Community Announcement
Public Information Meeting on Proposed Stream Setback Law:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at 7:00P.M.
The Town of Ithaca is currently proposing a Stream Setback Law. The proposed
law establishes development and use setbacks from streams throughout the Town
of Ithaca. Three different setback widths (35Ft., 50Ft, 100Ft.) would apply
depending on the size of the land area draining into the stream. The proposed
law would pertain to only new development activities and uses and would require
among its provisions that the area or zone closest to the stream remain
largely undisturbed and that the zone farther from the stream have only
limited uses. The goal of the regulation is to maintain natural vegetation
along the stream corridor and to buffer this natural vegetation against
development encroachment. Streams affected by these regulations have been
identified on a Stream Setback Map.
Stream setbacks are an important water quality protection tool and provide a
number of benefits. The naturally maintained vegetation stabilizes stream banks
and protects against stream channel erosion and flooding. Stream setbacks are
an important tool for preventing sediment loading and for absorbing nutrients,
as well as for protecting important streamside and aquatic ecosystems.
The Town of Ithaca will be holding an informal public information meeting on
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the Ithaca Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga
Street. The Town invites you to attend this meeting as an opportunity to gain
more information about the proposed law and to offer your comments and
suggestions. The meeting will include a 20 minute video on stream forest
buffers, followed by a staff presentation describing the draft proposed law.
Staff will be available to answer questions and obtain feedback from residents.
Copies of the draft law are available at Town Hall or on the Towns website
www.town.ithaca.ny.us/setback.htm. There will be a formal public hearing held
at a later date.
Please contact Assistant Director of Planning, Susan Ritter
([email protected]) at 273-1747, if you have any questions or comments
prior to the meeting.
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
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