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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 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission December 10, 2018 2 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 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission December 10, 2018 3 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. Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission December 10, 2018 4 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