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2000-11-20 _ ~,i MINUTES APP~OVEO DE.e 12 2000 MINUTES '--' Town of Wappinger Zoning Board of Appeals November 28, 2000 Summarized Minutes Town Hall 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, NY Members Present Mr. Lehigh: Chairman Mr. Fanue1e: Member Mr. Warren: Member Mr. diPiemo: Member Absent: Mr. Prager, Mernber Others Present Mrs. Gale, Secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeals Mrs. Lukianoff, Zoning Administrator SUMMARIZED ......... Minutes to be approved: October 17, 2000 October 24, 2000 November 14,2000 -- Need copies -- Need copies -- Need copies Discussions: Mr. Jeffrey Tomlins R. B. Hettinger, Inc. Kevin M. Davis & Eileen P. Lithco - Not in attendance Dr. Kuptez MINUTES Mr. Lehigh _ could not approve minutes on agenda - needed to provide copies of same to all board members. Mr. Lehigh: Called Mr. Tornlins Mr. Tomlins: Here Mr. Lehigh: You are requesting an area variance to have a shed remain where it is - on property located on 29 Beachwood Dr., in the Town ofWappingers - Tax Grid. No. 6157-04-729488. You need an area variance for this shed. Mr. Tomlins: Yes, I do ~ Mr. Lehigh: Asked is this an existing shed? Mr. Tomlins: Yes - it is a cedar shed Mr. Lehigh: Asked - you were cited by the Building Inspector Mr. Tomlins: Yes - it's about 6 feet from the next door neighbor's property ... Town of Wappinger Zoning Board of Appeals Summarized Minutes - November 28, 2000 Page 2 ,....., Mr. Lehigh: Asked Mr. Tomlins, ifhe knew where the shed is supposed to be located?, now you do, it's got to be moved. Mr. Tomlins: Described the shed - it's a cedar shed 10' x 16', stated there are footings on pylons. Mr. Lehigh: Are the pylons driven into the ground? Mr. Tomlins: There are footings and pylons. Mr. Lehigh: Kind of makes it permanent - it's not supposed to be permanent. Mr. Fanuele: How long has the shed been installed? Mr. Tomlins: Stated he thinks it's a couple of months. Mr. Lehigh: It's been there just two months? Mr. Tomlins: I forget - I have to check with the installer. He came out in October Mr. Lehigh: How long had it been there before the Building Inspector came? ~ Mr. Tomlins: They had to come back? Mr. Lehigh: Who built the shed? Mr. Tomlins: Sheds USA Mr. Fenuele: Did they tell you - you needed a permit? - they never mentioned you need a building permit?, the guys who installed it? ~ I Mr. Fenuele: Problems with the installers? - so you knew where it was supposed to go, and then you decided to put it in a different spot. Mr. Tomlins: I wasn't there when they installed it Mr. Fenuele: You had a problem with the installer? Mr. Tomlins: Ifthey ask for a variance - it's a nice looking shed - my one neighbor has a collapsed shed that right next to where I put this - there's nothing but woods on the other side. - it's collapsed and rotting. Mr. Lehigh: We don't make the law - we don't know where his is - but if it's like yours he'll be cited just like you've been cited. ......... Mr. Fenuele: Let have the Board do a Site Inspection. Mr. Lehigh: Site Inspection is scheduled for Saturday, December 2, 2000 at 9:30AM Town of Wappinger Zoning Board of Appeals Summarized Minutes - November 28,2000 Page 3 ..... Mr. Lehigh: Next Item - R. H. Hettinger seeking variance on property located at 51 Myers Comers Rd. property is identified as Tax Grid No. 6157-02-899988 in the Town of Wappinger. Mr. John Adams identified himself - Attorney for applicant. - He asked to submit to Board a Tax Map, also shows location of parcels relative to other parcels in neighborhood respectful to lot in question. Mr. Adams: This property has been a commercial property for 40 or 50 years, it was a restaurant. Indicates client is seeking a Use Variance - was used as a Retail & Service Store for Office Supplies, and repairs on office machines. Client is seeking a Use Variance to permit on this parcel, commercial and professional offices - He also stated with the changes in the area with Super Stores such as Staples, and Office Depot, there is no market for this type of use in the present area. Mr. Adams also stated it has been determined from a local Realtor it is not possible to get a equitable return for use in this district. No one would want to build a single family house on this lot. Also, the size of the lit is very small and shape. Mr. Lehigh: What size is it? Mr. Adams: Less than a quarter of an acre. Tatiana Lukianoff: It is .26 acres. ......... Mr. Adams: Incidentally, Helen Hettinger is principle - she is in the audience to answer questions. Mr. Adams~He size is deceptive as well as the shape of the lot - only 50' in rear. Indicated commercial artery. The area is a mixed area too close to Rt. 9 for a residence and the size and shape of parcel are impractical for a residential use. Mr. Fanuele: Do you want to put in offices? . ! Mr. Adams: Yes - offices Mr. Lehigh: Do you have somebody in mind? Mr. Adams: We can't really market his property - buyer can't get use variance - variance has to be granted _ change use and have site plans approval. Need to have a parcel that is permissible use only viable use is small professional office, such as insurance office, attorney's office, accountant's, not major operations - lot is too small. Mr. Fenuele: Professional office - commercial offices. Mr. Adams: They are inter-changeable - commercial office '"",, Mr. Lehigh: Right of Way-they use part of that don't they. Mr. Adams: That's being used for access - that's a roadway. Town of Wappinger Zoning Board of Appeals Summarized Minutes - November 28, 2000 Page 4 '-- Mr. Lehigh: That Right of Way goes t!u"ough property behind it? Mr. Adams: No - there's no Right of Way - they are actually separate parcels. Mr. Lehigh: Looking at map - indicates Right of Way Mr. Adams: Look at map - may be in the description - will look into that. if there is any additional information will supplement application. Mr. Lehigh: We have to look at the site - schedule a Site Inspection Mr. Adams: Would you like to schedule a Site Inspection? Mr. Lehigh: Schedule a Site Inspection for Saturday, December 2, 2000 Mr. Adams: Mrs. Hettinger will be available on Saturday Mr. Lehigh: All parking is the same? shows 15 spaces on map. Mrs. Hettinger: Nothing has changed - same place for 30 years. Mr. Lehigh: Scheduled 10:00AM - Saturday, Dec. 2, 2000 - Inspection. '-- Introduction: Mr. Richard Cantor - Attorney for next door neighbor the Pace Family, Mr. Cantor: We would like to have a representative at the Site Visit - as that is technically a meeting scheduled. Asked if Board has scheduled a Public Hearing. Public Hearing scheduled for Dec. 12,2000 "-'" "-- "-- .,,-, . Town of Wappinger Zoning Board of Appeals Summarized Minutes - November 28, 2000 Page 5 Mr. Lehigh: Next Item - Kevin Davis? - Eileen Lithco? Mr. Lehigh: Not here? We'll come back to that. Mr. Lehigh: Dr. Kupetz Introduction: Dr. Kupetz - stated he purchased property formally a Medical Office - approved in 1987. Dr. Kupetz: Originally a medical office - permit expired - what can be done? Mr. Lehigh: Get Use Permit - very difficult to do - you owned the property in 1987? Dr. Kupetz: No, I didn't. Mr. Lehigh: You bought from (????) Dr. Kupetz: No - bought from another individual about a year back. Mr. Lehigh: Did you buy with knowledge that it could be built on? Dr. Kupetz: Build anything? Mr. Lehigh: No - Medical Office building Dr. Kupetz: Bought to see what could be done with it - that's why I'm here - it was previously approved _ is there any possibility - existing plans - practice dentistry thought single use office use would be ok. Mr. Lehigh: Unnecessary hardship it says.." The applicant cannot realize a reasonable return - request variance - un-necessary hardship cannot be granted '. ~ Dr. Kupetz: Have to show hardship? Mr. Lehigh: You have to show un-necessary hardship is not self created - you purchased it. Cannot build. Dr. Kupetz: I knew the plans had expired - didn't know Mr. Lehigh: Even applicant doesn't have knowledge - if you went to the Zoning Administrator they would have said No. - exercise reasonable diligence. Discussion of the history of this property continued. Go to the Town Board and get re-zoning. Michelle D. Gale Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals I~H2 fu ~ ~ 1 1 ~ 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 '-'"' 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 .......... TOWN OF WAPPINGERS ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS RE: Appeal No. 00-7062 Cellular One Proposal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - November 21, 2000 7:31 p.m. Wappingers Town Hall 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, New York Board Members: ALAN LEHIGH, Chairman DOUGLAS WARREN J. HOWARD PRAGER VICTOR FANUELE ALBERT ROBERTS, Town Attorney * * * * * * * * REPORTED BY: Melissa B. Anker - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES Professional Shorthand Reporters 82 Washington Street, poughkeepsie, New York (845) 452-1988 SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 2 1 Present: '-" 2 5 CUDDY, FEDER, WORBY, ESQS. Counsel for Cellular One 90 Maple Avenue White Plains, New York 10601 BY: CHRIS FISHER, ESQ., of Counsel 3 4 6 Kelly Libolt, AICP, The Chazen Companies 7 8 Kevin Brennan, Cellular One representative 9 James Bacon, Esq., Studley, Manager, representing ten families 10 11 Speakers: 13 Mr. Mr. Mr. C. Iversen Stinson T. Stinson 12 ..... 14 15 * * * * * 16 17 THE CHAIRPERSON: I would like to 18 call the zoning ordinance zoning board of 19 appeals to order. 20 I will do the roll call. victor 21 Fanuele. 22 MR. FANUELE: Here. 23 THE CHAIRPERSON: Mr. Howard 24 Prager. 25 MR. PRAGER: Here. '-- SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 3 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings ,-,. THE CHAIRPERSON: And Doug Warren. I'm Alan Lehigh. MR. WARREN: Here. THE CHAIRPERSON: I don't see Gerry; he is absent. I would like to have a motion to open our public hearing. MR. WARREN: So moved. MR. PRAGER: Second. THE CHAIRPERSON: Our public hearing, all in favor? MR. WARREN: MR. PRAGER: Aye. Aye. THE CHAIRPERSON: Before we take any testimony, I would like to read into the record, we have some information from Cellular One. We asked when they submitted the information on the cell tower that we asked for; we received this on October 17. MR. ROBERTS: By Ronald Graif, G-R-A-I-F. THE CHAIRPERSON: Yes. And we have a letter from Mr. Cooper; we submitted it to him with an '-" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 4 "'-' 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 answer in Proceedings that is dated November 6. ......... MR. ROBERTS: I think that's the day it was received. report 1S November 3. THE CHAIRPERSON: I think the date of the Right. And we have a letter from Cellular One, a Daniel Hubbard letteri and we received that on November 8. We have another letter from Mr. Cooper that we received on November 17. We have a letter from Mr. Bacon with some information, and I don't have a date on this one. MR. BACON: Your Honor, was that by fax? THE CHAIRPERSON: Believe so. MR. BACON: I'm sorry there is no date. today, I think my secretary sent it over so I apologize. MR. ROBERTS: November 21. THE CHAIRPERSON: That was received November 21 on that from Mr. Bacon. And last but not least we have a ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 5 '-" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings report from the Dutchess County Planning Board in which we sent in the information and they came back and said it is a matter of local concern. That's all the information I have to read into the fax right now. And we will start with you. MR. FISHER: Good evening, members '-" of the board. the applicant. Just, I would 1 ike, I wasn't in my I'm Chris Fisher, attorney for office; I am not sure if Mr. Bacon faxed a copy of his memo to my office. If I could get a copy, I will appreciate it. I don't anticipate that holding up my response to anything that might be in that memo. We have gotten pretty much focused, I think, in terms of the technical review; and from the outset you recall from your various conversations over the course of these hearings, that at least with respect to the height of this tower, I believe that falls squarely within the planning board's review. '-" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 6 "- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings Under the special permit criteria they have to determine whether the height of the facility is the minimum necessary, and that is something, of course, their consultant, also your consultant, Mr. Cooper, is advising them. We have correspondences back and forth with the planning board, copied you with various copies of these technical reportsj and I know Mr. Cooper provided you copies as well. I think we are down to really one issue that I just need a few minutes to clarify so that you can see where I'm coming from with respect to the tower. I think we got past the technical need for this facility, at least in the mind of your consultant and all the other locational issues as far as from a, purely RF prospective, obviously nothing to do with the variance question of your report. The issue on the height, you will recall at our last hearing in October we had submitted a report from our professional '"'" "- SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 7 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings engineer, an outside consultant for Cellular One, and I had said, if you will recall the coverage plots in terms of 120, 150 and 180 really won't make a difference in terms of coverage, and those plots aren't really useful ln terms of how it relates to the Honess Mountain site in terms of a capacity issue. ~ That really doesn't define that issue. And one of the things we try to do is submit additional information from Cellular One in-house RF consultants to explain why we believe we need a 150 foot tower at this location, which is what we said at the beginning. The 180 issue has been something to nothing, cellular needs back. We said from the beginning we need a 150 foot tower at this location in order to provide coverage and capacity and to work within the network. I think I can actually draw this out to explain where the consultants come from on the height question, and it will help a little bit better. "...,... