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Home My WebLink AboutMN-E&NQ-2007-05-29 Environment & Neighborhood Quality Committee Meeting Minutes May 29, 2007 Present: Dan Cogan,Dan Hoffman,Robin Holtham Korherr, Lana Milton, Mayor Peterson, Joel Zumoff 1. Call to Order at 7:05 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes–2007, 23 AprilC Corrections–A request–List of attendees–those present " 2� nd ?0 0, Motion by Dan Cogan 2Joel Zumoff Carried 3. Agenda Review/Introductions -Update–Truck traffic - Common Council approved support of Schumer's resolution to have larger trucks go back to highways and not using city streets for shortcuts. 4. Public Comment–3 cards submitted(3 minutes to speak) Residents from the Towns of Ulysses and Lansing made the following comments regarding the Off Leash Dog Area: Suggested dog waste disposal be taken care of by City, let waste compost naturally. Think about modifying language to include high grass areas for dogs to do their"business". Investigate whole festival lands–not just current area. Cherry Street site better suited for walking trails. Perfect breeding grounds for ticks,rubbish, debris, old cars, appliances and safety issues. Current camp area for homeless persons. 5. Response to Public State has chosen not to mow the city land. 6. Announcements - Clean-up of City Hazardous Waste Areas. Barbara Lifton has agreed to address the committee to discuss action plans. - ICSD–planning efforts. Equity planning–mutually agreed to act together for planning for youth. First community forum will be held June 10th--6:45-10 p.m. Minutes will be sent to Robin to forward to Committee members -Mayor–May 23rd letter sent to DEC–anticipates a response—very soon. Mayor expressed readiness to collaborate and get a meeting set up. -Ian Shapiro from Taitem Engineering will present an energy conservation workshop on June 28th at the Human Services Building at 6:30 pm. 7. Off Leash Dog area parameters. There is adequate parking at the Cherry Street Site. Proposed Parameters Resolution–Recommended by Mayor for Council to take a final look at. Parameter Issue–Evaluate entire festival lands–to see what negative impacts will be. Cost–time is a concern. What is cost to City running the dog park. State not mowing, not removing dog waste, etc. Important information for Common Council to have/need to vote to establish a permanent dog park! RESOLVED, That Common Council approve the following"Summary of Parameters" of a permanent, City of Ithaca off-leash dog area, for the purpose of conducting an environmental review of the proposed designation of one or more of the following sites as such an off-leash dog area: 1. ESTIMATED LEVEL OF USE (#of dogs/people at any one time, assuming 1 OLDA) *: GAUSERS\rkorherr\CC 2007\Minutes\5.29.2007.doc Inclement Weather Mild Weather Non-Peak Time Peak Non-Peak Peak le Festival Lands 0-10 10-25 10-35 20-50 South of Cherry Street 0-7 7-15 10-20 12-35 Southwest Natural Area 0-5 5-10 10-15 10-25 * NOTE: It is assumed that if more than one OLDA site is designated, usage will be spread among available sites,thereby decreasing usage at any one site 2. PARKING SPACES NEEDED (in close proximity): Festival Lands—40 (spaces in NYS Park parking lot assumed sufficient) South of Cherry St—30 (on-street parking on both sides of Cherry St assumed sufficient; creation of small turn-around&parking area,just south of Cherry Street dead-end, could be considered) SW Natural Area—25 (parking lot needed on east side of RR tracks,with permission for RR crossing) 3. BATHROOMS: Assume not needed 4. FENCING: Environmental review should consider potential impact of operating OLDA under several scenarios: a. Assume some dogs would be off-leash without being in completely fenced area; b. Assume entire OLDA will be fenced to block dog movement into other areas c. Assume some linear fencing will be included(see below), but not full enclosure d. Assume OLDA will include smaller, enclosed area for use by some dogs Linear fencing possibilities (re: scenario c): a. Festival Lands: (1)between OLDA and-picnic area adjacent to parking lot (2) to separate corridor along edge of marina basin (3) along easterly edge of"tall grass" area(unless OLDA includes it) June 6, 2007 b. South of Cherry St (1)between OLDA and RR tracks (2) if Black Diamond Trail is developed, to separate OLDA from Trail c. SW Natural Area (1)between OLDA and RR track(east of existing dirt road) (2) between OLDA and more sensitive portions of SWNA 5. SMALLER,ENCLOSED AREA [inclusion dependent on availability of funding]: Assumed to be approximately 4,000 square feet. This fenced area should not be surrounded by off-leash dogs, as this could lead to aggressive behavior of dogs. 6.ACCESS TO BODY OF WATER(by dogs,within OLDA): Assumed to be highly desirable,but a site should not receive a lower rating if such access is not available. 