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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober Newsletter October 2025 Newsletter Meet The Department of Public Works The Department of Public Works (DPW) is located at 114 Seven Mile Drive. The Department functions as a public steward providing snow removal, paving, yard waste collection, vegetation control, storm water management, parks/trails maintenance, water/sewer maintenance, and road maintenance services. Joe Slater was appointed Highway Superintendent and Director of Public Works in 2020. Joe has been with the town for 24 years. As Director of Public Works he oversees a department of approximately 30 people, with the help of Deputy Highway Superintendent Mike Beach; Joe Talbut, Manager of Parks & Trails; Travis Mills, Water and Sewer Maintenance Supervisor and Joe Hulbert, Facilities Maintenance. The Engineering department also works out of the Public Works facility. Public Works and Engineering share administrative support from Becky Jordan and Rebecca Wright. Becky came to the Town of Ithaca with previous municipal experience as Deputy Town Clerk in 2020 and joined Public Works in 2023. Rebecca has been with the town for two years. Joe and Dave, Director of Engineering attend numerous meetings on infrastructure needs and plans as well as coordinate overseeing outside contractors doing studies on our infrastructure, repairs, and replacement capital projects. The DPW held an Open House on September 13th. The public was welcomed at the facility to see what Public Works does and meet all the hard working people that keep the Town running. The DPW ’s heavy equipment was out for the public to climb in and experience what a day in the life of a DPW worker is like. There was a log pickup area, using the excavator, and the snow plow trucks were on display. The TC Sheriff and Fire Departments were also there to join in on the fun. Did you know that free mulch is available to Town residents at the DPW Facility? Click here for more information. FALL BRUSH PICK-UP 2025 The Town of Ithaca Public Works Department will be picking up brush, limbs and branches beginning 7:00AM on Monday, October 20th and continuing throughout the Town until finished. Please do not put brush out at roadside until the week before collection. This service is for all areas of the Town of Ithaca outside the Village of Cayuga Heights and the City of Ithaca. THERE WILL BE NO SECOND COLLECTION AND NO CALL BACKS. The intention of the Town’s roadside collection service is for town residents outside of the Village of Cayuga Heights to put a reasonable amount of brush (as is generated during a normal year) out at roadside for pick up by the Town’s crews. Clearing of building lots and hedgerows is beyond a normal amount of material. Please remember that you may drop your own yard waste off at the Public Works Facility at 114 Seven Mile Drive, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. year-round. Please sign in at the office. Remember: • Brush should be piled in neat bundles going with the flow of traffic so the chipping trucks can feed the cut ends first. • Limb diameter must be 8 inches or less (note: it is not necessary to cut limbs into small pieces). • Do not tie bundles. • Place along road shoulder or at end of the driveway if no shoulder exits. • Do not place any materials in a ditch. • No metal, rocks, glass, roots, stumps, or lumber scraps will be picked up. • Brush piles should be no larger than a pickup load (approximately 2 feet x 4 feet x 8 feet in size). • Roadside collection crews reserve the right to not pick up excessively large volumes of brush and improperly piled materials. Please note: Out of respect for pedestrians and cyclists and for storm water run off, brush you collect before the first day of the pickup needs to remain out of the rights-of-way until a couple of days before the pickup; this will assure your safety and that of your neighbors. Errant brush piles can wreak havoc on the storm water systems and can create a hazard for walkers and cyclists. For questions, please call 273-1656 between 6:30 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday or e - mail us at publicworks@townithacany.gov. Fall Leaf Pickup 2025 Town of Ithaca Leaf Collection (outside the Village of Cayuga Heights) will begin Monday, November 10th at 7a.m. and continue throughout the week until finished. Leaves should be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the first day of collection. You may rake the to the shoulder of the road or put them in biodegradable paper bags for roadside pick up. Pine needles, dead flowers, garden waste, grass clippings, and similar debris cannot be vacuumed and should be bagged. Please close all bags by folding over the opening; do not tape or staple them. (30 gallon bags are available at many stores in the area ). No plastic bags will be picked up. Crews will go through the entire Town once with the leaf vacuum, then continue to pick up paper - bagged leaves on Mondays through the end of November (may be extended to other days) as weather and time permits. Crews may be out before November 10th to test the equipment and pick up paper bagged leaves as time and weather allow. Questions, call us at 607-273-1656, Monday thru Friday, between 6:30a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or e-mail us at publicworks@townithacany.gov. Snow & Ice Operations: Cameras and Sensors in Action The Department of Public Works is putting technology to work this winter to improve road safety and enhance storm response. As part of these efforts, supervisors now have access to real -time cameras and roadway sensors that help them monitor conditions and make informed decisions during snow and ice operations. The pole mounted camera units are at key intersections and paired with a road temperature, air temperature, and humidity sensor. Together, they provide a clear, real-time picture of roadway conditions: • Snyder Hill Road & Sky-Vue Road (East Hill) • East King Road & Ridgecrest Road (South Hill) • Hanshaw Road & Sapsucker Woods Road (Northeast) • West Hill Drive & Trumansburg Road (West Hill) The cameras display real-time video only —they do not record or store footage. Their sole purpose is to allow supervisors to check current conditions during winter weather events. The paired sensors provide accurate, live data on roadway and air conditions