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 8 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings Before I do, we did just, this is really just for way of clarification, this is a cut sheet in color of the USGS in the area because I think the area we are focusing on is between, roughly, McFarland Road and the intersection of Route 9 South to the Fishkill Wappinger border as the area within which Mr. Hubbard's letters identifies this area "'-" where 120 feet won't cut it. And we believe we need 150 feet to provide signal strength along that stretch of the road in Wappingers. This gives some locations to help me in the discussion, but not something necessarily to follow along with. THE CHAIRPERSON: Height wise I think it is more of a recommendation from us than the planning board rather, because that's not in front of us, the height. MR. FISHER: Let me, really briefly, if you think of the area along Route 9 between McFarland south to the municipal border, if you look at that you can see where we are right now as much lower elevation; if you look, it is about elevation 150. Route ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 9 "'" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings 9, this is ground elevation. Route 9, I will ......... just -- this is pretty much where we are, (indicating), Route 9. In that whole area of McFarland going south is in the neighborhood of anywhere from 250 to 350 feet ground elevation; a difference of anywhere from, if say this is 150 where we are -- sorry, 140 is the site, and if we say that 250 is somewhere up here, (indicating), and 300 lS around here, (indicating), I am going to be bad on the actual scale -- it helps to describe our issue -- if you look at, if you look at basically the elevation from where we are going up, it goes up like this, (indicating) into that area going south. The whole question of height of the tower relates to how the signal will be provided, especially in this area where Route 9 is, up in the elevation from 250 to 300 feet above ground. If we are at 140 and you take a 120 foot tower, that's 260 total height; that gets you up to about here, somewhere in this neighborhood, ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 10 ......... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings ...... (indicating) . If you try to figure out that signal's going to get that, that road, remember this is line of site technology, it is really noti it is going to get to about there, (indicating). If you start figuring out how much additional height means to get coverage on that road, if you add in our case, the difference between 120 and 150i 30 feet gets you to about 290. That's 140 plus 150i that's somewhere in here, (indicating). Now you are basically, and this is why we say this is really what we consider to be the minimum, you are basically at that stretch of the road where it gets about 300 feet elevation, you are just getting to it. The higher you go, the better the signal strength is going to be over here, (indicating), because you are getting better line of site penetration down versus having to go through the trees. And remember from Mr. Graif's discussion, it degrades quickly, not a higher ...... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 11 .......... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings power system by any stretch of the imagination. So when we identified this site and looked at minimum height, we felt the 150 height is really the minimum we can do to get the signal if you look at the town, to cover the town and basically get us down to the town board, what we would anticipate. And we said this before in Mr. Graif's report, over the next couple of years, particularly the ......... tremendous traffic patterns on Route 9, would probably need another site. That we site would be somewhere between the Honess Mountainside and site, and this site, the Town of Fishkill. And those two sites ultimately would have to work together, like this site has to now work with the Honess site. just And one of the things that Mr. Hubbard and even Mr. Cooper touched on is to make this site the dominant site. what that really means, and to help understand that, Honess Mountain, I don't And know the elevation, got to be like a thousand feet, basically looking straight down on ...... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 12 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings everythingi that signal strength is going to be pretty strongl especially in this area we are trying to -- if you think of the two signals almost fighting with one anotherl you need sufficient strength in this sitel (indicating) I in order for it to overlap with this sitel (indicating) If you donI tl this onel (indicating) I will start doing thisl (indicating) I and you just won/t solve the problem. ...... That is about aSI from my perspectivel move of a lay perspectivel not engineering perspectivei best diagraming I can do to try to explain we really feel 150 feet lS minimum. I know Mr. Cooper asked in factI I think if you look at his latest report at the endl I think he acknowledges we may have problems in that particular area if we are at 120. He asked uSI Can you do 135? Can you live with it? And the signal strength differencel just to explain 60BI roughly I it is a difference of I the difference betweenl for ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 13 .~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings example, neg-90 and neg-85, which is significant. It may be the difference between something being able to, somebody using their phone in the car versus not. We really feel 150 feet is the minimum, but certainly, again, this is something the planning board is going to have to address. And as far as any other site on 9 South, I think we need it, just not at this moment. It would be in Fishkill a few years from now. ........ I think that addresses most of the technical issues. And if I can just have a moment to review this latest memo from Mr. Bacon, I don't really have anything else. THE CHAIRPERSON: You don't know how far you can go back? You will address thatj that would take care of that. MR. FISHER: I will turn that over to Chazen and let them address the location of the area. MS. LIBOLT: I am Kelly Libolt from Chazen. ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 14 ..... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings I think the question was raised if there is any other location on this particular piece of property in Wappingers where the tower could be placed with no variance required; we presented that to you and said the only location would be the wetlands in the center of the property. We looked again at the information provided, providing dimensional setbacks and that was the middle school, the Randolph School and a variety of residences around the property. ....... When we looked at information we provided to you, there is a location further back on the property, again based on the mapping provided by your town engineer which identifies the presence of the wetland and the wetland's boundary. There is a location in the back of the property that would eliminate the variance required from the middle school and would eliminate all the variances required from the residences except for one, that's the residence located immediately to the east of your property. ..... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 15 .~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings ........ THE CHAIRPERSON: Resident? MS. LIBOLT: It is the residence. THE CHAIRPERSON: It is a residence? MS. LIBOLT: Yes, it is a, my understanding it is a residence. The variance eliminated would be the variance from the barn. MR. ROBERTS: Which one? MS. LIBOLT: (Indicating) That one there. MR. ROBERTS: stretch is the barn? That particular MS. LIBOLT: That was the other, the, sorry, location was the barn. THE CHAIRPERSON: The new location is still going to be far enough back even from the residence; am I right? What would the distance be from that residence? MS. LIBOLT: Approximately, 500 feet. MR. ROBERTS: Could you, I would like to have for the record the identity of the home you are speaking of so we know ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 16 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings .........., precisely. MS. LIBOLT: Okay, so the setback from that particular structure would be, approximately, 500 feet, again give or take, depending on the precise location of the facility. THE CHAIRPERSON: Randolph School ends up as pretty, I don't have the exact dimensional setback, it would be significantly further away from the original site, and the original site was, approximately, 1,150 feet. MR. BRENNAN: I think it would reduce it, approximately, 120 feet we would need from the variance. MR. ROBERTS: I would like a clarification for the record what the exact distance is for this board. MR. PRAGER: We have to know that. MR. ROBERTS: This board is entitled to know that. MS. LIBOLT: MR. PRAGER: Okay. I would also like to know the name of the structure we are talking about, because I am completely confused now .........., SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 17 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings what structure you are talking about; the residence or barn or whatever you are talking about. ..... THE CHAIRPERSON: Whose property, who it belongs to. Want to take a break? MR. FISHER: Maybe to give us an opportunity to obtain that information, it would be helpful. Apologize. THE CHAIRPERSON: All right, let's take a recess for 15 minutes. See if you can come up with that. I would like to close this hearing tonight if we could. (Recess held: 7:48 p.m. 7:59 p.m.) THE CHAIRPERSON: I would like to reconvene the public hearing. MR. FISHER: In response to the question that had been asked about the location, an alternative location as to the cellular facility, there has been an area that has been identified further to the rear from its location now. This has been discussed, I believe, with the town engineer; and that location, if you recall from Exhibit ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 18 ...... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings 7, we had gone through all of the overlays that are in there. That map is scaled 1 inch equals 200 feet. The location, based on this revision which we are going to hand up to the board, basically from the structure that's known to be a barn, it is 500 feet, but under your code that wouldn't require a variance. It is over 750 feet away from any adjoining residencej it is out of the 100 foot regular wetlands buffer area. The only variance from that location that would be required is an, approximately, 100 foot variance from the Randolph School, obviously, something of this nature that hadn't a stake driven in the ground and that is not a verified location. But it's certainly clear for your purposes of your board review that location based on this diagram reviewed and the distance shown certainly is something that if the board wished could be approved subject to field verification on the exact location. Obviously, the planning board would have some mobility with site issues. We need ........ ."