ANTRIM PLANNING BOARD MEETING
December 4, 2008 Meeting
Members & Staff Present: Scott Burnside (Member), Diane Chauncey (Staff), Bradley Houseworth (Staff), Joe Koziell (Member), Andrew Robblee (Chair), Sandy Snow (Member), Missy Taylor (Member), Kathi Wasserloos (Member), CR Willeke (Alternate)
Member & Staff Absent: Steve Schacht (Ex-Officio)
Public Attendees:
Win & Lepa Lin (Residents), Shannon Mc Manus (AT & T Data Collector),
Ben Pratt (Resident), Douglas Wilkins, (Lawyer -Anderson & Krieger)
Public Meeting: Chair Robblee convened the public meeting at 7:15 PM.
Approval of Planning Board Meeting Minutes: Mr. Willeke proposed changes to the Board’s November 20, 2008 meeting minutes, specifically the section regarding the discussion with Mr. Tom Davis about the potential re-zoning of the Highway Business District along Rt. 9 in Antrim. After a short discussion about Mr. Willeke’s proposed revisions to the meeting minutes, Mr. Burnside moved to
approve the minutes of the November 20, 2008 Board meeting as corrected. Mr. Snow seconded the motion and the minutes were approved by all members. Ms. Taylor abstained from voting on the approval of the meeting minutes as she was not present at the November 20 Board meeting. There was a short discussion concerning posting the draft minutes on the website. Some members felt that the minutes should not be posted until they had been approved by the Planning Board members. Mr. Koziell made a motion stating that only the approved minutes will be posted on the website. Chair Robblee seconded it, and it was unanimously approved by all.
Public Hearings: NONE
Business Meeting:
Conceptual Consultation – New Cingular Wireless, PCS, LLC (AT&T) Personal Wireless Service Facility (PWSF) proposal for the Dunlap’s property at 22 High Street (244-006):
Chair Robblee invited Attorney Douglas Wilkins to present the AT&T proposal for a new PWSF in the Town of Antrim. For his presentation, Attorney Wilkins had prepared three handouts to aid in his explanation of the proposed site:
(1.) Color coded topographical maps representing:
a. Existing AT&T cell phone coverage in and around Antrim
b. Planned AT&T cell phone coverage in and around Antrim with the proposed
PWSF
c. Planned AT&T cell phone coverage in and around Antrim without the proposed
PWSF
(2.) AT&T's Alternative Sites Analysis (including comments regarding feasibility for co-location) with three tables:
Table 1 - Existing Communications Towers - not enough coverage
Table 2 - Existing Buildings and Structures - none of these sites will give enough coverage
Table 3 - Raw Land Sites - None of these sites will work
(3.) Google Maps which marked existing or possible locations: Deering (Wolf Pit Road tower; Hillsboro (Bible Hill tower); Nelson (Old Stoddard Road tower); Antrim (Aiken Street Building); Antrim (Town Hall steeple); Antrim (Church steeple); Antrim (Church steeple); and Antrim (water tower).
The following are questions from the Planning Board and AT&T's agents' responses:
· How is the radio frequency affected? Limited by topography, vegetatation and physical structures. Physical restrictions affect the signal capabilities. The signal needs to be above 'stuff’.
· Does the signal need to be above vegetation and buildings? - Yes
· Do the handouts say that the proposed site is the only possible site? Ms. McManus (data collection for AT &T) explained that she is given a 'search ring'. She gathers data information within the specified area, and reports the information to the Radio Frequency engineer. From this information, the engineer concurred that the water tower is too low, that there were gaps and holes in the coverage, and that a location closer to Main Street was necessary.
· Could AT&T place their antenna on another existing tower and get the same coverage? Attorney Wilkins said no, but that AT&T would encourage other cell companies to place their equipment on the proposed tower. It is cheaper to collocate but there is no tower on which to place the AT&T antenna. Ms. McManus explained that developing cell coverage can be compared to putting a puzzle together -- filling in the correct pieces to get the whole picture.
· After numerous questions concerning the use of existing structures, Attorney Wilkins said that AT&T would be willing to do another plot to show coverage if existing structures were used.
· Is AT&T mostly concerned with the more populated areas of the community? Yes
· What does the Antrim Ordinance say concerning height regulations? Mr. Houseworth read from Article XIV-B-6-a (1). Height, Maximum: In no case shall A PWSF exceed one hundred (100) feet in height, unless the mount for the facility was greater than one hundred (100) feet in height prior to the adoption of this Article.
· Would it be a one hundred (100) foot monopole? Yes
· What would the rent be? $1000 - $1500 per month
· Is the fall out zone completely on the proposed location? Yes
· Attorney Wilkins wanted to know what he could do to make process easier
The Planning Board members agreed that it would be very good for the Town of Antrim to have a PSWF located on a town owned parcel. There was some discussion concerning the day to day operations of a PWSF, that the site would be checked twice a month, while a remote system monitors daily operations. The construction phase of the proposed project would include heavy construction vehicles and deliveries - many of which would be on a one time basis.
