HomeMy WebLinkAboutMay 2026 ERC MEMORANDUM SouthWorks Woods - Sketch - 05-04-2026Memorandum
To: Town of Ithaca Planning Board
From: The Town of Ithaca Conservation Board - Environmental Review Committee
Date: 05/04/2026
RE: SouthWorks Woods sketch plan review
The Environmental Review Committee members are thankful for the opportunity to meet
project representatives at the proposed site for SouthWorks Woods on Danby Road. We
were glad to hear that Robert Wesley surveyed the plant landscape on the project site.
Conservation Board members await the applicant sharing this report with us.
Recognizing that the project area has many invasive species growing and even more
banked in the soil, steps to reduce invasive plants presence in work areas and minimize
their further spread need to be a part of construction preparation and implementation. This
includes having all vehicles leaving the site cleaned, especially those running among
several job sites. Seeds or other plant parts stuck in soil in tire treads, and other vehicle
parts will easily spread invasive plants on site and to other areas.
We know the applicant is aware of the challenges with steep slopes and shallow soil on top
of stone. We look forward to learning more about the construction details that involve
disturbing the soil, including if it will be removed, stored on site for reuse or restored. As
part of your soil restoration efforts, we hope it will be possible to find and use clean fill or at
least a local fill/topsoil to minimize adding new weedy and invasive species into this area.
Respectfully submitted
Lori Brewer
Frank Cantone
Eva Hoffmann
James Hamilton
Pete Loucks
Richard Martinez