AGRICULTURE, PLANNING, TOURISM & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES – MARCH 23, 2021

AGRICULTURE, PLANNING, TOURISM & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Fedler, Campbell, Hicks, Shaw, Skellie, Rozell, Griffith AGRICULTURE, PLANNING, TOURISM & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None. SUPERVISORS: Hall, Henke, O’Brien, Hogan, Wilson, Clary Debra Prehoda, Clerk of the Board Al Nolette, County Treasurer Laura Oswald, Economic Development Director Roger Wickes, County Attorney Melissa Fitch, County Administrator AGENDA AS PRESENTED IN COMMITTEE NOTICE: 1) Call to Order 2) Accept Minutes – February 23, 2021 3) Emerald Ash Borer Presentation – Jeffrey M. Speich, DEC 4) Climate Smart Communities Overview – Chris Belden, LCLGRPB 5) General Updates: Laura Oswald 6) Other Business 7) Adjournment

Chairwoman Fedler called the meeting to order at 1:01 P.M. A motion to accept the minutes of the February 23, 2021 meeting was moved by Mr. Campbell, seconded by Messrs. Shaw and Griffith, and adopted. PRESENTATION - EMERALD ASH BORER – Jeffrey M. Speich, DEC, made a presentation to discuss both community forestry and emerald ash borer, presentation slides attached. He is a forester with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, an arborist, and other credentials. He is the co-chair of the Region 5 DEC ReLeaf Committee. DEC Region 5 is comprised of eight counties – seventy communities and roughly 600,000 people. He explained the Urban and Community Forestry Program – Managing Our Community Forests and what it offers with grants available. Mentioned participating in becoming a Tree City USA. He has a template and ideas on how to help get going on a plan for the community to address the emerald ash borer and stated it is critically important to learn about the emerald ash borer and the financial concerns that it’s going to bring. CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITIES OVERVIEW – Chris Belden, Planner with the LCLGRPB, discussed climate smart communities – long-term sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Previously, he helped Warren County’s program become certified bronze last year. Discussed the benefits of becoming involved with the program and grants that come along with it. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was enacted in 2019 and set energy reduction targets statewide, i.e. generating 70% renewable energy by the end of the decade and within twenty years be off fossil fuels. With these incentives different grants will probably be available. The NYS Climate Action Council was formed and tasked with developing a scoping plan that will set statewide sector-based policies and recommend legislation that will advance the strategies identified in that plan and working with a few subgroups that are providing public outreach within these areas. Climate Smart Communities look at how to leverage resources to reduce the impacts that are projected from climate change, i.e. more intense storms, high heat days and what is being done locally to mitigate those risks. Also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions either through modernizing refrigeration or the program funds things like sidewalks, and multi-use trails getting people off the road and walking

Agriculture, Planning, Tourism & Community Development Committee Meeting Minutes – March 23, 2021 – Page 2

places. Communities can be certified, it is optional, but is advantageous when applying for funding; three points towards state funding. If the County considers adopting a resolution to participate it must include the ten items in the Climate Smart Communities Pledge. Any town/village can also participate, it does not have to be just the county. He is available to make a presentation to a town board. Discussion ensued on making a commitment with that pledge. Mr. Hicks states the pledge is a commitment and unsure if the county can follow through. No action taken. Laura Oswald, Economic Development Director, addressed the following items with the committee:

• Planning: o Solid Waste Management Plan - There has been continuous discussion on the status of the

solid waste management plan and had some success reaching out to DEC and requesting they provide us access to data they have and we have no real way of obtaining. DEC has given the department some data and they are in the process of doing their best to update the plan to meet the DEC requirements and then submit and find out if they approve it.

o Solar – Both community and small/large solar arrays are once again a hot topic across the county. Because of COVID, they were not able to provide in-person trainings to Planning Boards but were provided access to standard training that the State provides. A few communities are requesting specific trainings for their Planning and Zoning Boards focusing on solar. They are trying to schedule two or three different solar specific trainings with a few communities at a time starting out in the Cambridge, Jackson, Easton area.

• Tourism – The Tourism contract is with Black Dog and the other agencies and entities used are all contracted through Black Dog. Andrew Meader was a contractor with Black Dog and he has moved on focusing on other contracts and will be replaced by Mike Wood, a 30-year plus Washington County resident. She plans to invite him to the next meeting because she is going to do a summary of 2020 activities and then talk about planning for the rest of 2021 as businesses and tourism starts opening up again.

