HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Packet 2023-06-01
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING
215 N. Tioga St 14850
607.273.1747
www.town.ithaca.ny.us
TO: CONSERVATION BOARD MEMBERS
FROM: MICHAEL SMITH, SENIOR PLANNER
DATE: MAY 25, 2023
SUBJECT: UPCOMING CONSERVATION BOARD MEETING – JUNE 1, 2023
This is to confirm that the next meeting of the Conservation Board (CB) is Thursday,
June 1st at 4:30 p.m. The agenda for this meeting is enclosed (see the back of this
memo).
The draft minutes from the May 4th meeting are attached. Please email me any spelling,
grammatical, or other minor edits you have prior to the meeting.
At this meeting, we will finalize plans for hosting an event as part of the NYS Invasive
Species Awareness Week (June 5 – 11). The event (Coping with Ithaca’s Swallow-wort
Invasion) is planned for Monday, June 5th from 6 – 7pm at the Town’s Westhaven
Preserve. You can also find more information about the week and a calendar of other
events being planned at https://nyis.info/nyisaw/.
Also at this meeting we will continue the conversations on the indigenous environmental
justice (Mike R.) and your yard could be a wildlife sanctuary / garden tour (Ingrid) topics.
Ingrid is signed up to take minutes at the June meeting.
If you have any questions prior to the meeting or are not able to attend, please contact
me at msmith@town.ithaca.ny.us or 607-273-1747.
Conservation Board Members and Associates (*)
Lori Brewer (Chair), Frank Cantone, Lindsay Dombroskie*, Elise Edwards*, James Hamilton,
Eva Hoffmann, Joann Kowalski (Vice-Chair), Michael Roberts, Ingrid Zabel
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TOWN OF ITHACA
CONSERVATION BOARD
4:30 p.m., Thursday, June 1, 2023
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Aurora Conference Room
215 N. Tioga Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(The rear entrance is handicapped accessible)
(607) 273-1747
Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall
or virtually via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/6750593272).
AGENDA
1. Persons to be heard (Note earlier start time of 4:30 pm)
2. Members comments / concerns
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori)
4. Chair and Coordinator reports
5. Approval of minutes from May 4, 2023
6. Finalize plans for the 2023 NY Invasive Species Awareness Week Event (Monday, June 5th,
6 – 7pm, Westhaven Preserve)
7. Continue discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike)
8. Continued discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary / Garden Tour (Ingrid)
9. Regular reports and updates (5:00 pm)
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva)
b. Communications Committee (James)
c. Tompkins County EMC (Ingrid)
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James)
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James)
10. Other Business (5:20 p.m.)
11. Review 2023 Work Goals / Discuss July Agenda
12. Adjourn (5:30 p.m.)
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Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
May 4, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
(In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference)
Draft Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer (Chairperson), Frank Cantone, Elise Edwards, James Hamilton,
Eva Hoffmann, Joann Kowalski (Vice Chairperson) and Ingrid Zabel.
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner.
1. Persons to be heard: None
2. Member comments/concerns: James expressed concern about the recent problems the
Ithaca CarShare Program has had with getting the insurance coverage it must have to
operate. He suggested that we write letters to Governor Hochul letting her know about
the urgent need to allow the program to use regional, but out of state, insurers to cover its
needs.
Frank asked how we are supposed to respond to the mailings we all get about
Environmental Review Committee (ERC) reviews of applications. Lori said that
although these mailings go out to all CB members, for those of us who are not on the
ERC, they are meant only to keep everyone informed. There is no requirement for CB
members, who are not on the ERC, to respond to them, but relevant information about a
project is always welcome to Lori or other ERC members. Frank also asked about the
connection between the CB and the work James does with the Cornell Botanic Garden
and CSI laboratory’s monitoring of Six Mile Creek. James explained this.
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori): Lori reported on the many questions
that have come up as the ERC is reviewing the proposal from Ithaca College (IC) to
change its ball field from a natural grass surface to an artificial turf one. Most of them
are about the multitude of plastic products that end up polluting our land, water and even
bodies. There has been a citizens’ petition by Zero Waste going around the college
protesting against this planned change. CB members had a number of comments and
questions on this topic:
a. Micro plastics: The plastic micro particles are spread everywhere making them
very hard to control. Is run-off water monitored for microplastic contamination
and is it treated by the waste water treatment plant? Are there any regulations
about their use? An IC student has brought out a study about micro plastics in
water.
b. Effect on players: Players are exposed to more skin burns as they slide over the
plastic surface while playing. Many players find the artificial surfaces easier to
play on as it doesn’t get as muddy and slippery as natural grass surfaces when
wet.
c. Economy and other aspects: Which type of surface is easier and less expensive to
maintain? Natural turf may be more expensive, but perhaps different artificial turf
companies use different qualities of plastic, construction methods and
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maintenance, which can make for variations in the cost of plastic turf too.
