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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAg committee packet 2025-11-25 Agriculture Committee Members and Associates (*) A.J. Teeter Farm (Matthew Stalker, Chair), Casper’s Farm (Michael Casper), Der Rosenmeister Nursery (Lee Ginenthal), Forest Family Farm (Claire Forest), Indian Creek Farm / Cummins Nursery (Steve Cummins), Ithaca Equestrian Center (Russ Wedemeyer), Laughing Goat Fiber Farm (Lisa Ferguson), Steep Hollow Farm (Christianne White, Vice-Chair) TOWN OF ITHACA AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 25, 2025 Aurora Conference Room 215 N. Tioga Street Ithaca, NY 14850 (The rear entrance is handicapped accessible) 607-273-1747 Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person at Town Hall or virtually via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/6750593272). AGENDA 6:00 pm 1. Farmers Round Robin – What’s happening on your farm? How the season is going/went? Issues/concerns? Announcements? 6:30 pm 2. Persons to be heard 6:35 pm 3. Chair (Matthew) and Coordinator (Mike) reports / updates 6:45 pm 4. Ithaca Town Board (Rich) report / update 6:55 pm 5. Approval of minutes – July 29, 2025 7:00 pm 6. Other Business - Recommendation of Chair and Vice-Chair for 2026 - Approval of the 2026 Meeting Schedule - Training / Educational Opportunities 7:30 pm 7. Adjourn Please call (607-273-1747) or email (msmith@townithacany.gov) if you cannot attend 1 Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Meeting Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 7:00 pm In Person at Ithaca Town Hall (Aurora Conference Rm) and via Zoom Video Conference Draft Minutes Members Present: Matthew Stalker (AJ Teeter Farm), Lee Ginenthal (Der Rosenmeister Nursery) & Lisa Ferguson (Laughing Goat Farm). Christianne White (Steep Hollow Farm) & Claire Forest (Forest Family Farm) via Zoom. Town Representatives: Mike Smith (Senior Planner) & Rich DePaolo (Town Board Member). Guests: None 1. Farmers Round Robin – What’s happening on your farm? How is the season going/went? Issues/concerns? Announcements? Matt reported things going well on the Teeter Farm. Great first cutting of hay, second cut is starting this week. The market rate for cattle and livestock is very high right now. Purchased a new bull that is doing well, uploaded a few more animals to the herd. Calving season is mostly over. The 4 pigs are growing fast, different bread than previous years. Lee mentioned oak trees are an asset in the woods for pigs as a nutritional and shade source. Plans are underway for Matt and Abigail to build a new home on the farm property. The National Herd Average being low was mentioned and explained how it relates to the market rate. He noted that a stain on farmers is land developers pushing for housing. Lee reported he held an open house at his nursery and over 200 people attended. All of the stock of roses sold quickly, by the second week of May, compared to mid-June in previous years. He did a lecture at an event for the Heritage Rose Foundation and there was a lot of interest from people around the country. Plans continue for producing all stock in-house for the next season and propagation will begin soon. What is propagated now will be ready to sell in two years. He is working with his pigeons for a show this fall. Christianne reported the recent high winds and unique storm patten took down some substantial trees in her area, one on the neighbor’s property that closed Rt.13 for several hours. Her fields are being used for field and sweet corn this season and it seems to be growing well providing the birds stay away. Irrigation is being used from onsite ponds to keep crops hydrated on the neighbor’s property as well. Claire reported that she was approached by a land developer from out of state and quickly turned them away. Most of her red raspberry crop was decimated by two young deer fawns who were determined and got through her fence more than once. Fall harvest will be little to none. There are poison ivy plants that have caused problems as well. Lisa reported the farm work has been challenging due to some family shifts. With the additional work, the inventory was not ordered on time, and more items will be made in-house this year. Financial challenges also arose but have been balanced out. She is looking forward to the upcoming craft shows and festivals around the area. Goats may be present for the Apple Harvest Festival which is a new addition to the large event. Tours of her farm have been popular, the NYS Commissioner of Agriculture 2 & Markets attended a recent one through Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District with other NYS representatives. The two big projects her farm completed though the funding program were highlighted (fencing & water supply). Mulberry and chestnut trees have been planted to support the carbon sequestration efforts. Lee offered a book called Tree Crops with research on pastures and trees that may be helpful. Honey Locust was mentioned to be good and some types of willows where the branches can later be used for basket weaving. She has been marking small hickory and other viable baby trees around the farm for transplanting to suitable locations when the time is appropriate. Being a member of the American Chestnut Association and the ability to purchase trees was mentioned. The Northern Nut Growers Association was another group brought up as a resource with a local chapter. An upcoming local workshop for people wanting to use trees in farming was discussed. 