Antenna board deems Verizon Hartsdale fire station filing incomplete over missing RF, noise and insurance details

The Greenburgh Antenna Review Board voted May 6 to deem Verizon’s application to co‑locate antennas at 300 West Hartsdale Avenue (the Hartsdale fire station) incomplete, saying the filing omitted several technical and documentation items the board requires for final review.

The Chair said the submission, resubmitted April 29 after an original 2023 filing, lacked a clear, front‑sheet explanation of the structural report’s percent values and — most critically — did not show per‑antenna and combined radio‑frequency (RF) exposure totals for all installations on the site, including municipal antennas for police, fire and county. "We need a total explanation of how the numbers are obtained," the Chair said, adding the board would seek to codify that requirement to avoid inconsistent submissions.

Why it matters: the board uses per‑antenna and combined RF totals to verify worst‑case exposure calculations and to confirm compliance with applicable safety guidelines; without a transparent methodology and a complete antenna inventory, reviewers said they could not determine whether the site meets the Town’s standards.

Presenter (S3), the applicant’s technical representative, said the report uses standard predictive modeling (EBI’s theoretical MPE modeling with IXUS software) and follows the Federal Communications Commission Office of Engineering and Technology guidance (Bulletin 65) to estimate power densities. "EBI has performed theoretical MPE modeling using IXUS software to estimate the worst‑case power density…" the Presenter said, but board members said the filing must include a clearer breakdown and the separate municipal antenna contributions rather than lumping values together.

The board also flagged a missing, or insufficient, noise compliance demonstration. Although the transcript references an acoustical evaluation dated Sept. 19, 2023, the Chair said the current response did not include an acceptable noise profile showing compliance with Chapter 380 of the Town of Greenburgh code and asked the applicant to supply a noise report that explicitly shows compliance.

Other required corrections the board listed: a clear plan and diagram showing approximate locations, sizes, elevations and heights of all proposed and existing antennas and appurtenant structures; identification of antenna ownership (who owns each whip/antenna); a description and photograph of concealment elements and fence condition (including slat condition and any repairs needed); and corrected insurance documentation that names the Town of Greenburgh as an additional insured and lists the antenna site postal address. Committee members noted workers' compensation entries must use the correct ZIP code (10607 for Greenburgh; 10603 applies to White Plains).

The board conducted a completeness vote, and the Chair moved that the application be deemed incomplete. The motion passed by voice vote; the board paused the recording so the Chair could take a stamped copy to the building department and asked staff to email the applicant a copy of the stamped file. The Chair then moved to adjourn and the meeting ended.

What’s next: the applicant was asked to resubmit with (1) an explicit, front‑sheet explanation of structural acceptance thresholds; (2) per‑antenna RF values and a combined worst‑case total that includes municipal antennas; (3) an acoustical/noise compliance report showing Chapter 380 conformity; (4) a clear plan identifying all appurtenances, ownership and colors/condition; and (5) corrected insurance and workers' compensation information. The board indicated it will require the clarified RF‑calculation disclosure in future filings to avoid inconsistent results.