HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2025-02-06Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
February 6, 2025,5:30 p.m.
In Person at Town Hall and via Zoon Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer(Chairperson),James Hamilton, Eva Hoffmann, and Ingrid Zabel.
Staff: Michael Smith, Senior Planner and CJ Randall, Director of Planning(via Zoom).
Guests: Peter Loucks, potential new board member and John Hunt, who wants to run for County District
16, on South Hill,Town of Ithaca.
1. Persons to be heard: Mr. Loucks said he has heard that an American Chestnut variety,which is less
susceptible to disease is being reintroduced. Mr. Hunt is concerned about flooding threats after seeing a
large log being carried near his house during a Cascadilla flood.
2. Member Comments/concerns:James stated that he is still worried about the Verizon cell tower
proposed for the Wiedmaier Ct parcel off the Slaterville/Burns Road intersection. He wants to get more
information from Verizon,the applicant. The proposal should be about more than the height
variance. The land proposed to be used should still be preserved as the woods it started as, in this
Conservation Zone. Eva said that she agrees with him. Town Planner Randall said she shares his concern
about the vegetation plantings relative to the proposed cell tower and that additional plantings have
been required by the Planning Board.
3. Discussion of Conservation Board Facebook page: A recent post has raised concern about what the
parameters are for posting CB matters on our Facebook page. Mike stated that it was about a specific
project being reviewed by the Environmental Review Committee (ERC), but that it was outside the scope
of what the CB should be doing. Lori explained that first, the post had only the individual CB members
opinion about the project, not that of the whole board. In addition, the CB role is to be advisory to the
Planning Board (PB)and that the PB should be the first entity to learn of the CB's thoughts and
recommendations on projects, not the public via social media. CJ and Mike offered ways that the public
can access information of what the CB is working on by going to the Town of Ithaca Web page and
looking for completed and approved minutes, or for projects in process, to go to "Upcoming and Current
Projects".Town Code Section 23-3 outlines that there are six steps by which the Town Board has directed
the CB how to proceed with applications and make sure that information provided is complete and
correct, if pending. In the meantime double check what is put on Facebook with others and show it to
Mike if there is any question, before posting.
4. Discussion of Town Draft Local Law for Flood Damage Prevention: On Jan. 23, Mike sent us
information about new regulations, making it necessary for the Town to create new flood management
regulations. Ingrid had already shared comments about this with us by email. There are similarities with
our current Stream Setback Law and timber harvesting law. The new law needs to be finished very
soon. James commented that the new law should be made more stringent. Mike stated that the areas
in the Town which are most affected by flooding are along East Shore Drive and Inlet Valley,with about
33 properties involved. Areas in Forest Home and Taughannock Boulevard are also affected. The laws
have not been updated since the mid-1980s. The new law would apply only to new buildings or if there
are changes made to existing ones. A building use application would be needed as well as a flood plain
permit.
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5. Environmental Review Committee Update: Lori had nothing new to report. Mike said new
projects would be coming in, because developers are coming in to talk to staff.
6. Chairperson and Coordinator reports: Mike reported on the deer management program and sites
used. There are now 8 sites set up. One landowner backed out of the program at the last minute. Mike
will give us updates at the next meeting.
7. Approval of minutes from January 16, 2025: Ingrid moved and Lori seconded, all in favor.
8. Discussion of Conservation Board member recruitment ideas: Mike said that people are picking up
the CB brochures he put out in the Town hall lobby, indicating good interest in what we are working
on. Lori suggested collective projects we could have to let people know what our board does and
encourage new members to join us. Ingrid told of a fellow EMC member who was interested, but was
worried about overcommitment of her time.
9. Regular reports and updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee (Eva): Nothing new to report.
b. Communications Committee (Ingrid): In January 397 people viewed Facebook,with an 88% post
engagement. She wants to connect with Mike Roberts about the ethnobotanic work he did for Tutelo
Park and arrange for a public event and celebration around the opening of the nature trail there in the
spring/summer. James mentioned that the deadline for Fischer Award nominations is February
28. There are nominees from previous years that could be suggested again. Mike will send out our old
list. James is renominating Zero Waste.
C. Tompkins County Environmental Management Committee(EMC) (Ingrid):A class of twelve Cornell
graduate students have taken on the county's EMC as a project. They will create a strategic plan for it.
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program(James): On January 26 a group of volunteers went
to 500 Road in Caroline for riffle samples. Over 200 invertebrates have been identified from that
event. Adriana Hirtler of the Cornell lab working on these tests has been able to recruit new people to
help with the work. One is connected with the Soil Factory and is an expert on diatoms. Another, Cynthis
Becker, is a new professor at IC,who works on stream biology. She uses DNA to find out what is in the
water.
e. Cornell Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Program(James):They have had seven volunteers cleaning
and sharpening tools for the program. James showed a map of Deems Bog in Freeville. Winter is a good
time to control invasives there, cutting and then painting the stumps with glyphosates.
10. Other Business: None.
11. Review 2025 Work Goals(Frank)/Discuss March Agenda: Frank will be back in March. Suggestions
for March agenda items were Fischer Award and revisiting earlier ideas for people suggested as speakers
at our meetings.
12. Adjournment: Meeting was adjourned at 6:38 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Eva Hoffmann, March 26, 2025
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