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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)