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Neighbors and conservation advisers urge denial or redesign of proposed Homeland Towers monopole on Route 22
Summary
At a reopened public hearing, residents, a conservation advisory committee member and counsel for a nearby property owner told the Ancram Planning Board the Homeland Towers/Verizon Wireless proposal would violate the town's scenic-overlay and telecommunications rules and urged further study; the board continued the hearing to May 7 for additional review and written responses.
The board reopened the public hearing on a proposed Homeland Towers monopole for Route 22. Applicant representative David Kenny said his client had identified tree removal and construction timing issues and was exploring construction options that might reduce tree clearing; he offered to respond in writing to commenters before the next hearing.
Neighboring-property counsel Christopher Davis said his clients live roughly 150 feet away from the proposed tower location and urged the board to consider aesthetics, fall-zone setbacks and the town's scenic-overlay protections. "The tower is only 15 feet away from Route 22," he said, pressing the board to require a fuller record and consider a positive declaration and environmental review. The Conservation Advisory Committee member argued the design is not camouflaged as required by local law and said the tower would be visually intrusive in the scenic corridor.
Multiple residents, including a property owner who said the parcel had been part of a land conservancy, and a longtime resident who said the valley's character could be harmed, urged careful review. A commenter who compared Cityscape's report to the planning-board consultant RFP said the Cityscape scope did not include requested field verification or a least-intrusive-alternatives matrix. Cityscape's Elizabeth told the board the firm performed the scope it was hired for and did not prepare a response to the board's RFP. The board voted to continue the public hearing to May 7 to allow written responses and consultant circulation.