• CDBG – She provided all Supervisors with a document with the changes in community-wide eligibility. At least 51% of the households in an area-wide eligible geographic area, i.e. like a town, village or census block have to be at or below 80% of the area median income, just under $57,000. The handout lists the area wide eligible communities noting that the village and town of Whitehall and the town of Fort Edward are eligible in their entirety – the entire community meets the low income threshold as well as several other census block groups. If doing a CDBG application you have to prove that there is benefit to the geographic area that you are applying for. Not eligible for CDBG funding are the two wealthiest communities, the towns of Cambridge and Easton. Between federal and state funding there is more and more funding coming out with crossover of eligibility and you cannot ask multiple programs for the same money to pay for the same things. CDBG just released a funding announcement from the CARES Act funding for eligible communities for some very specific things such as used to support small businesses, improve air quality in public facilities, environmental improvements, if you have housing or emergency shelters funding for that and public services such as providing mental health services, vaccine outreach, broadband connectivity all which will require an affidavit certifying that you haven’t asked for this funding for this project from some other source of funding. CDBG will be included in the upcoming CFA round and if anyone is considering doing a CDBG application a public hearing is required; inform community that you are seeking funding for a project and hold public hearing prior to applying. Still waiting for guidance on details in terms of how the American Recovery Act funding can be used. The President is also working on the Build Better Act with funding toward infrastructure and another funding source Northern Borders Regional Commission.

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She suggested a wish list of needs and then as the rules start becoming clearer to make the right application for funding a particular project. All of these programs require management.

• Airbnb revenue - Received another $13,000 this month for February. OTHER BUSINESS: None. The meeting adjourned at 2:09 P.M. Debra Prehoda, Clerk Washington County Board of Supervisors

Washington County Ag Planning meeting

February 2021

Jeffrey

Speich

Supervising Forester

Certified (ISA) International Society of

Arboriculture Arborist

Master Trainer for the LNT program (Leave No

Trace)

Certified NYS DEC Pesticide Applicator

Co-chair of the Region 5 ReLeaf Committee

Faculty member of the National Camp School

(NCS)

Trained for ICS and NIMS

Region 5 NYS DEC8 counties;

585,000 people

70+ communities

Only ONE community has a tree care

professional

Most do not have a tree board/commission

Urban and Community Forestry Program

NYS DEC

Lands and Forests

Forest and Natural Resource Management

Private Land Services

Urban Program

What are these trees

providing?

How can the U&CF program help you and your community?

No match grants to help communities become organized

EPF grants for 5 different projects:

Tree Inventory, Community Forest Management Plans, Tree Planting, Tree Stewardship and

Education programs

Involve community members and employees interested in the community forestry

program through the ReLeaf committee.

Assist communities to receive Tree City USA recognition and assist with Arbor Day

activities/Tree plantings

Forest Health topics

The ReLeaf program

educates and

advocates

HWA,

EAB,

Gypsy moth,

Spotted lantern fly

Oak wilt

Other issues such as knotweed, phragmites,

oriental bittersweet, mile a minute, barberry,

kudzu, Callery pear, Norway maple

Arbor Day

Poster contests

Tree Plantings

And other community events

Tree City USA Tree Campus

Saratoga Springs

Glens Falls

Lake Placid

Ballston Spa

Champlain

In progress:

Lake George

SUNY ACC

Paul Smiths

Skidmore

Other

support from

the DEC

Help to form a committee and create laws

Help a community become a Tree City USA

Provide information about the Grants program

and assist with an application.

Offer presentations on a variety of topics: Tree

pruning, Forest Health, how to become a Tree

City, tree walks, Invasive species, Arbor Day,

History of Forest Management in NYS. We also

table at many conferences and events.

We can consult on a variety of topics and have

a forest health lab in Delmar

Storms

Grants

Grants gateway

Capacity to manage a grant

Typically two years to complete a project

Some require match. Match is clearly defined.

The Grants Gateway lists all grants available through the State

(get familiar with the gateway now! It takes time to enter the basics into

your profile)

Successful projects

A no match grant to have a Tree Inventory and Community Forest Management Plan written.

Support for Tree Planting and Tree Stewardship

With multiple forest health threats present and continual big storms, it is wise to know what you

own and plan to manage the problems and consequences now.

EAB and HWA are expensive and there is no financial support to help local communities currently

Smaller communities can work with each other and other partners such as county government,

SWCDs, CCEs, and organized community/volunteer groups

Technical and financial guidance are a part of the process with an application

Washington

County

Population: 61,000 Acres: 541,000

Number of US census communities: 25, 8 other

Miles of road: County 276, V and T 1088, State 211

Acres of public/county parks: ??

Threats to the community forests: EAB, HWA, salt

spray, monoculture planting, aging tree canopy,

untrained and no dedicated staffing

Is there use for the ash trees as logs or chips? Mills,

energy, sale?