-'" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 19 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings to work with them on the side yard setback issues and other things, but those are the dimensions that are based on that discussed alternative location. ....... THE CHAIRPERSON: For the record, right now we don't need a variance for the middle school. We don't need a variance for the residency because it 1S a barn, it is not a residence. And we need a hundred foot variance from the Randolph School? MR. FISHER: Right. MR. PRAGER: A minute ago it was 130. Are we sure exactly? MR. FISHER: A stake is not driven in the ground to get an actual surveyed dimension because there is no location or compound laid out. But I believe based on the information that Chazen prepared, it is plus or minus a hundred feet. My recommendation on 1ssues like this, at least rather than an actual dimension as to any variance that might be granted, you would grant a variance subject to the plan as shown, and we have got to have "-"" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 20 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings some flexibility with the planning board because there may be site planning issues that the location of that tower would be, would dictate its exact locations. MR. FANUELE: We are talking about maybe 20 feet rather than hundreds of feet? MR. FISHER: Exactly, exactly. THE CHAIRPERSON: Anything else? MR. BRENNAN: We did verify through Chazen, they did verify since our last meeting those arches on the plans we submitted to you were the distances. So ...... with, we are going by what was verified and we had it reverified to that, those setbacks when we say they are based on that information that we gave you in September; so if you took those origins you will see there is, they were outside that one school, no residence, and within one, depending on what points I set the pole physically, there would be, the difference could be a hundred feet, could be a hundred ten foot. But it is outside the arches and scale based on the intersections of about a hundred foot. ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 21 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings ....... THE CHAIRPERSON: Okay. MR. FISHER: The only other additional information that I want to raise very briefly, I will respond to the November 21 fax I believe you have addressed, at least your consultants have, these various questions seemingly being posed to the applicant, and all issues are questions posed to planning board issues, not zoning board issues on minimum height capacity, need for the specific location. If we are talking about the need for specific location ln a wetlands sense or setback sense, that's what we have been doing. As far as technical issues, that 1S planning board issues. And I believe in fact the planning board has all the information and, including discussions of alternatives the applicant looked at throughout the process. And the record is fully clear as to why this location not only works for the applicant, but others. And the only other piece of information I really hadn't full opportunity ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 22 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings to look at, but Mr. Graif's discussion was submitted to the Village of Wappingers Falls for coverage of their community. While the village falls within the town, the town doesn't have zoning jurisdiction over the village; and that report is really germane to the village's questions how we are going to ........ site the facilities in our community. But it really doesn't have any bearing on this application. And In fact, if you look at the report, it is all based on what's called PCS carriers, which if you recall from Mr. Graif's testimony here before, PCS carriers admittedly need more sites than cellular because of difference of technology; that went into the basis of his report to the Village of Wappingers Falls. I don't see it as relevant to what you need to address in terms of the variance and appeal we have brought before you all. Thank you. THE CHAIRPERSON: That's all the information you have to bring in front of us ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 23 '-'" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings . ....... now? MR. FISHER: Yes. THE CHAIRPERSON: I would like to open it up to the public. But what I would like to do here, I would like to have new evidence, something germanei I don't want to rehash all the arguments that we have been over for the last couple of months. If you have something new we will listen to YOUi and if you don't, I really don't think we want to take the time to rehash the story 15 times. I haven't asked anybody to sign in or anything. MR. BACON: Good evening, members of the board. I don't think I am going to be rehashing old material. I corresponded several times on different issues, but there is just some clarification that is required. First, what Mr. Fisher said about the difference between planning board and ZBA obligationsi there are some overlapping issues there, but the main reason that the alternatives, jurisdiction is within the ZBA is from town law 267B3 which talks about ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 24 ...... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings looking at reasonable alternatives when '-'" somebody is seeking area variance. So that is within this board's purview and not the planning board. The planning board has other obligations. The other part is with, concerning the Randolph, Mr. Graif's report concerning the water standpipe. That is about a third of a mile in this site, and it is located in the village. But again, look at alternatives; under 267B this is a site that the engineer's applicant hired. This engineer, and getting reports to this board already, but the reports so strongly was in favor of the standpipe on the water tank that it was the most excellent location and most ideal location that could be found in the village, especially to have the Route 9 corridor, that we felt it was very pertinent to bring to your attention especially considering that the town's ordinance on cell towers request an applicant to look at sites within five miles of the site. ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 25 '........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings But, so I think that's the reason we presented that. There is a couple of things I haven't addressed; I would like to go quickly over those. One, the applicant made a submission to the board on August 31, and part of that submission, he claimed that he made the arguments that they may be exempt from local zoning. He cited the case Carpaneto versus omni Point, and it is important on that case that the facts are completely different from this case. That case dealt with cell tower going on Thruway property. And everybody knows how quickly the cell towers sprung up on the Thruway, because the Thruway Authority was exempt from local zoning because under the idea that they needed this communication network for the Thruway itself, but also for the people traveling on this limited access highway. So that is the reason the court in that case found that the Thruway was exempt. And also in this case, Mr. Chairman, the existing tower lS 120 feet, and they only ...... ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 26 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings wanted to add 30 feet to the existing tower, not like in this case where you have a 35 foot police antenna they want to quadruple In height. ......... The other item in that correspondence that I would like to respond to is the argument that because of the cell ordinance, it says that the, that where you should put these towers is an objective site; objective, somehow that's a discretionary, that's a discretionary obligation by the board. And that, all that follows in that section of the law is something that can be waived. And, Mr. Chairman, one of the first things we learn in law school is the d iff ere nee bet wee n II may II and II s hall II; W her e it says it shall, it means it is mandatory. And looking at that whole section of the citing objections, I didn't see one IImayll in that entire section. There is, they talk about that the tower shall be located no closer than 1,500 feet; the fencing shall be this, the signs shall be that, the new tower ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 27 "-" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings shall not exceed minimal heights. It is completely obvious that when you look at that section as a whole it was the intent of the drafters that this be, ~ these be mandatory requirements. And I am glad. I mean, so we would support the building inspectors' interpretation of that; that they have to be here before this board to seek a variance. The other thing that makes that clear, one of the other arguments that the applicant made was somehow the 1,500 feet requirement or 750 foot requirement are not legitimate zoning, there is no legitimate zoning rationale for those requirements. And if you look at the section under citing objective factors, visual aesthetic factors, possible diminution of residential property values, safety issues and an environmental degradation and buffers, these are all requirements that have been identified by local, state and federal courts as legitimate zoning objectives for any municipality to undertake to protect. And "-" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 28 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings many of the zoning laws are specifically created for proper planning and it is well settled these are proper and legitimate objectives of a board and form the basis of constitutional ordinances. And, Mr. Chairman, this, the case I think that spells this out so clearly, the case in which I sent to the board on October 20, Sprint versus the Town of Ontario, a case in upstate New York, but it went to federal court and Sprint appealed it to the Court of Appeals, to the Federal District Court of Appeals; and that both cases, the court held in the town's favor. Now, in that case it was so similar to this case because there was, they are talking about whether or not the board can make a determination that would restrict the level of service to what the applicant was requesting, and that case the applicant wanted to have a maximum amount of coverage with a town with three different towers, and the town would not accept the three towers. And the court upheld the town's authority to "-"' ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 29 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings limit the level of service. And they did so because the telecommunications act requires that a town not prohibit telecommunication providers from coming into a towni but they are quite a bit different from electric utilities or telephone utilities, and so the standard is different. ~ In that, in fact ln that case the, Sprint argued the board didn't have the authority to compel a lesser level of service than the carrier deemed necessary to compete effectively. What the court said is that a local government may reject an application that seeks permission to construct more towers than the minimum required to provide wireless telephone services in a given area. This direct quote, again a denial of such a request is not a prohibition of personal wireless services as long as fewer towers would provide users in the given area with some ability to reach a cell site. So some ability, you are not ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 30 ........... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings prohibiting them, but they have some ability to make a telephone call. Now we would argue that even if you are obstructing five times out of a hundred blockings from making a call, that is still, you are still within the zone of being able to make a cellular call. And I read the applicant's energy report which said they would like to get down to two calls blocked per hundred. They cited that this was some kind of FCC or federal ....... requirement. I don't believe it is. And that was one of the things that Mr. Cooper In his correspondence asked the applicant for more information, because I don't think Mr. Cooper believed that was so much what FCC required. They got down to two blocked calls per hundred. So, so, in sum with this case, the municipality where the standard finally is settled, a municipality could not deny the least intrusive means for closing a significant gap in a remote user's ability to reach a cell site. So there has to be least "-'" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 31 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings intrusive means and there has to be a significant gap in the service. Now, rolled into that is, of course, what are the effects on property values and aesthetics; those are obvious concerns and were noted by the court as legitimate concerns. And the, and Sprint tried to argue they did not have to look at any alternatives; but the alternative they were presenting, because this gave them the adequate amounts of coverage they were seeking from a competition standpoint, and the court specifically rejected arguments saying that under New York State law, state law, that the board is not prevented from requiring the applicant to consider alternatives that may provide less coverage than what the cell applicant is actually, what their preferred alternative would be. So, so, this brings us back to what I said in the beginning about this study we got from the village from Mr. Graif who, when we looked at this report we thought this is ~ ......... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 32 .