HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2023-03-02 TOWN OF ITHACA CONSERVATION BOARD MEETING
Thursday, March 2, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
(In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members Present: Lori Brewer(Chair), Elise Edwards*,James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann (online),Joann
Kowalski (Vice-Chair), Michael Roberts, Ingrid Zabel
(*Associate Member)
Staff: Mike Smith (Senior Planner)
Guests: Frank Cantone (online)
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Members comments/concerns: None
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori)—For March, a special permit is being reviewed
for a childcare facility at Ithaca College's College Circle property. No construction is planned;they
will be using existing space that is not currently being used by the college. A 3-lot subdivision
request was submitted on the west side of town in a medium density area.
Lori invited anyone who would like to sit in on meetings to review plans to do so since it's a good
way to learn about the process and the potential impacts of proposed projects.
4. Chair and Coordinator Reports:As chair, Lori shared that NYSACC will hold their Fall conference
in Tompkins County. Kate from the EMC was discussing with the chair of NYSACC that the
conference be focused on matters affecting Tompkins County. NYSACC is interested in having the
Conservation Boards provide input.A meeting will be held at Stewart Park on May 11 starting at
4:00 pm to have various area Conversation Boards provide input. Lori suggested that we share
the Scenic Views tour with those who will be present at the Fall conference. She also suggested
sending any topics of interest to her that will be relayed to the planning committee for the
conference.Two topics suggested by Mike R. are deer management and over-use of natural
areas that are not cared for. Details for the conference will be decided by the Tompkins County
EMC.
Mike S. reported the deer program is halfway through and there have been 12 deer culled from
three sites. Six sites have not gotten any deer. Weather may be a factor; could coyotes be a
factor?The Culver Road site has been experiencing removing of invasives with human presence
most of the day possibly impacting the presence of deer. Mike R. asked if data is still being
collected about deer/vehicle collisions. Mike S. indicated yes, but the data lags a few years
behind with 2019 as the most recent year for compiled data.
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5. Approval of minutes from November 3, 2022,January 5,2023 and February 2,2023: Ingrid
Zabel made a motion to approve the minutes with Mike Roberts seconding.
6. Discussion of the 2022 Richard B. Fischer Environmental Conservation Award nominations and
selection of a winner:Two nominations were submitted for the Fischer award—Finger Lakes
Land Trust (FLLT) and the Friendship Donation Network(FDN).James indicated that one of the
founders of FLLT,A. Carl Leopold, received the award after his death as recommended by the
FLLT, who had been nominated that year.
Eva mentioned Betsy Darlington received the first Fischer award and she was instrumental in the
founding of the FLLT.
A discussion about the two nominations took place by members to substantiate a vote for one or
the other.
A vote was taken to choose the recipient and there were four voting for the Friendship Donation
Network and two for the FLLT. A date will have to be chosen as well as a site and the type of
trees to be planted to honor the FDN.A letter will be crafted and sent to the contact at the FDN
about the award.
7. Continued discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike): Mike R. reported that the
event at Tutelo Park is taking place on May 6`"from 11:00—3:00.The event is being organized by
the Town of Ithaca with support from the Visitors Bureau. Mike R. reviewed the agenda for the
day.Joann will find out from Rod Howe what the expectations are for the Conservation Board in
terms of helping to develop the ethnobotanic trail and assistance needed for that day.
8. Continued discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary/Garden Tour(Ingrid); Ingrid
reported that Barbara Harrison,Jane Marie-Law, Brandon Hoak, and Kate Dickin are possibilities
for the tour.June 19`"to June 25 is Pollinator Week. An August date was suggested for the tours.
There is geographic difference in the location of the gardens. By the next meeting, Ingrid hopes
to have a definite date to present.
9. Regular reports and updates
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva)—No report was offered.
b. Communications Committee (James) -We decided next Fischer Award winner under agenda
item 6.James posted some reminders last month inviting nominations on our CB Facebook
page, but we received no recommendations from Facebook followers.Some of us feel the
nomination process is too difficult; Mike S thinks a summer intern might be able to make a
Fischer Award nomination webform for our Fischer Award page on Town website. Be sure to
respond to a survey via email that will decide when you can come to the spring award tree
planting.
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c.Tompkins County EMC (Ingrid)—Ingrid is now our official Town of Ithaca representative to the
EMC. Ingrid reported on the February meeting where a speaker presented information on the
Ithaca Green New Deal. More information is available at,I. .N.I� .s �a,rca.rdrgA new law being
proposed for NY state was discussed where 30%of land is to be conserved by 2030.A question
about Earth Day events was brought up and whether there are events planned.
d. Six Mile Creek volunteer water monitors had their annual meeting via Zoom earlier today;
decided on 4 days in 2023 to take the regular synoptic water samples and agreed on the usual
week or two-week window in late summer for the BMI sampling at four different sites.As usual,
we'll try to get a water sample when the creek's flowing fast after a storm, so one of the sample
times will get rescheduled if rain doesn't cooperate.Volunteers reviewed sampling and safety
procedures.The BMI sample requires a certain parameter of acceptable flow, so exact date will
depend on the weather in late August or early September.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens volunteer stewards are working every other week this winter due to
staff shortage. In February we thinned the canopy in Eames Bog,where too much shade was
giving orchids a hard time.The BG photographer filmed us there for a movie about volunteer
work.We also helped rebuild a deer/rabbit exclosure around rare dwarf cherries in the South
Hill Swamp,where one of two exclosures no longer had any cherries in it, and the other had
some cherries that had escaped the exclosure and were growing outside it. The wandering
cherries were enclosed in a rebuilt larger pen made with material from the deconstructed pen.
10. Other Business: Lori Brewer made a motion to recommend Frank Cantone as a member to the
Conservation Board;James seconded the motion. All present voted for the nomination of Frank
to go before the Town Board at their next meeting to be officially appointed to the Board.
11. Review 2023 Work Goals/Discuss April Agenda:JoAnn reviewed the 2023 work goals.
Information was offered to update the status of the scenic view sign on Pine Tree Road and
discussion was offered about outreach events to be offered at the May 6 Tutelo Park event.
12. The meeting was adjourned at 6:54 pm.
Minutes were drafted by Joann Kowalski—03/09/2023
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