Agriculture/Planning/Environmental Committee
August 30, 2005 at 7:30 am
DRAFT MINUTES
Committee Present: Danny Ross, Chairman; Paul Allen, Merwin Armstrong, John Steger, Ron VanDee, Tom Williams - Absent: Tom Hartnett, Vice Chairman
Others Present: Scott Steve, Angie Wyatt, Dan Dineen, Mike McKee, Amanda Barber
The meeting was called to order at 7:35a.m. by Chairman Danny Ross
MOTION BY TOM WILLIAMS – 2ND BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 5, 2005 MEETING – ALL VOTED IN FAVOR – PASSED
RESOLUTIONS:
1. Authorize Holding of Grant between New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Cortland County Acquiring Conservation Easements on the Darrell and Ann Henderson Farm and the Russell and Janice Sears Farm in the Town of Preble and the Leslie and Lorraine Chace Farm in the Town of Homer and the Assignment of the Annual Monitoring of the Conservation Easements of the Darrell and Ann Henderson Farm and the Russell and Janice Sears Farm in the Town of Preble and the Leslie and Lorraine Chace Farm in the Town of Homer to the Cortland County Business Development Corporation/Industrial Development Agency (BDC/IDA) Planning Department (Referred back from Budget & Finance Committee) – MOTION BY MERWIN – 2ND BY TOM WILLIAMS – MOTION PULLED BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG AND TOM WILLIAMS – TOM WILLIAMS MADE A MOTION TO HAVE THE RESOLUTION AMENDED TO READ:
Reaffirm the holding of Grant between New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Cortland County Acquiring Conservation Easements on the Darrell and Ann Henderson Farm and the Russell and Janice Sears Farm in the Town of Preble and the Leslie and Lorraine Chace Farm in the Town of Homer and the Assignment of the Annual Monitoring of the Conservation Easements of the Darrell and Ann Henderson Farm and the Russell and Janice Sears Farm in the Town of Preble and the Leslie and Lorraine Chace Farm in the Town of Homer to the Cortland County Planning Department – NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON THIS RESOLUTION
Discussion: This is not going to delay the process for the farms involved. The County already has the easements so a resolution is not needed. The IDA/BDC is not permitted to be involved so the Planning Department will be. A Monitoring Plan was developed (Res.# 3 below).
Planning Department – MOTION BY TOM WILLIAMS – 2ND BY JOHN STEGER – VOTING YES: RON VANDEE, PAUL ALLEN, TOM WILLIAMS, SCOTT STEVE – VOTING NO: DANNY ROSS, MERWIN ARMSTRONG, JOHN STEGER – MOTION PASSED
Discussion: Dan Dineen indicated that the score should read "60" not "65". The Farmland Protection Board lowered the score. Some members of the Committee felt that the score shouldn’t have been lowered to 60 and other members felt that since it was recommended by the Farmland Protection Board that is should be lowered. The Cortland County Purchase of Development Rights Review Criteria should be attached to the Resolution.
3. Adopt the Cortland County Farmland Protection Purchase of Development Rights
Program Monitoring Plan and Establish the Cortland County Farmland Protection Purchase of Development Rights Program Monitoring Team, Planning Department – MOTION BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG – JOHN STEGER – VOTING YES: DANNY ROSS, MERWIN ARMSTRONG, JOHN STEGER, RON VANDEE, TOM WILLIAMS – VOTING NO: PAUL ALLEN – MOTION PASSED
Discussion: Tom Williams believes that the County should be doing the monitoring because there should be some uniformity. Danny Ross believes that towns should be doing it and both Town Supervisors would like to be involved.
Markets and Cortland County to the Town of Homer Acquiring Conservation Easement for Leslie and Lorraine Chase Farm, Town of Homer, Planning Department – NO ACTION REQUIRED
Markets and Cortland County to the Town of Preble Acquiring Conservation Easements on the Darrell and Ann Henderson Farm and the Russell and Janice Sears Farm in the Town of Preble, Planning Department – NO ACTION REQUIRED
DISCUSSION/PRESENTATIONS:
NONE
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45a.m.
Minutes prepared by Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader
.