Staff Notes 12/17/19
Town of Queensbury Planning Board
Community Development Department Staff Notes
December 17, 2019
Site Plan 78-2019 TILLMAN INFRASTRUCTURE
55 State Route 149 / RR3A – Rural Residential 3 Acres / Ward 1
SEQR Unlisted
Material Review: application for site plan and use variance, site plan, tower design, photos simulations,
propagation
Parcel History:UV 1-2019
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Requested Action
Recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for installation of a 260 ft. lattice tower for up to three
tenants.
Resolutions
1. Recommendation
Project Description
Applicant proposes to install a 260 ft. lattice tower for up to three tenants. Project includes site work for a 360
ft. road with lease area of 100 ft. x 100 ft. The plans show location of pads for tenants. Site to be gravel and
lease area to have fence enclosure. Tower is to have a light on top to be compliant with the FCC. Pursuant to
Chapter 179-5-130 of the Zoning Ordinance, telecommunications towers shall be subject to Planning Board
Variance:
review and approval. Relief is sought for a new cell tower. Planning Board shall provide a
recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Staff Comments
Location-The project is located at 55 State Route 9.
Arrangement- The project includes space for the tower and, owner equipment area and two future tenant
areas inside the 100 ft x 100 ft area.
Site Design- The project includes land clearing for the installation of a driveway to access the 75 x 75 sq ft
project area. The project area is to be fenced with a 6 ft tall chain link fence. The leased area is larger than
the fenced in area.
Building – The site plan shows there are to be tenant cabinets placed inside the fenced in lease area.
Signage-There is no signage proposed.
Site conditions-The site is wooded and vacant at this time.
Traffic- The applicant proposes a new driveway from Route 149 for about 320 ft. The applicant had
indicated there is one parking space to be used once a month by a technician in a van or small pick-up.
Grading and drainage plan, Sediment and erosion control-The applicant has indicated a stone trench to be
installed for the driveway area to accommodate stormwater. The trench area should be shown on the plans.
Landscape plan – The applicant does not propose any additional landscaping and there is a only disturbance
of the site where the road and lease area is –all other vegetation (trees/shrubs) are to remain.
Site lighting plan – The applicant has indicated the top of the Tower may be lit if FAA requires.
(Aeronautical study)
Utility details – The project site is to be connected to existing power. The plans should indicated if the
connection will be underground of overhead.
Elevations –The applicant has provided an elevation view of the lattice tower.
Floor plans – The plans show the location of the tower and the equipment areas for the tenants.
Waivers-Planning staff has reviewed the applicants request for waivers that include items g. site lighting, h.
signage, n traffic, o. commercial alterations/ construction details, p floor plans, q. soil logs, r.
construction/demolition disposal s. snow removal.
The waivers requested–Staff finds it reasonable to request a waiver as these items for this project as it is
unmanned facility.
Pursuant to Section 179-9-050 the Planning Board may grant waivers on its own initiative or at the
written request of an applicant. The Board is to review the waivers and to determine if they are to be
granted.
Site Plan Specific to Cell Towers 179-5-130 H.
a.Site Plan drawing –Exhibit H Site plans
b.Visual impact-
a.Exhibit J- Three different locations were provided showing the existing and proposed
conditions.
b.Exhibit F Existing and Proposed coverage
c.Landscaping – Exhibit H –disturbance areas of existing vegetated area no new vegetation proposed.
New Telecommunications Towers on Lots not already containing a tower 179-5-130 I.(4)
a.Inventory –Exhibit G – within 2 miles
1.Inventory
i.Bay Ridge Rescue Squad -49 ft
ii.SBA -195 ft
iii.AT&T -136 ft
iv.Real Good Solar -28 ft (not registered)
v.Warren County -328 ft (not registered)
2.Documentation to reach out to existing cell towers
i.Exhibit M – letter to SBA
b.FCC license –aeronautical study 3/28/19
The remaining items of 179-5-130 are addressed in the site plan application materials.
Nature of Use Variance
The applicant propose to construct a 260 ft tower and associate site work on a parcel in the RR3A zone where
towers are not an allowed use. The criteria is specific for telecommunications this includes providing
information about necessity, compelling reasons for the tower, and the extent of burden on the community.
Note there are two previous cell towers approved on Route 149.
1)UV 30-2000 and SP 58-2000 SBA @ 61 State Route 149 for 195 ft tall tower. Rural Residential 3 Acre
Zone. (Planning Board meeting 9/19/2000 and Zoning Board meeting of 5/17/2000, 6/15/2000)
2)Use Variance 45-2015 Site Plan PZ38-2015 Cellco Partnership @ 373 State Route 149 for 195 ft tall
tower and the site contains an existing 297 ft tall radio tower. Rural Residential 3 Acre Zone (Planning
Board meetings of 1/19/2016& 1/26/2016 and Zoning Board meeting of 1/20/2016)
Summary
The planning board is to provide a recommendation to the ZBA in regards to the relief requested for a cell tower
in the Rural Residential 3 Acre zone.
[[148,2857,629,2914][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]Highlights for site plan [[628,2857,654,2914][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]– [[654,2857,2410,2914][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]The board may
requires additional information in regards to the trench for stormwater
[[150,2915,1435,2972][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]management and location of utility connections ie underground. [[1435,2915,1448,2972][12][,I,][Times New Roman]] [[1445,2915,1700,2972][12][,I,][Times
New Roman]]Applicant sh [[1700,2915,2310,2972][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]ould clarify three tenants or 4
[[150,2972,508,3029][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]tenants (Sheet ZD [[508,2972,525,3029][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]- [[525,2972,1890,3029][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]2 indicated up to four
carriers and site plan application indicates 3) [[1890,2972,1916,3029][12][,I,][Times New Roman]]
st
Meeting History: 1 meeting;
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