More Housing And A Cell Tower In Brunswick’s Future
By Doug La Rocque
The Brunswick Planning Board has sent a letter to the Town Board, recommending it move forward with a Planned Development District (PDD) request for Brunswick Acres, a proposed 26 lot major sub-division on NY Route 2, just west of Heather Ridge. Under Brunswick zoning regulations, the matter is first referred to the Planning Board for its review before the Town Board can act.
At its Thursday, June 6, meeting, the planners included a strong recommendation that a request by the Brunswick #1 Fire District, that the road into the subdivision be connected to Riccardi Lane, a development off McChesney Avenue and behind the Walmart Super Center on NY Route 7, be denied. The Fire District proposed the connection to improve response time for an emergency, but the planners were fearful it would turn into a connector between the two State Routes, generating much more traffic than the roads in the two housing projects would be equipped to handle. The Planners also requested that water lines for the Brunswick Acres complex be looped with Riccardi Lane and Heather Ridge complexes, a move they feel would help with water pressure for all three developments.
The matter is now in the Town Board’s court. That board must first schedule a public hearing before it can decide whether or not to accept the PPD request. If it does, then it goes back to the Planning Board for a full site plan and environmental quality review.
Cell Tower Negotiations
Blue Sky Towers was back in front of the board to discuss its proposal to construct a new cellphone tower on lands located off Creek Road, near the intersection with Menemsha Lane. The company has three different sites in mind, each requiring a tower of different heights. The closest to Creek Road, and furthest away from nearby homes, would require a tower of 200 feet plus. That would also mean it would have to be equipped with warning lights. The applicants would like to site the tower a little further up the hill, which would require a structure of only 150 feet.
Blue Sky Towers told the planners it hopes to conduct balloon tests shortly. That involves placing balloons at different heights, and checking with the nearby residences, to determine if the balloons are indeed visible.
The proposed tower, which would be for use by Verizon Wireless with an AT&T piggyback antenna, would require a zoning variance as well. The Board is considering asking the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals to join it in a joint public hearing, to facilitate the matter.
Two Public Hearings
Louis Morizio’s four-lot minor sub-division on Liberty Road drew some concerns from neighbors at the first of two public hearing. Most were about quality of well water in the area, because of its proximity to a former City of Troy landfill, and about storm water drainage.
Mr. Morizio told the Board he had an on-site well tested, but that test was improperly administered, and inconclusive for all contaminates. The Board instructed the applicant to have another test completed, and return with the results, possibly at its next meeting on June 20.
The only comments made at the public hearing for Mohawk Ambulance’s proposed new Rensselaer County headquarters on McChesney Avenue Extension, involved the use of sirens during nighttime hours. Mohawk’s owner, James McFarland, promised no sirens would be used when responding to an emergency call until the vehicle reached NY Route 7, at the earliest. That contingency was accepted by the Board and Mohawk was given the green light to start construction in the near future.
Other Action
The Board approved the 6 lot major sub-division for new home construction on Menemsha Lane, contingent upon Rensselaer County Department of Health Approval for both water and septic. They also approved Elizabeth Reynolds four-lot minor sub-division at the intersection of Bulson Road and Tambul Lane.
The Town Board will schedule a public hearing on the proposed PDD for the Brunswick Acres project at its meeting later this week.