MINUTES
PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
(Tompkins County Legislature)
APRIL 30, 2003 - 2 P.M.
HEYMAN CONFERENCE ROOM
Members Present:    Dooley Kiefer, Mike Lane, Peter Penniman, Dan Winch

Member Excused:     Kathy Luz Herrera

Staff Present:        Joan Jurkowich, TCPD; Ed Marx, Commissioner, TCPD; Kathy Wilsea, Secretary, TCPD

Guests:        Bridgette Berry, Convention & Visitors Bureau
               
I    Call to Order

Chair Mike Lane called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM.

II    Convention & Visitors Bureau

Bridgette Berry was present to provide an update.  She asked if there were any questions on the quarterly report she had provided, and committee members had none.  She invited feedback on the travel guide, and said they are always trying to make it better.

Bridgette reported that room tax revenues are up 6.2% (i.e., +$40,000) over last year (that is a comparison of 3% room tax to 3% room tax).  She said the STR (Smith Travel Research) report, which she provided, examines major chains for comparison.  This shows impact from occupancy nights and increased rates are almost even.

This was the first year for the  “February’s Hot” promotion.  Revenues were up 2.6% in the first quarter.  Occupancy was down 3% in February, due to rate resistance and cold weather.  Item #3 in the review mentions promo efforts for the website, <hotithaca.com>.  The website had many hits, but only LaTourelle had sales.  In comparison to Rochester and Boston, this shows rate resistance.  Mike expressed surprise at the high end offer of the Holiday Inn package she described.  Bridgette said she felt they were trying to drive the rate up.  Rochester’s “Go for the Cold” also had low results in their first year, but better packages and results in year 2 (2002-2003).  Bridgette will try to convince area businesses to have lower-price packages next year.  The Convention & Visitors Bureau is trying to convince businesses that visitors bring more than just room rates to our economy.  Dan commented that bed & breakfast businesses have had faster rate increases in the last five years than hotels.  Bridgette agreed, saying that was especially evident if they have a niche.  The Rose Inn has a national status, rated in the top ten.

Overall, winter figures were up.  She is always trying to get locals to enjoy their own backyard, too.  On a weekly basis, she e-mails a two-week calendar of upcoming events to restaurants, hotels, other tourist businesses and media for staff information and posting on bulletin boards.  CVB just had their third annual tourism appreciation luncheon, where the Discovery Trail was highlighted.  CVB will participate in a trade show in the fall.  Mike asked if “February’s Hot” will overlap with Harmony in Nature.  Bridgette said yes, February’s Hot will expand to six weekends, and it was deliberately placed so events would spread over the year.

Other current projects for CVB are the Community Wellness Center Fair this weekend.  Next year that will coincide with the Ithaca Festival and be highly promoted as a complementary event.  CVB recently designed a 50-page book for that wellness program.  Tiohero Tours of Cayuga Wooden Boat Works has begun operating boat tours from the Farmers Market.  Models were recently completed for comparison of Wine Center options.  They are looking at possible use of the Masonic Temple.  The Wine Center would include different areas for tour signups, a tasting bar, wine & tappas area with agriculture products for sale, perhaps the Kitchen Theater in back, an Art Trail display on the walls and performances by local musicians.  In discussion of other ideas, Mike noted that Greek Peak is building a hotel.  Bridgette said Penn Yan had about 450 ice fishermen come as a result of information posted on a website, but our area doesn’t get ice on the lake.

Bridgette asked to present her budget requests early this year because she is expecting a baby in the fall.  She hopes to present her budget to the Stragetic Tourism Planning Board in June.  It was agreed that she can present the CVB and full room tax budget to PDEQ at the July meeting.

III    Committee Goals

Discussion began with the ideas submitted by Dan Winch.  He said his #1 item, ban of burn barrels, has been picked up by the Environmental Management Council, and he would like committee support for passage on the state level this year.  He feels Tompkins County has an excellent system for solid waste, and there is no need for trash burning.  EMC chair Steve Nicholson will be asked to make a presentation to this committee, and perhaps EMC will adopt a resolution that can advance to the legislature.  Dan said we could also ask the Water Resources Council to pass a resolution, as this affects soil and water conservation.  Joan Jurkowich commented that several people at the public meetings on the Comprehensive Plan spoke on this subject.  Ed Marx said the topic gains importance as trash composition develops a higher rate of plastics over the years.  Dooley said enforcement is a problem on the County level.  In the past, Environmental Health declined to do it, and it is not really a Solid Waste responsibility.

