ZBA Clears Creek Road Cell Tower Plan
by Doug La Rocque
For several years, Blue Sky Towers doing business as Verizon Wireless, has been seeking permission from the town to construct a cell tower near the intersection with Creek Road and Menemsha Lane. The proposal has undergone many changes during that time, morphing from a free standing tower, that was quite visible from the neighborhood above it, to a now smaller tower, higher up the hill, but placed in a grove of pine trees, and disguised to look like a pine tree.
In January, the Brunswick Planning Board accepted the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) submission, which sent the matter back to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for a final decision on a use and area variance. At a special meeting on Monday, February 8, the ZBA approved both requests. The matter is now back before the Planning Board on Thursday, February 18 for what might be the ultimate decision on the Special Use Permit and Site Plan. If approved by the planners, Blue Sky Towers multi-year quest for the new cell tower, will be complete.
Verizon representatives have indicated it needs the new tower to help bring coverage in the area up to its latest 5G service. The tower will also hold an antenna array from AT&T as well.
New Day Care Center
In the January 29 edition of The Eastwick Press, it reported on plans to open a new day care center in the Brunswick Road (NYS Route 2) building that formerly house the Brunswick Children’s Academy. That business was forced to close at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the proprietors have decided not to reopen. In January, Peter and Bonnie Lupe, owners of the building, unveiled plans to lease to a new day care operator. Problem is, the land is not zoned for such a business, an oversight by the town when the previous center was opened.
At the Monday ZBA meeting, the Lupes applied for a variance from the zoning prohibition, but the board took no action and placed it on the agenda for its February 22 gathering. The board stated it had not yet had proper time to review the application.
Mystery Market Update
MJ Engineering was back before the Thursday, February 4 meeting of the Planning Board, to update the planners on its proposal to create a 50,000 square foot grocery store on land located off Lord Avenue, near the intersection with Hoosick Road (NYS Route 7), known as Duncan Acres. The actual name of the developer and what market it would be, has still not been identified, but MJ’s representative Walt Whitman, indicated that information would soon be forthcoming, probably at the Planning Board’s first March gathering.
Mr. Whitman updated the board about the site plan design and plans to handle waste water from the site, containing it on its 10-acre plot. He also discussed the plan to construct a single entrance/exit, something that was questioned by the board. The concern is about something blocking that roadway, prohibiting access by emergency vehicle if need.
A Traffic Light Is Key To The Whole Thing
This proposed market is directly across Hoosick Road from where developer Dave Leon wants to construct an Aldi’s Supermarket along with two fast food restaurants (Wendy’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken). Part of those plans call for the placement of a traffic light at the intersection of Hoosick Road and Lord Avenue. It is also a key component to the mystery market plan, in fact Mr. Whitman told the planners, without the light, the project is a no go. That is a sentiment echoed by Aldi’s, who has said it will not build without the light. According to Mr. Whitman, the NYS Department of Transportation is in the final approval stage and he expects that permission to install a light will soon be granted.
Another Solar Farm In The Works
Tamarac Solar was back before the planners that evening to update them on its plans to construct a large scale solar project on land just off Brick Church Road (NYS Route 278), adjacent to the existing solar facility, built last year by Borrego Solar, but now owned by Clyne Solar. The developers reviewed visual impacts from many locations, admitting it was visible from Windfield Lane, (Windfield Estates of Bulson Road), from a high point on Farm to Market Road (NYS Route 351) and from the parking lot of the Tamarac Elementary School. It claims the visual impacts are no greater than those of the site built by Borrege, which gained board approval. The board’s engineer, Wayne Bonesteel expressed concerns about the width of the proposed drive, noting it has to accommodate emergency vehicles with a turn around.
The board is looking at a possible public hearing at its March 18 meeting, and hopes to be able to declare itself a lead agency on a SEQRA review at that time.