Ulysses weighs park land, speed reductions

The Ulysses Town Board will convene sometime in the last week of August, hosting a special meeting to consider the donation of a parcel of land on Cold Springs Road that could become the town’s first ever public park.

The town board was not able to solidify a date at its July 22 meeting, but members landed on the last week of August for the meeting when they will decide on the acquisition of the 16-acre parcel. The property has been offered to the town by longtime residents Marvin and Allison Pritts. 

Ulysses already hosted a public hearing on the acquisition of the property in the spring, when residents chimed in on what they’d like the town to consider when devising a recreational use for the parcel, located at 5320 Cold Springs Rd. 

Town Supervisor Katelin Olson also said during that public hearing that, at the time, the town had received 76 letters in favor of the acquisition of the land and eight against it.

Ulysses has also approved a full environmental assessment form, concluding that the acquisition of the land clears the state’s environmental review.

“There’s a state requirement that any municipal purchase of agricultural land in a state agricultural district that exceeds 10 acres has to go through an additional review process by [the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets],” Olson said at the July 22 meeting.

Typically, Olson said, there is a 65-day notification period required by the department when a municipality acquires a property that is 10 acres or bigger. The Department of Agriculture and Markets also mentions the 65-day period, and it adds that the department’s commissioner has an extra 45 days to determine what effect the action would have on agricultural operations within the district.

“But the department said we are eligible for a waiver if the property owner is willing to sign it,” Olson said. “Our donor is willing to sign that, and we’re going to submit that.”

The state still has to send the town an approved environmental review form, Olson said. 

“We’re anticipating that we should have it back in the next couple of weeks at the latest,” she noted. “So, I just don’t want to firmly pick a date tonight. I’m hoping to know by the end of this week if we can firm it up.”

A special meeting, Olson said, could come with some benefits.

The town board also discussed changes to the speed limit around Taughannock State Park.

“Earlier this year, the town board worked with [the New York state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]  about lowering the speed limit around the park,” Olson said. 

The lowered speed limits would include:

• Jacksonville Road (from Cold Springs Road to Taughannock Park Road) will be lowered from 55 to 45 mph
• Taughannock Park Road (from Jacksonville Road to NY-96) will be lowered from 55 to 45 mph
• Reduced from 55 to 35 mph: Gorge Road (from Jacksonville Road to NY-89) and Rice Road (from Cayuga View Road to Taughannock Park Road)

“This is the information in response to our request,” Olson said. “And then instructions will follow. When we get that authorization, we can actually put up the signs that officially lower the speed limit. We don’t have that official authorization, but we now know that it’s coming.”

The town, Olson noted, would have to pay for the road signs.