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Home My WebLink AboutLP-04/16/2024 LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETING Minutes & Discussion Notes from Meeting held Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This Regular Meeting was held in the Annex Executive Board Room, located on the 2nd floor at Southold Town Hall Annex, 54375 Route 25 (Main Road), Southold, New York. The public had access to view and listen to the meeting as it was happening via Zoom. If an attendee did not have access to a computer or smartphone, there was an option to listen in via telephone. Comments from the public may not be solicited nor received without an appointment. It is expected that the Committee will enter into Executive Session* at some point after opening the Regular Meeting for the purpose of discussing applications regarding proposed acquisitions of real property where publicity would substantially affect the value thereof. The public is not allowed to attend, view, or listen to Executive Session. 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Or Online at the website zoom.us, click"Join a Meeting" and enter the Webinar ID: 862 5958 8352 Passcode: 992568 • Or One tap mobile : +16465588656„86259588352#,,,,*992568# US (New York) +16469313860„86259588352#,,,,*992568# US • Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US Webinar ID: 862 5958 8352 Passcode: 992568 International numbers available: https:Hus06web.zoom.us/u/kbi6cl nivk Members Present: Sam McCullough Eric Keil Anne Murray Doris McGreevy Kim Krupski John Simicich (joined on ZOOM, left at 8:04) Members Absent: Will Lee Also Present: Lillian McCullough, Land Preservation Executive Assistant Anne Smith, Town Board Liaison Cathy Kreshon, Land Preservation Committee Secretary Benjamin Johnson, Assistant Town Attorney Present as Attendee: None Commencement • All "Attendees" will be dismissed from this meeting upon the Committee's Motion to enter into Executive Session. • The meeting began at 7:00 p.m. with 6 LPC members present. Committee Minutes and Administration • Acceptance of LPC meeting minutes from March 19, 2024 MOTION made by Sam McCullough, seconded by Anne Murray, to accept the March 19, 2024 LPC meeting minutes. Motion carried: 4/0/2 (Doris McGreevy and John Simicich abstained) • Next LPC Meeting Date: April 30, 2024 • Townwide Committee Survey presented by Anne Smith Anne reviewed the survey, explaining that the Board is asking each committee to submit a single survey response on behalf of the entire committee. The Board intends to use survey responses to identify how committees are operating and ensure that each committee's actions align with its charge. The Board's ultimate goal is to create a committee handbook that would set baseline procedures and expectations for Town committee members and Board liaisons.. Anne explained that Sam, as chair, is responsible for producing the Committee's response. Sam suggested that Committee members review the survey and submit any comments to him in advance of the next Committee meeting, where the entire Committee could refine its response. General Preservation • None Inquiries/Applications for Uses or Structures on Preserved Property • None Stewardship and Management 0 Proposed Monitoring Schedule & Procedure Lilly presented a proposed monitoring list representing roughly of 1/3 of development rights easements held by the Town. This list included properties that have had past easement violations or are suspected of having easement violations, as well as properties that the Committee has not monitored recently. The Committee agreed that easements purchased with federal funding, which the Committee must monitor annually, should be grouped and scheduled separately. Lilly proposed creating a quarterly schedule for monitoring to ensure the Land Preservation Department can provide meaningful notice where required by the easement. The Department would rely on Committee members to volunteer when able, and Cathy or Lilly would assign properties to volunteers. Lilly explained that the Department will prepare all monitoring packets for the quarter so that volunteers can monitor at their convenience. The packets will contain the Committee's standard monitoring report, the tax map, photo point diagram, and any relevant history(e.g., structures, violations). Lilly and Cathy will handle monitoring for easements not assigned to volunteers. Lilly recommended that farmers on the Committee monitor properties with recent or suspected easement violations. The Department will mail out monitoring notices for the quarter, but the assigned monitors will be responsible for scheduling the site visit where requested by the landowner. Committee members also discussed the importance of adequate notice where landowners may not be familiar with Town monitoring, particularly new owners or longtime owners of rarely monitored properties. Lilly asked that the Committee review the proposed monitoring list and recommend any changes based on their observations. Lilly also requested Committee members to flag any potential conflicts of interest to help the Department's monitoring assignments. At Committee members' request, Lilly would look into a mileage reimbursement for Committee members. • Further North Farm LLC SCTM# 1000-108.4-1.3 and 1.4 —Recreational Pond/Excavation on Easement Area The Committee reviewed previous use applications, proposals, and site visits for the subject property, including the Committee's February 2022 letter, wherein the Committee determined Mr. Principi's proposed clearing and revegetation of the property's eastern and western hedge rows was consistent with the development rights easement. In that same letter, the Committee determined that the creation of an irrigation and recreation pond was not consistent with the Easement's terms, and that Mr. Principi's remaining proposals were too incomplete for the Committee to make a determination. Lilly confirmed that Mr. Principi has not presented a comprehensive site plan, as requested by the Committee, since his January 2022 application. Recently, Committee members has received more complaints from neighbors about Mr. Principi excavating or otherwise moving topsoil to create a pond on the easement area. Lilly presented GIS aerial photos from 2020, early 2023, and mid-2023, which demonstrated changes in the swale area's topography. Committee members noted that and regrading or creation of a pond explicitly violates the easement. A pond, in particular is a landscape feature unrelated to agricultural production. Committee members present for the March 2023 site visit noted that the Mr. Principi proposed dug down to sand in the swale area, meaning the swale area would not retain much water unless Mr. Principi moved topsoil after the Committee members expressly directed him to halt all earthwork until he presented a comprehensive plan. Committee members also discussed apparent junk storage on the northern end of the easement area, and that the property has not been farmed in nearly 2 years. The Committee determined that (1) any regrading or removal of topsoil from the easement area without Committee review, and (2) the creation of an ornamental pond unrelated to agricultural production are inconsistent with the Easement's terms. Committee members also pointed out that any topsoil excavation or mining constitute both easement and broader Town code violations. The Committee directed Lilly to schedule a site visit and draft a notice of violation. Land Preservation Applications & Potential Applications: • EXECUTIVE SESSION- Legal Advice Regarding Stewardship and Management Proposed Acquisitions of Real Property Where Publicity Would Substantially Affect the Value Thereof MOTION made by Anne Murray, seconded by Sam McCullough, to enter into EXECUTIVE SESSION. Motion carried: 6/0 The LPC members entered into EXECUTIVE SESSION at 7:40 p.m. Meeting locked. o Lillian McCullough, Land Preservation Executive Assistant, gave updates on inquiries, new applications, appraisals and current applications. MOTION made by Sam McCullough, seconded by Eric Keil, to exit Executive Session. Motion carried: 5/0 EXECUTIVE SESSION ENDED at 9:11 p.m. Land Preservation Applications & Potential Applications -OPEN SESSION • None Adjournment: MOTION made by Sam McCullough, seconded by Eric Keil, to adjourn this meeting. Motion carried: 5/0 The meeting ended at 9:11 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Cathy Kreshon, Land Preservation Committee Secretary