~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings an alternative that seems like it would meet ~ the applicant's need. And we are sort of, we are not sure why they didn't go ahead with this site. Mr. Graif said specifically the location of this water standpipe nearly adjacent to Route 9 will provide excellent coverage to this important driving right, the height of the tank, approximately, 105 feet above the ground is ideal for most system operators; in addition, the fact the standpipe is the location of an existing cellular antenna indicates such location has passed the test of zoning plan environmental review and any other ordinance or law that may be considered, and assumes with this, is indeed, the ideal location. So, Mr. Chairman, when you take that into account and try to plug that into where this fits in under the statutory scheme of New York State and the federal scheme, as well as the local ordinance and the town law requirements, I think it fits in to the section where this board, in considering area "'-" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 33 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings variances can decide that they would like to see reasonable alternatives presented that void the requested area variances, and also under the town's ordinance, cell ordinance. They have the obligation, we believe, to look at beyond this specific site on to other sites. And I think that's what this ZBA asked on September 26. The transcript says, We would like you to come in and show why you need this specific location, and we would like you, we would like you to show us that you cannot use any other sites or any other existing towers to boost the capacity to provide for this coverage. And, Mr. Chairman, I looked through the file, I looked through all the correspondences; and that third requirement I just do not see as being met. I see nothing to indicate that they looked at any other sites that may have been before the planning board. ........ But you looked through the planning board's files as well, and it's certainly before this board that indicates that they ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 34 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings looked at specific sites, like this water standpipe over Route 9, and examined how this meets their coverage needs and would be the least intrusive means for achieving goals. So, Mr. Chairman, I really appreciate if the board looks at that Graif report and gives this the considered consideration that we believe it really needs, because there are people in the audience who live around this area who we believe would be affected negatively by this. ........ THE CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, Mr. Bacon. Anybody else? MR. IVERSEN: I-V-E-R-S-E-N. I wanted to thank the board and I'm Chris Iversen, also our counsel member, Mr. Valdati, for coming tonight, and right on the heels of Thanksgiving holiday, so our ranks were filtered out. We still got a bunch of folks out; thanks for coming and listening again and asking the questions with us. ......... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 35 ...... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings I want to just respond to one thing from the last meeting. There was, it was pointed out whether anything that I had to do with this whole, any words I had to say or the contacting of the attorney was valid because I wasn't a property owner in the area. And I wanted to say I have lived and worked and shopped in the area for more than ten years. I don't feel that being a property owner would have anything to do with it, especially considering I have done volunteer work on my own time for dozens of organizations, Hudson Clear Water, Grinnell ........ Library, 4H, Stony Kill Farm. and on. I can go on But a big part of my mission outside of work is making this area and the local kids in the area want to stay here and feel like they have something to grow up In and something to cherish. So a lot of my work is with local youth getting them to experience the national history and cultural resources we have. free. And I do all this for ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 36 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings And I would like to ask the people who brought that up what they have done for our area? It seems while I am trying to keep something good for the future and looking with a long range view for everyone in this area, the people who brought this to attention, questioning whether it is worthwhile for me to be having anything to do with this, what they are trying to do is get a short term gain from our area at the expense of the, at the expense of the local people. With that said, I am a property owner; I do own property in the Town of Wappingers, so it is kind of not discussing it anyway. I had a question regarding this height proposal. On this diagram it seems that it would be much more logical, this is an area you, trying to reach instead of a tall tower here, (indicating), maybe instead of to have a shorter tower up higher. That 1S one thing, when looking at other areas to, to consider. But when you do look at other "-" ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 37 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings considerations, you may want to consider a higher area; that would definitely help, I think. ....... And also regarding the height I wanted to just pose a question. If a hundred 50 feet is the absolute minimum that you need for that sort of coverage, are we then guaranteed there won't be any transmitter or receivers or antennas or whatever they are called, lower than a hundred feet, so 500 feet meeting the -- in other words, we won't see one at 150 feet and another set at 10 feet lower and then another 10 feet lower, which I know was the original thinking. But I think that is a question that should be asked, if they were to say 150 feet is necessary. THE CHAIRPERSON: We are not talking about any additional towers, just the one tower. MR. IVERSEN: Go ahead. THE CHAIRPERSON: I think we wanted you, if you are within 500 feet of that tower, then they have to notify you legally. "'-" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 38 '-" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings MR. IVERSEN: I see. THE CHAIRPERSON: That's merely a guess on my part. MR. IVERSEN: I didn't feel slighted I wasn't notified. THE CHAIRPERSON: We let you talk anyway. ....... MR. IVERSEN: Thank you. The other thing is location, and I know that you are asking for new issues, but the big issue we feel, this is not a new issue, but we don't feel it's resolved in any way. All the attention and, the Cellular One and their people here are addressing is moving the tower around within the property that they chose; and no matter where you move it in that property, all the things they have suggested still require a variance. Why not look at a site that doesn't look at a variance? Why not start with that as a ground base? Start with a place you won't need variances for distance. It is the first thing, I think. So I just, I would like to field ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 39 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings like, before we move on to these new issues, that we resolve this one important old one of location, why this location was chosen, what other locations were looked at, and why is, are the variances necessary, why is this location so important, why isn't there any other location within the five mile radius within town code? We have not seen anything I have not of looking at any other site, ......... anyway, and I have been as many meetings as I can possibly be at. Last new, possibly new plece of information, this is why I feel that other locations are really worth a look at because there is just so much good energy gone into preserving and improving this area; we have got the Dutchess County Historic Drive, I don't know how long it's been there, but it goes on Route 9 covering the historic buildings in Hughsonville, Wappingers and we will see it along that route; it will be quite prominent. In addition, show the new greenway trials for Wappingers and Hughsonville, also ........ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 ........ ~ '-' 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings is close along Wappingers Creek and cuts through East Park to 9D a couple of buildings down from the Randolph School. So that too is very close. And not only that, but the proposed education loop off that trial would actually come through these wetlands right behind the town building and the emergency facilities buildings because it is, because of the state protected wetlands and shows different habitants dominant in Dutchess County, otherwise not a part of the Wappingers greenway trail. So what the trail does is try to boost the area's economy as well as preserving its cultural historic value. And this trail is, it really has been working. If you notice changes in Beacon and across the river, it really does boost the town. It will fly right in the face of those advances putting up industrial features when it is supposed to be a cultural nature trail. I think we need to think twice and really put care into looking at other SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 41 '-'" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings ,...... locations. And that's the last thing I wanted to say that, again for looking at other locations. If you are going to get, if you are going to ask for any variances, I would think the one most important is this distance from the schools, because really a lot of kids that I have talked about it are just kind of flummoxed; they can't really believe why would they put it here, it is near us. We are not talking about health risk. THE CHAIRPERSON: We are going over the same thing we have been over many, many times. MR. IVERSEN: Okay, thanks. THE CHAIRPERSON: Anybody else? MR. FISHER: Just some closing comments then, chairman. THE CHAIRPERSON: Do that. MR. FISHER: Let me first say to Mr. Iversen, no slight; we just thought it was relevant to the board to know he is not a property owner, he would have no claim effect ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 42 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings from that proposal, and his comments are put in context; I think that is fair. The question is what kind of service does cellular provide to the company? Individuals can debate this; Congress debates on it, wireless services. I ........ think by most people it is an important form of communications in today's world. It is not just for people who use it for business purposes or convenience; it is a safety and health issue. In fact at a federal level carriers are being required to, over the next few years implement technical, to triangulate cellular use within a hundred feet, so when you call 911 it is not a police officer trying to find out where you might be if you are broken down on the side of the road. Eventually they will pinpoint where you are and be able to come more immediately to the scene. We can debate all of this, but none are relevant to the board's considerations on a variance or appeal we have before you. ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 43 .~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings It was interesting comments made. We submitted a case kind of somehow alluding we weren't subject to zoning. If we weren't subject to zoning, I don't know what I have been doing for the last year. I think we agree we are, and that's what we are scoping out, what is subject to review by various boards. ~ I think we brought that case to the attention to identify certain towers are not subject to local towers. In fact the police down here is town property. And that answers the question why we are here. We are here because your existing tower here, we can't use that, unfortunately, because it's controlled by state police, and also it's not high enough for our needs. If you look at the planning board needs to come up, it is not your board, that is one of the highest criteria in terms of being able to locate a facility, is to put these facilities in one location together versus dispersing them throughout the community. ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 44 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings And when you look at the case cited by Mr. Bacon on certain heights, I agree that the court's decision, complaint came into that community and said we are going to build three 100 foot towers in this residential zone, this zone, and you don't have any say in it. I agree they said you have a say in this and say if and now you're building thisl and that would meet your needs. And I think the court got it right. They didn't get it wrong in that case at all. --.. When the question came up about blocked calls, 2 percentl your consultants has agreed that is good industry practicei In facti that/s standard while you won't find it now in the current FCC regs. It goes back to 1984 when Congress and the FCC setup cellular networks and said 2 percent system is what we are trying to achieve, because what we are trying to get with wireless service is close to a land line as possiblel and we have had that discussion. When you pick up the phone at home you expect there to be a dial tonei ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 45 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings same thing in a wireless network. Mr. Graif's report, although it has been provided to the board against that, all that has to do with is what's good for the village to get coverage to the village on Route 9, not what's good for the town to get coverage on the town on Route 9, which doesn't include the entire village. We are talking substantial stretches of road going south towards Fishkill. And Mr. Graif was here testifying on our behalf, and Mr. Cooper looked at these issues as well. So while that may be something good for the village and you prepared your report, I don't think it 'has particular relevant information as to how are we going to cover the town with Cellular One service, and what we are proposing to do is build a tower where there is an existing tower on the 35 acre parcel; that even under the last scenario needs one variance from the school over 1,400 feet away. And I have alluded to it, not necessarily something you need to decide, but "-'" ....... