Member Absent: Kathy Luz Herrera

Staff Present:  Kate Hackett, TCPD, Joan Jurkowich, TCPD, Jackie Kippola, T C Administration, Ed Marx, Commissioner, TCPD, Wendy Skinner, Public Info., Kathy Wilsea, Secretary, TCPD

Other Legislators Present:  Frank Proto, Nancy Schuler

Guests:  Kelli Grant, Ithaca Journal, Jean McPheeters, Chamber of Commerce
 
I Committee Administration

A Call to Order

Chair Mike Lane called the meeting to order at 2:05 PM.

B Agenda Changes

There were no changes to the agenda.

C Announcements

There were no announcements.

II Convention & Visitors Bureau

D Update

Jean McPheeters was present, and she distributed a quarterly report for CVB.  Part of the report was a Conversion Study done by an intern.  The Randall Study on tourism showed Tompkins County’s conversion was too high, which meant many of the people who make contacts for information do visit the area.  Randall said this meant they are not reaching enough people.  The information provided by question 18 showed a high family income of visitors, so they hope to get more information out to people with a range of incomes.  This Conversion Study was part of the CVB work plan for 2003.

They are also working on the new travel guide, and producing a CD rom with information and photos for writers.  An ad workshop is planned to develop their website, which will be database driven and searchable, as well as have better links to the I Love New York website.

They will try the February is Hot promotion again.  They are encouraging lodgers to develop lower priced packages for the weekend.  Occupancy rates were highest among hotels with cheaper room prices.  They are coordinating lots of winter events.

Familiarizaton Tours continue for encouraging travel professionals to visit Tompkins County.  Typically these are day tours, with CVB paying for a bus and hoteliers picking up most other expenses.  CVB is taking staff to lodgings to do training for “front line” interaction (formerly known as customer service).  CVB is running local videos and CDs at the Visitors Center and continuing to improve the availability of information.

Peter said he visited the website in the summer, and noted the absence of information about the Grass Roots Festival.  Jean said Ithaca Events has partners who enter events.  CVB issues reminders, but the information is not always up to date.  She expects this will improve as they develop the new website.  Dooley asked how many people were contacted for the survey.  Jean said they gathered information from several thousand people, who were a sample of people who contacted CVB.  She will check and provide a specific answer.
 
III Water Resources Council

E Personal Watercraft Recommendations

Frank Proto and Kate Hackett were present to review the recommendations.  Frank said the report has been through several iterations.  Initially the county didn’t want to get involved, but the IO (Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization) didn’t want to address it.  So a committee was formed in Water Resources Council.  The City of Ithaca and towns of Ulysses, Lansing and Ithaca are meeting to develop their own regulations.  Doug McEver of WRC brought the issue to the Town of Lansing, which has since adopted regulations.  Carolyn Peterson was the City contributor, so Frank hopes to have renewed energy on this issue now that elections are over.  Doug Austic has been participating for the Town of Ulysses and Cathy Valentino has been participating for the Town of Ithaca.

The WRC committee was floundering with this at the beginning of the year.  The report took on a new shape when they got some input from a PWC operator and an equipment dealer.  Associate member Mary Shelley contributed a great deal to the document.

Kate said WRC started examining this in 2002.  Cathy Valentino said recently at WRC that municipalities want the opportunity to move forward on their own, so that was added on page 1.  Kate noted that reference to motorized vehicles includes 2-stroke engines on boats.  Recommendation #2 was included because of the way PWCs are operated.

Frank said the report recommends that the municipalities take the lead, then the county will follow up.  It is possible to pursue changes in NYS vessel regulations.  Dooley noted some of the original language was from Sigrid Popowitch, the WRC member from Finger Lakes State Parks, and Jose Lozano, the head of the City’s water lab.  Recently an intern added information, and the language in the final report was polished by Kate.  She expressed an interest in having IO take on this cause, as it would then cover the full lake.  Last year Cathy Valentino (also a WRC member) was glad to have the county lead on this, so opinion changed with Doug McEver’s joining the WRC.  Carolyn Peterson reported that the City would await the WRC report before considering action.

Dan asked if the report was recommended unanimously by WRC, and received an affirmative answer.  He said with multiple jurisdictions, there is potential for different regulations as operators cross boundaries, which are not well marked.  Peter thought the city might need more restrictive regulations because of the density of usage.  He thinks giving the towns until May 1st to act will be too late for next summer.  There was discussion about next steps for the recommendations.  Law enforcement officials, municipal representatives and legislators will be invited to the December PDEQ meeting for discussion.  Mike asked members if they would be available until 5 PM that day in case discussion was extended.  Dan said it is important to make clear that these recommendations were adopted by WRC.  Copies of the recommendations will also be sent to CLWN and IO.

