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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC Minutes - 10_13_20Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 1 of 6 Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) Minutes of Video Conference (Zoom) Meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 Danby, New York Council Members present: Clare Fewtrell (chair), Joel Gagnon, George Adams, Jonathan Zisk, Don Schaufler, Mary Woodsen, Ruth Sherman Council Members absent: Bill Evans Others present: Elizabeth Keokosky (secretary), Ronda Roaring (Danby resident), Brittany Lagaly (Danby resident) Introduction of Brittany Lagaly (prospective CAC member) In summary, Lagaly was originally from Ohio; academic background: undergraduate study in science and the environment; moved to NY in 2014 and has been working in conservation and plant related areas. Working with PRISM – invasive species management, native plants repopulation project. She lives near Eastman Hill near the top of Heisey Rd. Introductions to the members of the CAC followed. Zoom Meeting was officially called to order at 7:07 Deletions or Additions to Agenda: none Privilege of the Floor (PoF) – Announcement by Roaring about a Planning Board meeting on October 20th at 7pm,which will discuss the division of 16 acres owned by Russ Nitchman that borders the Danby fir tree swamp. A discussion followed on wetlands and how they were regulated. Other people with Danby conservation easements are near and part of swamp. The prospective buyers are represented by attorney, Ralph Nash, and it was suggested that the new owners be encouraged to put land into a conservation easement. Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 2 of 6 Zisk said that the DEC already regulates wetlands over 12.3 acres. Some discussion about whether swamps are wetlands or a stage before (about 40-50 years to develop) a wetland. But it turns out that the DEC considers swamps a wetland and regulates them as such. Also can’t do anything within a 100ft buffer zone. Fewtrell asked if the people involved are aware of that and was there anything we can do? Approval Minutes MOTION for September 8, 2020 Woodsen moved to approve Adams seconded Gagnon abstained, but otherwise unanimous approval REPORTS AND UPDATES 1) Management Plans for Sylvan Lane and Deputron Hollow Road Town Properties – Jonathan Zisk Discussion of Zisk’s draft, which he had sent around for comments, continued. He had folded in Schaufler’s “excellent” response and will also be including Adam’s. Adams said the soil sequestered carbon as much as the trees and asked how important was that goal? Zisk agreed that leaving soil undisturbed was important and that carbon sequestration was a goal that needed to be included. However, Gagnon disagreed with the judgment that logging was not worth the soil disturbance. Gagnon suggested that some things remained to be fleshed out. Zisk responded that he has noted questions that the town might need to consider later; for instance, he had left unanswered whether the town wanted to use the land for educational purposes. But he also said he had not finishing polishing yet. Members were impressed with his work. 2) Logging Ordinance –Don Schaufler and George Adams Adams said that he and Schaufler had a short phone meeting (still couldn’t get all other former committee members together) and had decided that their intention now was to work with last year’s draft ordinance. He said this document parallels other town logging ordinances, and that they were taking out the more onerous (to loggers) sections (since the reaction of the community had been so Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 3 of 6 contentious), and were working on something that was enforceable and useful to the town. Through Don, they were using input from the logging industry. Gagnon commented that the highway department was looking for a bonding requirement for significant harvests, and suggested talking to them about it. Discussion on requirements continued. Gagnon suggested needing a SWPPP (Storm Water Prevention Pollution Plan) for steep slopes. Adams said it was usually the magnitude of the job that generates the SWPPP. Fewtrell encouraged them to come up with finished product and keep working toward a November draft, perhaps still involving Ulinski. 3) Forestry Class on Oct. 22 – Elizabeth Keokosky PoF: Keokosky (secretary) announced that an article about a Forestry Landowner education presentation had been put into Danby Area Newsletters and the presentation would be given by Jay Harris, the head of the forestry team at Wagner Lumber, on an Oct 22 zoom session. Her main question from the group was how to handle the discussion of the ordinance, and who should act as moderator? Adams noted that the education here is consumer (landowner) protection. Suggestions were made for advertising and it was left for Shaufler and Keokosky to cooperate putting program together. The town would sponsor it and the town clerk would set up the zoom session. 