Mr. Houseworth discussed the procedure for the New Cingular Wireless, PCS, LLC - PWSF Proposal. His handout outlined the process for a conceptual consultation… ". Once the determination of existing structure vs. ground-mounted facility for the location of the proposed PWSF is made, the Planning Board can evaluate what variances or special exceptions will be required to be obtained by the applicant from the ZBA for their proposal…At this point, the Planning Department staff will most likely be recommending that the Planning Board consider tabling the site plan review application and scheduling a joint meeting/hearing between the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment." Mr. Houseworth went on to say that the Planning Department Staff recommends the PB and ZBA get legal advice from Town Counsel prior to the
formal meetings/hearings and strongly encourages the Board to consider hiring an expert consultant (i.e. Radio Frequency [RF] engineer or other specialist) to review the PWSF application, plans, and various materials. Attorney Wilkins thanked the Board for their time.
Questions concerning Maharishi Global Development: Ms. Taylor introduced Wen and Lepa Lin who own the 'Flint Mansion' abutting the former Hawthorne College - now owned by Maharishi Global Development. Mr. & Mrs. Lin were concerned that they had not been properly informed of the status of the proposed, private high school. Mr. Houseworth explained that although the Planning Department has been informed of the proposed school, no formal application has been submitted to date. Before any new commercial development occurs, or a change of use is triggered by the property owner, a site plan review is required by the Planning Board and the associated public hearing, with abutter notification, would occur. Mr. Houseworth encouraged the Lins to visit Town Hall to view the Maharishi Global Development's proposed development
file. Chair Robblee thanked the Lins for attending the public meeting and expressing their concerns.
Further discussions of the PWSF: Mr. Houseworth noted that the PWSF ordinance states that "the Planning Board, at its discretion, may hire an expert of its choice to review applications. Such experts may include, but not be limited to Planning Experts, Technical Experts, Engineering Experts, Legal Experts, and Surveying Experts. All such expenses incurred shall be borne by the applicant." (Article XIVB. 8. a.) The Board agreed that the placement of a PWSF on Town of Antrim land would be good for the town and that it would be very helpful to hire an expert consultant for review of the PWSF application and proposal.
Master Plan – Chapter Review Session:
Ms. Taylor had three (3) new chapters for the Planning Board:
Traffic and Transportation
Current Land Use
Future Land Use
She encouraged the Board to enjoy reading the new chapters. Mrs. Wasserloos commended Ms. Taylor on her hard work.
Torino Development Company, LLC; File # 2007-17PB, Map 216, Lot 1 - Proposal to extend the one year deadline for all conditions of approval to be met: Mr. Robert Pace (applicant) for Torino Development Company, LLC has requested a one (1) year extension of the April 17, 2009 deadline for all conditions of approval to be met. On April 17, 2008, Torino Development Company, LLC received conditional approval from the Planning Board for their seven (7) lot, residential subdivision proposal for property located on Concord Street (Rt. 202) and Old Milk Road (Tax Map 216, Lot 1) in Antrim in the Highway Business District. Mr. Houseworth explained that the ‘Town of Antrim Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations,’ Section IV, C.4., requires that “all conditions of approval granted by the Planning Board
must be met within one year from the date conditional approval is granted.” In his letter to the Board, Mr. Pace wrote - "We fully intend to meet all conditions of the approval and complete the project. However, due to the current economic downturn, we will need additional time to adequately address the conditions." Mr. Houseworth, felt that there is no problem with Torino Development Company's proposal to extend the conditional approval deadline to April 17, 2010, and also commended their approach of contacting the Planning Board well before the deadline date. After a brief discussion, Mr. Koziell made the motion to extend the Torino Development Company, LLC conditional approval deadline from April 17, 2009 to April 17, 2010. Ms. Taylor seconded it. A roll call vote was taken as follows: Mr. Koziell, aye; Chair Robblee, aye; Mr. Burnside, aye; Mrs. Wasserloos, aye; Mr. Snow, aye; and Ms. Taylor, aye. The motion passes unanimously in the affirmative. Mr.
Houseworth will write a letter to inform Torino Development Company, LLC of the Boards’ decision.
Review of the Proposed Changes to the ‘Antrim Subdivision and Site Plan Review Regulations’:
Regulations to be changed or added:
Subdivision Regulations - Mr. Houseworth is working on these.
Road Regulations
Meeting Reminder: The next Board Meeting begins at 5:00 PM on Thursday, December 18, 2008 for the CIP committee’s presentation of the 2009-2014 Capital Improvement Plan to the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen.
Correspondences:
Important Dates Leading Up To 2009 Town Meeting – Deadlines
Falcigno, Paul – Carport within the setback area at 60 Wheelers Cove Rd.
At 9:30 pm, Mr. Burnside moved to adjourn the meeting, which was seconded by Ms. Taylor, and unanimously agreed upon by all. Chair Robblee adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane Chauncey, Planning Assistant
On Behalf of the Antrim Planning Board
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