Residents give input on Lansing’s open space plan

The town of Lansing’s Conservation Advisory Council has been in existence for nearly four years, and one of its tasks has been to complete an open space index.

At a Nov. 15 meeting, members of the community could talk with members of the council and advisors about which lands they want preserved and what they want to see happen to other lands.

The meeting happened in Lansing Town Hall and began with remarks from a few council members and a presentation by two people from Bergmann & Associates.

Bergmann & Associates is an engineering firm that is registered to perform services in 13 states in the Northeast and Midwest. It has been consulting with the town about what steps to take in its open space plan.

At the meeting, representatives from Bergmann & Associates explained what they consider in open space planning and broke down what the plan hopes to accomplish in Lansing, including partnerships with landowners and farmers and identifying what the town wants to protect and what it wants to develop.

The presentation also noted that eminent domain will not be a factor in any preservation or development, and speakers said a plan should be ready to present to the council and Town Board by the fall of 2023.

The presentation did not include any specific action items, as Bergmann & Associates staff said they are still in the process of listening to Lansing residents about specific things they want to see done.

During the presentation, some community members who were in attendance chimed in with questions about financing and a survey, the latter of which both Bergmann & Associates and the Advisory Council encouraged people to take throughout the night.

The issue with the survey was that multiple residents questioned whether all of the participants were residents of Lansing. Members of the council and representatives of Bergmann & Associates all said that the vast majority of the results have come from Lansing residents.

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and can be found at tinyurl.com/2fy52995. Residents have until Nov. 30 to complete the survey, and the results will be shared with Lansing Town Board and the Advisory Council.

Both representatives of Bergmann & Associates said that most of the planning for open space in Lansing can be funded through grants and not tax increases. They also reiterated throughout the night that they and the town do not have any plans yet, and the purpose of the meeting Tuesday was to hear from the public.

After the 30-minute presentation, the meeting broke into two groups where residents talked more specifically about what they do, and don’t, want to see happen to open space in Lansing.

During the meeting’s opening remarks, the Advisory Council shared its mission statement regarding the open space index according to the comprehensive plan.

“We must create an open space inventory prioritizing open areas in Lansing for conservation, based on natural, scenic and cultural values,” one member of the council said.

In a statement put out by the town of Lansing announcing the meeting, Walnut Ridge Dairy Partner and Lansing Conservation Advisory Council member John Fleming said whatever is done, the history of Lansing needs to be respected.

“Hopefully this project will be helpful in maintaining the character of the town, with lots of agricultural lands, fields and forests,” he said.

Lansing at Large appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com.

In brief:

Lansing Central School District has busy end of November

This week, children in the Lansing Central School District will be out of school Wednesday through Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

When those students get back Nov. 28, the district has two events right away. On Nov. 28, there will be a Board of Education meeting at 7 p.m. On Nov. 29, there will be a make-up picture day where students can also retake their photos.

Update of public meetings in next two weeks

The Lansing Planning Board will hold a meeting Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall. On Dec. 1, the Conservation Advisory Council will meet at 6:30 p.m.

On Dec. 7, Lansing planning staff will host an open house at Lansing Town Hall from 4 to 7 p.m. to look at a zoning update.

The town is looking into an amendment to the town code to create a new Agricultural Zoning District, based on work done by the town’s Agriculture and Farmland Protection Committee and the Planning Board in 2019.

The event will provide the public with an opportunity to look at paper copies of the proposed zoning, look at proposed maps, discuss potential changes and ask questions.

Those with questions are asked to contact Lansing Director of Planning C.J. Randall at (607) 533-7054 or crandall@lansingtown.com.