HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-23 Danby Planning Board
Minutes of Meeting
February 23, 2012
Present:
Joel Gagnon
Anne Klingensmith
Frank Kruppa
Ted Melchen
Robert Roe
Steve Selin
Naomi Strichartz
Others Present:
Secretary Pamela Goddard
Code Officer Sue Beeners
Energy Intern Zachary Patton
Town Board Leslie Connors,Kathy Halton
County Planning Joan Jurkowicz
Public Ted Crane
Robert Roe opened the Planning Board meeting at 7:05pm.
RESOLUTION NO.3 OF 2012-ELECT CHAIR PRO-TEM
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby appoints Robert Roe to chair this meeting.
Moved by Klingensmith, Second by Gagnon.
Approved: By Acclamation
Report from Tompkins County Planning
Joan Jurkowicz,Tompkins County's Deputy Commissioner of Planning,made a report of its draft
Development Focus Areas Strategy Plan. She was seeking feedback on the draft, including whether
any areas of the draft need to strengthened or changed. The discussion included a preliminary discus-
sion of ways that Danby might help to put in place measures needed to achieve the vision identified in
the strategy. In the view of County Planning, 90% of the work needed to make this possible needs to
be done at the local level. This provides a framework, if local towns are interested.
There was an extensive discussion about what measures would be needed to encourage a Devel-
opment Focus Strategy in Danby. These measures include encouraging customer service businesses to
cluster together within a half mile radius, controlling sprawl outside the targeted core area for devel-
opment, and zoning in such a way as to encourage development within the core area.
The question was raised as to, "Why create a walkable cluster development when there's nothing
to walk to?"Jurkowicz encouraged the Planning Board to take a very long term view of this sug-
gested development vision—as long as 25-30 years. Jurkowicz noted that other municipalities are
also struggling with this issue.
The issue of alternative water and sewer systems in order to enable hamlet development in Cen-
tral Danby. Kruppa noted that the Health Department is open to discussing alternatives. He advised
that these are generally expensive and more complicated than standard water and septic systems.
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Consider Recommendation for Planning Board Chair
The Planning Board voted on a recommendation for Chair for 2012. This recommendation will be
forwarded to the Danby Town Board.
RESOLUTION NO.4 OF 2012-RECOMMEND PLANNING BOARD CHAIR
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby recommends to the Danby Town Board that Robert
Roe be reappointed as Chair of the Planning Board for 2012.
Moved by Klingensmith, Second by Melchen.
In Favor: Gagnon, Klingensmith, Kruppa, Melchen, Selin, Strichartz
Abstain: Roe
Consider Appointing Planning Board Secretary
RESOLUTION NO.5 OF 2012-APPOINT PLANNING BOARD SECRETARY
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby appoints Pamela Goddard as Secretary of the Planning
Board for 2012.
Moved by Gagnon, Second by Melchen.
In Favor: Gagnon, Klingensmith, Kruppa, Melchen, Selin, Strichartz
Abstain: Roe
2012 Project Tasking and Comprehensive Plan Review
The PB continued its discussion about setting priorities for projects in 2012. The discussion
opened with Beeners presenting a review of the status of old and ongoing business. (The Road Use
Law,Aquifer Protection Ordinance, and Critical Environmental Areas designations.)Review of Aqui-
fer Protection Ordinance and CEA designations, including participation in public hearings,will be
included in the 2012 Planning Board Scoping Document.
Each member of the Planning Board expressed his/her view on what should be addressed during
the 2012 work year.After discussion,the following topics/tasks were suggested to be included in the
list, in this order of priority:
• Review and possible revision of the Comprehensive Plan
• Climate Action/Energy Sustainablity Plan
• Open Space Protections(Review Agricultural District Land inclusions?)
• Critical review/development of Hamlet/Neighborhood Zoning
• Home Business/neighborhood compatibility
• Hamlet Density Zoning
• Alternate Water and Sewer options
• Aquifer Protection and CEA Review
• "Round IP"industrial ordinances
• Gravel mining/Noise/Light/Pipe Storage/Air Pollution(low hanging fruit)
This list will be transmitted to the Town Board
There was a preliminary discussion about methods and goals for review of the Comprehensive
Plan,particularly in regard to"Sustainability"/energy use in the light of climate change. (Sustainabil-
ity concerns appeared to overlap with Hamlet Zoning and preserving open space.)The PB discussed
whether something like a"Climate Action Plan" should be an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan,
a special planning document, or be interspersed in the complete Comp. Plan.No conclusion was
reached regarding such a strategy.
Beeners introduced Energy Intern Zachary Patton and presented a set of questions, drafted by Pat-
ton,regarding a potential model Climate and Energy Action Plan.The PB was also given a 2009 reso-
lution from the Ithaca Town Board regarding a"Climate Smart Communities"initiative. Considera-
tion of these questions and resolution was incorporated in the discussion of the Danby Comp. Plan
review.
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There was a preliminary discussion regarding how to organize the work for reviewing the Comp.
Plan. The PB will hold a"brainstorming"session regarding these issues during it's next meeting.