2. Persons to be heard- none. 3. Chair (Matthew) and Coordinator (Mike) reports / updates: Mike reported that Cornell Cooperative Extension has the annual Tompkins County Open Farm Day coming up Sunday August 3 at 11-4 pm at 5 farms on the east side of the county. Fort Baptist Farm in the Town of Ithaca is one on the tour and they offer a CSA with crops that is doing well. A flyer with information was passed around and Lisa was going to double check to make sure the Town of Ithaca Farm was listed on the virtual map. Town of Ithaca Public Works is hosting an open house on Saturday September 13 from 9-12 . Bolton Pont, Ithaca Fire and Tompkins County Sheriff’s Department will be onsite at the Seven Mile Drive facility. Treatment ideas and funding sources to help solve the Hemlock tree bug problem on private lands were researched by the summer planning intern. Many of the programs found are no longer funded or specific to other states. US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service has a program called Partners for Fish and Wildlife that may be a possibility that can offer technical and Federal financial assistance to improve wildlife habitats. A NYS contact was listed and the intern reached out to see if the hemlock tree treatment was a possibility or had been used for the program and the reply is awaited. The deadline to apply for the program is September 30th and Mike offered to follow up with an e-mail containing more information to committee members. 4. Ithaca Town Board (Rich) report / update: Rich brought up continued discussion of community solar. The project on Rt. 79-Carromoor Solar is beginning and the town is working on a local law to require payments in lieu of taxes to ensure that an equivalent amount of revenue is received from large scale solar projects. The amount would be based on the value of the project and other factors determined by County Assessment. The Assessor will be attending the next Planning Committee meeting to further explain the valuation process of these projects. Community Solar helps the town achieve the community wide carbon reduction goals and however large tax breaks and exemptions would not be beneficial town wide. The Town’s Solar Law was briefly summarized and the review process by the planning board, however it is ultimately the landowners right to pursue solar development and the regulations are in place for when they do so. Lisa brough up her experience with solar and the intent for the panels to be on the roof’s of the existing buildings for her personal small solar array. The company would not allow roof mounts due to the 3 panels’ life expectancy of 40 years exceeding the life expectancy of the roof. Ground mounts were required which took up pastureland and the height could not accommodate standard size goats without reengineering. Smaller goats can utilize the pasture under the 5-foot panels without being able to climb them therefore it is not a total agricultural loss however higher panels would have been better. Lee brought up his experience of having permitted solar panels in his side yard prior to the town ordinance and being required to apply for a variance after the installation to allow them to remain. There was a large discussion of ways the town supports agriculture, and the committee thought more regulations from the town could be in place for projects to preserve farming rights as well as the ability to continue to farm and receive the benefits of solar (Agrivoltaics). For example, the town could require taller solar panels to enable continued use of the land for grazing or other securities for farmers. Another idea mentioned was in incentive and information being shared with landowners to encourage the combination of farming and solar together. Rich mentioned again that it is up to the property owner to pursue the solar and if they want certain things from the project, that it is up to them to negotiate. He stated that the large-scale projects are required to have a decommissioning plan and escrow in place and that once the useful life of the materials is exceeded, the equipment is removed, and the land reverts to what it was before the lease was signed. There are no projects in the town that have gotten that far in the process; however the regulations are in place and he offered to review the regulations in detail for reference to the Agrivoltaics. Later in the meeting, Rich found the reference and it was (in summary) related to prime farmland soils and stated the applicant must use agrivoltaics when practicable. Rich continued with his update that the town does not have a current sewer exemption policy for private septic systems when there is construction that is not within a reasonable distance to connect to the public system. For land use planning, development is encouraged where there is existing water and sewer but there is no disincentive for a developer to apply to develop within the regulations where there is