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Verizon proposes 50-foot utility pole with microcell near Big Indian; ZBA schedules June public hearing
Summary
Verizon attorneys told the Town of Shandaken Zoning Board of Appeals they want to install a roughly 47.6-foot wooden utility pole topped with a small microcell to fill service gaps along Route 28; the board scheduled a public hearing for June 17 at 6:45 p.m.
Verizon Wireless representatives told the Town of Shandaken Zoning Board of Appeals on May 20 that the company plans to install a roughly 47.6-foot wooden utility pole near the Big Indian Fire Company on Route 28 and mount a small CAN/microcell antenna to improve local coverage. James LaValle, outside counsel for Verizon, said the antenna element is about 2.5 feet long and roughly 18 inches wide and that the microcell would provide roughly 0.3–0.5 miles of coverage depending on topography.
"So in short, what Verizon's looking to do is looking to install a 47.6 foot, wooden utility pole at a Firehouse Road where the Big Indian Fire Company is," LaValle said, walking the board through the packet's engineering assessment and photo simulations. LaValle said the proposal is intended to help fill multiple coverage gaps along the Route 28 corridor — he cited roughly "4.1 miles of absolutely no service" on one stretch — and stressed the work is part of a larger, multimillion‑dollar upgrade across Ulster County.
LaValle explained that under the town telecom rules, new telecommunications facilities must meet setback and co-location requirements but that the proposed microcell on a utility pole cannot meet standard setbacks without relief. He noted the site has an executed ground‑lease with the fire company and that the submission includes an engineering necessity case and photo simulations showing the pole and antenna appearance. Board members asked about exact setback distances and co‑location possibilities; LaValle said the packet includes schematics and that Verizon can provide marked drawings with measured distances on request.
The board voted to schedule a public hearing on the Verizon application for June 17 at 6:45 p.m. and discussed referral requirements to county planning. LaValle confirmed GML 239‑m referrals to county planning will be needed for projects within 500 feet of a municipal road. No variances were granted at the meeting; the hearing is set for the board to consider public comment and any required referrals.
