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Home My WebLink About03/11/2020 Town of Southold RECEIVE. ► Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of March 11 2020 ' OCT 1 2020 Members Present Members absent Guests 7^uthld T®wln Chris Baiz Jim Glover Katie Sepenos __ _ Doug Cooper Karen Rivara Adam Suprenant John P. Sepenoski Anthony J. Sannino John B. Sepenoski Jr. Tom Stevenson Mark VanBourgondien Scott Russell, TB Liaison Opening: The Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm on March 11, 2020 in the Southold Town Hall conference room. Next Meeting(s): The next regular AAC meetings will be Wednesdays, April 1, 2020 and April 22, 2020 at 7:00 pm in the Southold Town Hall Conference room. Minutes and Administration: Clarification of expiring terms for Agricultural Advisory Committee was discussed. Three year terms expiring on 3/31/2020 are for the following committee members: • Anthony Sannino • Jim Glover • Thomas Stevenson These members must submit a letter of intent to continue or discontinue service on the committee by March 16, 2020 in order to receive Town Board approval for the next 3 year term of service. The following members 3 year terms expire March 31, 2021: • Karen Rivara • Mark VanBourgondien • John P. Sepenoski Acceptance of minutes dated February 26, 2020 postponed to a future meeting. John P. Sepenoski formally welcomed back to the Agricultural Advisory Committee meetings. Discussion of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its effect on the farming community. Wine council discussed tasting room closings for the month. Raphael Vineyard has decided to cancel all events and tasting room is closed. The majority of the winery's and tasting rooms decided to make extra sanitary efforts in order to remain open. The actual impact on the Agricultural Industry is unknown at the present time. Page 113 Town of Southold Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2020 Review Proposed Acquisition of Development Rights: • No new proposed Acquisitions presented to the committee for review. • Letter of 3/4/2020 drafted to Supervisor Russell and the Town Board Re: Chapter 70- Agricultural Lands Preservation Modernizing Code to make relevant to twenty-first century Agriculture in Southold Town. This letter read aloud to the committee members. • Dialog between Land Preservation and Agricultural Advisory has not moved forward. • LPC conducts all development right purchases in their meetings in executive session so the public is not granted access to that information. Proposed Agricultural Revisions to Town Code: • Committee review of 3/4/2020 Draft of Chapter 70, Agricultural Lands Preservation. • Committee notes additions to the code which are underlined and any stricken words or lines. • Discussion on Structures vs. Equipment. • Attempt to prevent the Town from taking the more restrictive part of the Town Code and applying it to place limits on Agriculture. • Discussion on easements defining structures. • Review of 70-5 Alienation of development rights. • Regarding existing easements, can the language be changed by mutual agreement between the landowner and the Town. • Chris Baiz will re-draft 70-5. Motion by Doug Cooper to approve letter of 3/4/2020 and revisions to Chapter 70 provided that these revisions are made and forwarded to all committee members for a final approval. Seconded by Chris Baiz. All in Favor. • Chapter 280 for the Bulk Schedule was discussed. Scott Russell has stated this should be a function of the Town Attorney. • Committee agreed to design the Bulk Schedule and submit it for review. • Clustering discussed with regard to buildings on a parcel. The term split cluster was mentioned. Review of Agricultural related Site Plan Applications/Sub-Divisions: • No Agricultural related Site Plans or Applications/Sub Divisions were submitted to the Committee. Review Potential Agricultural District changes in Zoning: • No Agriculture District Zoning changes presented. Local County, State and Federal Legislation related to Agriculture: • No new Legislation to report. Page 213 Town of Southold Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2020 Review Applications for structures related to Agriculture on parcels with Town /County owned development rights. • No new applications submitted regarding structures for committee review. New Business: • The Water Advisory Committee is advertising for Committee members. • Discussed the need for public education regarding water quality and spraying contaminating chemicals by the homeowner as well as local businesses. • John P. Sepenoski will investigate the relationship between water quality and water quality improvement projects and the use of Community Preservation Funds. Adjournment: MOTION to adjourn at 9:14 pm by Chris Baiz, seconded by Doug Cooper, ALL in favor. Minutes respectfully submitted by: Cheryl Kaswell Page 313 Town of Southold R E C 1� x" E Agricultural Advisory Committee Meetin Minutes of February 26, 2020 OCT 2020 Members Present Members absent Guests I �Outh®ld Town CleO,, Chris Baiz Jim Glover `K Doug Cooper John B. Sepenoski Jr. Adam Suprenant Karen Rivara Scott Russell, TB Liaison. Anthony J. Sannino Tom Stevenson Mark VanBourgondien Opening: The Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm on February 26, 2020 in the Southold Town Hall conference room. Next Meeting(s): The next regular AAC meetings will be Wednesdays, March 11, 2020 and March 25, 2020 at 7:00 pm in the Southold Town Hall Conference room. Minutes and Administration: Supervisor Scott Russell is now the Agricultural Advisory Committee's Town Board Liaison Doug Cooper to invite Bill Ruland to be an Agriculture Advisory Committee member. These members AAC terms are expiring at the end of March: • Christian Baiz • Anthony Sannino • Douglas Cooper • Jim Glover • John B. Sepenoski Jr. • Thomas Stevenson