HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PRNR-2018-12-10
PARKS, RECREATION AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMISSION MINUTES
PRESENT:
Chair - Roth
Commissioners - (6) Freyburger, Hoffman, Leventry, Moeller, Myers, Shelley
OTHERS PRESENT:
Common Council Liaisons – Brock, Kerslick
Financial Management Assistant - Swartz
City Forester – Grace
Deputy Youth Bureau Director – D’Alterio
EXCUSED: None
Agenda Review:
The only change is the Athletic Field Improvements Feasibility Study will not be voted on.
Statement from the Public: None
Commission Response: N/A
Presentations:
Shade Tree Advisory Committee (STAC) – Nina Bassuk, Chair
Nina Bassuk handed out a memo of past accomplishments, future STAC projects and to request
and justify that STAC become a working group of this commission. A small group of STAC
members continue to meet every other month to review the City Forestry Department work plan,
review issues that arise, advise on matters pertaining to street and park trees and also on matters
pertaining to the street tree ordinance.
Question: Should this group be officially designated as a subcommittee or as a working group?
The city ordinance creating commissions indicates working groups are appointed for one-time
efforts, rather than for ongoing input. We could perhaps sanction this as a standing
subcommittee, but need more clarity from City staff on this and also need to ensure what we do is
consistent with the other commissions before we can vote on this request.
Ithaca Falls Memorial Bench Proposal - Ibe Ibeike-Jonah & Mila Fournier
Presentation from community members seeking to honor a friend who lived at 401 Lake St, Marlo
Parnell, who passed away recently. The group has engaged, Witham Planning and Design, Ms.
Fournier, who researched the history of the site on the north side of Ithaca Falls and presented
interesting facts about its former use. While there is a need to endorse a plan with a
comprehensive vision for the entire site, Ms. Fournier shared a phased plan that would improve
access and add a bench at the lower half of the site. A second phase (upper overlook) could be
considered for later development. Ithaca Falls has over 174,000 tourists that visit yearly.
If this Commission supports the improvements to the lower part of the site, the group will start the
process of obtaining cost estimates, identifying grant sources, fundraising and preparing a more
Date: December 10, 2018
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Common Council Chambers,
3rd Floor, City Hall
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December 10, 2018
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flushed out plan for city review. Questions were raised about the memorial policy and if an
endowment will be set up to help with future costs for maintenance.
Next steps: Cynthia Brock will bring this forward to the planning committee this Wednesday. Mila
Fournier will contact JoAnn Cornish; should there be a process for community involvement in a
design charrette?
Athletic Field Improvements, feasibility study - George Fowler, Ibe Ibeike-Jonah (Ithaca United
Soccer Club) and Kathryn Chesebrough (Witham Planning & Design)(Power point shared).
Received a Tourism grant to study the feasibility of improving and developing soccer fields as an
engine for generating tourism in Tompkins County through tournaments. The benefits of
improved athletic fields; bring people together, opportunities for social interaction and potentially a
big economic boost with as much as $48,000 per tournament, $25 million over a 12-year period.
There is an immediate need for more athletic field space (two 5 acre sites identified in study – SW
Park and Golf Course) and for improvements to existing fields to make them more useable
particularly for soccer with lighting, parking, amenities, good drainage, turf with rubberized pellets.
Discussion: The City Parks Plan also identified the need for more athletic field facilities and
improvements. Jim D’Alterio mentioned that he would like to build-up fields with a new crown,
need for funding and a plan for annual upgrades taking on a field at a time. In terms of new
facilities for tournaments, Jim also mentioned there is a plan for a 100-acre facility with a 300 mile
draw planned for Cortlandville which will impact what is needed in Ithaca.
The group plans to continue gathering data and networking to further develop this initiative.
Presentation on Deer Management approaches used by municipalities - Bernd Blossey & Paul
Curtis, Cornell Dept. of Natural Resources
Deer impacts: Lyme disease, lack of forest regeneration, property and personal damage.