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 46 ......... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings I don't think you can provide a piece of property in the Town of Wappingers that meets all the criteria and other things adopted in a lawj I don't think you could. The one thing I did want to conclude with is on some of the societal and kinds of other, I guess what Mr. Iversen saidj the Appalachian conference national governing body is trying to make sure the trail is safe, and actually has agreements with the wireless carriers to address the ,,-,. facilities. But they acknowledge build out the wireless infrastructure near the trail so people can use the trail while on the phone for safety purposes. It is a question of how we will do it and that is what we have begun doing, dealing with the planning and zoning board. The question, as I see it, for your board is really not all of these other very good questions, but questions that need to be answered by the planning board. It is where on this lot are we going to go to minimize the magnitude of the variancesj where is this '-'" SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 47 ...... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings tower going to go so that it is far away as possible, acknowledging we have got wetlands or development and an existing tower here, and we think the location as proposed, alternative location that's suggested, either of those work to meet those objectives. Thank you. ...... THE CHAIRPERSON: I would like to ask you a question. The question for interpretation of zoning letter, can we do that before we close the MR. ROBERTS: I think you should make that part of the written decision. THE CHAIRPERSON: Nothing else to come in front of the board? MR. T. STINSON: S-T-I-N-S-O-N. Is Cellular One and the board I'm Tim, willing to sign a piece of paper saying that the area won't become a cancer cluster? THE CHAIRPERSON: If you are asking me, I am not -- MR. T. STINSON: The trooper barracks is what? ...... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 48 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings THE CHAIRPERSON: I have no idea. MR. T. STINSON: We are boosting the signal to 900 so there will be additional ......... power coming from a tower. So my question is let them put it in writing that nothing lS going to happen to these people in this area. THE CHAIRPERSON: First of all, they don't have to. Second of all, we are not allowed to take that in their consideration, in our deliberations. So that's what we have said to everybody before. MR. T. STINSON: They want to uphold their reputation, no problem. THE CHAIRPERSON: The federal government precludes us from doing anything so there is nothing I can really -- MR. T. STINSON: But it also said to write zoning laws to put the tower, but according to some people it is frivolous. THE CHAIRPERSON: Motion to close the -- MR. IVERSEN: I sat down. I just want to ask Mr. Fisher, I wanted to ask one question; do you feel you have addressed the ......... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 49 ...... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings question of looking at all other locations in the area as well as this one right here? ........ THE CHAIRPERSON: You should be asking the questions to the board, not to Mr. Fisher. MR. IVERSEN: Okay, then I will. Do you feel Mr. Fisher has addressed the question of looking at all other locations, not just the one? THE CHAIRPERSON: I won't go through all the evidence again, but you are welcome to come down and get copies, go through the information and make an interpretation for yourself. But I am not going to go through all that and start with that right now. MR. IVERSEN: MR. STINSON: Okay. Has the board asked Cellular One if the standpipe in the village is adequate for their needs? THE CHAIRPERSON: I haven't. MR. STINSON: I will relay a conversation I had with Mr. Brennan. MR. BRENNAN: Hold it, hold it. If ~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 50 --- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings this gentleman is going to say a conversation he had with Mr. Brennan, he did it twice before he asked a question in the hallway. Half the answer he wants, and he recites what ~ he wants, whatever he has to say. would like to comment back on it. MR. STINSON: Can I say it? THE CHAIRPERSON: Go ahead, but you know, you know, really we have been hashing this thing and killing it to death. And I MR.. STINSON: I haven't hashed it enough because the board didn't ask Cellular One whether the standpipe is adequate. MR. BRENNAN: The board did. It may not have been this board, it may have been the planning board. But Ron Graif specifically discussed that 11 of the two boards -- MR. STINSON: Does that exist in the final writing? I read the final; I didn't make that statement before I read the file. I read, I made that statement after I read the file. in the file? Does that information exist --- SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 51 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings THE CHAIRPERSON: I don't know. "-"" MR. STINSON: If it 1S not written down it don't exist. MR. FISHER: MR. ROBERTS: No, it doesn't. One at a time, please. MR. FISHER: To answer his question, it is part of the record before the planning board and it is 1n the planning board records. MR. STINSON: I talked to Mr. DiNono, I asked Phil personally if that standpipe was ever addressed in the planning board. The answer I got back was no, the planning board was given one site to consider and only one site, and that site back there, (indicating) i no other sites were discussed. THE CHAIRPERSON: That is not 1n front of this board at this time. want to discuss it -- If you MR. STINSON: He made a statement. THE CHAIRPERSON: All right, if you want to discuss it or do anything about it ......... SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 52 "-"" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings MR. ROBERTS: I have to make something for the record. I do know that topic was discussed. There is so many meetings, I don't know whether it was the planning board or zoning board, but the issue of placement of this unit on the village tower was discussed. I believe it was the Town Engineer paggi who suggested it won't be appropriate at that site because of elevations and structure defects on the village tower. I won't tell you if it was in front of this board or the other board. ......... MR. STINSON: MR. ROBERTS: Is it written down? It doesn't have to bei it was discussed. MR. STINSON: If it wasn't written down it doesn't exist. MR. ROBERTS: That lS not correct. THE CHAIRPERSON: You had a chance to make a statement. Any motion to close the hearing? MR. WARREN: So moved. THE CHAIRPERSON: All in favor? ~. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845) 452-1988 53 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Proceedings MR. WARREN: Aye. MR. PRAGER: Aye. THE CHAIRPERSON: We will try to get back with findings of fact and decision on the 19th of December. And if we can't get everything together down, then it would be ~ the 9th of January to let you know. will put it in the paper. And we MR. FISHER: For the record, we have given extension to the planning board to the end of January, so either scenario. tonight. THE CHAIRPERSON: Off the record. (Time noted: 8:40 p.m.) That's it for '~ SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845)452-1988 54 1 ...... 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 . 10 11 12 13 ~ 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 '-" C E R T I F I CAT ION I, Melissa B. Anker, Notary Public, do hereby certify that I recorded stenographically the proceedings herein at the time and place noted in the heading hereof, and that the foregoing transcript is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, skill and ability. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of December 2000. __i~-~-~-~------ MELISSA B. ANKER SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES (845)452-1988 1 '-'r. 1 OR.... U~~f\. p ~ . ~ uu.. \....-"l.. 2 TOWN OF WAPPINGERS ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 3 _________________________________________________X 4 Transcript of Proceedings Re: 5 Appeal No. 00-7062 Cellular One Proposal 6 _________________________________________________X 7 9 November 14th, 2000 7:30 p.m. Wappingers Town Hall 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, New York 8 10 11 BOARD MEMBERS: ALAN C. LEHIGH, Chairman GERALD diPIERNO DOUGLAS WARREN J. HOWARD PRAGER VICTOR L. FANUELE 12 ........ 13 14 15 16 17 * * * * * * * 18 19 20 21 REPORTED BY: Kimberly Burke 22 ----------------------------------------------------- '-" 24 SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES Professional Shorthand Reporters 82 Washington Street, poughkeepsie NY 12601 (914) 452-1988 23 25 2 ....... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ~ 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 '-- 24 25 (Excerpt of proceedings) CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I would like to call the zoning Board of Appeals to order. I would like to start with one announcement. There will not be a hearing tonight on the cell tower, simply because we did not hear back from our expert as to the information that was submitted to Mr. Cooper, and we can't go forward without that information and his opinion of it and so forth. We found this out late today, so there was no way to notify anybody except for tonight. I'm sorry for your inconvenience in coming down for the people that came down for the cell tower, but we are not going to open it up or even discuss it. We are hopefully having a meeting next Tuesday, a special meeting, that we are trying to call, and hopefully we will get the information from Mr. Cooper and we will go through with it at that time. I don't believe that there will be anything else on the agenda but Cellular One next Tuesday. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: What time next Tuesday? SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 3 ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "-" 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ...... 24 25 CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: 7:30. It will be a special meeting. That's all we can do. There is nothing else I can do at this time. It's not anybodies fault but ours. I'm sorry for your inconvenience. (Rest of transcription to follow) SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 4 ........ 1 2 3 C E R T I F I CAT ION 4 5 6 I, KIMBERLY BURKE, a Court Reporter and 7 Notary Public in and for the state of New York, do 8 hereby certify that I recorded stenographically 9 the proceedings herein at the time and place noted 10 in the heading hereof, and that the foregoing is 11 an accurate and complete transcript of same, to 12 the best of my knowledge and belief. "-" 13 14 15 17 ~fkjJ-e klLy- d t,. II.Y.-f KIMBERLY BURKE 16 18 19 20 Dated: November 18th, 2000 21 22 * * * 23 '-" 24 25 SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 i, i'JUTES APhiOVED DEe 2 2000 1 '- 1 2 TOWN OF WAPPINGERS ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS _________________________________________________X ORIGI~JAL 3 4 Transcript of Proceedings Re: 5 Gasland Petroleum and 6 Thomas Genova _________________________________________________X 7 9 November 14th, 2000 7:30 p.m. Wappingers Town Hall 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, New York 8 10 11 BOARD MEMBERS: ALAN C. LEHIGH, Chairman GERALD diPIERNO DOUGLAS WARREN J. HOWARD PRAGER VICTOR L. FANUELE 12 .......... 13 14 r.