4) Inspecting Current Easements, Annual Inspection - Ruth Sherman Sherman reported only the Curtis inspection remained to be done. She noted that only one person refused to allow the annual inspection, but everyone else was open and friendly. Fewtrell said that the reports should be available on the website (not public). Sherman commented easement information needs to be better organized, some of the digital information is incomplete (though the town had full paper records). Confusion makes it more time- consuming and harder to figure things out. Gagnon said that the new town clerk is very knowledgeable about computers and working on the web but she is still working on learning the job. Suggested February (after property taxes collected) as a Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 4 of 6 good time to work with her to help reorganize CAC files. Fewtrell volunteered to go next week with Sherman to inspect the Curtis property. Gagnon noted that we should still approach the town clerk now to let her know our intentions. Secretary Keokosky said that she could store the files temporarily on Laserfiche so they are not sitting on someone’s computer. Gagnon said that the problem with this solution is that they are stored as images and not files since it was designed to be a historic repository - a substitute for microfiche. Keokosky volunteered to talk with Alanna Congdon, who is the administrator of that server, and see if there were alternatives. 5) Easement Signs – George Adams Adams asked if everyone has seen the email of the image he had sent by email today. The artist, Camille Doucette, had said the image was pretty much in its final stage. The lettering was also now in its final graphic form. He asked members if the image was ready to go to the printer? Schaufler asked if it would be black and white (as displayed). Discussion on colors followed. Adams volunteered to ask for price options on colors. Fewtrell noted that easement owners still had not been asked if they want this sign on their land. Nor have we decided how many signs an easement needed to display. The answer was that we didn’t know yet. We need more feedback from landowners. And, for that, we need a finished product to show them. People were still of mixed minds but were ready to go with it. 6) Easement Updates – Clare Fewtrell Fewtrell reported that she, Adams, and Zisk had walked Andi Gladstone’s property on Comfort Rd. and really liked it. She had sent some questions from Gladstone on Oct 7 to CAC members by email for which she needed answered so urged members to read them before next meeting since Gladstone wanted some special restrictions. Fewtrell had done a baseline report on the land and needed a map previously drawn by Adams. Acreage of property was 18.9. Gagnon discussed the second easement - the Dan Hoffman property on Bruce Hill Rd. He is planning to sell it to Mikaela and Mark Karlsen. Gagnon had a base site visit scheduled for this Friday at 3:30 to 5:30, with follow-up if needed on Sunday. Needed someone Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 5 of 6 there with skills in GPS coordinates to accompany them. Main questions in the easement were on a residential and active use zone. These were affected by town’s zoning regulations. The prospecive owners had in mind 3 residences, but are weighing options. The Property has approximately 100 acres but not a lot of road frontage since Bruce Hill is minimum maintenance road. Division is limited by the provision that subdividing a property can only be done for building lots, which requires frontage on a town-maintained road. Fewtrell has decided she is not interested in pursuing easement on her property. Brittany Lagaly was very enthusiastic about a conservation easement for her property, and in describing it, said it had many special characteristics, including a distinctive viewshed. She is also interested in applying to be a member of CAC. Fewtrell or Gagnon will be sending her an application form and checking to see that it is on the website. It was noted that the period of membership for many members is expiring at the end of this year. Most are renewing their membership, except for Ruth Sherman, who is leaving CAC. The vacancy from Katharine Hunter’s resignation leaves a space open now for Brittany Lagaly. Gagnon will take her application request to the town board. 7) St. John Deputron Hollow properties – Elizabeth Keokosky Keokosky reported her failure to follow through on this due to an illness in the family. The three properties were sold before she could approach the previous owner. Gagnon asked if we had any idea who bought it. No one did. 8) Planning Group & Working sub-groups - Joel Gagnon Gagnon announced these groups are waiting on the new Danby planner to come on board. The town has 19 applications but is still reviewing them. Choice has been narrowed to 4, and final interviews are being scheduled. Also want to look for group presentation and group interaction ability. There was no Executive session Town of Danby Conservation Advisory Council Minutes Page 6 of 6 Next Meeting through Zoom is on November 10 at 7p.m. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m. _____________________________________________ Submitted by Elizabeth Keokosky (Secretary)