HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC Minutes - December 22, 201412-22-2014 Minutes - Danby Conservation Advisory Council Meeting - FINAL Submitted By Matt Ulinski
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Danby Conservation Advisory Council
Minutes of Regular Meeting December 22, 2014
Present:
Joel Gagnon (Chair)
Matt Ulinski
Mary Woodsen
Dan Klein
Jake Brenner
Others Present:
Ronda Roaring
Jack Miller
The Meeting was opened at 7:05 pm
November Minutes:
Approval was deferred to next meeting since the minutes were handed out late.
Public Comments/Privilege of the floor
None
Agenda
Mary’s post-easement document, annual report, outreach, stewardship job application, Allport property
Discussion
Mary found some easement stewardship job descriptions on the web and shared them.
Matt in touch with Melchen and Palmers. They were unsure of next steps. Sue sending info again.
Matt suggested that we follow easements all the way through, but this means knowing what needs to be done.
Joel: appraisal due 60 days after easements signed. Dan maybe reach out to appraisers to get to know them.
Matt will keep following up on this.
Action item: Matt will call Palmers and Melchen to remind them about appraisal and taxes and referral to
neighbors.
Discussion of easement tax credits. Need to find out more about how this works.
Allport Property
Dan: Tompkins County is looking at putting $10,000 toward the purchase of the Allport property.
He talked to Town Board, they had a resolution of support for the property purchase, but did not budget any
money toward this. The TB will discuss next month and current proposal is to contribute $1,000. He
reminded the TB of the CAC motion to have TB recommend to the FLLT about agriculture land use plan.
12-22-2014 Minutes - Danby Conservation Advisory Council Meeting - FINAL Submitted By Matt Ulinski
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Water District Property
Joel has received copy of the deed and survey map. CAC could go out and survey property. Dan: our
role is to make a management plan. He suggested we go out in spring to walk property. Joel: we could have
discussion about logging on town property in general.
Action item: CAC to go on Saturday May 2nd at 11AM to walk the property. We will contact Jake ahead of
time to see if interested.
Other properties: Highway Barns, Dan said we should look at this property especially since town is
looking at installing solar panels there. Other old town barn property also still owned by town.
Jake: what is purpose of management plans? Are we obligated to follow them or are they non-
binding. Joel: TB approves the plan, public gets to provide input. Jake: can Jack bring our questions to
Town Board about expectations and obligations of CAC? Dan: State requires a management plan for town
owned land. We have some time to work on this and discuss with TB. We should try and visit land as
possible. Joel: get a forester or naturalist to help appraise land. He may know someone who can help.
Annual Report
Jake: question about first sentence on paragraph three: “The primary thrust of Danby's conservation
easement effort is to reduce development potential while restricting use minimally just to reduce the potential
for abuse and degradation of the land resource.” Change to something more positive. Joel will change to
something out of meeting. Dan and Matt: good job.
Motion: Move to approve Annual Report subject to changes Joel will make to Jake’s comments noted in
minutes. Dan moved. Jake seconded. All approved.
Outreach and Easements
Dan: We should have publicity ready when easements done. Joel: put elements of CAC Annual Report
in Danby Area News. Joel: We should be more proactive about easements. Matt: we should try and go after
friendly easements while still learning the process before cold calling. Dan: suggestions for increasing
easements around Palmer property. We need to find appraisers if this is slowing process down. Joel will ask
FLLT when he calls. Joel: come up with list of properties from Jake’s land survey/plan to create new
easements. Jake: will come back to talk about this at February 23 meeting. CAC should reach out to those
they know.
Mary’s Post Easement Document
Joel: remembered that we were going to tailor to a specific easement.
Stewardship
Mary found job descriptions on line and presented them. Joel: Dan’s job description is good, maybe
just right for our easement types and purpose’s. We should add something about monitoring and being point
person with the landowner. What is steward’s role for reporting? How does this work? If someone reports
issue to steward – or to CAC and then CAC contacts steward. Dan: not police, but do report back to the
board. Jake: We need to clarify what the role is.
12-22-2014 Minutes - Danby Conservation Advisory Council Meeting - FINAL Submitted By Matt Ulinski
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Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8: 41 PM.
The next meeting is on January 26, 2015 at 7:00PM.
Submitted by Matt Ulinski