HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/02/2018 "town. of Southold
Agricultural .Advispry Committee Meetbig
Minutes of May 2, 2018
Opening:
The regular meeting of the Agricultural Advisory Committee was called to order at 7:10 pin on May 2, 2018,
2018 in Southold Town all conference room.
Present:
Members Present Members absenk Guests
Chris Baiz John P. Sepenoski Karl Novak
Douglas Cooper Louis Caracciolo Katie Sepenoski
Jim Glover Tom Stevenson Adam Suprenant
Karen Rivara Supervisor, Scott Russell
John B.Sepenoski Jr.
Mark Van Bourgondien
Councilman Bill Ruland
Approval of Agenda:
Agenda distributed and next meeting will be Wednesday May 23rd at 7:00 pm in the Southold Town all
Conference room.
Approval of Minutes:
Minutes of the February 7,March 22,and April 4, and April 18, 2018 approved to be made part of public
record.Motion made by Karen Rivara to approve minutes, seconded by Mark Van Bourgondien.
Ongoing Business:
Expectations are that in terms of legislation,the Town Board will vote on Tuesday May 8 th for a
vote to go to Code Committee on codification oft e Agricultural Advisory Board Committee.
Draft points will be:
• The members of the committee
• Easement reviewing
• Scenic Vistas
John Sepenoski was asked to provide LPC easements and language suggestions for this committee
to review in order to draft standardized easements.
"Town of Southold
Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting
Minutes of may 2, 201
Scott Russell addressed the committee regarding the special events code with attention to changing
one permit per six events.
deadline of Tuesday July 31"was set for Permitted Uses in Chapter 280. Minor definitions will
e addressed with the exception of alcoholic beverages which are under the farm/winery license by
the NYS liquor authority. The address on the NYS "Farm Winery" license must be a farm address.
Scott Russell will coordinate on Tuesday May 8 th with the Town Board on a series of dates and
tinics with ednesrlays or Thursdays optimal lor°the 'l"owr Board. L,,,airen revised the AA(" c(x1c
and will be at the 1`owr°r l oard `I' wsday May 8"' work session. Scott will ;et the drall an l tt.)rward.
to this committee by our next meeting on May 23`d. Recommendations need to be back to Scott by
2 weeks from Tuesday/ ay 22nd. The applications for special events will go to the Town Clerk and
then to ScottRussell's office.
The first code committee meeting on Permitted Uses in Chapter 280 is set up for the Town Board
work session in 2 weeks, May 22nd. Covered items will e:
Special Events
Codification
Permitted Uses in Chapter 280
The Agricultural Advisory Committee will get the draft on Wednesday May 9th
Items to review:
• Additional restrictions on farmlands vs. wineries
• Acreage requirements
• Greenhouses and lot coverage issues
Discussion of certain winery owners producing wine elsewhere and competing t wineries that
meet the acreage and region requirements. At present,farm stands must grow 0% of their
products to sell, but under the wineries code, in order to use "North Fork of Long Island"the AVA
designation on the wine label, grapes must be grown on the North Fork of Long Island. A blended
wine must contain 75%of grapes grown on the North Fork of L.I. and a varietal must be 5%
grapes grown on the North Fork of L.I.
Point arose that some farm stands have a C of 0 allowing"on farm direct marketing permit". The
registration process for permits is not about fees, but about allowing fair competition and following
established rules.
Scott Russell indicated that licenses should be passed as a way of enforcement, Agriculture is
diverse, and we want the law applied as evenly as possible. Scott wants to discuss food trucks at the
next Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting.
Town of Southold
Agricultural Advisory Committee Meeting
Minutes of May 2, 20.18
Scott Russell exited the meeting at 7:45 pm.
Discussion of upcoming meetings determined that the next Agricultural Advisory meeting will be
held on Wednesday, May 16t", meeting room to be determined.
The May 16t"meeting will go over the AAC code permitted uses and special events for the Code
committee. Karen Rivara stated that John Sep had proposed a"listening session"which was
decided should be before July 31St,preferably in the first half of June. The 2 points of compromise
for codification are:
• the member makeup
• easement review
The goal will be to get the codification done. Advertise for Public Hearing on June 5, (revised to
July 3d) afterward codification can be signed into law.
Old Business/Review:
Reviewed at the Land Preservation Committee meeting the coordinator recited that regarding
easements, there were 126 purchases by the To of development rights in the last number of
years.
Of the 31 parcels, 8 are quadrant, 9 have a federal or state grant and 2 were a combination of both.
Reviewed the Land Preservation Committee (LPC) Chapter 70 Code which contains an inherent
contradiction/conflict in the chapters and code language. The definition of Agricultural production
includes Agricultural structures. The LPC regulates structures, which is in conflict with the
definition of Agricultural production.
There is no standard easement which has therefore resulted in excessive restrictions by the Town.
There is an implication that the landowner needs to negotiate with the Town. Clarification is needed
for a buyer to know how the value of a parcel could be affected both now and in the future.
It was stated that the Farmland Preservation Committee 9 page document from 8/29/1983 listed
Agricultural productions as stated in Ag& Markets#301. By 3/31/1984, The To Board passed
Chapter 70, Agricultural Production. Committee observed that value was appropriated from
farmland by the To Board when#25 became#70.
Town of Southold
Agricultural .Advino ry Committee Meeting
Minutes of May 2, 2018
New Business:
Discussion of"on farm processing". Code enforcement believes if practice is not on the books, it is against
the code. Processing discussed,there is no slaughtering allowed in the Town of Southold, so mobile
processing units are employed for that purpose. Terms"harvesting crops"vs. slaughtering discussed.
Issue of burning discussed regarding permits. No permit is needed for agricultural bums. The Fire
Department and Police Dept. should be notified in order to inform the public,water must be on hand and the
fire must be extinguished by the end of day.
Discussion of the sale of Martha Clara vineyards. It was noted that the buyer's granddaughter is now at that
operation.
Motion to approve and post minutes of 2/7, 3/22,4/4 and 4/18/18 made by Karen Rivara, seconded by Mark
Van Bourgondien.
Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn by Doug Cooper, Seconded by Karen Rivara. Meeting adjourned 9:05 prn.
Minutes respectfully submitted by: Cheryl Kaswell