-~. ,e I r- I 15 16 \i '........:'" 17 18 * * * * * * * 19 20 21 22 REPORTED BY: Kimberly Burke ----------------------------------------------------- "-'" 24 SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES Professional Shorthand Reporters 82 washington Street, poughkeepsie NY 12601 (914) 452-1988 23 25 2 "'-"'" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I would like to '-' 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 call the zoning Board of Appeals to order. I would like to start with one announcement. There will not be a hearing tonight on the cell tower, simply because we did not hear back from our expert as to the information that was submitted to Mr. Cooper, and we can't go forward without that information and his opinion of it and so forth. We found this out late today, so there was no way to notify anybody except for tonight. I'm sorry for your inconvenience in coming down -- for the people that came down for the cell tower, but we are not going to open it up or even discuss it. We are hopefully having a meeting next Tuesday, a special meeting that we are trying to call, and hopefully we will get the information from Mr. Cooper and we will go through with it at that time. I don't believe that there will be anything else on the agenda but Cellular One next Tuesday. '-"" UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: What time next Tuesday? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: 7:30. It will be a special meeting. That's all we can do. There is SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 3 ......... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "'-'" 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ........ 24 25 PROCEEDINGS nothing else I can do at this time. It's not anybody's fault but ours. I'm sorry for your inconvenience. Moving along, we didn't get the minutes in time for October 24th, so we will open the meeting. We have a stenographer here tonight, so I will call the roll. victor Fanuele? MR. FANUELE: Here. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Mr. Prager? MR. PRAGER: Here. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Doug Warren? MR. WARREN: Here. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Gerry dipierno? MR. diPIERNO: Here. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We are all here present and accounted for. We will start out with Jeffrey Tomlins, is he here? (No response) MR. PRAGER: Tania, have you heard from Mr. Tomlins? MS. LUKIANOFF: No, I assumed he was SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 4 ........ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 .... 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 '-" 24 25 PROCEEDINGS going to be here. MR. FANUELE: I would suggest that we put Mr. Tomlins at the end of the agenda and give him a chance to get here, if the other two are here. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: All right. Let's start out then with Gasland Petroleum. They're seeking two area variances in order to have a gas station. The property is located at the corner of Route 9 and Old Hopewell Road in the Town of wappingers. MR. GORDON: Good evening. My name is Eric Gordon. I represent the applicant, Gasland Petroleum. We are prepared, your Honor, but the engineer just got here and he needs a minute to set up. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We will give you a minute. MR. GORDON: I appreciate that. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: No problem. (Pause in the proceedings) MR. GORDON: He's ready to go. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 "-" ....... ,.,... 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS Gasland Petroleum is seeking several area variances. I think everybody here is pretty familiar with the site. It's a rather unique site. It was previously used as a gas station. The variances are rather modest in nature and not substantial; given the existing condition of the lot and its proposed use, we don't believe that it's going to affect the character of the neighborhood. There won't be any undesirable changes effected by the requested variances. And again, given the unique nature of the site and that it is a non-conforming site, as you all know right now, there won't be any effect on the physical or environmental conditions of the site. And we believe public safety will not be affected either, so it meets the requirements for obtaining this type of area zone change. Our engineer is here, Ron Miller. He will give a short presentation of what we are proposing for the site, and then we would like to discuss the process of getting through to the final public hearing. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I have quite a few questions. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ ........ ~ 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS MR. GORDON: Sure. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We will have you make your presentation and then I will ask the questions, because it looks to me like you need five variances. MR. GORDON: That's correct. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I only see in the record that you're asking for two. MR. GORDON: To address that, the application that we forwarded specifically states that we are requesting -- I guess there were two from one section of the zoning code and three from another section, so they're from two different requirements. One is a special use permit section and one is under the general zoning ordinance section. I believe the application that we submitted sets forth what we are seeking. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: 240-37 and 240-52. MR. GORDON: Yes. So I'm sure -- CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We need you to present how much you need and the differences and everything else. Make your presentation and I will ask my questions after that. MR. MILLER: We have a new building SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ ........ ........- 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS going on the existing footprint, 2,400 square feet, which calculates, based on square footage, to sixteen parking spaces, which we are providing, half of which are for customers that will be coming just to use the store and the other half are for the gasing customers that will stop in not only to pay for the gas, but to purchase items. We have it buffered quite well, I believe, from the residential area in the back. The ingress will be here and the egress here (indicating). If you're heading on Old Hopewell Road it will be here (indicating). To the south of the facility is an automotive repair center, Five Star Automotive. Over across from Old Hopewell Road is 7-11 and La Fonda Del Sol and Hart Plaza are across the way (indicating). The pumps and the tanks will all be a new system with lead detection and firefighting equipment all installed by a licensed certified installer. That is basically it at this point. The one handicapped-accessible spot is here (indicating). Also these islands were provided by the DOT on their upgrade of Route 9, and that's about it. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ~ ........ "-' 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Is that a canopy? MR. MILLER: This is a canopy, yes. MR. diPIERNO: How many tanks are you proposing to put in there? MR. MILLER: How many tanks? MR. diPIERNO: Yes. MR. MILLER: Three tanks. Well, This one is divided actually it would be four. (indicating). MR. dipIERNO: How many gas pumps? MR. MILLER: Eight. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: This site requires two acres? MR. MILLER: That's right, 1.47. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: 1.47. For some of that 1.47, isn't the parking split between that place and the oil-changing place next door? It used to be. MR. MILLER: Five Star Automotive? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Yes. MR. MILLER: This parking here is partially an easement, a parking easement. MR. FANUELE: Can you explain the parking easement? Who owns it? SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ....... ........ ,--. 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS MR. MILLER: That I can't answer. MR. GORDON: Right now, I'm not sure. Do you know who owns it? MR. CAPPILLETTI: I guess it's part of the property next door. At one time I think it was all one piece, but when I purchased it, that was part of the deed, giving the parking area. It was a place to put a sign and parking spaces. MR. GORDON: This is Mr. Cappilletti, the principal owner of the property. MR. FANUELE: That piece of property is owned by Five Star? MR. CAPPILLETTI: Well, the guy who owns Five Star's property, yes. MR. PRAGER: The triangle itself, the whole triangle, we are talking about. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Yes, the triangle. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: So the lot is substandard, you don't have the 200-feet depth required, you only have 153 feet; the building coverage is going to be 25 percent and you're only allowed 10.39, and the impervious surface is going to be 75 percent instead of 74. This is all correct? SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ '-" '-" 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS MR. GORDON: Yes, sir. It's due to the unique nature of the site. This was the site that had to be existing previously. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Are you 1,000 feet away from the residential area, or how far are you away from the residential area? I don't see any measurement or details on that. MR. GORDON: It's less than the 1,000 feet, I know that. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We need that information. You're supposed to be 2,500 feet away from another gasoline station and you're considerably closer than that. You need that measurement also. MR. MILLER: with regard to impervious use, we have 74 percent as opposed to 75 percent maximum, so we are under the maximum. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: You are under. MR. FANUELE: You're going to have to present something for all of these easements that you have. The easements on the back and on the side, I mean, we need to see something to say that you have been granted an easement. MR. PRAGER: There is also an ingress SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... ........ ........ 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS and egress easement, that little rectangle? MR. MILLER: That's correct. Let me turn the map around (indicating). This is the area right here (indicating). MR. PRAGER: Who owns that? MR. MILLER: That must be Five Star. MR. GORDON: We will clarify all of this. We will get that to you. We are going to get all of the information to you well in advance. MR. PRAGER: There is also a parking easement way at the top. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Nobody has used them up on top. There is not even a place where anybody can park. When I had the survey done, these were put on by the surveyor. This here, I don't even know who has the easement for parking here (indicating). MR. GORDON: We will clarify that. MR. CAPPILLETTI: At one time I think the purpose of this ingress and egress was to service Five Star's property, but they have their own entrance now. So, you know, I guess they have their own site plan that doesn't include this. So it wouldn't come into playas far as that goes. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... ....... ~ 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS All of the blacktop, the curbing and the building were all existing. That's all existing. MR. PRAGER: The .53 acres that you're saying that you can provide, it does not include these easements? MR. CAPPILLETTI: No, it does not include the easement. with the easement I think it's .83. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: What you're basically aSking for here is a use permit as far as I can determine. MR. GORDON: We are requesting area variances. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: There is no special use permit on that property now, so you don't have a use for it; right? MR. GORDON: We are asking to have it approved under the special use permit, but we have applied for area variances to get that special use approval. The planning board, I believe, was addressing the special use permit issue, and we are here for the area variance issues for the planning board. MR. FANUELE: Doesn't it have to be a SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ....... ........ ......... 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS permitted use on that property before you get a special use permit for it? MR. CAPPILLETTI: It's an approved use in that zone. MR. GORDON: It is a permitted use under that zone. MR. CAPPILLETTI: We're here for area variances. MR. GORDON: All the planning board requires from your board is the area variances. That's what they referred us here for. MR. FANUELE: If the property does not allow a gas station to go there, correct me if I'm wrong, that means that you would need some type of authority to say you can put a gas station in there before we give you an area variance. MR. GORDON: The special use permit section of the Wappingers zoning code allows a gas station and filling station use on that property. MR. FANUELE: The last time you were before us, that wasn't true. So I don't know how that's true now. MR. GORDON: That's my understanding. MR. CAPPILLETTI: The zone we're in SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 "..,.. ...... ........ 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS allows gas stations. MR. PRAGER: Gas filling stations in the HP zone need a special use permit. MR. GORDON: And that's what we are seeking from the planning board. