HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2023-10-05 Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
October 5, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
(In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer(Chairperson), Elise Edwards, James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann,
Michael Roberts and Ingrid Zabel.
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner.
Guests: Veet Deha(from West Hill; is interested in working with CB, but lives in the city of
Ithaca),Norman Adelewitz, from Muriel Street(in person) and Robert Boynton, Carrie
Regenstein, Andrea Dutcher and William Sonnenstuhl (by Zoom), representing a Northeast
group of residents.
1. Persons to be heard: Mr. Adelewitz spoke for the Northeast residents group and described a
proposal they have become aware of for a Tareyton Drive area,where Cornell Real Estate is
selling land to a private developer to build affordable housing. He mentioned an article in the
Ithaca Voice about possible development on Tareyton Drive. He has seen a conceptual plan for
a 58-acre plot of land. This is not close to Tareyton Drive,but the whole area shown on a map is
near enough to cause concern. He stated that it is very wet(with many wetlands) and is not
suited for being built on, especially with many impervious surfaces from houses, roads and
driveways which would need to be constructed. Studies have been done which indicate this. Mr.
Adelewitz mentioned that there has not yet been any publicity about this proposal, The Planning
Board has not heard of it. This residents' group plans to be at the Town Board meeting on
October 12. He mentioned a five-year battle waged 2006 to 2011, with"back-and-forth"over
that in minutes. A"comfort letter"was provided to the developer regarding water and sewer
availability. The CB described the"Environmental Resource Mapper"
(https://gisservices.dec.ny.gov/ isg /erm/) is available that the group may want to look at. Lori
explained the process a development proposal goes through after it is received by the Town of
Ithaca. There was a comment from Zoom stating that it looks like this is a third of Sapsucker
Woods. Eva stated that as a long-time member of the CB and former member of both the Town
of Ithaca's Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board, she feels certain that the town is
completely aware of the wet areas on the northeast part of the town, the existing drainage
problems there and their causes and origins.
2. Member comments/concerns: None.
3. Environmental Review Committee Update (Lori): There is a review of a self-storage facility on
Elmira Road coming up.
4. Chairperson and Coordinator reports: No report by Lori.
a. Mike S. mentioned the tree planting near the Eastern Heights water tank coming up at 9 am on
Oct. 14. The information is available on the Town's Web site. Signs have been posted. Plants
have been ordered using a grant received from Tompkins County.
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b. He also stated that the Town has purchased three parcels of land in the southwest area by Routes
13 and 13A. They will be transferred to NYS Parks for the Black Diamond Trail project.
c. The 2014 Priority Trail Strategies document(Tompkins Priority Trails Strategy, 2023 Update,
draft 10/4/23.)was updated. A map shows which trails have been secured, which are in the
works, connections, etcetera. Tompkins County will eventually adopt the document and there
will be public access to all. Lori mentioned that trail counters to monitor use have been up for
about a year.
d. Funding was recently awarded for improvements along East Shore Drive and underpass area
under Route 13, to clean it up and make more pedestrian friendly. The Town got funding for the
design. There will be a public meeting on this in November.
5. Approval of minutes from September 7, 2023: The minutes were approved as written.
6. Recap of the Conference on the Environment(Elise and Lori): There was a discussion about
Environmental Management Councils (EMCs), what they do and where they are. Tompkins
County's EMC has arranged for each of its towns to give talks about what they do, what
regulations and similar systems they have. Elise gave a very good presentation about how the
Town of Ithaca's CB does things.
7. Continue discussion of Indigenous Environmental Justice (Mike R.): No report today. Mike will
meet Steve Henhawk next week. Lori mentioned that Henhawk was involved with a Town of
Danby study. Mike stated that in Cornell's project with Henhawk, a History Center employee is
learning the Gayogoh6:nq' language and is willing to create draft into Cayuga language. Mike
said that there is progress, but it is slow.
8. Regularports and updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): No report, because no news is available.
b. Communications Committee (James): As of last night, our Facebook page has 341 followers,
reached 135 and engaged 21 over the past 28 days. The Tree Planting Event posted Oct 2 has
already reached 33 and engaged 5. Two to three people were interested in CB membership.
Mike S. has got us a Town email address (conservationboard(Ytown.ithaca.ny.us) we can use,
and has set up an Instagram page.
c. Tompkins County Environmental Management Committee (EMC) (Ingrid): No report.
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program(James): Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Harriers
reported a large localized Harmful Algal Boom October 4, 2023 at residential lakefront
properties along Portland Point Rd; samples showed dolichospermum and microcystis present.
On Oct 3, HABs were spotted in three different"lakeshore segments" further north, including
along Wells College Boathouse. These happen on especially calm warm days.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program(James): Volunteers dug out infestation of
slender false brome just west of trail near Monkey Run gated trailhead parking spot on Hanshaw
Rd. (Brachypodium sylvaticum, a bunchgrass found in high-use areas in Taughannock Falls
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State Park; it's native to Europe, Asia,North Africa; it has a"very high"ranking of invasiveness
under NYDEC "ranking form"metrics); moved exclosure cages to protect blooming rare fringed
gentian in Etna Fringed Gentian Area(deer browse noticed on quite a few uncaged Gentianopsis
crinita); found three albino gentians & flagged them for special seed collection next month;
hunted Japanese stiltgrass in Lick Brook and South Hill Swamp NAs, near infestations on
adjacent lands owned by IC and FLLT easements.
9. Other Business: A question was asked regarding access to the meeting Zoom recording.
Mike S. stated that the Town doesn't currently post the Zoom recordings on the website for the
Conservation Board, only the minutes. Dakota Partners are the developers of the wetlands area
of the Sapsucker Woods.
Elise mentioned Brendan Quirion (NYSDEC) as a resource regarding a deer browsing surveys.
10. Review 2023 Work Goals/Discuss November Agenda: Not done.
11. Adjournment: 6:44 pm
Respectfully submitted by Eva Hoffrnann
November 28, 2023
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