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Residents urge planning board to prioritize scenic‑road character over tower at 409 Green Street
Summary
Several residents told the Planning Board a metal monopole would be out of character in the town’s agritourism corridor and asked the board to require more extensive camouflage or seek alternative sites; the board asked the applicant for documentation of outreach and cost comparisons.
Residents and online participants strongly criticized the proposed monopole’s visual impact in a scenic, farmland corridor that draws tourists for apple‑related events. Sharon Barubi of 359 Green Street said the pole would not blend into the landscape and that paint would be insufficient.
"Painting a 135‑foot pole — I say don’t waste your money on the paint. It’s not gonna make one bit of difference," Barubi said during the public‑comment period. Other speakers, including John Cogswell (483 Green Street) and Adam Mosofsky (354 Green Street), urged the board to insist on stronger concealment or to insist the applicant exhaust nearby alternatives before permitting the structure.
Board members acknowledged the tension between federal limitations on zoning review and local aesthetics. The applicant offered mitigation measures — painting, additional planting and removal of certain existing poles — but said large camouflage structures such as a faux silo or barn are cost‑prohibitive. The board voted to continue the hearing and asked the applicant to provide written evidence of outreach to alternative parcels and—if feasible—cost comparisons before reconvening on Aug. 10.
