CAC Meeting Minutes 3/31/10

Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP)

Waterfront Advisory Committee (WAC)

 Town of Rhinebeck

 

March 31, 2010 7:05 pm

 

Present: Members of CAC/LWRP/WAC: Lisa Camp, Raphael Notin (co-chairs), Meg Crawford, Bill Dowden, Jeff Romano, Sheila Moloney, Suzanne Kelly and Carol Smith

 

Absent: Tess McKellen and Gina Fox, Town Board liaison

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

NRI (Natural Resources Inventory):

Raphael Notin proposed that a special meeting is needed to go over the NRI draft and to prepare the CAC maps of critical environmental and historical sites/areas.  This meeting is scheduled for April 14^th at 7:00.  Lisa Camp will contact Joan Winne to reserve a room.

 

Filing cabinets in Town Hall basement:

Camp indicated that Town Hall staff will begin clean-up of basement April 1^st, and she will discuss added time for us to go through the cabinets and binders with Winne and/or Barbara Cunningham.

 

Comprehensive Plan Implementation Schedule for CAC:

Camp had emailed us copies of the Implementation Schedule and asked members to study the list before the next regular meeting.  At that meeting CAC will devise a priority listing of the many tasks.  Jeff Romano suggested that we create an information packet that Winne could hand out to applicants to the Planning Board.  Meg Crawford indicated that such a packet could also be distributed to realtors for prospective home buyers.

 

Condos on the former Bing Location behind M&T Bank:

 

This development is in the Village. Notin will contact the Village Board and propose the CAC's help in reviewing the environmental aspects of the project.

 

Appoint a New Secretary:

 

Camp asked for a replacement for Carol Smith as Secretary.  No one volunteered.  Suzanne Kelly suggested CAC members serve as Secretary on a rotating basis.  Camp said she would prepare an alphabetical list of the members to present at the April  28 meeting to schedule when members would serve.  Since CAC has so much work to be done, Smith is also resigning as a member, but will remain on various subcommittees. Notin mentioned that the CAC had only one Village member.  It was suggested that the new member should perhaps be a Village resident, especially in anticipation of working more regularly with the Village Board.

 

 

Clean-Air Cool Planet Catalyst Fund:

 

Camp brought this fund to our attention, as CAC could and should apply for grants of $250 to $5,000.  Camp will email information to members and at the next meeting possible projects will be suggested.

 

 

CONTINUING BUSINESS

 

Earth Day Celebration:

 

Romano is the Coordinator for this event, taking place April 24^th and 25^th from 10 to 5.  Romano asked for volunteers to help man the booth.  Crawford and Camp volunteered.  Also members of the Tree Commission and the Community Garden will probably volunteer.  Email Romano the times you can volunteer, and he will prepare list for Laurie Rich to get passes for the event.

 

Romano needs material to show at the booth.  Camp suggested having laminated copies of various leaflets, projects and other information on the CAC such as last year's accomplishments and this year's goals.  Interested attendees could sign up on email list and be sent copies of such materials on a one-time basis.  Other items for the booth include the banner, the large Hudsonia maps, and map of Thompson-Mazzarella Park.

 

 

Committee and Member Reports:

 

Thompson-Mazzarella Park:

 

Park Committee was meeting upstairs at this time.  Romano reported that the committee had decided to place the Community Center building near road and Library, as had been suggested sometime ago in CAC LWRP Review of the park.  Romano will begin meeting with various community organizations and be conducting a survey of the public goals for the center.

 

Tree Commission:

 

Crawford reported that the commission had five members and two advisors.  They are:  Members: Cecily Frazier (president), Crawford, Cynthia Fennell, Jason Heimink, and Nicolas Doyle; advisors: Tess McKellen and Svend Beecher. Letters announcing the Tree Commission and the Tree Ordinance were sent out with the Village water bills.  Recently the Commission conducted a Pruning Workshop in the Mini Park, which was part of two-year tree planting grant. The last tree planting funded by this grant will take place May 1^st.  Twenty-nine trees will be planted in the triangle at Montgomery Street and Route 9 and on Platt Avenue and Chestnut Street.

