Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-08-2017 CSAC Minutes ApprovedConservation and Sustainability Advisory Committee DRAFT Minutes of March 8, 2017 meeting Present: Roxanne Marino, Don Ellis, Sue Poelvoorde Excused: Andy Hillman, Bara Hotchkiss, Brice Smith, Robert Oswald Staff: Darby Kiley Guest: David Diaz Roxanne called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. and acknowledged that a quorum was not present. Approval of Minutes Tabled due to a lack of a quorum. Consideration of additional member Roxanne introduced David Diaz. David is interested in being appointed to the Conservation and Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC.) Roxanne had emailed a copy of David’s resumé to board members for consideration and committee members responded favorably to have David join the group. Roxanne will discuss David’s appointment to the CSAC with Supervisor Liz Thomas. Updates on Town issues or Board actions related to Sustainability/Conservation Ÿ HeatSmart II Program – Ulysses meeting schedule Roxanne reported that a second round of meetings are scheduled to encourage residents to consider installing heat pump and/or geo-thermal ground-source heat systems. Two meetings are scheduled for the Town of Ulysses. The first meeting is Thursday, March 23rd, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Franziska Racker Center on Wilkins Road. The second meeting is Saturday, April 15th, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and will split the session between the Ulysses Town Hall and the Trumansburg Village Hall. Information on the sessions is posted to the Town’s website. Ÿ Go Solar Tompkins program (CCE) Roxanne reported that Cornell Cooperative Extension is continuing to promote the successful Go Solar program in Tompkins County. A meeting is scheduled for March 9th at the Town of Enfield Community Center. Four installers are committed to continuing work in the county while there still is a tax incentive program available. Ÿ IDA proposed PILOT for commercial solar Roxanne reported that discussions are still ongoing over how to implement and manage a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program for commercial solar energy facility installations. The State of New York is also looking at how to handle a taxing/PILOT program. At some point, the Board should have an opportunity to weigh in on the proposals. Old Business A) Urban Forestry Grant Application (NYSDEC) Don reported that he and Andy Hillman successfully completed and submitted a grant application to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for a project to replace aged and diseased trees in the Town of Ulysses and Village of Trumansburg. The grant covers a project area including Smith Woods, Trumansburg Fairgrounds, village street right-of-ways, and the Habitat for Humanity property on Salo Drive that the Town of Ulysses is working to acquire. The Urban Forestry Grant has two rounds. The first round, which the grant application covers, requests funding to cover the cost of completing a tree survey and developing replacement plan. The tree survey will be completed on 5,000 trees. The second grant round will cover a maintenance planting plan. Don noted that applicants are expected to hear during the month of May if their applications were successful. A) Zoning Update Roxanne noted that the committee received the working draft of the proposed Agriculture Zone document via email. The CSAC has until May 4th to review and provide comments to the Zoning Update Committee. Roxanne provided some background to David on the project. The group discussed the best way to review and provide comments on the working draft throughout the review process. It was agreed that an online editable document using Google Docs would be the best option. Don will set it up for the group. Darby requested that one set of comments/edits be provided from the CSAC to the Zoning Update Committee. Roxanne noted that the consultants are also working on the proposed zoning for the hamlet of Jacksonville and also the Light Industrial District in the Krums Corners Road area. Next Meeting The next meeting of the CSAC is scheduled for March 30th, 7:00 p.m. Roxanne noted that the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board is holding an open meeting on the Ag zone working draft on March 23rd to share the working draft with farmers and farmland owners. Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.