by Doug La Rocque
Even before the ink on the application was dry, the Brunswick Planning Board learned that a planned 20-foot extension of the cell tower located on land at the intersection of Creek Road and Menemsha Lane is a go, if Blue Sky Towers meets the minimum federal criteria. Under a federal law adopted during the Obama administration, neither local nor state officials can stop it. The law allows for a one-time increase in tower height, in this case, to add an AT&T antenna array above the current Verizon Wireless array already on the tower.
It Will Still Look Like a Tree
When the planners were debating the original tower application, it met with some stiff opposition by area residents at a public hearing, who vehemently complained about visibility issues. They questioned the results of a balloon fly (a test where balloons are flown at various heights and pictures taken from several vantage points) even going so far as to accuse Blue Sky Towers of false results. After several months of back and forth, the tower was eventually approved at an height of 85 feet, not 105 feet as was requested. It was also required of the developer make the tower look like a pine tree, which they did.
Another public hearing will be held but residents will learn there is nothing they can do to stop it. Blue Sky has already submitted the application they contend will meet all the federal requirements. They did tell the planners the 20 foot extension will be made to look like a pine tree as well.
Is It One Cul-de-sac or Several?
The board continued to look at a waiver of subdivision request from Stefan Rau at 14 Ridge Road. He would like to divide his 11+ acre lot into two separate parcels. Since Ridge Road is a cul-de-sac with several other dead-end roads off of it, should the total number of building parcels on all the roads be lumped together or considered separately? It matters because if they are lumped together, a waiver for the number of lots would have to be granted by the town board. If kept separate, none of these roads would exceed 12 lots, the maximum allowed per town code. Planning Board attorney Andy Gilchrist will investigate the matter for the planners.