 

EMC Pharmaceutical Take-back Program:

 

Camp described the problem and expressed hope that one of the Village pharmacies would participate.  Crawford suggested Northern Dutchess Pharmacy as they already had poster up.

 

Farmers Market:

 

CAC will be at Farmers Market October 24, 10 until 2.

 

Web Site:

 

Camp reported that we may be able shortly to log in and add information to Town web site, but that the files must be reviewed.

 

ZBA Agenda:

 

Bill Dowden noted that we now will be sent the ZBA Agenda for reviews.

 

Community Garden:

 

Notin reported all the plots have been assigned and that half the gardeners are returning from last year.

 

Pledge/Task Force:

 

This pledge concerns energy use and efficiency, reduction of green house gas emissions, and adaptation to coming climate changes.  The CAC is helping the Town put together a Task force dedicated to advise the town board on the steps proposed under the Climate smart community pledge. Candidates for the Task Force are being sought.

Notin attended a recent Village Board meeting, where he presented the climate smart community pledge. Notin mentioned the possibility to create a task force that would cover both the Town and the Village (including village residents in the task force). Notin also mentioned the possibility to extend the CAC advice/jurisdiction to the Village, so that the CAC could better help the village with the pledge, and other aspects of the village environment.

The village board showed interest in signing the DEC pledge. Howie Traudt, CAC's liaison on these questions, will get back to us shortly.

CAC Maps and templates:

 

Notin met with Michael Trimble to explain maps and templates.  Trimble indicated that the Planning Board was happy with the maps and will let us know when the PB wants CAC input.  CAC will show other PB members the maps at the April 5th meeting.

 

Planning Board Project Reviews:

 

CSI:  We have commented on this numerous times in the past.  We assume the new sewage plant will need approvals from the Department of Public Health and SPDES.  We once again note that the large areas to be covered with imperious surfaces could cause storm run-off problems as well as flooding.  As before, there are significant traffic impacts with this development of a "multi-use commercial building, being a ‘Shopping Center'.  CAC members will be at the meeting with copies of the maps and the most recently revised CAC comments.

 

Camp Ramapo: Apparently the scale of the new building was misrepresented in the original Public Hearing, and some residents of Sepasco Village are asking for mitigating solutions.  CAC endorses the planting of tall trees.

 

Harry Harding:  CAC members will present the maps and comments at the meeting.  The site lies in conservation areas for both Viel Swamp and the nearby vernal pools.

 

Performing Arts Center: The application is for additional lighting on the parking lot.  CAC notes that the Village has signed an Energy Pledge and wonders if these lights are necessary.

 

 

STANDING COMMITTEES:

Trees: Meg Crawford, Tess McKellen,and Carol Smith

Schools: Jeff Romano, Suzanne Kelly, and Lisa Camp

Publications:

• Editing: Tess McKellen, Meg Crawford, and Carol Smith
• Distribution: Jeff Romano
• Online Newsletter: Lisa Camp

Energy: Raphael Notin, Lisa Camp

Climate Smart Communities Pledge: Raphael Notin and Suzanne Kelly

LRWP: Bill Dowden, Lisa Camp and Carol Smith

Wetlands and Watersheds: Bill Dowden, Sheila Maloney

Historian: Bill Dowden

 

Liaisons:

      Thompson-Mazzarella Park: Sheila Maloney

      Hudsonia: Raphael Notin

      Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC): Lisa Camp

      Village Tree Commission: Meg Crawford

      Planning Board: Bill Dowden

 

 

CAC schedule: Next Regular CAC meeting will be:

 Wednesday   April 28 at 7:00 p.m.

 

Adjourned at 10:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted:

Carol Smith, Secretary