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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10-13 - PB Ulysses Planning Board, 10/13/99 )� Page 1 Town of Ulysses Planning Board Public Hearing October 13 , 1999 Present: Chair Krys Cail, Rick Geiger, Lorren Hammond, George Kennedy, and zoning officer Alex Rachun. Recording minutes : Deb Austic Public present : Henry Wuensch, Art Salotti , Carla Pelkie, Obin Robinson, Jessica Fazzary, Steve Bright, Karl & Doris Selke, Richard Rugg, Nancy Pedersen, Debbie Walsh, Bill Walsh, Bernie Heptig, LW Heptig, Sandra Hill, Barbara Adams, Carman Hill , Donna Turaskis, Jae Vernas, Rosalie Mayo, Roz Kenworthy, John Kennedy, Maura Stephens , Charlie Nelson, Michael Kaproth, Sherry Andree, Bob Andree, Steve Bright, Bill Jackson, Kyle O ' Connor. Krys began the meeting at 7 : 40 p .m. with introductions of the Planning Board . Steve Bright, executive director of the Franziska Racker Centers, gave a brief presentation about the services provided by the Centers and the development of their technology plan and priority for connectivity . Bright described the Centers ' uses for internet connection for billing, professional services, classroom work. Bright explained the alternatives they had explored and their decision to pursue wireless connection for economic and efficiency reasons . Bright pointed out material supplied by the Centers . Barbara Adams questioned the accuracy of the photographic representations and claimed the scale was not accurate . Richard Rugg questioned the cost estimate for installing cable and suggested that the cost could be shared with neighbors . Carla Pelkie questioned whether the Center asked neighbors if they would share the cost of cable and whether costs were compared for different companies. Obin Robinson, computer systems coordinator, responded to questions about cable and explained that cable and roadrunner would not work for 70- 100 users the Center would require, and more secure and reliable . Robinson said that the wireless connection was much faster than T1 telephone lines . Bernie Heptig asked who paid the costs for the connection and what would happen if trees grow. Steve Bright explained that the Center has raised private funds to support the technology plan from individuals and businesses . Robert Vendrick asked the frequency and maximum output for the connection. Obin Robinson answered that the frequency was 2 .4 gigahertz with a 1 / 10 watt maximum output. Robinson also asserted the reliability and security of the wireless system . Kyle O ' Connor asked about distortion that the neighbors might experience . Robinson answered that the signal was currently being broadcast and any distortion already exists and the signal would be directional and precise . Carla Pelkie asked whether there was any information on the health problems related to high frequency radiation. Sherry Andree questioned the need for 70- 120 computer users at the Center. Andree said the Center was getting bigger and expressed concern for the aesthetics of the new sign that doesn ' t fit in neighborhood . Carman Hill said new technology would be out to make towers obsolete . Hill also expressed regret for an oak tree that was killed as a result of the administration wing addition. Hill echoed that the sign did not blend in with the neighborhood and that the Center should be more aware of concerns of the residents. Nancy Pedersen said she felt the Center should be able to raise the amount of money needed to do an alternative for connection . Robert Vendrick questioned whether the Center would rent space on the tower. Steve Bright answered that the Center had not intention of renting space . Carla Pelkie questioned what the tower ordinance covered and wondered whether individuals would be allowed to erect towers . ("DS Ulysses Planning Board, 10/13/99 Page 2 Barbara Adams questioned the proximity to nearest dwelling and setback to property boundary. Adams also suggested that the visual EAF was not complete and requested documentation of use on internet connection . Sandra Hill expressed concern for effect on property values, health impacts, their television reception that they currently receive by rabbit ears . Kyle O ' Connor questioned how high above his trees the tower would extend and whether they had taken into consideration how fast technology changes and it might be better to use a different system at present. Steve Bright stated that Cascadilla Tree came with a cherry picker to assess the height needed to receive signal and potential growth of trees . Bright said the height of 60 ' should be sufficient for the next ten years and the direction would not be over O ' Connor property, but to the side . Charlie Nelson said the additional cost for a different system is not much in the entire budget to accomplish the same purpose . Lorren confirmed with Bright that the tower at Wilkins Road could not located at another Racker' s site to accomplish the same thing . Bright also confirmed that the Center had not intention of broadcasting . Krys confirmed that the Board had already asked the Center to offer a bond for demolition of the tower at the end of use . Mike Kaproth said he had a sense that the facility had grown to the full size the neighborhood could accommodate and didn ' t want to the Wilkins Road site grow larger or be a potential for consolidation . Barbara Adams asked the width at the top of the tower. Adams also questioned whether the financial figures were current and that costs may have dropped . Adams also suggested the Center should do a balloon test so neighbors can see the height. Sherry Andree expressed concern that the sign, and tower, and parking lot don ' t fit with the neighborhood . A question was raised about whether the tower would be 60 or 80 feet. Bill Jackson explained the tower would be 60 feet, but be able to extend to 80 feet if the trees grew up and obscured the signal . Art Salotti asked whether guy wires would be too close to the property boundary . Alex explained the tower would be free-standing . Krys noted that previously the Board had suggested the Center consider a fence for security . Steve Bright said that the Center had determined to have a sheet metal barricade fabricated for the purpose . A question was raised about a landscaping plan . Charlie Nelson asked whether they had proven need for the tower if other viable alternatives were available . Debbie Walsh said she didn ' t get notice of the hearing until a neighbor called . Walsh also asked how the other sites would be connected with a tower at this site . Krys explained that only property owners within a specific radius were sent notices and the legal notice appeared in the Free Press . Additional comments were made out of turn and without speaker identification and could not be recorded. A number of individuals also complained about notification. Krys said that a breach of procedure might have occurred if an owner was not notified according to the law and asked the applicant if they would prefer to adjourn the hearing to be continued at another date . There was a discussion of the procedure for notification and possibility for postponement . The Board set a date for the continuation of the hearing for Wednesday, November 3 , 1999 at 7 : 30 p. m. and all neighbors would be re-notified. The Board suggested that the applicant supply a scaled elevation, landscaping, and photographs, as well as information on the cost of demolition of the tower. There was also a discussion of co-location. Steve Bright affirmed the Center' s commitment to the tower as a single use tower. Bill Jackson confirmed that the tower could only support one additional 2x3 wire antenna and the base would be built to support the additional 20 ' section if necessary in the future. There was a discussion of the financial assumptions . The Board questioned whether the six-year projection was too long and if yearly costs would drop over time . Alex brought up the application of Veronica' s Gardens for site plan review. The applicant would supply additional copies of the site plan within the next few weeks . The Board decided to discuss the application at the next regular meeting, November 1 Oth at 7 : 30 p . m . The meeting ended at 10 : 00 p . m .