HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2023-06-01 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
June 1, 2023, 4:30 p.m.
(In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer (Chairperson), Frank Cantone, Lindsay Dombroskie (by Zoom),
Elise Edwards, James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann, Joann Kowalski (Vice Chairperson), Mike
Roberts, Ingrid Zabel
Staff present: Hilary Swartwood (Sustainability Planner), Michael Smith (Senior Planner)
Guest: One high school student was present.
1. Persons to be heard: none
2. Members comments/concerns
Joann brought up an article in the Ithaca Times about Zero Waste Ithaca and Ithaca
College's decision to install artificial turf at Butterfield Stadium (link to article:
https://wwweithaca.com/news/ithaca/zero-waste-ithaca-rall -against-turf-installation-at-
butterfield-stadium/article 37903430-ff03-11ed-b1f7-332f30533b53.htm1 ).This project
was recently approved by the Town of Ithaca Planning Board. CB members expressed
concern that a quote in the article was not accurate: it alleged that the Town was
unaware of pending legislation in New York State that would place a moratorium on the
installation of artificial turf. The CB's Environmental Review Committee (ERC) did
mention this pending legislation—and other concerns and considerations—in its memo
to the Planning Board. This is probably not clear to the public since the minutes of the
most recent Planning Board meeting have not yet been published. At this recent
meeting, one member of the public (Brian Eden) spoke.
Mike S. noted that athletic fields are a permitted use as part of the college and Town
Zoning does not specify a surface material type.
Action items:
• Joann has a contact who is involved with Zero Waste Ithaca. Joann can share
the ERC's memo to the Planning Board with the contact.
• Possibly invite Zero Waste Ithaca to attend the next (or a future) CB meeting. We
could ask them to present to us to learn about their work, and we could help
them understand the process of Town decision-making.
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori)
Two new items:
• Dalai Lama project. Changes were above what Town of Ithaca staff can review,
so it went back to the Planning Board.
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• New solar installation. The applicant has done a lot of homework and submitted
lots of material, far beyond what is typical at this point in the process. For
example, they have included a view &glare analysis and stream and wetland
delineation. The project will come back in July or August for approval.
The project is for approximately 27 acres, and this is the first time since the new
solar law that a project has been this large (note: the new law allows for projects
up to 35 acres in certain cases).
The proposed project is in an agricultural zone, and Lindsay asked if we want to
comment if it's on prime farmland.
4. Chair& Coordinator Reports
a. Chair Report: none
b. Coordinator report:
i. A landowner on South Hill has approached the Town of Ithaca about
selling about 135 acres of land, to become a town preserve. The land has
some existing trails, is wooded on two ends, has lots of invasives, and
has a power line crossing it. The owners want to keep some of the land,
retaining most of the wetlands/ponds on their property. There are no
structures on the land that would come to the Town.
The owner is offering the land to the Town at 80% of the value; an
appraisal is being done now. The sale is hoped to take place in the next 2
to 3 years, so it is not a rushed situation that would need involvement
from the Finger Lakes Land Trust (though they have been part of
conversations).
Possible action item: The Town is looking at grant funding sources and
might want a letter of support from the Conservation Board.
ii. An intern will start working on Monday, June 5 with Hilary and Mike; the
position is split between planning and sustainability. She may work on
CB projects such as
1. reworking the Fischer Award display to add room for future
winners
2. creating a nomination form for the Fischer Award
3. helping to develop an ERC review process guide
5. Approval of minutes from May 4, 2023 meeting
James had a correction to text about wanting to reinstate Town email addresses
for CB members to use when conducting official business.
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With this correction, the minutes were approved (moved by Ingrid Zabel,
seconded by James Hamilton).
6. Finalize plan for 2023 NY Invasive Species Awareness Week event
• Monday, June 5, 6-7 pm at Westhaven Preserve, off of Helen's Way
• Removal of swallow-wort and other invasives
• James will provide education
• Members are asked to bring a variety of hand tools; the Town will also provide tools
• If we have native wildflower seeds, bring them
7. Continued discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike)
The May 6, 2023 event at Tutelo Park went well. Sachem George opened the
event with words of thanks; the speakers were great; hikes along future
ethnobotanical trail were well-attended.
Long-term vision for plant trail: Mike spoke with Steve Henhawk about this, who
has communicated with tribe elders and is open to dialogue. Mike will keep
communicating with him. It would be good to know the level of interest from tribal
members in helping to co-create the plant trail.
