by Judith Radford
On September 15 the Grafton Planning Board held its regular monthly meeting with all members present. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call and approval of minutes of last month’s meetings, Dave Brennan appeared as lawyer for Verizon Communications regarding their proposal to build a new cell tower. He told everyone that the proposed 110 foot tower would fill a gap that exists in cell phone coverage between certain locations in Grafton and Petersburgh. He said it would be a lattice tower designed to Grafton Town Codes that would be capable of taking on two additional carriers. The base would be a 12’ x 30’ shelter, and there would be an 8 foot chain link fence. The tower would sit 105 feet back from 1928 NY State Route 2. He went on to discuss the site and added that a visual impact analysis would be done prior to any decisions by the Board.
Richard Comi, Communications Consultant for the Town told the Board that the law requires a balloon test and for it to be successful, it should be done on a Saturday when most of the nearby residents are home. He said the balloon should be representative of the size and height of the tower. He asked if Verizon had done any analysis of the Grafton Elementary School as a site for the tower and Brennan responded they had not but would be glad to do so. Comi went on to add that the actual installation of any cell tower still had a long way to go in the approval process and that he would submit a written report on his analysis shortly. The balloon test was scheduled for Saturday, November 1, with Saturday, November 8, as the rain date. Brennan said the test takes approximately four hours and would start at 8 am and continue to 12 noon. The issue was tabled until results from the balloon test and Comi’s report could be examined by members of the Board. A public hearing on the matter will not be scheduled until all the information can be made available.
Wind Testing
Richard Comi made suggestions regarding the wind testing monitor proposed by Reunion Power. He told the Board that the Grafton Town Board had just passed a Resolution waiving the usual fee required in communications matters. He reminded everyone that this is a MET which is approximately 8 inches on a 160 foot tower and not a visual intrusion. He recommended that the Board make a motion to declare a negative environmental impact of the installation of the monitor and the Board did so. He also recommended that the requirement for a $2,000 bond be put in place by Reunion to cover the cost of removal of the tower and MET after 2 years. He said the company should provide liability insurance and asked that the application contain the contingency that Reunion would remove the tower after 2 years and return the site to its original rustic nature. He said Reunion would also be required to pay the remainder of the application fee and pay for any cost of reviewing the process by consultants. Any extension of the two year time period would have to go before the Board.
Member Goyer asked about the cost to remove the tower, and Comi responded that the $2,000 bond amount would sufficiently cover the cost to remove it if Reunion failed to do so. Member Newell asked if a road to the site was required, and member Withcuskey said the site was located on an old logging road and installation would be minimally invasive. Comi said no road was needed nor was any visit required as the equipment would respond to Reunion without any visits.
J. Craig Alexander and Betsy Colvin appeared to inform the Board that they had received approval from the Army Corps of Engineer on their proposed 2-lot minor subdivision on Cranberry Pond Road, but they have not yet heard from DEC. No action could be taken on the matter until all reports have been received.
Regarding Stonybrook Land LLC, no one appeared at this meeting; however, Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck said that Rensselaer County was doing the perk tests on the property this coming Thursday. He reported that the developer would like to put a road in sooner rather than later. According to Town Attorney Sal Ferlazzo, also in attendance, Town Code does not prohibit the developer from putting in a road, but it would be at the developer’s risk since the Board has not and will not grant approval for the project at this time. Much discussion followed about the difference between private and Town roads. Hasbrouck said any private roads that later are requested to become Town roads must be brought up to the standards required in the recently written Town road specifications. There were no further discussions and no public comment. The meeting adjourned at 7:52 pm.
A Summary Of The August Meeting
When the Grafton Planning Board met in August of 2008, it had three issues considered under old business and two considered as new business. Members of the Planning Board included Tom Withcuskey, Scott Newell, Arthur Surprise, Jim Goyer and Owen Grandjean, Chairman. Attending the meeting as guests were Jim Mirenda of Reunion Power, David Lipinski of Stonybrook Land LLC, Grafton Communications Consultant Richard Comi, Town Attorney Sal Ferlazzo, Grafton Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck and residents J. Craig Alexander and Betsy Colvin.
In the latter part 2007, Reunion Power had approached the Planning Board about installing a wind monitor to see if Grafton would be a suitable location for a wind turbine. At this meeting Grafton was established as lead agency in the matter, and a date of September 15 at 6:30 pm set as the time and date for the public hearing.
In early 2008, Stonybrook Land LLC applied for a 27-lot major subdivision which they planned to call “The Lake at Sylvan Way.” David Lipinski, owner, informed the Board of improvements and progress at the site. He also presented a revised map of the re-location of Sylvan Way and added acreage of lake frontage. The Board members agreed to a special on site visit which was held on Wednesday, September 3, 2008.
Chairman Grandjean informed the members of the Board that Verizon Communications was going forward with their plan to add a cell tower but the Board would take no action until a report could be received from Richard Comi.
Also at this meeting, J. Craig Alexander and Betsy Colvin appeared with a request for a proposed 2-lot minor subdivision at Cranberry Pond Road. The Board decided it could not establish lead agency in the matter until the applicants received confirmation from the Department of Environmental Conservation for wetland construction. The application was approved providing they received a supplemental letter from DEC on the matter. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 pm.