by Gary Danforth
The Town of Hoosick Planning Board meeting took place this past Monday evening, September 21, inside the Hoosick Falls Armory with Chairman Jim Dunigan calling the meeting to order at 7:30 pm. The meeting was actually inside the armory gymnasium as the regular Town Board meeting was taking place in the Justice’s room. Following the Pledge of Allegiance the minutes of the previous month’s meeting were approved. There were four Board members present. Board Attorney Stan King was not in attendance, but recording secretary Karen Jennings was present.
In the first action before the Board Chris Bevins, representing Black and Beach, appeared before the Board wanting to put up a 12 foot by 20 foot structure below a pre-existing cell tower at 469 Wilson Hill Road. He said Nextel, Verizon and Sprint all have operations on this tower and his company would like to install AT&T antennas on it.
The company would also like to build a five foot by eleven foot generator pad. A generator would be transported to the site three to four hours after a power outage so that phone service could continue in the event of emergencies. It was explained that his company would lease six antennas for five years with four renewals of the contract. An application for this action and site plan for same was previously submitted. A long form environmental assessment form (EAF) had been submitted as well as a copy of the applicant’s Federal Communication License. A report by the company’s engineer as to the tower’s structure was submitted.
Russ Reave, an engineer acting on the Town’s behalf, had looked at the structure and said that he wanted to see an updated structural analysis of the existing tower before the Board approves the application. Reave had looked at the 2001 analysis and found it to be satisfactory but wanted to see an updated copy for 2009. The Board wants a $75,000 bond on the tower to protect the Town in case the tower has to be taken down and a certificate of insurance for protection for the Town for liability. The Board also wanted proof of insurance for workers’ compensation and disability. Reave and the Board went over the EAF in detail and passed a motion for a negative declaration of environmental impact on the proposed tower expansion, meaning the project would not have any negative impact on the township if completed. The tower sits on .28 acres. A communication dish on the 130 foot tower will most likely be moved down to 80 feet, per the request of Rensselaer County, if it can be done without negatively impacting the operation of the tower. The tower’s certificate of insurance and binder are in place, and the tower meets current Federal Communication Commission laws.
The Planning Board passed a second motion that a public hearing will be held on this issue at 7 pm on Monday, October 19, one half hour before the regular Planning Board meeting convenes The party will be back before the Board next month on this issue.
Sherman Baker appeared before the Board for a boundary line adjustment to the Walter Baker estate, of which he is part owner. The Board approved this matter.
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm.