Agriculture/Planning/Environmental Committee

January 12, 2006 - 7:30 am

DRAFT MINUTES

 

Members:                     Danny Ross, Chairman; Merwin Armstrong, Vice Chairman; Kay Breed, Tom Hartnett, Carol Tytler, John Steger, John Troy

 

Others Present:             Scott Schrader, County Administrator; Richard Van Donsel, County Attorney; Sandra Price, Legislator, District 19; Katrina Spicer, Secretary to County Administration; Susan, Morgan, Clerk of the Legislature; Dan Dineen, Director of Planning Department; Amanda Barber, Manager of Soil and Water Conservation; Jeremy Boyland, Cortland Standard;

 

Mr. Ross called the meeting to order at 7:31 a.m.

Mr. Troy moved adoption of the minutes of the November 22, 2005 meeting; seconded by Mr.

Armstrong.  All members voting in favor, minutes approved as printed.

 

RESOLUTIONS:

  1.

Authorize Chairman To Sign Agreement, Planning Department (Cortland County and Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board) – Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Ms. Tytler.  Mr. Dineen discussed Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board.  Additionally, he discussed work that is being done in the Virgil area to assist in rewriting zoning laws and work that is being done in the Cortlandville area on Route 13, an access management plans to avoid future issues as they relate to driveways.  Mr. Ross discussed additional programs they are working with.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.   

 

2.                  Supporting an application for State Assistance Payments Under the New York State Bond Act to Purchase Development Rights on the Elinor Currie farm, the Douglas Riehlman farm, and William and Jeanne Underwood farm, Town of Preble, Cortland County, Cortland County Planning Department - Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Mr. Steger.  Mr. Dineen discussed the application process in which these landowners apply to County and State.  He added that this resolution will support the applications for making this land forever farmland and used for agricultural purposes.  He stated that there had been four farms in the past and now we could possibly add three more.  Mr. Dineen stated that these farms had passed the minimum criteria set by the County.  Each landowner must score a minimum of 65 out of 100 points on the criteria review sheet.  Mr. Dineen provided committee members with a copy of the criteria review.  Ms. Breed inquired how each farm scored.  Mr. Dineen stated – Underwood Farm scored 65; Currie Farm scored 65 and Reihlman Farm.  Committee members questioned why the scoring was so close to the cutoff score.  Mr. Dineen informed the committee that the criteria set up by the County is strict and the highest any farm has scored under these criteria is 72.  He further added that a higher score is given if the land is zoned both agriculturally and commercially; higher score if the land is near a natural water source, etc.  Mr. Ross asked how many farms applied this year.  Mr. Dineen stated eight.  Ms. Tytler asked if a map was available showing where these lands were located.  Mr. Dineen provided the committee members with a map.  Mr. Armstrong asked if the lands were contiguous.  Mr. Dineen stated that some were.  Mr. Ross pointed out that just because they score higher with us at the county level does not mean that they will with the State.  Ms. Tytler inquired about a comprehensive plan.  Mr. Dineen stated that there was a need to protect the Homer Preble Valley and this is one way of doing it.  Ms. Tytler requested separating the resolution into three separate resolutions, one for each farm.  Committee members discussed a monitoring plan.  Ms. Tytler and Ms. Breed inquired about charging an application fee and a monitoring fee.  Mr. Dineen stated that $10,000 is the maximum allowed by the State for future monitoring.  Mr. Dineen stated that an annual visual inspection is done on the anniversary date for each farm selected.  Ms. Breed and Ms. Tytler inquired about future selling and changing of title and how will those changes affect the easement.  Mr. Van Donsel stated that this is an easement and will be placed in the abstract and it becomes part of the chain of title.  He further added that new owners must accept this.  Ms. Tytler stated that this land becomes forever farmland and forever monitored with no costs being recuperated.  Ms. Price stated that this is beneficial to Cortland County.  This keeps a part of the county rural and keeps farming in the county.  Committee members discussed the basis of Cortland County criteria.  Ms. Tytler made a motion to separate the resolution into three separate resolutions, one for each property; seconded by Ms. Breed.  Mr. Armstrong, Ms. Breed, Mr. Hartnett, Ms. Tytler, Mr. Steger and Mr. Troy voted in favor; Mr. Ross was opposed; motion carried.  Ms. Tytler asked that maps be made available to all legislators.  Mr. Armstrong made a motion to vote on the three resolutions as a block; seconded by Ms. Tytler.   Mr. Armstrong, Ms. Breed, Mr. Hartnett, Ms. Tytler, Mr. Steger and Mr. Troy voted in favor; Mr. Ross was opposed; motion carried.  Mr. Armstrong, Ms. Breed, Mr. Hartnett, Ms. Tytler, Mr. Steger and Mr. Troy voted in favor; Mr. Ross was opposed; resolution adopted.