no sewer. The town would like to develop a policy to require the large-scale residential developments to connect to the public system and not rely on separate private septic systems. The potential Conifer development on the west hill was mentioned and discussions related to water and sewer capacity and right of way for a second access road to Bundy Road that is associated with two additional property owners that added layers to the project planning. Christianne asked if there was an update about the Black Diamond Trail connection between the City of Ithaca and lower Treman State Park. Rich summarized that the town purchased property to enable the connection of this portion of the trail, however now the offer from NYS is much less than the town paid for the parcels (about half) where the initial impression was that there would be closer to full reimbursement from NYS Parks. More of an internal subsidy will have to take place and the change of ownership is still underway, a purchase offer from NYS to the Town has been accepted. Matthew noted a temporary chain-link fence on Elmira Road that is the start of the new Comfort Inn Hotel that was approved by the planning and zoning boards. Rich noted that this is his last year on the Town Board but he has his orders from the committee to encourage the town support more agriculture before the next/last Ag Committee meeting, possibly by 4 recommending the removal of the “when practicable” part in the solar law related to Agrivoltaics being required when applicable on the prime farmland and soils. 5. Acceptance of minutes – Lee moved to accept the March 25, 2025, minutes; Claire seconded. The March 25, 2025, minutes were accepted with one minor typo mentioned. 6. Discuss ideas for the next Town Board Farm Tour – Fall 2025. Mike noted that he is not sure if the town board had confirmed there will be a tour this fall, however he mentioned places they have not visited such as the Fort Baptist Farm, the landscape tree farm on Bostwick Road with the town conservation easement could be on the list to contact. The turnover of town board members may find it helpful to start over with the farms first visited as well. Town support for agriculture was brought up again, noting examples where farmers feel forced to take the solar offers. Rich mentioned the town’s active PDR program where development rights are purchased, and a permanent conservation easement is put in place. One purchase has been made this year and the second is in progress. A large purchase of land to make a preserve is potentially in the future as well, so there are notable ways the town is invested in overall conservation and farm use. Combining sustainable energy with active farm use is something that was important to members and was noted. Claire mentioned the person who does the hay on her field (Peter Moore) has a solar project in Danby that may not take away from agricultural uses. The land swap for the town to move Saponi Park was mentioned as moving forward to make it closer to the residential development. 7. Other Business: Claire recommended to continue with same Chair and Vice-Chair for 2025. Matt Stalker as Chair and Christianne White as Vice-Chair. Both agreed and confirmation was made. The final meeting of the year was confirmed for November 25, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. It will be noted again; however Rich was thanked by the committee for his good service and attention to the needs that have been brought up. The committee asked who will take Rich’s place on board and on the committee. Rich stated there were two seats open for new members and both have candidates. No new training or educational opportunities have come up to share with the committee. 7. Adjourn. Lisa moved to adjourn the meeting, Claire seconded. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Minutes were drafted by Planning Admin Staff Abby Homer PROPOSED RESOLUTION: Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee Schedule of Meetings for the Year 2026 Agriculture Committee Meeting November 25, 2025 Motion by: Seconded by: . BE IT RESOLVED, that the Agriculture Committee of the Town of Ithaca adopts the following schedule of meetings for the Agriculture Committee for the year 2026. The Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee will meet on dates and times listed below, in the Aurora Conference Room in the Town of Ithaca Town Hall. THE 2026 SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS: January 27 (6:00 p.m.) March 31 (6:00 p.m.) July 28 (7:00 p.m.) November 24 (6:00 p.m.) A vote on the motion was as follows: Ayes: Nays: Abstentions: PROPOSED RESOLUTION: Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee 2026 Agriculture Committee Chair and Vice-Chair Recommendation to Ithaca Town Board November 25, 2025 Motion by: Seconded by: . BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee recommends to the Town Board that ______ be appointed as Chair of the Agriculture Committee for the year 2026, and AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Ithaca Agriculture Committee recommends to the Town Board that be appointed as Vice- Chair of the Agriculture Committee for the year 2026. A vote on the motion was as follows: Ayes: Nays: Abstentions: