new
table with the new logo. A vote was taken about buying this table cover with the new logo, everyone
was in agreeance.
Discussion about waste management sub-committee needs and how it would have been nice to hand
things out to the Ithaca Reuse folks, however we currently do not have a brochure to hand out to
potential new members. Lori (chair) mentioned that we could develop a "We need you" flyer to be able
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to hand out to prospective members. Suggestions were made that this would be a trifold brochure to
get people to look at things we already have and to gauge if they would be interested in joining the
conservation board.
Coordinator, Mike Smith:
Mike mentioned meeting formats, moving forward.Waiting to see if the state executive order will be
extended in a couple of weeks regarding official requirements of meeting formats.The state had a new
law in April for each municipality to create their own law for things to be virtual or in person.The Town
has decided to allow a zoom option, so the zoom option will be a permanent option for all future
meetings for members and the public. However, when the conservation board wants to have a quorum
there needs to be at least 5 people in person for a vote to take place. If that is the case,then zoom
members can vote, if not, a vote cannot take place. Once we have more people (9 people total)this will
be easier, however as of right now all five members will need to be in person for a quorum. If someone
is going to miss the meeting or if they need to go virtual,they will need to tell Mike S. and Lori ahead of
time.Associate members can be virtual or in person. Lastly, Mike S. mentioned that if members are
going to be virtual,they need to be seen heard and recognizable in order to be at the meeting as a
member.All meetings and minutes will be posted on the website and minutes need to be posted within
2 weeks of the last meeting. Further details about these requirements can be found in
"Videoconferencing Public Body Meeting Participation Policy" as defined in Public Officers Law§102 and
in conjunction with Town of Ithaca Local Law 11 of 2022
We need to update the CB brochure and Scenic Views Map &Tour pamphlet soon. Mike S. mentioned
the planning department has an intern starting who is a student at Cornell University in landscape
architecture.The intern has tasks already for the summer, but this might be an opportunity if we need
any updates to the brochure etc.that we could ask her to be involved in.
5. Approval of minutes: No quorum, minutes will need to be approved in July.
6. Invasive Species Awareness Event: Plans for the June 9th NYISAW event, 5-7PM have Community
Science Institute and Cayuga Lake Watershed Network also attending to help with aquatic invasives;
Conservation Board members will please attend with some samples of invasives to help teach ID. Finger
Lakes PRISM sent us promotional materials and has our event on their calendar. Mike S will post a press
release June 3. Joann got the invasive event on the Ithaca times calendar for people to see.
7. Regular Reports and Updates:
a. Communications Committee:
i. Famers Market Outreach (Joann)-We will now be having a booth at the East Hill Farmers
Market where Lori,Joanne and Elise will be there on Wednesdays June 22nd July 27t"and August
24t"from 4-7pm. Lori mentioned to other board members that this will be an opportunity to
interact with the public and look for board members.Joann mentioned that the vendor usually
does not allow people who aren't non-profits to come in but since it is a smaller market,they
will allow us to be there once a month.
ii. Fischer Award (James):Tree-planting party for Finger Lakes Reuse went well May 25t". Four
small burr oaks went in pre-dug holes nicely;WBNG reporter Ashley Soriano made a TV news
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report of the show.The tree planting also made the Town of Ithaca June 2022 Newsletter.The
Fischer Award hemlock we planted for New York Hemlock Initiative in Forest Home Park had
died, probably of drought; asked Joe Talbot to replace it.Joe plans to put a new hemlock there
this fall.
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Scenic Resources Committee
i James uploaded tn the Tnvvn'sCBOneDrive shared SRC folder aI34mb
jpe8ofa draft view sign for the Pine Tree Snyder Hill intersection that's waiting for legal
permission from [U for a planting site by the Pine Tree Walkway. Mike S's 4/18/I2 email contains
the URL for our CB sharing server space. CB members should check it out and offer opinions for
improving it towards final draft that Iron Designs can then polish. Members should also visit the Z
tour signs already installed at East Shore Park and the Danby Road pull-off just east of Longview.
Mike S—Cornell University has yet to approve the agreement for the installment of the sign.
ii. At our new view location, vve have talked about having a
bench for people to sit there.The bench on south hill next to the Longview residential center is
built in such a way that it has a sloped seat and is not comfortable. Eva plans to try to talk to Joe
Talbut about this to ensure that the new bench does not have a sloped seat. We should have a
people friendly bench. Mike mentioned that the conservation board might need to buy them
rather than the town building one if this is the direction vve want togo.
c. Lindsay was not in attendance, and she
will update us in afuture meeting about EM[ news.
d. Volunteers took a synoptic sample for
chemical and bacteriological analyses Tuesday morning, May 24 at 13 sites from headwaters to the Plain
St bridge downtown. Creek was running lower than its I5th percentile for this date.
e. Volunteers helped take census ofrare
Trolius laxus in Groton fen, blooming profusely this spring; repaired damaged tree ex-closures smashed
by ice jam flooding in Fall Creek South above Flat Rocks; potted trees &shrubs grown from native seeds
collected in Cornell University natural areas for transplanting when their time is right; maintained and
blazed trails in Fall Creek North and Monkey Run.
O. Lori brought up the July and August meetings,we will meet in person in July and the
agreed to cancel the August meeting.
9: Review of 2022 Work Goals/Discussion of Continued Summer and Fall Goals(Joann):
a. James and Eva need to discuss what updates are needed and
will come up with a list of needs prior to next meeting. The placement of the new sign
should be mentioned in the updates and editing of brochure should be done soon.
b. We are doing pretty well with
this goal. Generally, some new things are posted, maybe once a week and do not just
include conservation board things but other relevant things that might be of interests to our
residents.
c. Activities: Fisher Award Ceremony-Completed, Invasive Week event planned.
d. VVe did one event,the blue bird boxes, and xve are doing
invasive species and farmers market. Recommendations were made to solicit input of
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people (at the invasives event and of the farmers market tabling as well)for events that
might be of interest to people we talk to, so we can recruit more people. Lori mentioned it
might be good to launch a scenic resources event in September or October as another
option for a recruitment event.The group agrees that October might be best.
e. Work items for July: Scenic views brochure review and sign comments. Planning for scenic
views event in October. Discuss more about the scenic view bench and bench
measurements,for both the new scenic sign site and the south hill view site.
11.Ad'lournment:The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 PM.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Elise Edwards
6/6/2022
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