(PHOTO: Chair of the Conservation Commission / Advisory Council, Tracy Stora. Credit: Jo Bryan.)

In our Meet the Boards & Commissions series, MyRye.com will introduce readers to the boards and commissions of the City of Rye and the residents who run them. All volunteers, these residents give their time and expertise to keep our city running. The series is intended to bring visibility to what each board and commission does, its priorities and what might prompt a resident or another person or company to interact with the group.

We have made our best efforts to reach out to each board and commission chairperson directly or via City officials. If you are a board or commission chair and have not been contacted, or if you are a reader with feedback on this series, please get in touch with MyRye.com.

Meet the Conservation Commission / Advisory Council and its Chairperson Tracy Stora.

Your Name: Tracy Stora

Board or Commission: Conservation Commission /Advisory Council

Your role: Chair

What is the charter for your Commission?

Stora: CC/AC’s primary role has been and will continue to be to comment on wetland permits submitted to the Planning Commission and provide expertise to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding environmental matters.

We are also members of the New York State Association of Conservation Commissions.

Looking at 2026, what will be your top initiatives?

Stora:

CC/AC’s primary role has been and will continue to be to comment on wetland permits submitted to the Planning Commission and provide expertise to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding environmental matters. Due to Rye’s unique water-adjacent topography, many properties in Rye include wetland or wetland buffers. Water quality is a priority for the CC/AC. Wetlands, among other things, are critical to a healthy community:

Help control flooding by absorbing excess rainwater and gradually releasing it.
Support biodiversity, serving as feeding habitats for fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
Clean water by acting as a natural filter, trapping pollutants.
Sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas concentrations.
Control erosion and stabilize soil to prevent shoreline and floodplain degradation.
Recharge groundwater aquifers by allowing water to slowly percolate through the soil.
Save the City money by reducing costs related to erosion control, flood management, and water purification.

This year, the CC/AC will also help support the work revising the City’s Natural Resource Inventory and environmental-related topics with the Comprehensive Plan.

Would you be supportive of your meetings being broadcast and recorded by the City for public viewing?

Stora: Yes.

Are written agendas and written meeting minutes available?

Stora: Yes.

Are your meetings currently recorded?

Stora: Our meetings are not recorded. We meet in person at City Hall and via Zoom.

What are your key performance indicators (KPIs)?

Stora: The CC/AC looks at the number of wetland permit applications, what was involved in the permit, for example, how many new docks, pools, tear downs, etc., were completed in a particular year. The CC/AC also works on programs to help educate the citizens of Rye on how they can help keep our wetlands protected and thriving.

Who is the City Council liaison to your Commission for 2026?

Stora: Amy Kesevan is our new city council liaison, 2026

Tell us about the residents or others you interact with at your Commission.

Stora: Residents are invited to attend CC/AC meetings to share concerns about wetland issues, neighborhood development, and flooding concerns. We also invite residents to attend our meetings to learn more about our City’s freshwater and saltwater wetlands.

Residents are encouraged to participate in voluntary clean-ups with the CC/AC, which partners with other groups in Rye.

When was your Commission chartered by the City of Rye?

Stora: September 22, 1972.

Looking back across 2025, what were your commission’s top achievements?

Stora:

The CC/AC reviewed 25 wetland permit applications, with a total of 32 CC/AC advisory comments that were submitted to the Planning Commission.
April 28: Arbor Day Tree Planting CC/AC partnered with City Staff and the Rye Sustainability Committee to organize an Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony at Disbrow Park, and continues to be a Tree City USA.
May 3: CC/AC partnered with the Rye Sustainability Committee and Little Garden Club of Rye for a multi-municipal clean-up and native planting day at the Rye Nature Center. This initiative was led by CC/AC Jr. Commissioner Ella Froah and Jax Mack from the Rye Nature Center
March 18: Mayor Cohn signed the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge at City Hall, organized by Jr. Commissioner Ella Froah. This was the first time a City of Rye Mayor signed the pledge. Ava Perota, the present CC/AC Jr. Commissioner, continued this initiative with City Staff and Mayor Josh Nathan in 2026
The CC/AC celebrates its fourth year of the Jr. Commissioner program, which allows a one-year term for high school students living in Rye to serve on the CC/AC.

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