by Gary Danforth
The Town of Hoosick Planning Board meeting took place this past Monday evening, March 16, in the Hoosick Falls Armory with Interim Chairman Jim Dunigan calling the meeting to order at 7:30 pm. Following the Pledge of Allegiance the minutes of the previous month’s meeting were approved. There were five Board members present
First, Fran Knapp came back before the Board to discuss his wanting to put up a renewable energy windmill on Bovie Hill Road. The Board and Knapp went over the environmental assessment form (EAF). The structure will not be able to be in excess of 100 feet, including blades. The structure will not be in an agricultural district, and no special permit is needed to put up such a structure. The Board passed a motion that there would be no significant adverse environmental impact from this project. The Board passed a motion that a public hearing will be held regarding this project at 7 pm on Monday, April 20, one half hour prior to the start of the regular Planning Board meeting. Knapp will be back before the Board on that date.
Next, Attorney George Holbrook appeared before the Board to represent a client about a boundary line adjustment. Upon checking recent Planning Board paperwork, this matter was successfully dealt with in the October 2008 Planning Board meeting so no further action was required on this Melesky-Sheehan parcel.
Constance Kheel came before the Board requesting a boundary line adjustment. Kheel wanted to annex 90 acres of land to a 96 acre parcel with the lands bordering County Route 103 and Eddy Road. There would be a five acre parcel as well. One parcel is owned by Constance Kheel, and the other parcel is owned by Constance Kheel, LLC. The Board passed a motion declaring this action a boundary line adjustment since two existing parcels would remain two parcels, just of different acreage.
Stephen Woodworth, representing AT&T, said there was a “gap in coverage” presently along Route 7 for his company’s cell phone customers. His company wants to put up a prefabricated 12 foot by 20 foot concrete structure below a pre-existing cell tower structure on LeBarron Road. His company would need to install six antennas on the pre-existing 300 foot tower, presently used by four carriers. Town Planning Board Attorney Stan King told the Board that this was what the existing Town law was for, to allow additional carriers to use the pre-existing structure to add services without having to build another tower. King also told the Board that he had not received the packet regarding AT&T’s proposed action, so he did not review it. The Board agreed to have AT&T come back again next month to review this proposal after King has had time to review it.
Lastly, the Board had to place another stamp on a previously declared simple subdivision and have Dunigan sign and re-date it because the party did not file the action in the allotted time frame with Rensselaer County after the Board’s initial action on this parcel. It will be resubmitted for County approval.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.