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: So then the use is allowed in HP. MR. FANUELE: The problem is the 250 feet and the 1,000 feet. MR. GORDON: We are going to demonstrate to the board with further submission because of the unique nature of this property, we are conducting studies and we brought in a planner, Mr. Neil Wilson, who is the chairperson of the Zoning Board of Appeals up in poughkeepsie, to assist us on this site -- to help demonstrate the reason why this site is a unique situation and these area variances should be granted for this property. So that's one of the studies that we are performing at this time. Any other questions you have, certainly I would like to address those in further written submissions to the board before any public hearing is held. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ~ ........ ~ 15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS MR. PRAGER: I have one. Is this going to be strictly a gas filling station or is this going to be a convenient mart like we see in almost every other gas station? MR. GORDON: There will be a convenient mart aspect to it. MR. PRAGER: So it will be retail sales also? MR. GORDON: Right. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: There is no other use that you can have on that property where you can make a profit outside of a gas station? MR. CAPPILLETTI: This place has been sitting there for all of those years. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I don't care about that. Let me say this to you: I really want to know why you can't put something else in there like a car wash, a bakery shop or whatever that you could put it in there and make some money on? MR. CAPPILLETTI: Most of those uses don't fit. They just don't fit on the property. I even had the drug store on the property, but the property was too small. We tried to purchase the property next door to try to put it all together. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ....... ....... ......... 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: That makes a little more sense. MR. CAPPILLETTI: For six months we went back and forth. I don't know if they came before you, but I know they were in the town and I gave them six months just to investigate and try to get it done, whatever they could do. They spoke to the guy next door, they went back and forth, and they just couldn't do it. I think that's the one that ended up in the village, the Eckerd's. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I realize that you don't have to provide us with the same information that you may have to provide to the planning board. MR. GORDON: What is the information that you need? Anything that you're interested in, we will look into providing it to you. Certainly feel free to tell us. MR. CAPPILLETTI: The way the property is situated, it's too small. We even tried to back into retail and it wouldn't pay for itself to put a new retail business on the property. I couldn't get a big enough building to SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ '-'" '-'" 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS be able to pay the mortgage. Even forgetting about the mortgage that I have already on the property, if I had no mortgage, I wouldn't be able to put up a building to support the building itself. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Let me ask you one more question. Did you buy that property after the special use permit was lapsed on that property? MR. CAPPILLETTI: No. It wasn't our intent to use it for a gas station. It was going to be used for car sales. I got involved after the place had closed, because I guess an investigation showed that they had a problem with the furnace in the place and that's why it closed down. The DEC was involved at that point and before they would let them open up again, they had to do a cleanup of the property. So they were walking away from the property because they couldn't do it. I was approached by a real estate agent about the property to find out if I was interested in the property, and to me it looked like a great spot for a car sales place, and that was my main business at the time, and that's how I SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ ......... ....... 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS got involved with the property. Before I got involved, I met with the DEC and asked them what they would require to cleanup, this property. They told me what they would require so I made the deal. I got involved and I figured I'm going to come in and do a clean up walk right in and get my business going. At the same time the town was going through a planning change, I think it was one acre to five acres on car sales, and I just got caught right up in the middle of that. As far as the cleanup I did on that property, I don't even know if you have the history on it. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I remember. MR. CAPPILLETTI: I had nothing to do with the property before, but at that time I said for the price of the property and the price of the cleanup, I will take a shot on doing this. My deal with DEC regarding the remediation of the site, which they witnessed, was I removed all of the tanks, I removed all of the dirt, I piled up the dirt, I did the monitoring. Then they tested the dirt and they gave me a clean bill of health on that property, not that any of that area is SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... ......... '-" 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS clean, but I have a letter that's been submitted to the town saying that all of the remediation that can be done has been done on that property. MR. GORDON: The Department of Environmental Conservation is going to continue to do that monitoring at the filling station. MR. PRAGER: It wouldn't hurt to give us that form also that states that, if you would. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Yes, I will submit them, from the first to the last form, stating that it's done. MR. PRAGER: Can you also submit the date that you purchased the property, the exact date? MR. CAPPILLETTI: Yes. When I did the cleanup, they were on the site. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Basically what you're telling me is that before you got the property, the special use permit had lapsed. MR. CAPPILLETTI: No. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: It hadn't? MR. CAPPILLETTI: No, it had been grand fathered for two years and two years didn't pass. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... '-" ........ 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: So in other words, if you at that time had come in and started to redo it, you could have done it at that time? MR. CAPPILLETTI: That's right. My intention was for car sales, but things were changed at that time. When your town did the planning change, I wasn't aware of it, and then they came out with the five acres and now even that's been changed back down to, I think, three. MR. GORDON: What Mr. Cappi11etti wants to do now is really improve the site. I think you all know that the site is not a very visually pleasing site, and obviously this would greatly improve that aspect of it as well as the cleanup that he's done in the past. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I think we really should have our planner take a look at it too. MR. PRAGER: That's a good idea. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: This is not going to be something simple where you're just going to walk in and walk out with an okay. MR. GORDON: We understand. MR. CAPPILLETTI: I understand. MR. FANUELE: In all of these SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 "-" ........ '-'" 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS easements that you have next to Five Star, is there any way you can purchase the part that you need an easement for? MR. CAPPILLETTI: I don't have to purchase it. We have the easement over it. He couldn't just split up his property, because he would have to go through a site plan change. The easement gives me the right to use that portion of the property and all I would actually be using is half, or three spaces. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I think they're all pretty tight in there. Tire King is in there. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Tire King is up behind us. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I don't think that there is any property that they can let go of either. MR. FANUELE: I'm saying for the easement, he's using the easement pretty heavily as an entrance, and that piece of property couldn't be used for anything else but the entrance, so if you can just purchase that strip, then it would be yours. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Again, it basically SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 .......... '-"" ~ 22 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS is mine. I have the right to that property. He can't say anything if I want to use that property; you know what I'm saying? If he sells it to me, he would have to change his site plan to make me able to do that. MR. FANUELE: I think this question was asked before, but does the area of the site include the easements or does it not include the easements? MR. GORDON: No, it does not. MR. FANUELE: So with the easements, it would be larger? MR. CAPPILLETTI: Yes, I think it's 83 already. The last time we were here for the variances, we all felt that it was going through. We came to the meeting -- and I know a few of you gentlemen were on the board at that time -- there was no opposition from the public, there was absolutely no opposition. I can't speak for now, I don't know what has changed and who moved where, but we had no public opposition to this. There was one letter from one person that came in, and it had to do basically with water quality and not the actual use of the property. The reason we SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ....... ........ '-' 23 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS were turned down at that time was because something was changed in the laws, and as the zoning laws are now, that wouldn't stand in our way. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Well, you know, if you look at this, you're asking for some rather large variances. You figure 2,500 feet from another gas station, and we are supposed to bury that for you? I will bet you're not 200 feet from the other gas station. 1,000 feet -- we don't even know what you are from residential, but that also requires a variance. The size of the lot, you're off 200 feet on the depth and you're providing 153 feet. MR. CAPPILLETTI: I understand. MR. GORDON: Once again, that's due to the unique nature of the property. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: You're asking for a lot. Do you understand what I'm saying? MR. CAPPILLETTI: I understand. The three existing non-conforming is basically what the lot is, I can't change that. The distance to another gas station, there is no question that we are closer. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... ....... ........ 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We suggested before that you go in front of the town and talk to the town board: did you do that? MR. GORDON: We looked into that issue, and at this time the town board isn't making any changes to those particular sections of the code that the person we spoke to was aware of. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We just denied somebody else who was asking for an awful lot less than what you're asking for. This board just denied a Stewart's Shop. MR. GORDON: We are hopefully a different situation than the Stewart's. I.H.O. LEHIGH: Well, everyone is a different to a certain degree. MR. CAPPILLETTI: That gas station was operating for twenty-five years before 7-11 was in there. There was a Shell station on the other property, so they had two full-fledged gas stations running, so as far as the impact to that highway business area, I mean, the impact for that type of use is not that great of an impact. I understand when that happened on 376, when I was before you guys and I was turned down and that was SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 '-'" "-- ........ 25 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS it, because there was a gas station across the street, so on 376 I can understand that. But there was a highway business here and it was a gas station for twenty-five years: the road, if anything, has been improved from what it was when I first purchased the property ten years ago. They put in an extra turning lane, so as far as the impact to anybody, I don't think it will be that great. MR. GORDON: We believe we can meet the standard, that the benefits outweigh the detriment to the community for these types of variances. We will present that to you at the public hearing as well as the written submissions. At this time, we would like to address the SEQRA issues as far as trying to move this ahead to the public hearing. It's an unlisted site and we would request that you take a coordinated review of the site with the zoning board as lead agency. