Planning agency refers proposed Floyd Bennett wireless tower as matter of local concern

The Washington County Planning Agency voted to refer a proposed wireless communications facility near the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport to the county planner as a "matter of local concern." The action came during the agency's May meeting after staff summarized the site's application materials and ancillary reviews.

Pam, a planning agency staff member, told the agency the application proposes the Floyd Bennett Wireless Communications Facility at 224 Park Road and includes a new monopole roughly 124 feet tall with obstruction lighting, three face-mounted panel antennas at about 115 feet, ground-level telecommunications equipment in a roughly 50-by-50-foot fenced compound, a 12-foot gravel access drive from Park Road, an emergency backup generator, and underground power and fiber connections. She said the Federal Aviation Administration requested a beacon on the tower because of the nearby airport and that the project is within 500 feet of the Town of Plainsbury municipal border and will provide dedicated signal coverage to parts of the Town of Kingsbury.

The staff report noted the land lease for the site is with Washington County Sewer District No. 1 and that a local resolution, identified as Resolution 158, was passed on May 17 of last year approving the lease agreement. Pam also told the agency the Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) indicates the site has a pending Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) investigation and that contamination was identified; she described it as a report of "fluoro" contamination in the record.

Board members asked whether paperwork was complete. One planning agency member said he had no concerns, and the group discussed whether the item should be treated as a local matter. The agency made a motion to refer the project to the county planner as a matter of local concern; the motion carried with members voting in favor. The agency chair said staff will send a referral letter to the Warren County planning director.

Discussion versus decision: the agency's referral is a local planning action to notify and involve the county planner; it is not a building permit or final approval for construction. The record shows staff concluded the application included required studies, including an FAA analysis and site plans, but also flagged the DEC investigation on the property as outstanding. The referral triggers county-level review and does not change FAA, DEC, or other permitting processes that may apply.

Next steps: the planning agency will forward a letter to the Warren County planning director, and the county planner and state agencies that hold regulatory authority (FAA, DEC) remain responsible for technical and permit decisions related to air navigation lighting and environmental remediation.