It was noted that appointments, re-appointments and resignations to the Agricultural Advisory Committee must be submitted in writing to the Town Board for approval. Tom Stevenson suggested the Committee think about asking the Town Board to approve an attorney to work with AAC to review easements. Minutes of February 12, 2020 reviewed and discussed. Motion made by Doug Cooper to accept the meeting minutes of February 12, 2020 with minor changes, seconded by Anthony Sannino. All in favor, motion passed. Page 114 Town of Southold Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of February 26, 2020 Review Proposed Acquisition of Development Rights: • No new proposed Acquisitions presented to the committee for review. Motion by Karen Rivara to draft a letter to the Land Preservation Committee, cc'd to the Town Board seeking a response to previous correspondence by Jim Glover containing comments on easement language and proposed amendments to chapter 70. Seconded by Doug Cooper. All in favor. Motion passed. • Chris Baiz to call Sam McCullough, Chairman of the Land Preservation Committee to request a meeting between the AAC and LPC with a follow up letter. • Goal is for AAC to be at the next Town Board work session. Concerns are: 1. Presenting a second letter, cc'd to the Town Board asking for a response to the AAC's first letterto,the LPC. 2. Present current Chapter 70 draft revisions including code changes. 3. Present a deadline of 30 days from receipt of letter for a response to AAC's request for a joint meeting with the LPC or review at a Town Board work session. 4. Point out that the AAC receives and reviews easements after agreements are made between the seller and LPC, but before actual closing on transactions. 5. Illustrate the reason that current easements are detrimental to the future of farming in Southold Town. • Suffolk County is looking to purchase a 250 acre golf course in Riverhead and return it to its natural state. Proposed Agricultural Revisions to Town Code: • Chris Baiz to re-work chapter 70 revisions that Karen will add to the letter for review by the LPC and Town Board. Changes adopted to be presented again for review by the committee. • Discussion on the Ag Bulk Schedule encapsulating all farm uses into one use. • Discussion on clustering Ag structures. • Discussion and future discussion needed on sub-dividing a farm or"tenants in common". • Unify all Agricultural definitions across all Chapters (70, 280 & 240). Resolve Winery definitions. Review of Agricultural related Site Plan Applications/Sub-Divisions: • Committee reviewed letter to Heather Lanza of the Planning Dept. written by Chris Baiz on behalf of the AAC with the words "and comment" added onto the last sentence. • Committee approved the letter to the Planning Dept. with changes to be hand-delivered to Heather Lanza by Chris Baiz. Review Potential Agricultural District changes in Zoning: • No Agriculture District Zoning changes presented. Page 214 Town of Southold Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of February 26, 2020 Local, County, State and Federal Legislation related to Agriculture: New York State Labor Department will convene a wage board to make recommendations on the Overtime Work Threshold for Farm Laborers. Members of wage board are: • David Fisher, President of the New York Farm Bureau • Denis Hughes, former President of the New York State AFL-CIO • Brenda McDuffie, President of the Buffalo Urban League Public hearings are as follows: • Friday 2/28/2020 11:00am, Albany, NY • Friday 3/13/2020 11:00am, Syracuse, NY • Monday 3/23/2020 11:00am, Vestal, NY • Thursday 4/16/2020 11:00am, Farmingville, LI, NY • Thursday 4/23/2020 11:00am, Batavia, NY Attendees must pre-register in order to make public comment. Register at: http://www.labor.ny.gov/farmwageboard. Discussion on the hardship this labor bill presents to the farmer vs. raising the economic status of the farm worker. Discussed farm worker vs. Nursery worker and Winery worker. Review and discussion of Southold Town Resolution 2020-211- LL in relation to an Amendment in Chapter 280, Zoning in connection with ZBA application fees. Discussion on Supreme Court Matter of the Village of Islandia vs. Ball regarding SEQRA and the Ag District. Islandia wanted to control farming on R80 properties. Review Applications for structures related to Agriculture on parcels with Town/County owned development rights. • No new applications submitted regarding structures for committee review. New Business: Discussion on article 78-Open Meetings Law. Tom Stevenson will email the AAC members the Open Meetings Law text to prompt further discussion regarding the Land Preservation Committee's lack of transparency to the public. Discussion of the rules of executive session. Discussion of Land Preservation Committee's possible improper use of executive session in violation of Article 78, Open Meetings Law. Page 314 Town of Southold Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of February 26, 2020 Motion made by Doug Cooper for Tom Stevenson to proceed with the investigation of the legality of Land Preservation committee meetings. Seconded by Chris Baiz. Move to Reconsider by Tom Stevenson, No second. Tom stated that this type of investigation should be a function of the Town Board. Motion made by Chris Baiz to Table the motion, seconded by Karen Rivara. All in favor, tabled motion passed. The suggestion was made that the Town Board should make trainings available for all committees, especially for new members with regard to municipal laws. The committee will draft a letter to the Town Board asking for guidance regarding Trainings for Committee members, including Article 78, the Open Meetings Law. Adjournment: MOTION to adjourn at 9:04 pm by Doug Cooper, seconded by Karen Rivara, ALL in favor. Minutes respectfully submitted by: Cheryl Kaswell Page 414