HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust Newsletter
TOWN OF ITHACA
July 2025 Newsletter
Meet the Engineering Department
The Engineering Team is dedicated to supporting all Town Departments, prioritizing sustainable,
efficient, safe, and cost-effective solutions and designs for Capital Improvement and Maintenance
Projects.
Capital Improvements Planning
The Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) - a key planning and budgeting tool for the Town’s
infrastructure needs over a five-year time frame.
Project Review and Management Responsibilities
The Department oversees the design, construction,
inspection, regulation, and review of a variety of projects
including: Highway Infrastructure, Parks & Trails,
Stormwater Management, Sanitary Sewer Systems, Potable
Water Supply, GIS Mapping, and Development Review.
Permitting & Resources
The Department issues: External Plumbing Permits,
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Sewer
Exemption Requests, Water and Sewer Availability
Determinations.
Permit applications can be found here: https://ithacany.portal.opengov.com/categories/1080 .
Stormwater Management
We are dedicated to protecting our local water resources. One of the programs used to protect state
water quality is the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program. This program is
intended to create an enforceable set of practices to establish control measures and management
of stormwater discharges into state waters.
For more information on what Stormwater is and how we manage it, visit our Stormwater Page.
Geographic Information Science or GIS
The Town uses GIS to maintain records of our municipal assets, information and mapping assisting
in the planning the needs of our community and relating locations to various records for taxes/
ownership. We also use GIS for our plow routes/road repairs, future service expansions, and our
impact on our environment. Just a few examples of how GIS is not just something you use, but how
we connect people to places and beyond.
As always, if you have questions, stop in at the Public Works Facility, call 607 -273-1656, or email
us at engineering@townithacany.gov.
We encourage you to visit the Engineering Department page on our website at https://
townithacany.gov/departments/engineering/ for valuable resources to assist with future project
planning.
The full article was condensed for size but additional information can be found HERE.
David O’Shea P.E., Director of Engineering/Town Engineer
From left to right: Justin McNeal, Sr. Civil Engineer,
Sam Harris, Civil Engineer, Emily Rodgers, Civil
Engineer, Connor Crandall, Engineering Technician,
Max Villanueva, GIS Analyst, Madison Clapp,
Engineering Technician, and David O’Shea P.E.,
Director of Engineering
New State Wetlands Regulations Effective 2025
State wetlands regulations went into effect on January 1st, requiring property
owners to apply to NYSDEC for a jurisdictional determination on whether or not
their property includes a State-regulated freshwater wetland. This info sheet
explains the new regulations in brief:
The Planning Department is available to answer questions about the process;
please stop by Town Hall, email planning@townithacany.gov or call 607-273-1721
(option 3) with questions or concerns.
Beautification of Town Hall
Volunteers from Open Door English
Volunteers from the Open Doors English Program,
which is based out of the Presbyterian Church on
N. Cayuga St., worked their magic on the garden beds
surrounding Town Hall.
They pulled weeds, mulched, and planted perennials,
restoring our curb appeal. Thank you!
The Community Beautification Program is funded by
the Tompkins County Tourism Program and
administered by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Tompkins County.
Back To School Vaccinations
New York State requires all children to
be immunized with a complete series
of all required vaccines, or be in the
process of doing so, to attend public or
private school and daycare programs.
Vaccination Requirements and
additional information can be found
Here.
Walk and Talk
When: Saturday, August 16 at 10am
Where: Forest Home Chapel, 224 Forest Home Drive
Join us at the historic Forest Home Chapel to learn about its history in this
small hamlet near the Cornell University campus. Participants will also have a chance to see the
new historic marker dedicated to writer Pearl Buck. Limited parking is available in the few spaces
across the street from the chapel and more spaces are available in the parking lot of the Mundy
Wildflower Garden just over the Forest Home upstream bridge. The event is free but you can
register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2025-walk-and-talk-forest-home-chapel
Sapsucker Sits
Join us every Tuesday from
9:30 – 11:00 AM for
stationary birding on the
shore of Sapsucker Woods
Pond.
From the Visitor Center,
cross Timmy’s Walk to the
pavilion area near the crane
sculpture. The pavilion area
offers a partially-shaded spot
to observe birds around the
pond, woods, and feeder
garden area. Binoculars and
spotting scopes are available
for use and staff will gladly
provide tutorials at any time.
Folding chairs are available
for all attendees but please
feel free to bring your own
seat. Come and go as you
please.
In the event of inclement
weather, birding will take
place indoors at the Visitor
Center at 159 Sapsucker
Woods Road.
Citizen Preparedness Training
August 11, 2025 at North Lansing Fire Station
The Citizen Preparedness Corps (CPC) gives residents the tools and resources
to prepare for any type of disaster or emergency, respond accordingly, and recover
as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions.
The next training session in Tompkins County will be Monday, August 11th at 6:00pm at the
North Lansing Fire Station, 1189 Auburn Road (Route 34).
A key component of the CPC training is the distribution of a disaster preparedness kit to each
family that attends. The training is offered free of charge, but registration is required. To register,
visit: www.prepare.ny.gov.
Tompkins County Farmer’s Markets
‘Tis the season to support your local Farmer’s Markets.
Grab local farm fresh produce at various locations in Tompkins County.
Freeville Farmers Market
43 Main St, Freeville, NY
Sunday 11:30 am-2:30 pm, May - September
Ithaca Farmers Market
Steamboat Landing, 545 Third Street, Ithaca, NY
• Saturday 9 am-3 pm, Sunday 10 am-3 pm, April -
October
• Saturday 10 am-2 pm, Sunday 10 am-2 pm in
November
• Saturday 10 am-2 pm in December
East Hill Market (near East Hill Plaza), 330 Pine
Tree Rd., Ithaca NY
Wednesday 3-6 pm, May - October
Winter Market at the Triphammer Marketplace, 2255 N Triphammer Rd
10:30 am-2 pm Saturdays, January through March
Trumansburg Farmers Market
Village Park, 69 W Main St, Trumansburg, NY
Wednesday 4-7 pm, May - October