HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PRNR-2019-02-11
PARKS, RECREATION AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
COMMISSION MINUTES
PRESENT:
Chair - Roth
Commissioners - (7) Freyburger, George, Hoffman, Leventry, Moeller, Sanders-Jauquet, Shelley
OTHERS PRESENT:
Common Council Liaisons – Brock, Kerslick
Financial Management Assistant - Swartz
City Forester – Grace
Deputy Youth Bureau Director – D’Alterio
EXCUSED: Myers
Statement from the Public:
Charlene Temple is concerned about the plan to remove deer. She is also concerned about
plastic bags. Massachusetts has banned plastic bags on a State level.
Commission Response:
Monika Roth advised her that these topics are on tonight’s agenda and she is welcome to stay
and listen to the discussion.
Old Business:
Deer group meeting report - Jeanne Grace set up a meeting with Mike Smith, from the Town of
Ithaca, to coordinate planning and contacted the City Attorney on the City ordinance. She will be
meeting with the GIS team about the deer management layers, to identify large properties
suitable for bait stations. The Town is applying for a nuisance permit to start their management
program on February 15th. Jeanne will also look into planting oak seedlings to monitor deer
browse and gauge population size. Other data to gather – deer car accidents and Lyme disease
increases in the City. It is anticipated the group will continue to do research this summer/fall and
prepare recommendations for Council to consider for a 2019 pilot program.
Memorial Policy review/input - Ellen Leventry was on a Memorials Policy subcommittee of the
prior Parks Commission. That sub-group discussed issues, such as, funding minimum of
$10,000, donor acknowledgement, fund tracking, upkeep/maintenance of endowment, is there a
time after which the memorial expires and administrative time. One consideration is to have the
Waterfront Trail or Friends of Stewart Park manage memorials since they already receive
donations. The sub-committee presented a proposed Memorials Policy to the Board of Public
Works in 2014 to redirect gifts under $10,000 to the Waterfront Trail and anything over $10,000
would go towards the Parks, such as naming a playground or building. The policy never was
approved and the Mayor suggested the group consider developing a wish list of park
improvements that people could pick from. This never went further and nothing could be found in
minutes that the Board of Public Works ever took any action. A new updated policy could be
developed and moved forward if there is interest among Council members to support it. There
are currently many memorials in parks, but there is no record of how these were created. It is
Date: February 11, 2019
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Common Council Chambers,
3rd Floor, City Hall
Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission
February 11, 2019
2
important that there be an established system for tracking memorial donations to be respectful of
the people. Jeanne indicated that she receives about 10 requests a year for memorials, generally
trees. She often refers people to the Waterfront Trail. It was suggested to discuss this with
Public Works and then possibly Common Council. Hannah, Tyler and Mickie volunteered to work
in a small group to work on action steps going forward.
Park signage update – Ellen indicated that Iron Design is in the process of creating icons.
Working groups - Monika would like to move forward to appoint Nina Bassuk and Paul Paradine
from the Shade Tree Group, as advisors to this Commission. We can have up to 10 advisors to
work for this Commission. Advisors are also key to the establishment of formal working groups.
Dan Hoffman made a motion to appoint Nina Bassuk and Paul Paradine as advisors, Tom
Shelley second and all were in favor. Monika will reach out to confirm. Monika would also like to
move forward with a couple of other advisor appointments - Todd Bittner (for natural areas) and
Rick Manning (Waterfront Trail & Stewart Park), though these folks have not been asked. First
however, she would like to convene a small group to discuss the natural areas work plan.
Environmental review subcommittee report:
Tom Shelley will attend the Environmental Review meeting this coming Wednesday, which is
after we meet. One challenge is the PRNR meetings are out of sync with the Project Review
meetings, so it is hard to comment at the appropriate time. The City is proposing to pu rchase the
gym at the Immaculate Conception School. The rest of the school was purchased by INHS.
Other projects under review are Falls Park Apartments, North Campus Residential and the
Cherry St. project. Monika asked whether PRNR should look at projects through PRNR lens, to
focus attention. However, it was mentioned that the Conservation Advisory Committee also
reviewed projects, but is now abolished. It was suggested that the PRNR review should
incorporate the CAC responsibilities/perspectives. The project review subgroup will continue to
discuss the best approach to conducting reviews.
New Business:
Project Form from City Admin Staff – The form distributed is for communication between
Common Council and the Commission. City Council can send requests via this form to the
Commission for us to do research and provide a recommendation on a particular project of
interest to Council members. Likewise, our commission can propose a project to undertake and
get Council’s agreement. It also serves as a record of Commission work.
Plastic Bag Ban - Tom Shelley (Liaison - EMC)
Environmental Management Council (EMC) formed a subcommittee in April looking at a ban on
plastic bags. The State is considering passing a statewide ban, so the County put a hold on
proposed legislation until they see what the State does. The EMC would also like to ban
Styrofoam containers. If the State passes the ban, municipalities can also pass a ban. The
Governor's proposal is to ban plastic and place a fee on paper bags. A few cents will go to the
vendor, a few to the county and a few to the State Environmental Fund. This will need to be
managed. EMC is working on a number of other things including flooding in the County. If
anyone is interested the meetings are the 2nd Thursday of every month at the Old Jail Conference
Room, 125 E. Court St., Ithaca, at 4:00 PM.
Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission
February 11, 2019
3
Minutes – Review and approve 1/14/19:
Jeanne Grace and Dan Hoffman requested some minor changes. Tom Shelley made a motion to
approve with the changes and Ellen Leventry second, all were in favor, none were opposed.
Announcements:
Ellen Leventry made a motion for Dan Hoffman to be Vice Chair, Mickie Sanders-Jauquet
second, all in favor, none opposed.
Staff updates – Jeanne Grace reported that there are State Park officials utilizing a Federal
program to reduce the geese population at the Golf Course, Stewart Park and Treman Marina.
No action at this point.
Stewart Park playground update – bids out to see what we can get for the money allocated.
Proposed items out for bid:
Cover over carousel
Large playground for school age children, approximate ages 5-12
New spray pad
Bathroom building
Improvements to the parking lot to make it more ADA compliant
Member Announcements - Tom Shelley – March 12, 2019 in the Borg Warner Room at the
Tompkins County Library at 5:30-7:00 PM the Environmental Management Council is sponsoring
a program on equity and sustainability.
Monika Roth will be attending the City’s Planning and Economic Development Committee
meeting this Wednesday to discuss the chicken ordinance revisions to make it permanent.
Next meeting is March 11, 2019. Joann Cornish is scheduled to give a presentation on the
Planning Department work plan.
Adjournment:
On a motion the meeting was adjourned at 7:50 PM.
Respectfully submitted by,
Debbie Swartz
Financial Management Assistant