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: You're not in front of the planning board now? MR. GORDON: We are not. They have referred us to the zoning board to get these area SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 --.... ....... "'-'" 26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS variances. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Usually they're the one who handles the SEQRA first, and we have to get an okay from them before we can do anything with that. MR. GORDON: My understanding is that you can declare yourself as lead agency and get a recommendation from the planning board, and that's what we would be requesting from your board. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We will have to check with the planning board then, because we got into trouble with them before with SEQRA and if they're lead agency, we can't do anything with them, we have to wait. MR. GORDON: The planning board has not declared themselves as lead agency yet. We request that you do that. I don't know if you need any further submissions for you to move ahead with that. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I think what we will do is get the rest of the information and we will set up another workshop. Then at that time, before we go to a public hearing, we will decide who is going to be lead agency and look at the SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ...... .,..... ~ 27 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS environmental statement. MR. PRAGER: We should have an application that's correct with all of the variances on it. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Yes, definitely. This isn't prepared the way we usually do it. MR. GORDON: Which one do you have? MR. CAPPILLETTI: I know there was a change in the zoning administration. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We have had a lot of changes around here. MR. PRAGER: It should be on a variance form like this instead of a letter (indicating). You should have it on a form like that. MR. GORDON: MR. PRAGER: MR. GORDON: MR. PRAGER: We just attached it. That's fine. We can resubmit it. Is the first variance Article 5, section 240.18? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: This one is 240.18. MR. PRAGER: Okay. That's all I wanted to check. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: How long do you SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ~ .~ .'-" 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS need to get some other information to us? MR. GORDON: When is the next workshop? When are you scheduling the next workshop? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: The next workshop is going to have a special meeting on the 21st, but you don't want to get involved with that. That's the Cellular One hearing. The next regularly scheduled meeting, I believe, is the 28th. MR. GORDON: How far in advance do you want the information? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: If you want to make it then, you can just call the secretary and let her know, and she will put you on the 28th, or you could go to December 12th. MR. GORDON: If I can just review it with you. I have your questions regarding the easements, the distances from the properties, basically the history of the site and the day it was purchased. Did you want to have your planner take a look at the property before the next meeting? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I'm going to ask SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ~ "'-" ~ 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS him if he can clear some time to take a look at this. MR. GORDON: We would like to come down whenever he wants to do that. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I would have to call him and find out what is good and get back to you with that. MR. GORDON: We will revise the application so it sets forth all of the different variances requested. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Probably the 12th would be the better date. It will give you more time. If you want to, you can put it on the 28th. MR. GORDON: Why don't we put it down for the 12th right now. I think that would be best. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We will put it down as workshop, and then you can also go to the 26th for a public hearing if we have got everything done at that time. MR. CAPPILLETTI: Information-wise you want the planner to come and give you more information? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I want him to take SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ......... '-" '-" 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS a look at the site. MR. CAPPILLETTI: I'm talking about the guy we are hiring to make a presentation, do you want that at the workshop or when do you want that? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: No, at the public hearing. MR. GORDON: Generally, how long before the workshop do you like to have the information submitted? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Well, it takes We like to review it awhile to get it out for us. before we come to the meeting. MR. GORDON: Is two weeks okay? CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: That's why I suggested the 12th, so as soon as you can get it in, get it in. MR. PRAGER: Then it's got to get mailed to us. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We need time to go over it and everything else. MR. GORDON: And if I could request that you address the SEQRA issue and your lead agency status, that would be good. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ ...... ~ 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I don't really like to do that until I check with the planning board to make sure that they're not. MR. GORDON: Check with whoever you need to check with. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Well, do you know whether they have declared themselves as lead agency or not, on the planning board? MS. LUKIANOFF: I haven't heard anything like that. MR. GORDON: They had a brief meeting. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: How much on the environmental statement have you got done, or you don't believe you need any? MR. GORDON: We have done the short form right now. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: You haven't done the long form? MR. GORDON: No, but we can do that. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I would imagine that you're going to eventually end up before the planning board if you get an okay here, and you're going to have to do a long form for them, I would SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ..... .~ ....... 32 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS imagine. So you might just as well do it for us. MR. GORDON: If you're lead agency and you request it. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I will entertain a motion for the Zoning Board of Appeals to be the lead agency. MR. FANUELE: I think we are too premature to be lead agency. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: They don't want to do it right at this time. MR. GORDON: We can take it up at the next workshop. We will have time. We will submit the long form EAF. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: You're going to do that anyway. They don't want to do it. So is there anything else you need? MR. PRAGER: Not that I can think of right now. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Okay. I guess that's it for right now. MR. GORDON: Thanks very much. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Thomas Genova. MR. GENOVA: Good evening. I am here to try to get a variance for a side yard setback SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ........ ......... ~ 33 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS in the town in order to install an above-ground pool. We have an issue that puts it too close to the house and away from the site property line. We have an availability of eighteen feet where we wouldn't have to disturb the existing house, which has previously been built onto the house. There is nowhere else on the property that we can install the pool. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Is that because of the topography? MR. GENOVA: Yes, in part. In part it's the topography and the other part is because of a privacy safety issue. This is a side back yard and the only other place we could put it is in the side front yard, which would be too close to the road, so for safety and privacy that's really not good or acceptable. This particular spot provides some semblance of safety from the street and also for the privacy of the pool; there will be a fence at some point. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: This pool, I assume, is not in the ground yet? MR. GENOVA: Correct. We started to put it in, we dug the hole, so to speak, and it's SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ....... ....... ~ 34 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS put in the ground a little bit. We thought we needed ten-foot setback, but actually we needed twenty-five feet. So we started the work, and we stopped the work, and we are here seeking a variance. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: okay. MR. PRAGER: Who is building the pool? MR. GENOVA: Leisure Tech, they're on Route 376. MR. PRAGER: Did anybody apply for a permit? Did you get a permit? MR. GENOVA: Yes. MS. LUKIANOFF: They came to me; because of the building application problem, the applications come across my desk and that's why I saw it. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: So you denied it and now they're here? MR. PRAGER: Good; that's what I want to make sure of. MR. GENOVA: We were told we needed ten feet, and we needed twenty-five. MR. FANUELE: How much is dug? SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 .......... ........ '-'"" 35 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS MR. GENOVA: Well, actually a little bit of the area is into the ground, but the whole thing was done. MR. FANUELE: You said that you're on a corner lot: where is the street, on this side or this side (indicating)? MR. GENOVA: The street comes up like this (indicating). MR. FANUELE: You said you're on a corner, so do you have streets on both sides? MR. GENOVA: It's more of a T. We are at the top of the T, so to speak, the road goes this way and the road goes that way (indicating). MR. FANUELE: In other words, the road only goes on one side of your property? MR. GENOVA: Correct, right along the front corner of the T. It's not on the corner across. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Well, it's already dug, so we can go out and take a look at it and we will see right where it's at. MR. FANUELE: Yes, I would like to see it. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 ~ ........ ~ 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: So, do I hear a motion to be lead agency of this one? MR. WARREN: So moved. MR. FANUELE: Second. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: All in favor? MR. diPIERNO: Aye. MR. WARREN: Aye. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Aye. MR. PRAGER: Aye. MR. FANUELE: Aye. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: On Saturday, we will come out and do an inspection and take a look at it at 9:30. MR. PRAGER: I can't make it at 9:30. We have got a few things going on. MR. FANUELE: Can you make it earlier? MR. PRAGER: I can make it at 7:00. But I will just go on my own. MR. FANUELE: So what is it, 9:30? MR. diPIERNO: Yes, 9:30. MR. PRAGER: I will come probably some evening. You don't necessarily have to be there. I just want to see what the board does. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 37 ......... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 """ 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ...... 24 25 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: We will take a look at it on saturday and put you down for the meeting on the 28th; all right? MR. GENOVA: That's fine. Thank you, gentlemen. Good night. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Good night. Is Mr. Tomlins here yet? (No response) CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: I guess he's not coming. Does anybody else have anything to say? (No response) CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Do I have a motion to close the hearing? MR. PRAGER: So moved. MR. WARREN: Second. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: All in favor? MR. diPIERNO: Aye. MR. WARREN: Aye. CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Aye. MR. PRAGER: Aye. SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988 38 1 ....... 2 MR. FANUELE: Aye. 3 CHAIRMAN LEHIGH: Thank you. 4 5 (Whereupon the hearing was closed 6 at 8:15 p.m.) 7 C E R T I F I CAT ION 8 9 I, KIMBERLY BURKE, a Court Reporter and 10 Notary Public in and for the state of New York, do 11 hereby certify that I recorded stenographically 12 the proceedings herein at the time and place noted 13 in the heading hereof, and that the foregoing is "'- 14 an accurate and complete transcript of same, to 15 the best of my knowledge and belief. 16 17 18 \ /'\JJ~ ~~~- ~ , KIMBERLY BURKE 19 20 21 Dated: November 28th, 2000 22 23 ........... 24 25 SCHMIEDER & ASSOCIATES 914-452-1988