Region 5 ReLeaf Committee

Please join. We meet regularly. (by Webex for now)

Currently we have 8 active members and correspond with 30 more

Our co-chair is an Arborist and manages a local municipality’s tree division

Annual Statewide Conference; rotates across the regions. July 2021 in Buffalo

Regional committees host annual workshops/webinars and other such as tree walks

Work with the NYS Urban Forest Council supporting the ReLeaf Committees and their grants

program

Support application to Tree City, Tree Line, Tree Campus and Tree Health Campus

Support the Arbor Day Poster Contest

Encourage application to the NYS EPF Urban Forestry grants

Thank you

Prepared by the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board

Chris Belden, AICPEconomic Development Coordinatorchris.belden@lclgrpb.org(518) 668-5773

Climate Smart Washington County Program Overview

WHAT is the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program?

NYSDEC program that incentivizes local governments to:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 2. Adapt infrastructure to a changing climate

WHY should Washington County be involved?

• Funding for infrastructure improvements • Improved Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) scoring • Prepare for statewide policy changes resulting from the Climate Leadership &

Community Protection Act (CLCPA) • Explore cost savings and operational efficiencies • Reduce the probability of the loss of life, property, and critical infrastructure • Improve intermunicipal cooperation & long-range planning

HOW does Washington County get involved?

• Adopt Model Pledge & Become Registered Climate Smart Community • Apply for Project Funding – as soon as 2021 • Consider:

o Appointing CSC Coordinator* *LCLGRPB can provide technical support

o Establishing Climate Smart Task Force o CSC participation for towns and villages

Are GRANTS Available?

Yes, 50% matching grants are available for eligible projects: • Certification Projects – up to $100,000 • Implementation Projects – up to $2,000,000

EXAMPLES of Funded Projects

• Cayuga Heights – Road Culvert Right Sizing Project ($378,393) • Town of Delaware – Highway Garage Relocation ($1,859,890) • Broome County – Drainage Upgrades for Village of Deposit ($198,818) • Town of Glenville – Sidewalks ($434,000) • Town of Chester – Cooling Center ($25,000)

Climate Smart CERTIFICATION

• CSC Certification is optional, but improves CFA scoring • DEC identifies 100+ actions that are eligible for certification points

More Information

• 60% of the Counties in the LCLG Region have taken CSC pledge

(Warren, Essex, Hamilton) • https://climatesmart.ny.gov/

Washington County CDBG Area Wide Eligible Communities Threshold = 51% Households; Incomes at or Below 80% County Median Income

2021 Eligibility

County 41.47%

Villages

Whitehall 62.64%

Argyle 36.84%

Cambridge 38.19%

Fort Ann 31.19%

Fort Edward 49.92%

Granville 49.35%

Greenwich 42.29%

Hudson Falls 50.03%

Salem 37.86% Dissolved

Towns

Dresden 52.73% Tract 820.02 BG 1

Fort Edward 52.85%

Fort Edward 61.04% Tract 88000 BG 1

Fort Edward 56.56% Tract 88000 BG 2

Granville 52.91% Tract 84000 BG 3

Hebron 56.57% Tract 86000 BG 2

Kingsbury (HF) 65.57% Tract 80100 BG 1

Kingsbury 53.62% Tract 80300 BG 1

Whitehall 54.61%

Whitehall 59.72% Tract 820.01 BG 1

Whitehall 62.94% Tract 820.01 BG 2

Whitehall 53.38% Tract 820.01 BG 4

Argyle 34.11%

Cambridge 24.55%

Easton 23.86%

Fort Ann 30.16%

Granville 44.73%

Greenwich 38.1%

Hampton 40.94%

Hartford 28.21%

Hebron 50.85%

Jackson 37.64%

Kingsbury 45.26%

Putnam 32.43%

Salem 42.03%

White Creek 39.00%

2019 Eligibility

Villages

Argyle 52.78

Cambridge 57.48

Granville 55.69

Whitehall 52.23

Fort Ann 34.52

Fort Edward 46.49

Greenwich 37.02

Hudson Falls 47.74

Salem 49.27 Dissolved

Towns

Dresden 55.49

Fort Edward 55.75 Tract 88000 BG 2

Granville 55.92 Tract 84000 BG 3

Kingsbury 55.05 Tract 80100 BG 1

White Creek 61.23 Tract 0920001

Whitehall 54.92 Tract 82001 BG 3

Whitehall 52.45 Tract 82001 BG 4

Argyle 31.66

Cambridge 33.08

Easton 34.72

Fort Ann 40.24

Fort Edward 44.05

Granville 49.14

Greenwich 28.64

Hampton 44.52

Hartford 35.38

Hebron 40.63

Jackson 29.97

Kingsbury 41.98

Putnam 41.12

Salem 37.50

White Creek 44.51

Whitehall 43.76