Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC)

SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 25TH 2024 - 5:00 P.M. 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL, 474 BROADWAY Meeting Minutes are not a word-for-word Transcript. 1. WELCOME AND ATTENDANCE: a. Committee Members: Chair Anita Morzillo, Seamus Briody, Jeff Cheek, Tom Denny, Ed Lindner b. City Staff: Michael Dutre c. Public: N/A 2. PUBLIC COMMENT: N/A 3. UPDATES: a. Approval of Minutes The minutes were accepted as approved. Planning Newsletter: Michael Dutre reported that there is no longer communications person at city but Beige Berryman of the Planning Office is interested in doing public outreach for City volunteer boards. This newsletter would ‘live’ on the sustainability hub on the City site and members of the public would be able to subscribe. b. Basecamp Organization Chair Morzillo explained that Basecamp organization is a work in progress. c. Community Preservation Fund Chair Morzillo outlined that the Community Preservation Fund is now a project of the Finance Department and City Council to champion. Ed Linder is sending leg d. Woods Hollow & Corcoran Preserves – Milton Michael Dutre said that to his knowledge the City has not talked to Milton about this matter since the initial meeting last year. The last time Planning has interacted with Milton was to request a letter of support for a Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC) grant application concerning developer fees assessment.  SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES JANUARY 25TH 2024 - 5:00 P.M. e. Open Space Plan – Timetable from MJ Engineering Tom Denny will upload the track-changed version from summer 2023 and a word document of the current version from January 18th. Tom Denny also compiled a list of the most important changes and that will also be uploaded to Basecamp. f. Oakridge Signage Seamus Briody sent PLAN documents about the easement to Ed Lindner to review. PLAN is waiting for Jen’s replacement before doing anything with signage. Jeff Cheek brought up that at least three developers owned part of the property, somewhere between changing developer ‘hands’ something may have been lost. Jeff Cheek also asked if there is something with the planning board related to this property. Tom Denny mentioned that Susan Barden of the Planning Department may be aware and can assist. g. Priority Parcels: Chair Morzillo highlighted that the City could do a better job of digitization like other municipalities. Troy Hilt is the County GIS Person and it may be possible to create an Open Space parcel layer to track City owned and prospective Open Space lands. Michael Dutre added that Aneesha Samuels is the GIS expert within the City. Tom Denny also said he has the map packages for the Natural Resource Inventory and layers from MJ Engineering as well. Steve Samuell did a lot of work surrounding conservation easement as well. 4. OSAC PERSONNEL: a. Vice Chair – Elect Chair Morzillo prefers to wait as two committee members are absent. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT: There was no public comment. MEETING ADJOURNED: The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 PM. Note: The meetings will now occur on the last Thursday of each month at 5:00pm.