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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-11-AG COMMITTEE MINUTES APPROVED1 DRAFT MINUTES ULYSSES AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE May 11, 2016 Present: Greg Reynolds, John Wertis, John Gates, Chaw Chang, Supervisor Liz Thomas, 2nd Deputy Supervisor Michelle Wright CALL TO ORDER 7:35PM Krys Cail present at 7:39pm 1. 7:30 APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA 2. NEW BUSINESS a) Appointment/election of Committee Chair o Chaw Chang submitted his interest as Committee chair via e-mail prior to the meeting. Greg Reynolds submitted his interest verbally at the meeting. o Each member voted on a piece of paper, Michelle Wright tallied the votes. Voting results: o 4 votes for Chaw o 1 vote for Greg b) Procedural overview from Supervisor Thomas o Committee members who did not already have a paper copy of the Ag Protection plan were given a hard copy. Supervisor Thomas stated that this along with the Comprehensive Plan should be used as guiding documents. o The committee can submit suggestions to in the form of a resolution to the Town Board to change the resolution that formed the Ag committee. o Michelle’s role: minute taker and agenda creation. o The typical procedure for meeting minutes is that draft minutes are distributed prior to the meeting and are then voted on. o Any formal suggestions or communications to boards should be done in resolution form and voted on. o All meetings are open meetings and are posted on Ulysses home page calendar o Supervisor Thomas will serve as the ex-officio Town Board liaison, a position outlined in the resolution that originally created the committee. o The resolution that created the Ag committee all outlined an ex-officio Cooperative Extension liaison.  Discussion ensued regarding involvement with CCE o Anyone can be invited to these meetings to participate. 2 o Additional committee members can be requested to the Town Board via resolution. o Regular meetings should be scheduled but can always been canceled o Meetings should be set 1 week in advanced if possible  Discussion of meeting frequency and regular dates Resolution: RESOLVED that bi-weekly meetings are schedule on Thursdays at 7:30pm for 4 weeks from and then reassessed. Moved: Mr. Wertis Second: Mr. Reynolds Reynolds AYE Wertis AYE Gates AYE Chang AYE Cail AYE Motion passes unanimously  Future meeting dates: May 26th, June 9th, June 23rd, July 7th c) Communication with the zoning steering committee o Supervisor Thomas: the Planning consultants are open to feedback and input o Sustainability Committee/Conservation Advisory Council  There is only a chair and is now looking for members  This committee will make recommendations to the Town Board based on open space planning and water quality issue, land issue o Discussion of what the scope of the zoning steering committee o Supervisor Thomas will send Ag committee members the purpose of the sustainability committee and the zoning steering committee d) Discussion regarding committee purpose and priorities  Mr. Chang suggested the approach to this topic should be framed around how to keep focused on specific goals.  Discussion ensured regarding how to understand the scope of the other related committees in order to best interact with them.  Supervisor Thomas stated that the steering committee is not asking for input at this time, and have committed to ample feedback time for response.  Ms. Cail stated that she would prefer to provide input prior to a draft proposal from the zoning steering committee. 3  Mr. Chang suggested that given the timeline there would be time for the Ag committee to provide input to the zoning steering committee.  Mr. Chang summarized the process for next meeting and the way in which the ag committee should move forward: I. Focus for next meeting: ag and protection plan: focus on zoning section and go through it, do we have issues with what is written, proposed update, ensure it’s a living document II. Then outreach to farms III. Then set up a meeting with the steering committee 3. OLD BUSINESS a) Maps  General discussion relative to the last meeting regarding the map/data accuracy in ag and farm protection. RESOLVED that Data presented in the Ag and Farmland Protection Plan page 54., Table App. B-5 Land Use/Land Cover, is inaccurate and misleading, should be corrected, and should not be presented as in future public discussions. Motion: Mr. Wertis Second: Ms. Cail Reynolds AYE Wertis AYE Gates AYE Chang NO Cail AYE Motion passes 4:1 [This resolution should be sent to the zoning steering committee] RESOLVED that the “Right to Farm Statement” that appears in the introduction to the A-1 Zoning, should also be used in any other zone where agriculture is a permissible activity. Motion: Mr. Wertis Second: Mr. Gates Reynolds AYE Wertis AYE Gates AYE Chang AYE Cail AYE Motion passes 4 [outstanding question: does this need to be sent to any committee or board?] RESOLVED The town should declare itself a "Right to Farm" town by erecting appropriate signage at any state road entering the town. Motion: Mr. Reynolds Second: Mr. Wertis Reynolds AYE Wertis AYE Gates AYE Chang AYE Cail AYE Motion passes [this motion should be sent to the Town Board]  Discussion about process for resolutions  Mr. Reynolds will draft a resolution relating to ag preservation priorities and that it should not be based on prime soils.  Mr. Gates will write resolution about right to farm.  Mr. Chaw made the request that resolutions and agenda items be sent 5 days before next meeting if at all possible. 4. ANNOUNCEMENTS a) Ms. Cail referenced several resources on solar leasing. Mr. Wertis asked that these resources be put on the Town’s website. b) Mr. Wertis announced that the county is sponsoring PDR applications. 5. ADJOURN Moved: Mr. Chaw Second: Mr. Wertis All in favor, meeting adjourned.