IV Planning Department

F Flood Hazard Mitigation Program Update

Kate Hackett provided background, reminding committee members that the grant funding was suspended while the program was reassessed.  Some of the projects are failing, causing some stream migration, and there are differing interpretations of guidelines and goals.  The reevaluation is directed toward increasing efficiency and effectiveness of projects by making long-term choices.  Sixmile Creek was chosen for the pilot project, and consultants Milone & MacBroom (M&M) were hired.  M&M noted Sixmile Creek has very few wetlands; there is high sediment transport; it is a steep watershed, and therefore there is high velocity; there is a history of removing snags; and the stream migrates.  After reviewing existing conditions, Kate went on to their recommendations, which include:  favoring natural stabilization over riprap; utilizing channel slope control measures; creating synthetic and artificial areas to disperse flow, reduce velocity, and create habitat diversity; increasing channel roughness (don’t clean out point bars, use bolder clusters); creating a conservation corridor; vegetating rip rap areas; and updating flood maps.  Kate especially notes how out-of-date the County’s flood zone maps are and how important this information is.

M&M administration recommendations include:  prioritizing needs; developing a ranking system; determining criteria for project eligibility and approval; creating flexible funding mechanism to allow for rollover and multi-year projects; monitoring federal funding streams.

M&M management recommendations include:  a new perspective (watershed-wide); a better understanding of system; need for integrated input; guidance for county and local decisions; framework for collaborative input efforts; inform local projects; future funding.

The M&M report integrates with other plans and efforts, including:  Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, stormwater permits, Comprehensive Plan, Town of Caroline Barile Site Project, Cayuga Lake Watershed coordinated monitoring effort, Six Mile Creek Partnership, City of Ithaca USDA Buffer Grant, and serves as a model for DEC Region 7.

Kate said next steps for FHMP include a public presentation of the M&M Report and assessments of other major watersheds.  Dan voiced concern about the previous FHMP program, saying lots of people with a variety of skills and interests were doing the mechanics.  He said there is a need for training and certification of some sort, and education should be done for SWCD and highway department staff.  Ed Marx said they also need to be able to identify appropriate projects.  Mike said flooding can’t always be prevented.  He expressed an interest in learning which projects failed, and why.  He noted the county is not capable of leveraging large projects.  Kate said the program intent is still to minimize flooding and its impact on citizens.  She pointed out that artificial wetlands can be storage areas for flood waters.  Dan said DEC and the Department of State want to review these types of plans.  Kate said some are big ticket items, but some are affordable.  Wetlands and buffers could be done.  The report gives leverage ideas for some projects.  Frank mentioned that the Town of Caroline is currently working with the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council on a project.

Kate said she envisions no changes for eligible parties in FHMP.  She will provide information on the recommended changes in the rest of the program.  Ed Marx pointed out that Cornell University is doing a landowner-perspective survey in Sixmile Creek.  Kate said Linda Wagenet and Max Pfeffer are surveying residents and might plan focus groups.

G Commissioner’s Report

Ed said a presentation will be made tonight to the Legislature on the Vital Communities Initiative Toolbox.  Regarding development of recreation trails, Ed said the Town of Dryden has hired an environmental planner, and one of her assignments will be trails.  One of the recommendations of the MPO Trails plan is being implemented by the Town of Ithaca in conjunction with a water-line project on an old railroad right-of-way and it will connect to the “Bridge to Nowhere” over Elmira Road, at the City entrance.

V Committee Goals

H Discussion

Support State-wide ban on burn barrels – EMC will be asked to draft a resolution of support for the State efforts.
Support TCPD in efforts to develop draft comp Plan by end of 2003 – this is proceeding and TCPD is on schedule.
Thorough study of one or more advisory boards – this continues re Ag & Farmland Protection Board.
New Policy Issues -- Jet Ski Regulations and Aquifer Study – addressed both.
Infrastructure – Seek development of water system for southern part of county – Mike thought this was dissipating due to lack of interest by the City.  Dooley expressed doubt that we had agreed to this as a goal.  Examine Countywide infrastructure planning in Comp Plan – Ed said the Comp Plan is likely to show alternative ways of developing infrastructure; Support development of Transportation Master Plan and inclusion in Comp Plan – this is happening.
Have report/recommendation from Joint Working Group re livable wage law – done.
Seek new grant funding opportunities – ongoing;  Ed said he expects the Comp Plan to generate directions.
Review function of Planning Department, vis a vis commissioner shared with Administration – will be on December agenda.
With TCAD, create a permanent “Attack Squad” to seek out employers experiencing difficulties and to try to help before they fold or move – Mike said often information comes to light too late for discussion, as with NYSEG moving its offices.  Gannett is going to develop a joint printing site for the Ithaca, Elmira and Binghamton papers.  They are looking for something near an interstate.  TCAD is discussing this with Gannett.
Old Policy Issues – Complete new County SEQR policy – done.  Revisit support of density incentive policy – happening at IDA.  Peter mentioned efforts to provide tax deferments for real property improvements, which are being proposed in the City.  Snowmobile Grant management – Ed said he expects some discussion at the Municipal Officials Association’s Planning Coalition on the snowmobile trails system.  He noted it was difficult for the staff to cover such a wide area in the SEQR review.  Economic Development Strategy – received report.  Ed said some proposed changes will be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan.  Peter said PDEQ might want to comment on the IDA recommendation to alter the standard abatement on industrial projects.  Mike noted some developers are requesting different percentages or longer terms.  He wondered if this was their effort to make Tompkins County compete with the Empire Zones of neighboring counties.  This will be on the December agenda.

VI Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council

I Budget Transfer Request – for information only

There were no comments or questions about the transfer request.

VII Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 3:46 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Kathy Wilsea, Secretary, Tompkins County Planning Department