HomeMy WebLinkAboutCB Minutes 2026-09-03
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Town of Ithaca Conservation Board (CB) Meeting
September 3, 2026, 4:00 PM
(In Person at Town Hall and via Zoom Video Conference)
Final Minutes
Members present: Lori Brewer (Chairperson), Frank Cantone (Vice Chair), James Hamilton, Richard
Martinez, Eva Hoffmann, and Pete Loucks
Staff: Mike Smith – (Senior Planner)
Guest: Kristen Steele (Community member)
1. Call to Order and Introductions
• Chair Lori Brewer called the meeting to order and welcomed attendees.
• Members and guests introduced themselves.
Guest Introduction
• Kristen Steele introduced herself to the board. She recently returned to Ithaca after living in
England and France. She holds a PhD in conservation biology and anthropology and is pursuing
work related to wildlife impact assessments. She learned about the Conservation Board through
discussions regarding Drew Road property.
2. Member Comments and Concerns
No additional member comments or concerns were raised.
3. Environmental Review Committee: Cayuga Vista Townhouses Development and Japanese Knotweed
The Board discussed the proposed Vista development and the extensive Japanese knotweed infestation
observed on the property.
Primary concerns
• The infestation was described as extensive, potentially covering a substantial area of the site.
• Construction activities, grading, mowing, and vehicle movement could spread the invasive plant
through contaminated soil or plant fragments.
• The proposed development could disturb the infestation before adequate management measures
are implemented.
• Ineffective removal methods could worsen the infestation and facilitate its spread to other
properties.
Follow-up actions
• Seek technical guidance from an experienced invasive-species management professional,
potentially including Zeb Strickland, regarding appropriate treatment methods.
• Determine whether a professional assessment or written management recommendations can be
obtained for consideration during site plan review.
• Communicate the potential for construction equipment and site disturbance to spread Japanese
knotweed to the Planning Board.
• Explore whether appropriate invasive-species management measures can be incorporated into the
development review process.
4. Chair and Coordinator Report:
• Small projects in the works but do not require CB input
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5. Approval of Minutes: Eva motioned to approve the September minutes and Richard provided a second
for approval for the record.
6. Subdivision of Land: No additional questions or comments were provided.
7. Support Town’s Parks, Trails, and Preserves:
• November 5th meeting will hopefully include visit from Joe Talbut for updates from Parks and
Recreation department.
• Mike would also like to share a draft of the new Park Plan at the November meeting for
discussion and comments.
8. Scenic Views Project and Existing Viewpoints
The Board continued reviewing scenic views throughout the Town using photographs and slides
documenting existing conditions and changes over time.
The discussion covered viewpoints along Snyder Hill Road, areas near Cornell facilities, and locations
along roads in the southern and eastern portions of the Town
Key discussion points
• Members reviewed how vegetation growth and changes to surrounding properties have affected
previously documented scenic views.
• At the Snyder Hill Road intersection near Pine Tree Road, members discussed shrubs in front of
buildings and whether the vegetation had altered the view.
• Members discussed identifying the shrubs before determining whether they are native, invasive,
or intentionally planted landscape species.
• Other viewpoints along local roads were reviewed, including views of farmland, hillsides, Ithaca
College, and the surrounding Town and City landscapes.
• Members noted that seasonal conditions, including crop growth and vegetation, can affect the
visibility and quality of individual views.
• The Board discussed recognizing scenic views that extend along a stretch of roadway rather than
representing only a single viewing point.
Follow-up actions
• Review existing scenic views materials and consider potential revisions or additions.
• Identify and document changes to vegetation affecting important viewpoints.
• Consider updating images on current brochure.
• Consider additional viewpoints and scenic road corridors for inclusion in an updated online
resource.
• Continue the scenic views discussion at the November meeting, if time permits, and revisit the
topic at subsequent meetings as needed.
9. Regular Reports and Updates:
a. Scenic Resources Committee: (see above discussion)
b. Communications Committee:
• The Conservation Board's Facebook page had 377 followers and 239 views during the
preceding month.
• Following the discussion of the Cayuga Vista development, members proposed preparing
a short public education article about Japanese knotweed. The article could explain that
the plant is invasive, can displace other vegetation, and may spread when improperly
managed. Members discussed sharing the information through the Conservation Board's
Facebook page and the Town newsletter. Potential educational resources included the
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Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Finger Lakes
PRISM) and New York State Integrated Pest Management. Existing fact sheets could
provide reliable management information and useful links for residents.