There are various approaches to deer management in NYS. No control leaves it to property
owners to exclude them or to pursue management on a community level. The current preferred
strategy used by Cornell, Trumansburg, Cayuga Heights and Village of Lansing, also planned for
the Town of Ithaca, is to obtain a nuisance permit, allow controlled bait and hunting out of the
regular hunting season. These municipalities have a budget of $2,000-$4,000 annually and work
with trained volunteers to do shooting on sites where property owners sign up. Cayuga Heights
has reduced their deer population from 125 per square mile to 15 per square mile. There are
more deer killed in the city through car accidents than harvested in the surrounding municipal
deer management programs. Given that Cayuga Heights, Lansing Village, Cornell and now the
Town of Ithaca all have management plans, it would be advantageous for everyone if the City of
Ithaca would get on board with a plan. Paul and Bernd are willing to advise in the set-up of a
deer management plan for the city. Town of Ithaca’s program will begin in February. They are
recruiting landowners for the bait and shoot sites. The City, as a landowner in the Town, could
sign up in the Town’s program for the Six Mile Creek watershed (check with the Town about this
and City attorney). A bigger question is gaining community and Council support to move ahead.
Next steps: Form a working group? To be discussed at the next meeting.
Monika requested the meeting go longer than 8:00 PM. No one was opposed.
Environmental review subcommittee report - Tom Shelley, Dan Hoffman, Scott Freyburger
The subcommittee is making 3 recommendations to the Commission:
1. That the Commission recommend (to the City Planning Board) that a "positive declaration" be
made regarding the potential environmental impact of Cornell's North Campus residential
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December 10, 2018
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expansion project (which involves over 750,000 square feet of new construction). A positive
declaration by the lead agency for environmental review means that the project sponsor must
prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed project. Tom has drafted a
memo to the Planning Board, from the Commission. Tom Shelley motions we send the memo as
revised by Monika (see attached), Beth Myers seconds, the majority is in favor, but Ellen Leventry
is abstaining from the vote (not opposed).
2. That the Commission recommend positive declaration for the proposed re-development of the
former Ithaca Gun factory site, which would include construction of a 4-story, 74-unit (age-
restricted) apartment building (to be called Falls Park Apartments). Issues that could be covered
in an EIS include visual impact and how the project affects the planned public access (through an
adjacent parcel) to City parkland overlooking Fall Creek gorge and Ithaca Falls. There are also
some still unresolved contamination issues. This will be discussed further in future meetings.
3. That the Commission actively review the proposed Chainworks mixed-use re-development of
the former Morse Chain/Emerson factory site. This project is probably one of the largest
proposed in Tompkins County, involving a 95-acre site with multiple existing structures and a
history of industrial contamination. Also, a proposed bicycle/pedestrian trail corridor goes through
the property and there's a proposed set-aside of "open space" that could include land suitable for
home or community gardening. Proposed design guidelines are currently being circulated.
The subcommittee also discussed:
- The proposed extension of Cherry Street and site plan review of the proposed new Emmy's
Organics production facility there.
- A newer project proposed for the existing portion of Cherry Street (next to Cherry Arts Theater)
is a 5-story apartment "tower" with 120 units, adjacent to Cayuga Inlet, intended to appeal to
"artistic types."
- The latest backyard "infill" proposal, whereby an existing 2-family house at 815 N. Aurora Street
would be replaced by two, new 2-family houses (on a single lot). Apparently there's some
opposition (as there has been in other neighborhoods) and the idea of a citywide moratorium on
such infill development may be gathering more steam.
New Business:
Vacancies – Tom Shelley, Dan Hoffman and Tyler Moeller are interested in another term; the City
will be recruiting for 2 open seats.
Announcements by members and staff:
Jeanne Grace and Ellen Leventry brought in park sign samples. The same template will be used
for each park with specifics as relevant to each. Ellen will rework the signs and bring them to a
future meeting. It was suggested to list a fun fact on each sign that is specific to each park.
Follow up on old business:
Dan Hoffman wrote a letter to the company that is blocking the bicycle/pedestrian bridge and
public right of way leading to Buttermilk Falls, but did not receive a response. A citizen contacted
State Parks, which said it would look into this further. Dan also had conversations with Mila
Fournier, Jeanne Grace and one of the neighbors regarding their concerns with the Cherry Street
project.
Minutes – Review and approve 9/10/18
Tom made a motion to approve and Monika second, all were in favor.
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Minutes – Review and approve 10/11/18
Tom made a motion to approve and Monika second, all were in favor.
Next meeting January 14, 2019
Adjournment:
On a motion the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM.
Respectfully submitted by,
Debbie Swartz
Financial Management Assistant