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Home My WebLink AboutCB Minutes 2023-07-06 1 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting July 6, 2023, 5:30 p.m. (In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference) Final Minutes Members present: Joann Kowalski (Vice Chairperson), James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann, Ingrid Zabel, Frank Cantone, Elise Edwards (via Zoom) Staff present: Michael Smith (Senior Planner), Stella Frank (Planning Intern) Guests: Brian Eden and Tony 1. Persons to be heard: Brian Eden provided comments about the plan to install artificial turf on Ithaca College’s Butterfield Stadium. Mr. Eden submitted a letter to the Town Board, and also attended a recent Planning Board meeting, highlighting environmental concerns of the turf. Mr. Eden expressed interest for a more robust discussion of such issues and recommended that the Town enlist more subject matter experts on the Planning Board. Also, the Town should provide opportunities for everyone to comment and express concerns. 2. Members comments/concerns: Where were the comments for the recent installation of artificial turn for Cornell University’s new baseball field? There are some logistical concerns with projects that come before the Planning Board. For example, projects receive little to no press coverage and so much of the community is unaware until the project is well along in the Town review process (e.g., comments are submitted during final review). Also, the Conservation Board is challenged because it may not receive news or have the ability to comment on future projects in a timely manner (e.g., during sketch review, discordance with Planning and Conservation Board meetings). 3. Environmental Review Committee Update: (Elise & Eva) • The Mirabito Redevelopment project, located at 301 Pine Tree Road - Ingrid highlighted concerns about the project lighting and its impact on insects. The Town has a strong lighting ordinance. • Professional office use of 130 Forest Home Drive 4. Chair & Coordinator Reports: a. Chair Report (Joann): The Finger Lakes Land Trust identified the Town of Ithaca (and the Town of Canandaigua) as Conservationist of the Year (https://www.fllt.org/towns-of- canandaigua-and-ithaca-recognized-as-conservationists-of-the-year/) b. Coordinator report (Mike S.): A landowner on South Hill has approached the Town of Ithaca about 2 selling about 135 acres of land, to become a Town preserve. The owner is offering the land to the Town at 80% of the appraised value - $655K. The owner currently mows trails through the property and allows the neighbors to use them. The Town is looking for grants to supplement the purchase of the land and is requesting a letter of support from the CB. Joann will draft a letter and coordinate with Lori for a signature. The Town of Lansing Environmental Advisory Council approached the Town looking to invite a member or two of the CB to attend one of their upcoming meetings. The Lansing Council meets on the same days as the CB. Mike will forward information to Joann and Lori. Last year’s tree planting at East Hill Nature Preserve was successful. Tompkins County has awarded $1900 in a municipal parks grant to do it again in October. More info to come. 5. Approval of minutes from June 2023 meeting: James moved for approval and Eva seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously with no corrections. 6. Continued discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice: (Mike) Tabled since Mike Roberts was unable to attend the meeting. 7. Continued discussion of Your Yard Could be a Wildlife Sanctuary / Garden Tour: (Joann & Ingrid) To be held on August 19 from 10am to 2pm. Planning with the four homeowners is going well and as we get closer to the event Ingrid will distribute info among other sources. 8. Committee Reports: a. Scenic Resources: (Eva) The view sign facing South Hill, at the corner of Pine Tree and Snyder Hill Roads, is still under review by Cornell University (the sign would be located on Cornell’s property). b. Communications Committee: (James) The June 5th Invasives Show for New York Invasive Species Awareness Week went well, with a good, small crowd. Mike Smith's CB Facebook post reporting the event with 5 photos reached 59 followers. The June 23rd Pollinator Week event at Marshy Garden near the Soil Factory was very well attended. The 25 plants used for an incentive were all taken away by thankful gardeners. c. EMC: (Ingrid) The New York State Association of Conservation Commissions will be holding its annual conference on September 20-22 (https://www.nysacc.net/2023). Virtual presentations will be conducted on September 20. Lori will be presenting ‘Lessons Learned from Decades of Environmental Reviews’. There will be field trips in Ithaca on 9/21 and 9/22. Free registration is offered to individuals if they 3 volunteer to assist with various parts of the conference. Mike also reminded the group that the CB account is available to cover the registration fee; coordinate with Mike if you plan to attend. d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program: (James) Volunteers were invited to help collect an early summer BMI sample in Enfield Creek just below Treman State Park. Community Science Institute now has a live Harmful algal Bloom database, see: http://database.communityscience.org/hab Other pages on CSI’s website explain the science of HAB monitoring; they have a YouTube database tutorial video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmGaCwac1MM Taughannock Park closed its waters when a suspected HAB was seen near there, on July 5. A sample taken near a dock about a mile south of there showed Dolichospermum in the bloom, but so far no analysis of its toxicity. As the scientific evidence of bloom toxicity is complicated and not well understood, Health Departments will advise you to avoid blooms whether they’re toxic or not. e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program: (James) Volunteers worked four Tuesday afternoons in Cornell’s natural areas: trimmed and blazed the red trail in Monkey Run; weeded parsnips along the trail around Beebe Lake, with a side trip to help release silverflies under a hemlock with wooly adelgid infestation upstream of Flat Rocks; visited blooming Mountain Laurel on Bald Hill; cleared swallow-wort from research plots comparing deer exclosures with similar areas open to deer browsing near the cliff edge at Edwards Lake Cliffs. CUBG's on campus gardens will have six guided tours and hikes in July on various themes; check their CUBG website for those shows. 9. Other Business: Edits to Fisher Award materials. A standardized, editable PDF form will make reviews of entries more consistent and equitable. Suggested edits include: • Omit question regarding ‘negative impacts’. • Include more history of Richard Fisher’s work with schools. • Include more photos on poster. • Substitute ‘Fisher award winners’ for ‘past award winners’. • The poster is crowded with photos and information. Perhaps we can include the last ten years on the poster, with a QR code for older winners. Include photos and write-ups in a three ring binder at public presentations. Alternatively, provide the QR code instead of printouts and brochures. 10. Review 2023 Work Goals / Discuss August Agenda: Tabled for next meeting 11. Adjourn: at 7:08 pm Minutes drafted by Frank Cantone.