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Tompkins County committee unanimously approves additions to agricultural districts (Res. IDs 14122, 14123)
Summary
The Planning, Energy & Environmental Quality Committee voted unanimously to make a negative determination of environmental significance and to add predominantly viable farmland to A District Nos. 1 and 2 (resolution IDs 14122 and 14123) after clarifying earlier exclusions of Freeville parcels and noting one parcel lacked a species survey.
The Tompkins County Planning, Energy & Environmental Quality Committee voted unanimously June 4 to move forward two resolutions to add predominantly viable agricultural land to county agricultural districts.
Crystal, an advisory‑board representative, presented a recommendation and a report from the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board (AFPB). The committee first approved a resolution making a negative determination of environmental significance for the proposed additions (ID 14122) and then approved the actual additions to A District No. 1 (Town of Danby) and A District No. 2 (Towns of Danby and Ithaca) under resolution ID 14123.
Committee members asked why some parcels (notably properties in the village of Freeville) were rejected; staff explained those parcels were in village residential zones where the underlying zoning could create conflicts with district status and were therefore not recommended. The committee also noted a May 19 public hearing and that, where appropriate, endangered species considerations rely on the possibility of presence until ground surveys confirm otherwise.
The resolutions were moved and seconded, and the committee reported unanimous approval on both the environmental‑review determination and the district additions. The committee thanked Crystal and AFPB volunteers for their work on the proposals.
The committee did not record roll‑call vote counts in the public transcript; staff characterized both votes as unanimous.