Follow-up actions
• Explore preparing a short Japanese knotweed educational article for Facebook and
the Town newsletter.
• Use established invasive-species management resources to support public guidance.
• Consider including practical information about identification, prevention of spread,
and appropriate management methods.
c. Tompkins County EMC:
• Peter provided an update on recent Environmental Management Council discussions.
Topics included:
• Data centers and their environmental implications.
• The use of outdoor spaces by elementary and secondary school classrooms.
• Concerns about the future capacity of regional landfills and the need to educate the
public about waste disposal and associated costs. Members discussed the importance
of communicating landfill capacity concerns and potential increases in waste-
management costs to the public.
d. Six Mile Creek Volunteer Monitoring Program:
• Water monitoring volunteers were invited to the Community Science Institute's annual
community science lunch on August 22 at Stewart Park. A good crowd attended, and
long-term and new volunteers received recognition for special service. Adrianna Hirtler
gave a presentation on the importance of water in the cultures of the watershed, tracing
the subject from the Cayuga people's tribal name, Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (“People of the Great
Swamp”), to the development of municipal water treatment systems.
• During the gathering, James spoke with Roxy Johnston, Watershed Coordinator–
Technical Director for the City of Ithaca, about a potential contaminant source in the Six
Mile Creek water reservoir: manganese released by decaying pondweed. According to
Johnston, pondweed has been growing more abundantly as warmer conditions and
shallower water provide greater quantities of dead plant material. The plants draw
manganese from the reservoir's muddy bottom, and decomposition releases the
manganese into the water. Johnston expressed frustration that the needed dredging of the
reservoir had not yet occurred. Excessive sediment and turbidity in the increasingly
shallow, 45-acre reservoir above the 60-foot dam make water treatment more difficult.
• James reported the following information from the City's 2026 Water Quality Report:
• Manganese sampling in 2025 measured 0.05 mg/L.
• The reported Maximum Contaminant Goal Level was 0.01–0.04 mg/L.
• The regulatory limit for manganese was 0.3 mg/L.
• At the sampled concentration, the report indicated no known or expected health
risk.
• James also reported that microbial levels in the reservoir had become sufficiently high
that sodium permanganate and air bubbles were being introduced into the water at the
dam outflow pipe to improve water quality as it travels to the treatment plant.
• Six Mile Creek benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) samples were collected on August 28,
29, and 30 at three locations:
• Below Potters Falls.
• Above German Cross Road in Brooktondale.
• Along 600 Road in Caroline.
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• The Friday sample was analyzed live in James's kitchen. The other two samples
were preserved in alcohol for analysis by volunteers visiting the Community
Science Institute laboratory at Langmuir.
• On September 1, the Community Science Institute collected BMI samples from three
creeks in the Seneca watershed in collaboration with the New York State Water
Resources Institute. The collaboration was investigating potential effects of neonicotinoid
insecticides in local streams. Volunteers were invited to assist with sampling at:
• Sawmill Creek in Hector.
• Catharine Creek in Montour Falls.
• Big Stream in Glenora.
e. Cornell University Botanic Gardens Natural Areas Volunteer Activities:
• Volunteers undertook several invasive-species management activities:
• Removed swallowwort and surveyed for Japanese stilt grass in Lick Brook
Natural Area.
• Removed weeds around caged native trees transplanted in Park Park near Flat
Rocks approximately five years ago.
• Removed Chinese sapphireberry, jetbead, and Japanese lilac trees that had
spread from the arboretum into the Fall Creek South Natural Area. The Chinese
sapphireberry invasion was reported to be sufficiently severe that the arboretum
planned to remove the tree from its collection.
• During the week of the meeting, volunteers collected tree and shrub seeds from oaks,
viburnum, hickory, hazelnuts, and basswood growing along the Cayuga Trail in Fall
Creek North Natural Area. The seeds will be planted and tended at the Cornell Plant
Propagation Facility near Flat Rocks. The resulting plants will later be transplanted into
Natural Areas where additional native vegetation is needed.
10. Other Business: Frank made a motion to cancel the October 1 meeting in lieu of attending the Rural
by Design conference 4-9 pm, and James provided a second for approval.
11. Work Goals / November Agenda: The Board discussed the upcoming November meeting, with the
park plan update and continued consideration of scenic views identified as potential agenda items.
Adjournment time: 5:28 PM.
Minutes summited by Richard Martinez