to further support safe and efficient snow and ice control. By combining this technology with the expertise of our public works crews, the Town is better equipped to keep roads safe while ensuring resources are used wisely. Newly Redesigned IthacaTrails.org IthacaTrials.org launches an enhanced mobile experience and comprehensive trail guide for Tompkins County. The interactive website features 75 distinct trail experiences with advanced filtering capabilities to help outdoor enthusiasts discover their perfect adventure. Check out the new site at IthacaTrails.org Ithaca City School Tax Bills Due 10/31 You should be getting an Ithaca City School tax bill in the mail this month. Payments are due by October 31 without penalty. Payments can be made at any Tompkins Community Bank Office or at the Ithaca City School district tax office. For more information please go to the school district website school tax page https:// www.ithacacityschools.org/o/icsd/page/ school-taxes. 2025 NYS Uniform Code A message from the Director of Code Enforcement Marty Moseley Dear Friends, Hopefully you have enjoyed the nice summer weather and have been able to get out to enjoy our Town Trails and Parks. The New York State Codes have been amended/updated and adopted. The 2025 NYS Uniform Code goes into effect on December 31, 2025. During this transition period, applicants may choose to apply either the 2020 NYS Uniform Code or the 2025 NYS Uniform Code to their projects. If you are currently designing a project and wish to file under the 2020 NYS Uniform Code, please ensure that a substantially complete building permit application is submitted to the Codes Department no later than December 30, 2025. If you would like to view the adopted 2025 NYS Uniform Codes, you can download them at the following link: 2025 Uniform Code Please remember that there are several instances where a building permit is required. All of our permit applications can be found at the following link: https://ithacany.portal.opengov.com/ As a seasonal reminder, don’t forget to check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure your home remains safe. If you have any questions, please feel free to call our offices at 607-273-1783 or email us at codes@townithacany.gov. October is National Community Planning Month — Join Us! National Community Planning Month highlights how planning is essential to every community, and how communities with a strong planning culture are uniquely positioned to identify solutions to difficult housing, transportation, and land use problems. Have you ever wanted to give back to the Town, but weren ’t sure how to get involved? Please consider applying (online application at https://lfweb.townithacany.gov/Forms/Di0X9 ) for the following regular and alternate positions anticipated in 2026: Planning Board - reviews land use and development issues under the Town of Ithaca Code and other Town, State and Federal regulations and guidance. They consider subdivisions, site plans, and special permit requests. Meetings are on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 pm. Zoning Board of Appeals - is a quasi-judicial board which considers requests for variance and/or special approval and determinations under the Town of Ithaca Code and other Town, State and Federal regulations and guidance. ensuring compliance of the Town of Ithaca Code and its zoning ordinances, considering variances and/or special approvals requests and weighing the criteria set for each type of variance by Town, State and Federal laws during deliberations. Meetings are on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 pm. A regular member is a full voting member with a 5- or 7- year term. An alternate member votes in the absence of a regular member and has a 1 -year term (a great way to see how a board works/ level of commitment needed.) Some knowledge of the application of municipal law or other rules and regulations is helpful but not required. Both Boards do have a Town residency requirement, and members receive a small stipend per meeting attended. Conservation Board – is looking for several residents with a passion for conservation, recreation, or education to join their efforts to safeguard and promote our natural and scenic resources for all. Meetings are the first Thursday of the month, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. If you are interested in proposed development projects, deer management, invasive species education, water quality, waste awareness, scenic resources, or other conservation concerns, please consider joining, and of course, all meetings are open to the public and available via Zoom platform as well. Joint Youth Commission – The Joint Youth Commission is a Town-supported County Partnership offering job training and recreational programs to youth in our community. Each participating municipality appoints a representative and a Youth representative. Please contact Paulette Rosa, Town Clerk at 273-1721 #1 or via email at clerks@townithacany.gov with any questions. Links to past recordings of meetings and applications are available via our website, TownofIthaca.gov. East Shore Park at Sunset Courtesy of Rich DePaolo 601 1st Street, Ithaca, NY TRUNK OR TREAT AND PUMPKIN PALOOZA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th, 1:00 - 3:00pm Bring the whole family for an afternoon of Halloween fun, costumes, and friendly faces at the Ithaca YMCA. Activities include a bounce house, activities run by YMCA staff in the gymnasium, and trick or treating outside. Trunks are presented by local organizations like Ithaca Youth Bureau, Tompkins County Whole Health, United Way, and more. There is no cost, every family in Tompkins County is encouraged to join the fun. If you'd like to set up your vehicle to help distribute candy, or volunteer to help with activities, please contact Senior Director of Membership and Programs Emily Richardson, erichardson@ithacaymca.com 50 Graham Rd W, Ithaca, NY 14850 OPEN STUDIO WEEKENDS 11:00am to 5:00pm October 11 & 12 and October 18 & 19 This is a great time to travel the beautiful roads of upstate NY with artist studios as your destinations. There’s no fee and no appointments, just go! Gather your friends and family and travel the beautiful roads of Tompkins County. Have great conversations with the artists, see what they’ve been up to, learn about their process and purchase great art! Find the map here.