HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOC Minutes 2021-10-13 TOWN OF ITHACA CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE (COC)
Meeting of October 13t", 2021—5:32 pm —Zoom, and live on You Tubej
Final Minutes
Members and Staff Present: Bill Goodman, Chair, and Eva Hoffmann, Bill King, Yvonne Fogarty, Pat
Leary, and Eric Levine - Members. Marty Moseley, Director of Code Enforcement; Chris Balestra,
Planner; Susan Brock, Counsel - Staff.
Bill G. explained the meeting setup for the participants online via Zoom and You Tube. The comments
received via email were noted as received, shared with the committee and Town Board. The agenda
items were read, with Bill G. adding the public comment section to the beginning of the meeting.
Public Comments (time limit 2 Y minutes per person):
-Dennis Anello voiced concerns of health and the political effects around the 5G technology.
-Wendy voiced health concerns related to 5G.
-Irina urged the town to protect the town with strict codes from predatory telecoms by including
rational and adequate setbacks.
-Andrew Molnar voiced health concerns over the 5G cell tower radiation, citing scientific studies and
court action results.
-Marie Molnar recommended minimizing numbers of towers using large (1640-feet) setbacks from
occupied areas.
-Sasha & Shawn voiced concerns about overall quality of life with increased over development.
-Molly urged at least a 1640-feet setback between occupied areas and tower areas to safeguard the
Town from potential harm.
-Adam advocated for the 1640-feet setbacks due to health risks.
-Danny voiced health concerns over wireless communication antennas and towers.
-Lisa encouraged strict standards and a setback of at least 1500-feet from occupied areas for health
and safety reasons.
-Fazillee echoed all the health concerns noted and encouraged the enactment of strict codes around
5G and large setbacks.
-April urged the setback distance to be 1640-feet due to health concerns focused on homes and
schools.
-Allison recommended strict codes and 1640-feet set back between telecommunication antennas,
homes, and schools.
-Lori thanked the committee for the collaborative work on regulating the incoming of new technology
and urged the 1640-feet spacing for health reasons.
-Joe recommended the 1640-feet setback distance due to health and safety.
-Lydia expressed health concerns over the 5G technology and supported a 1640-feet setback.
The public comments concluded at 6:25 pm.
Bill G. explained that after the committee makes a few more changes over the next couple of months,
the draft law will be recommended to the Town Board and a public hearing would be held prior to
adoption.
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2. Member comments/concerns. There were none.
3. Minutes from August 25, 2021, COC meeting. The first draft was circulated along with a draft
including the minor changes recommended by Susan Brock. All changes were accepted. Yvonne moved
to approve the minutes as amended and Bill K. seconded. All members voted in favor of approval.
4. Discussion of Update Town of Ithaca Telecommunications Law. Bill G gave an update on the City
of Ithaca committee discussions related to the city draft Telecommunications law, specifically the
setback provisions from residences, schools, and day care facilities. The original was 50 feet and now is
250 feet- attempts were made to increase the setback further but were not successful. The final action
was before the full Common Council and was passed with the setback between small cell facilities and
residences and schools remaining at 250 feet; and the distance between small cell facilities being at least
1500 feet.
Chris Balestra shared her screen to show viewers quick maps she created using the Tompkins County GIS
online mapping system. The maps showed a popular neighborhood intersection in the town, with
approximate radial buffers of 250 feet, 1500 feet, and 1640 feet around the intersection, so viewers
could see what the various distances would look like.
Yvonne questioned the need for the 5G technology at all, stating the existing seems sufficient. She
recommended setting the law up with the farthest setback of 1640 feet, since a variance could be
sought if the applicant could prove there was a gap in coverage and a need for 5G.
Eva agreed with Yvonne,the largest proven safe distance, based on the NY Times article written on
10/20/2020, updated 9/14/2021 and shared with the committee recently, would be best for the town.
Susan Brock appreciated the public comments but reiterated that the town cannot legally regulate
based on health concerns. The town can regulate based on aesthetics and clarified that if the goal were
to minimize the number of facilities, then the distance regulation can be based on aesthetics.
Pat also recommended the largest possible setback between towers in terms of visual clutter. She noted
the uniformity and quantity of public comments recommending the 1640-foot setback, as opposed to
250 feet.
Bill K was also in favor of larger setbacks.
Eric did not have anything to add.
Bill G made a motion to go into closed session at 6:55 pm to seek advice of Counsel. Motion was
seconded by Yvonne, and all were in favor.
Bill G made a motion to resume to open session at 7:22 pm. Motion was seconded by Eric, and all were
in favor.
The committee asked staff to create more formal maps that illustrate the radial setbacks from
residences at 250-feet and at 1500-feet. Staff will include these maps in the next meeting mail out.
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S. Other business.
• Next meeting: November 101", 2021
• Agenda:
-Discussion of maps that show a 250-foot setback from all residences and a 1500-foot
setback from all residences.
-Town of Fishkill Telecom law excerpts-Susan Brock explained this newly drafted law is
being considered for approval by the Town of Fishkill, which was going to hold a public
hearing on 10/20/21. Excerpts were chosen for committee review.
-The ADA memo to the COC was also noted as needing review and discussion.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.
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