Dan’s other goal is a facility like Bolton Point on the west side of Cayuga Lake to provide water to the southern half of the County, which will have increasing need for municipal water services.  He sees buying into the Aquifer Study as difficult for communities with low funds but high need.  He expects a new Town of Newfield water system would open up Inlet Valley for development.  Mike said TCAD has been examining Dan’s idea in their review of the Economic Development Strategy.  Mike thinks it makes a lot of sense in the large scheme of things.  Dan said properties on streams have septic systems near the streams, and he expects problems in the future from that situation.  Dooley said Inlet Valley has some artesian wells, but Dan said that is not a big quantity of water.  Dooley said it is risky to have a single water source.  It sounds appealing, but if something goes wrong it lacks backup.  It would be bad to use Cornell’s system as backup due to potential contamination in Fall Creek.  She is interested in seeing how TCPD treats this subject in the Comprehensive Plan.  Mike speculated that maybe this goal belongs in the Comprehensive Plan rather than at the committee level.

In reviewing Mike’s goals, he said his #1 goal is to have a draft Comprehensive Plan ready by the end of the year.  Dooley pointed out that really the committee goal is to support that as a Planning Department goal, and Mike concurred.  Mike’s #2 goal involved thorough study of one advisory board, which would be a learning experience for this committee and the board.  This type of review was helpful to EMC and WRC in the past, and Dooley agreed, saying it helped the boards learn what happens with their ideas and goals.  Mike noted that Workforce Development will need a lot of support soon due to cutbacks.  Peter expressed interest in reviewing the Planning Advisory Board, but Dooley thought that should wait until they have operated under their new organization for at least a year.

Mike’s #3 goal was to have a report/recommendation from the Joint Working Group regarding a livable wage law.  Mike said he felt the JWG is not functioning as well as he hoped it would.  He felt politics are interfering.  In his #4, Mike felt it is important to look for grant opportunities when money gets tight.  His #5 goal would be review the job share of Planning Commissioner with County Administration.  He would like to review this in September (before the budget is completed).  #6 was to create a permanent “Attack Squad” with TCAD to seek out employers experiencing difficulties and try to help them before they fold or move.  We seem to hear bad news too late when a company chooses to move out of Tompkins County, and there is no opportunity to fix it.  Ed said his experience in Oswego County was that a corporate headquarters makes the decision and refuses to discuss it.  We have less influence on local level than we think we do, but it was agreed we have to try to turn this around.

On Dooley’s list, #1 was check measures of success of advisory boards, and that is a task all program committees are supposed to do this year.  #2 was new policy issues.  The jet ski recommendations may come forward from WRC, and the Aquifer Study prioritization should be ready soon.  It was noted that the Common Good Coalition is defunct, but the livable wage component went to the TCAD program.  #3 is things from 2002’s Planning committee.  SEQR Policy will be on PDEQ May agenda.  Density policy will be under discussion at IDA on Friday.  Dooley is still interested in ideas for management of the snowmobile grants.  Regarding the Economic Development Strategy, TCAD reported that a few items are completed, a few are on hold and the rest are proceeding.  Dooley would like to have this committee review any proposed changes to the Economic Development Strategy.  Mike said it will, as it is a county plan.  Ed said he hopes it will be reviewed in context of the Comp Plan, too. Peter said most current discussion is on implementation steps, not planning process.  Ed said the top ten strategies are being reviewed by the policy and technical committees.

Dooley’s #4 goal was on the Comp Plan.  She wanted priority given to countywide infrastructure planning.  Mike felt it had some similarities to Dan’s water suggestion.  Dooley has an interest in fibre optic connections, but Ed said he would not expect that to be addressed in the Comp Plan.

Mike asked Peter if he had ideas for additions.  Peter said some transportation issues need to be addressed.  He is liaison to ITCTC Planning Committee, and it is not clear to him if the County has a role in city transportation.  Are we part of larger discussions on parking and the City’s Six Point Plan as part of City/County issues?  Mike asked if that is the focus of ITCTC group when they meet.  Ed said in the ITCTC structure, their Planning Committee recommends issues to their Policy Committee.  NESTS and the freight study originated in Planning.  Their most recent meeting spoke of updating their long-range plan.  Their first one was very generic, and was recommended to be that way by DOT.  Joan said she expects ITCTC to address the process of their long-range plan in their May meeting, and suggested concerns be expressed before then.  Mike said the Destiny project in Syracuse is supposed to benefit all of Central New York.  Will tourists need transportation to the Finger Lakes?  Dan said he doesn’t see any benefit to the Finger Lakes area from Destiny.

Dooley said, in terms of examining an advisory board, she is interested in Ag & Farmland Protection Board.  She also is interested in IDA and TCAD, as she understands them the least.

In other business, Peter offered his experience of visiting Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and mentioned that hotel rooms are still priced from $25 to $50 per night, although they are near the busiest National Park.  Also, Peter heard on the radio that in Dubuque, Iowa they have lost one of their airline carriers, and the other has cut back from 12 to 3 flights per day.  Dubuque just built a huge convention center. 

Ed said he received a phone call on Friday from the City of Ithaca about the shuttle service and alternate parking during the Cayuga Green parking construction.  The City developed an agreement to sell a limited number of permits to County employees, giving them priority, and then any unsold permits would go into the number offered to the public.  Information was provided to County employees on Monday that their deadline would be Tuesday and unsold permits would be available to the public on Wednesday (today). 

IV    Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 3:15.

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