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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC Minutes - September 25, 2017Page 1 of 5 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes_September 25, 2017 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes of Meeting The regular monthly meeting of the Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) was held at 7:00pm on Monday September 25, 2017 at Danby Town Hall, 1830 Danby Road, Town of Danby, New York. Council Members Present: Matt Ulinski (Chair), Joel Gagnon, Ruth Sherman, Mary Woodsen (left at 7:10pm) Bill Evans (left at 7:15pm) and Dan Klein (arrived at 8:13pm). Absent: Don Schaufler Non-Members Present: Jack Miller (Town Councilperson – CAC Liaison), Matt Hobart (Secretary), and Ronda Roaring. Call to Order – 7:04pm by Ulinski. Agenda Review – • Gagnon requested to add discussion of the Hatch Pavilion property in West Danby to the agenda. Privilege of the Floor – • Woodsen requested to speak during Privilege of the Floor as she had to leave the meeting early. Woodsen reported that she and Klein visited with a landowner concerning a potential conservation easement on his property. The landowner is currently viewing the easement template. There was conversation that this landowner would likely need to see some form of financial assistance or significant tax benefits to granting an easement due to limited resources. Woodsen left at 7:10pm • Evans requested to speak during Privilege of the Floor as he had to leave the meeting early. Evans updated the CAC on the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council’s (EMC) change to the boundaries of the Unique Natural Areas (UNA). Two of these changes occurred in the Town of Danby and were very minor adjustments to current boundaries. • Evans reported that the EMC had a discussion concerning Cargill’s request for an additional mine shaft and expanded mining of salt at the mine in Lansing. It was stated that this is not an issue that would directly affect the environment in Danby but it could have impacts on quality of life in the surrounding area. There was a resolution proposal before the Town Board concerning the issue and it was approved. Evans left at 7:15pm • Roaring told the CAC that she had spoken to Supervisor Dietrick about the lack of articles in the Danby News from the CAC. Supervisor Dietrick suggested that she write something. Roaring requested Page 2 of 5 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes_September 25, 2017 permission from the CAC before she wrote anything. Ulinski stated that an article would be published in the October newsletter. The CAC encouraged Roaring to write about any land preservation topics that she felt were important but not on behalf of the CAC. Approval of the Minutes – Approval of the minutes of the June 26, 2017 & August 28, 2017 CAC meetings was postponed until the October 23, 2017 meeting due to a lack of quorum. Reports and Updates – Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) Sub-Committee Update • There were no reports or updates as the sub-committee did not meet. There is currently no meeting scheduled. Action Items – Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) • Discussion took place concerning the draft outline of the NRI and the updated draft Preliminary Data Inventory (PDI). Sherman stated that the NRI draft outline looked comprehensive and complete. It was acknowledged that the majority of the ground work is on Town Planner Randall’s plate and that the CAC understands that this is a lot of work and will take some time. Privilege of the Floor – o Roaring stated that she had spoken to Town Planner Randall about inventories for specific species sightings and locations and that she felt it was important to have these included in the NRI. • Sherman felt that including specific species locations was a lot of work to be accomplished. It was mentioned that previous discussion had taken place concerning the issue of publishing specific locations and the risk of harm to the species if the location was made public. • It was mentioned that inventories that have already been completed could be incorporated into the NRI but Ulinski stated that he wanted to stay focused on developing the NRI and PDI. Once the NRI and PDI are complete then there could be a focus on additional information. Sherman suggested a BioBlitz. • Hobart shared a few print outs from the Tompkins County 2001 NRI with the CAC so they could see some examples of how the PDI layers would look printed on a map. Privilege of the Floor – o Roaring asked if there would be another Fall Tree Walk. It was mentioned that it was well attended. Ulinski stated that the CAC should host it again this year and that he would work on it. Page 3 of 5 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes_September 25, 2017 Natural Resources Protection • Hobart shared copies of the Priority Protection Areas (PPA) section from the 2007 Tompkins County Conservation Plan Part 1 as a supplement to the 2012 Tompkins County Conservation Strategy which Town Planner Randall had previously email the CAC members. • There was discussion related to who had produced the plan and strategy. They were done by the county planning department in consultation with the Planning Advisory Board which is not the same as the EMC. The Priority Protection Areas do include all or portions of the UNAs identified by the EMC. Gagnon discussed the fact that these identified areas are just suggestions and if they could become Critical Environmental Areas to give them more importance. He asked how the town could add additional protections. • The discussion related to the UNAs and the PPAs segued into discussion of the Tompkins County Natural Infrastructure Capital Project and if funds could be used to help protect these identified areas in the town. The CAC is interested to know more about the project and how funds could be applied for and how they could be used. Particular interest is in if the funds could be used to purchase easements in the town or to offset costs related to acquiring easements, e.g., title searches, survey work, legal fees, etc. • Ulinski was interested to know how these types of plans, programs, or funding opportunities get communicated with the towns. He stated that he hopes that there is a good flow of information so that the towns can know about them and take advantage of them. Vision or Mission Statement • Hobart provided the CAC with a first draft of a mission statement or short paragraph that consolidates the goals and tasks outlined in Resolution 82 of 2010 to more easily communicate to the public what the CAC is and does. Privilege of the Floor – o Roaring stated that in her opinion the draft document was not a mission statement and asked for the Finger Lakes Land Trust’s (FLT) mission statement to be read from the internet. • Hobart read the FLT mission statement and discussion took place as to how the CAC had to follow the resolution and could not be poetic in their statement and how the council was not the same type of organization as a non-profit. Page 4 of 5 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes_September 25, 2017 • Sherman stated that this was a good working document and the CAC would make edits. Easements • Discussion on strategies for acquiring easements was postponed. Hatch Pavilion Property • Gagnon spoke to the history and current issue of the Hatch Pavilion property in West Danby. Klein arrived at 8:13pm • Discussion took place related to how this project would be considered a cluster alternative and how this type of development would fit in the hamlet of West Danby. This development could use a combined water and septic system. Gagnon explained how there was a proposal to create a sewer district in the town and how this would encourage cluster development. • Gagnon explained how using cluster development in this project could support maintaining open space and the Hatch Pavilion. This would create a park that would be available as a public park to the community. The developers were receptive to this idea. There are some community members who do not support the development moving forward and instead would like the town to purchase the entire property as a park. • Discussion took place to the fact that as long as the landowner develops the property according to town zoning and subdivision regulation that they are entitled to develop their property and that some open space and the idea of maintaining the hatch Pavilion is preferred to the alternative that the landowner develops the entire parcel. Privilege of the Floor – o Roaring stated that the landowner is not entitled to develop this property as proposed and that the town should stop them. She went on to comment that in her opinion this should not even be an item of discussion for the CAC. • Gagnon moved that the CAC vote on a resolution that would be submitted to the Town Board for consideration. It was second by Klein. • The resolution states: WHEREAS, the Landowner is entitled, according to town zoning and sub-division regulations, to develop the Hatch Pavilion property; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Conservation Advisory Council encourages cluster development in order to maintain open space with the potential for maintaining a public park; and be it further Page 5 of 5 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes_September 25, 2017 RESOLVED, that the Conservation Advisory Council recommends to the Town Board to consider a sewer district for this development. • The motion passed. In favor: Gagnon, Klein, Sherman, and Ulinski. Absent: Evans, Schaufler, and Woodsen. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm. Next meeting is October 23, 2017 at 7:00pm ____________________________ Submitted by Matthew Hobart, Secretary