PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING

Tuesday, January 24, 2006 – 7:30a.m.

 

MINUTES

 

Committee Present:  Carol Tytler, Chairperson; Danny Ross, Chairman – Agriculture/Planning/Environmental Legislative Committee; Merwin Armstrong, Legislator; John Troy, Legislator – Absent:  Kay Breed, Legislator

 Others Present:  Dan Dineen, Director-Cortland County Planning Department; Amanda Barber, Director-Cortland County Soil & Water Conservation District; Angie Wyatt, Confidential Secretary to County Administrator

 The meeting was called to order at 7:35a.m. by Chairperson, Carol Tytler

Carol Tytler advised those present that the function of this Sub-Committee was to identify issues regarding flooding problems in the County and ways to alleviate the problems throughout the County and City.

 It was suggested that Don Chambers, Superintendent of the Cortland County Highway Department be invited to all the Sub-Committee meetings.  Carol Tytler suggested that Chris Bistocchi, City of Cortland Superintendent of Public Works also be invited.

John Troy advised the Sub-Committee that the City’s 1^st Ward Alderwoman, Val VanGorder had expressed interest and would like to be included.

 

Brainstorm Flooding & Stormwater Issues Within The County

 

·        Municipal cooperation on development and where the water goes

·        What studies do we have already for areas/streams

·        Who clears storm drains and how often

·        Waterways: Who cleans and maintains them – Easements for municipalities

·        Rivers:  Rights to remove debris – DEC issues

·        Age of stormwater system – Lack of a system – not tied together in the City – no plan

·        Infiltration to waste water treatment – treating water you don’t need to – cracked

·        Update of comprehensive plan for each community – The County’s Comprehensive Plan is dated 1978 – This takes staff time and money

·        Bank Stabilization

·        Money/funding for projects

·        Who does the work

·        Upstream retention/detention (slowing it)

·        Waterworks / Aquifer impact

·        Municipal control – lack of rules and regulations prior to incidents happening (i.e. Renaissance Housing Development)

·        Maintain dirt/gravel roads – have a plan for drainage

·        Open ditches – no side stability because of the way they were created and are cleared

·        Culverts

·        Aesthetic of stream beds in City/Towns

·        Annual Cleanup – volunteers – Soil & Water

·        Groundwater infiltration issues

·        FEMA re-mapping the floodplain – flood insurance

 

Prioritize Flooding & Stormwater Issues And Identify Those Issues Which The Sub-Committee Would Like To Address Over The Next Year

 

A:         -Municipal cooperation on development and where the water goes

            -Who clears storm drains and how often

-Waterways: Who cleans and maintains them – Easements for  municipalities

-Who does the work

                        -Municipal control – lack of rules and regulations prior to incidents     

                          happening (i.e. Renaissance Housing Development)

-Maintain dirt/gravel roads – have a plan for drainage

-Culverts

 

B:         - Age of stormwater system – Lack of a system – not tied together in the City – no plan

- Infiltration to waste water treatment – treating water you don’t need to –cracked

-Bank Stabilization

            -Open ditches – no side stability because of the way they were created and are cleared

-Aesthetic of stream beds in City/Towns

            -Groundwater infiltration issues

 

Issues Needing To Be Checked/Determined

 

√          Municipal control – Lack of Rules and Regulations prior to incidents occurring (i.e. Renaissance Housing Development)

 √            Who does the work

 √            Maintain dirt/gravel roads – having a drainage plan

 √            Rivers:  Rights to remove debris – DEC Issues

 √            Updates of Comprehensive Plans for each Municipality in the County

 √            Waterways:  Who cleans and maintains them – Easements for municipalities

 √            FEMA re-mapping the floodplain/Flood Insurance

   

Course Of Action In Preparation For Next Meeting

 

1. Obtain current studies (Municipal list of updated plans/Do they address water resources?)

 

1. Summarize results into a single document
2. What were the recommendations and what was accomplished, if anything, from these recommendations.

 

2. Identify target areas
1. What areas have flooded in the past in the City – Storm vs. Flooding
2. Areas that warrant action outside the City

·  Road issues (i.e. Starr Road)

·  Subdivisions/Development

 

Dan Dineen and Amanda Barber will provide a summary of the latest updated plans from the municipalities and merge them into a single document.  This information should include whether the plans include problems regarding water resources.

Dan Dineen advised the Sub-Committee that the County’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 1978 and that natural resources were not addressed in that plan.

Grants for updating Comprehensive plans are available for municipalities but not for county government.

 It was agreed that some short-term projects should be started.

 THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2006 AT 7:30A.M. IN ROOM 302 OF THE COUNTY OFFICE

 The meeting adjourned at 8:30a.m.

 Minutes Prepared by Angie Wyatt, Secretary to Scott Schrader, County Administrator

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