7."RUN": Minimum of 2 acres of regularly mowed, lawn-like area(or at least 600' x 100') for open run. If City has only one OLDA, 2 acres probably will not be sufficiently large, and over-use and over-crowding may result. 8.MORE "NATURAL" AREAS: Minimize intrusion into significant woodlands or wetlands 9.DOG WASTE DISPOSAL: Need approach that can handle expected volume,without significant odor or spillage, etc. 10. OTHER ASSUMPTIONS: a.Festival Lands (1)Review both of the following scenarios: (a) Assume OLDA will be same size, location as current, temporary one (2) Assume OLDA will not extend on to State Park land b. SW Natural Area (1) Assume OLDA will be approximately same size, GAUSERS\rkorherr\CC 2007\Minutes\5.29.2007.doc location as is suggested in 2001 SW Natural Area Master Plan(i.e., occupying the large, former field south of proposed parking area, and the mowed area near Channel)" (2) SW Natural Area Master Plan(i.e., occupying the large, former field south of proposed parking area, and the mowed area near Channel) c. Generally If there is more than one OLDA,usage and use-related impacts will be spread out 11. POTENTIAL IMPACT ON OR OF POSSIBLE,FUTURE USES: a. Black Diamond Trail(re: South of Cherry St, SW Natural Area) b. Other use of City land south of Cherry Street(eg., Industrial Park extension,housing) c. Cayuga Waterfront Trail extension—into Allan H. Treman Park d. State Parks Master Plan for Allan H. Treman Park e. Possible use of Festival Lands as dredge spoil site -Robin moved resolution approving the parameters as developed by off leash dog area working group with two additions: City assumes responsibility for waste removal and the entire festival lands are added as an option. -Joel Seconded—Carried Unanimously 8. Pedestrian Awareness Committee (PAC) a. City needs to set higher priority for bike/pedestrian issues b. Engineering/Facilities c. Education d. Enforcement—Great strides being made e. Intersections very dangerous—from BPCA in 2003 tops the list * Campus Road and Stewart Ave. PAC—needs staff time & effort! The majority of the work that remains is focused around staff time,performance measurement and other factors involving the Mayor's input. PAC members are willing to call another meeting with Mayor to work on the remaining issues. 9. Effects of Racism—Ithaca Commons Responses to feelings of harassment in stores on commons! - Diversity management,work in progress - Work force diversity plan should be in place for retail stores on Commons shortly. Recommendations to store owners are being made to create incentive to diversity— Promote and market as well as additional recruiting for minority businesses IDP plans to put an Advisory Youth Group together to meet with IDP to address the issues and concerns. IDP agreed to disseminate diversity flyers and letters annually at the beginning of the busy season downtown 10. Ithaca Gun Company—Nels Bohn and Dan Hoffman Clean up costs 2.4 Million Dollars—exceeds value of land - Goals—Clean site -Preserve site—no recontamination - Enhance public access to see the falls -Re-develop site—taxable income—non-student housing -Restore NY—Large component to be a feasible project clean-up GAUSERS\rkorherr\CC 2007\Minutes\5.29.2007.doc wi Option a. City acquire land b. Pursue super fund money—slow moving process takes years to complete c. Restoration program—Seems to be quickest removal pending City action against Ithaca Gun site owner. There is no quick solution that does not contain a substantial amount of money from the City. Old Business-None Adjourned - 9:35 p.m. Dan Cogan moved; Joel Zumoff 2nd G:\USERS\rkorherr\CC 2007\Minutes\5.29.2007.doc