8. Continued discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary/ Garden Tour (Joann,
Ingrid)
a. June 19-24 is National Pollinator Week, and Joann is planning to have a CB
table with information at the Tompkins County Public Library. Brandon Hoak has
agreed to offer a program at Marshy Garden (near the Soil Factory) on June 23.
We discussed how we could collaborate with him.
i. Idea: give away a native plant to the first 20 people who attend
ii. Estimated cost: $100 (20 plants @ $5/plant).
iii. CB has a budget that would allow us to purchase these plants.
iv. We discussed whether plants should only be given to Town of Ithaca
residents, since the funds to pay for them come from Town taxpayers.
Mike S indicated that as long as the amount of the plant purchase was
below $250, it wouldn't matter if the person who received the plant was a
town resident.
V. We also discussed collecting contact information from people who receive
plants, so we can share other information about helping pollinators and
wildlife.
vi. If we end up not giving away all the plants, the Town can plant them.
b. August 19 Garden Tour planning
i. Four gardens will be on display; Ingrid met with the gardeners on May 31
to discuss planning details
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ii. Event will take place from 10 am - 2 pm. Schedule:
• 10 am, Marshy Garden, Brandon Hoak &Ash Ferlito
• 11 am, Kate Dickin (South Hill)
• 12 pm, Barbara Harrison (East Hill)
• 1 pm, Jane-Marie Law (Northeast). She has offered to provide
refreshments.
iii. The group thought it was best to have people pre-register, to get an
estimate of the number of attendees, and to get contact information for
sharing event details and enable follow-up communication after the event.
Ingrid will create a Google form for registration and create the information
to send to people after they register.
iv. The group discussed parking and encouraging carpooling, sharing
information using Pollinator Pathways pamphlets, and event promotion.
V. The event will take place rain or shine, unless there are thunderstorms
9. Committee Reports
a. Scenic Resources (Eva): no report
b. Communications Committee (James)
i. Tree-planting Party for Friendship Donations Network' Fischer Award
went well at West Hill Park, Monday May 15th, 5-6pm. Joe Talbut found
us a big trophy basswood tree, and Lori brought two young basswood
seedlings to plant near the northwest corner of the Community Garden.
ii. Mike S will update the Fischer Award page on Town's website with some
photos and a short text about this 20th Fischer award.
iii. Let's try to get more CB membership attending the Westhaven Preserve
NYISAW event next Monday, June 5th, from 6 to 7 pm.
c. EMC (Ingrid)
Lori and Ingrid attended the May 11, 2023 EMC meeting at Stewart Park
with members of CACs, CBs from municipalities in Tompkins County. It
was interesting to hear the different types of work done by different
organizations. Our CB seems to be unique in that we do environmental
reviews. Our focus on Indigenous Environmental Justice also seemed
unique. Some other organizations had a more activist role.
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program (James)
Results for the 2022 BMI sampling have been published, and the March
29, 2023 synoptic sampling results put into records available for online
access. On May 17th, volunteers took synoptic water samples from 16
sites in Six Mile from headwaters to Plain St downtown. Flow was low,
results not yet published. Though DEC developed standards for BMI
sampling between July 1 and Sept 22, Adrianna Hirtler, the biomonitoring
coordinator, is looking for volunteers willing to sample earlier,just to see
what BMI might be living in late spring and early summer.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program (James)
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Volunteers blazed trails in McLean bogs, repairing deer exclosures,
pruning, and moving fallen trees from across these trails. They also
blazed and pruned trails in the Monkey Run natural area north of Fall
Creek. Young trees and shrubs growing at the Plant Propagation Facility
near Flat Rocks needed repotting to larger containers; these plants grew
from seeds collected by volunteers in CUBG Natural Areas and will be
transplanted to natural areas that need them this fall.
10. Other Business: Question about plans for Culver Rd. Preserve development. Mike S.
reported that there has been no action yet, as we are still waiting to sign the contract
with the State.
11. Review 2023 Work Goals/ Discuss July Agenda
a. It was decided to save discussion of work goals for another meeting.
b. Next meeting: July 6, 2023. Keep our continuing discussion items on the agenda.
12. Meeting adjourned at 5:30 pm
Minutes drafted by Ingrid Zabel.
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