Resolution Regarding the National Defense Authorization Act
Robert Roe presented the following resolution for discussion and consideration. There was some
discussion of the concerns presented by Roe. Kruppa advised that he would vote against this resolu-
tion, not because he disagrees the sentiment but,because he felt it was beyond his role as a Planning
Board member. Kruppa felt that it would be more appropriate for a concerned citizen to bring this
individually to the Town Board. Other members of the PB expressed the view that it was not out of
the role of the PB to voice concern regarding national issues. The exact wording of some of the
NDAA was read, and found to be ambiguous.
RESOLUTION NO.6 OF 2012-NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Whereas, the President of the United States signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act(HR 1540)
on December 31, 2011, and
Whereas, Sections 1021 and 1022 of Title 10 of the National Defense Authorization Act void the writ of habeas
corpus for American citizens within American territory, and
Whereas, the National Defense Authorization Act permits the United States Military to apprehend and indefinitely
detain without trail citizens and residents of the United States in unspecified locations, and
Whereas, these actions can be undertaken by unspecified persons designated by the President of the United
States without due process,without evidence, and based only on suspicion of belief or intention, and
Whereas, these actions and powers stand in contradiction of the Fourth and Sixth Amendments to the Constitu-
tion of the United States of America,
Therefore be it
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby requests that the Town Board of the Town of Danby
pass a resolution demanding the immediate rescinding of sections 1021 and 1022 of Title 10 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act.
Moved by Melchen, Second by Gagnon.
In Favor: Gagnon, Melchen, Selin, Strichartz, Roe
Opposed: Kruppa
Abstain: Klingensmith
Consider Setting Public Hearing
Beeners informed the PB about a matter that might require a public hearing for site plan review.
The Ithaca Zen Center is proposing to erect a small cottage on a property opposite Jennings Pond. If
the construction or alteration is less than 1,000 square feet,it will be exempt from site plan approval.
If it is greater, a public hearing will be required.
RESOLUTION NO.7 OF 2012-POSSIBLE PUBLIC HEARING
Resolved,that, pending review of need by Code Officer Sue Beeners,the Planning Board of the Town of Danby
schedules a public hearing for March 22, 2012 at 7:00 PM,for a proposed cottage construction at the intersec-
tion of Bald Hill and Lieb Roads.
Moved by Gagnon, Second by Strichartz.
In Favor: Gagnon, Klingensmith, Kruppa, Melchen, Selin, Strichartz, Roe
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Town Board Report
Connors gave a short report of recent actions of the Town Board. The report included information
about recent discussions regarding the inclusion of non-agricultural land in Danby's Agricultural Dis-
tricts. There was a discussion about including this topic in the Comp. Plan Review.
Approve Minutes
RESOLUTION NO.8 OF 2012-APPROVE MINUTES
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby approves the minutes of November 15, 2011 and
January 19, 2012.
Moved by Gagnon, Second by Kruppa.
Klingensmith asked for clarification of a line in the January 19 minutes,resulting in a slight
wording change. She also requested that a statement be "read into the minutes" and included as part
of the permanent record. Klingensmith's statement is attached to these minutes as Appendix A.
There was a discussion of the November 15, 2011 minutes and a request that a sentence in the
paragraph regarding a recommendation/opinion regarding an appointment to the PB be removed.
Resolved,that the Planning Board of the Town of Danby approves the minutes of November 15, 2011 and
January 19,2012, as amended.
Moved by Gagnon, Second by Strichartz.
In Favor: Gagnon, Klingensmith, Kruppa, Melchen, Selin, Strichartz, Roe
Conservation Advisory Council Report
Joel Gagnon made a short report. He informed the PB that Guy Krogh has agreed to provide pro-
bono work for the CAC as it works on setting up conservation easements.
Adjournment
The Meeting was adjourned at 9:25pm.
Pamela S Goddard,Planning Board Secretary
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Appendix A
For the record: I would like this to be entered into the record and minutes of this meeting of the
Danby Planning Board,Feb 23 2012.
As a member of the Danby Planning Board, I appreciate information about keeping our meetings
open,both to participation by the public and so that the public can hear and see what we do, discus-
sions and actions alike. I believe that all members of the current board are dedicated to making sure
that our meetings are open, and that things are not kept secret from the public.
However I would like to make sure that the information gathering that we did in November of
2011, so as to provide an opinion to the Town Board about the upcoming Planning Board appoint-
ment, is accurately represented in these minutes.
As a body,we felt it was important for us to provide input to the Town Board about the upcoming
appointment of a new Planning Board member, a decision that we believed that the Town Board was
making before our next scheduled meeting in January. Our opinion about this appointment is not
binding on the Town Board in any way, quite simply,they can appoint whomever they choose,but it
still seemed prudent for us to make our opinion known.
However, since our December meeting was cancelled,there was no way for us to meet as a body
to poll Planning Board members opinions about this matter. Our Deputy Chair-person was asked by
the Planning Board Chairperson to call all members to see what their preference was regarding the
appointment. This phone call did not constitute either discussion or a vote by the Planning Board. It
was merely a poll. Our Deputy Chairperson agreed to take the time and make the effort to find out
what the opinions were about the new appointment.The results of this poll were reported to the
Chairperson,who wrote a letter about the findings and delivered it to the Town Hall.
The record should show that we were not discussing or voting on a matter that the Planning
Board needed to make a decision on,we were just stating our opinion about who we preferred to have
as the newest member of our board.
Anne Klingensmith
Danby Planning Board
2/23/12
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