Statements about the Planning Board adding conditions to project approvals, so
the entity creating an artificial turf field has to return the site to its original state
after its useful life is over, or create a plan for how to alleviate any environmental
damage caused by it, before getting approval. Questions about fairness in letting
one college, for instance Cornell, build a field without such conditions, if they are
later required by another college, such as IC? Should the CB let such questions
be dealt with by politicians and elected officials, while this board deals strictly
with the environmental aspects and facts that are available?
Lori encouraged everyone to send her any additional comments about artificial vs. natural
turf.
4. Chairperson and Coordinator reports:
a. Mike S. reported that several new applications have come in and will be sent to
the ERC soon, including Mirabito and solar on Mecklenburg Road.
The Town IT employee has been trying to get access to an old CB Instagram
account, but is close to giving up. The old account has never been used. The next
step will be to create a CB email address and set up a new Instagram account.
James stated that he would like to get back an account where email could be
directed to individual members.
The new Sustainability Planner, Hilary Swartwood, will let us know when she is
ready to come to one of our meetings, maybe early fall.
Last year the Town purchased 3 trail counters (Trafx) to find out how many
people are using the Town trails. Three of them were put up. Last week Mike
went to check them and collect data. He found that on the Forest Home trail from
Warren Road to the Pleasant Grove stairway there had been 45 users per day, on
the South Hill Recreation Way there had been 161 users per day and on the East
Ithaca Recreation Way (Pew Trail) there had been 100 users per day. Elise asked
if there were concerns about theft of these devices and Mike said they had no
problems yet; they are locked.
b. Chairperson: No report.
5. Approval of minutes from April 6, 2023: These minutes were approved unanimously, as
written, after being moved by Ingrid and seconded by Lori.
6. Finalize plans for the 2022 Richard B. Fischer Environmental Conservation Award tree
planting: A large Basswood tree has been chosen from the White Oak Nursery for
planting in the Community Garden on West Hill, in honor of the Friendship Donations
Network.
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7. Plan for a 2023 NY Invasive Species Awareness Week Event (June 5 – 11): Mike R. was
not present this evening, so we had no report from him. He was going to find a place to
remove invasive plants from. The CB discussed possible locations with infestations in
need of work. James will ask Joe Talbut for advice about where we could go. Joann
suggested going to a place where there already are many people. The Town’s Westhaven
Preserve, near Eco Village, has a lot of Swallow-Wort, and seemed like a worthwhile
place to work at. Some tools will be provided. June 5th at 6pm was confirmed, with the
location still to be determined.
8. Continue discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike): No report. Joann
mentioned that the Town will have a table at the planned event at Tutelo Park on May 6.
We will get informational materials from Town Hall lobby to display and share. Mike R.
will help lead a tour of a planned future nature trail, with Ingrid and Frank as back-ups.
9. Continue discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary/Garden Tour (Ingrid):
Ingrid has had feedback from the participants about when the tour will happen (Saturday,
August 19th). She will continue to put save-the-date announcements in the Town
newsletter and the Pollinator Pathways e-list.
10. Regular reports and updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): No report, because no news is available.
b. Communications Committee (James): James emailed all CB members with
forwarded Finger Lakes PRISM “call for NYISAW” events news, Apr 19, asking
folks to read it and be ready to work out an ISAW event for the week of June 5 to
11. Matt Gallo at FLPRISM wants “NYISAW Event Submission” emailed with
event title, description, registration info, time location and contact by Friday May
26th. Facebook locked James out of his accounts again, requiring 2 Factor
Authentication that he does not have the hardware for. He asked if maybe
Communications Committee could get a new chairperson. There are still a few
details of the 5/15/23 5-6pm West Hill Park Fischer Award tree-planting party to
work out: hang tag, tree or trees, certificate, lobby plaque. Please attend if you’re
able!
c. Tompkins County Environmental Management Committee (EMC) (Ingrid):
Ingrid reported that most of the talking at the last EMC meeting was about the
theme, invited speakers, ideas for field trips, etc. at the conference coming up
(NYSACC conference, September 20-22, 2023).
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James): Six Mile Creek’s 11/9/22
synoptic water sample analysis results are published on CSI Database now, with
water quality high at all sites. (see
http://www.database.communityscience.org/events/2946). The 2022 BMI results
will soon be published, as all the samples have been analyzed, but still need data
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entry for graphic presentation. The last 11 years of Biological Monitoring Results
are all available meanwhile.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James): CUBG volunteers
visited the Salt Rd Fen in Groton again to take a census of the American
globeflowers there. Those rare plants are doing well in the cold wet limestone-fed
springwater. Volunteers also helped open the Cascadilla gorge trail, clearing fallen
shale rocks from the path and steps. In McLean Bogs, the group blazed the trails
around Mud Pond and two bogs. To help celebrate National Public Gardens Week,
CUBG is holding 6 different events, both online and hikes, walks, and
explorations in their Natural Areas between May 13 and 21.
11. Other Business: None
12. Review 2023 Work Goals/ Discuss June Agenda: The next meeting will be on June 1,
2023. The time will be 4:30 PM, instead of the usual 5:30 (Secretary’s updated
information).
13. Adjournment: 7:03 pm
Respectfully submitted by Eva Hoffmann
May 23, 2023