 

3.                  Authorize Agreement  (Cornell Cooperative Extension) - Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Ms. Breed.  Ms. Breed requested account numbers be added to the resolution.  Ms. Tytler discussed rent payments and asked the process in which we receive any unspent funds back.  Mr. Schrader stated that they must submit a detailed annual report.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

4.                  Authorize Agreement (Cortland County Soil & Water Conservation District) – Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Ms. Tytler.  Ms. Barber distributed and discussed a report from Soil & Water Conservation to the committee.  She further discussed approved funding for 3 out of 4 grants submitted.  Ms. Barber discussed prescription grazing management and stated that Cooperative Extension is also helping with this program.  She further discussed Village of McGraw drainage issues.  She discussed the Winter Newsletter.  Ms. Barber explained repair buffers to the committee members.  Ms. Barber thanked committee members for their support during the last budget season.  Mr. Armstrong inquired about the Susquehanna Chesapeake Bay Basin.  Ms. Barber updated the committee and added that currently it is just being monitored.  Ms. Tytler inquired about the last paragraph of the resolution and questioned why we were treating Soil & Water Conservation differently from others.  Mr. Schrader stated that this is done in case an additional report is wanted by the Legislature.  He further discussed that Soil & Water Conservation is different; they are actually an extension of Cortland County, if they go defunct – all the assets become the County’s.  This additional language is from state law.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

5.                  Authorize Agreement (S.P.C.A.) – Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Mr. Troy.  Ms. Tytler asked that account numbers be added to the resolution.  Mr. Ross stated that the Cortland County SPCA did submit a request to Mr. Schrader, which substantiates the funding in this resolution.  Mr. Schrader added that they are doing project accounting, which justified their request, he added that they have begun to do cost accounting.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

6.                  Authorize Agreement (Cortland County Federation of Sportsmens Club) - Mr. Armstrong moved adoption; seconded by Mr. Troy.  Mr. Schrader stated the club does things like stock rivers, have a fishing derby, provide scholarships for camp, etc.  Mr. Ross stated that they do a good job.  All members voting in favor; none opposed; resolution adopted.

 

DISCUSSION/PRESENTATIONS:

1.         Grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (through the Cortland County Soil & Water Conservation District) – Mr. Dineen and Ms. Barber explained this is a $5,000 grant for gap analysis of local land use.  Mr. Dineen further discussed local land use resolutions and checking to see if they are in conflict with New York Storm Regulations.  He added that a portion of this work is already being done.  Ms. Tytler expressed her concerns regarding projects that overlap with planning.  She inquired as how to go about looking at future issues.  Mr. Ross recommended forming a sub-committee to look at some of these issues and recommended Ms. Tytler as the Chairperson of that sub-committee.  He further suggested the sub-committee be made up of three to five people.  Mr. Troy expressed his interest in the sub-committee.

 

Mr. Steger inquired about the negotiations regarding a bus route to Cornell and the contract status/process between Cortland County and Tompkins County.

 Mr. Troy made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Ms. Tytler.  The meeting adjourned at 8:22 a.m.