Minutes of the Planning Board Meeting held in the Town Hall basement meeting room, 11 South Main Street, Pittsford, on November 12 2001, and filed in the Town Clerk s Office PRESENT: ALSO PRESENT: Bill Brizee Nancy Sprenkle Daniel Mossien Cary Smith David Wigg David Jefferson Richard Palumbo Richard Williams II, Planning Board Attorney Martin Brewster, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Douglas DeRue, Planning Assistant Linda Dzakowic, Planning Secretary Karen Green, Town Board Bill Brizee called the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board to order at 7:35 p.m. SBA Properties, Inc Site Plan Special Permit 5692 Palmyra Road Tax Parcel #165.09-1-12 Nextel was represented by Mr. Jeff Scherzer of SBA Properties, Inc. Nancy Sprenkle, point person, read the conditioned resolution granting Nextel preliminary site plan/ special permit conditioned approval to construct a telecommunications tower at 80' camouflaged as a monopine, not to exceed 10-15' above the existing tree line. The resolution passed with none opposed and Bill Brizee abstaining. A copy of the resolution is attached. SBA Properties Inc., on behalf of Cingular Wireless was represented by Cathy J. Bardenstein, Esq., Nancy Sprenkle read the SEQRA Resolution indicating the Planning Board prepared Part II of the EAF, together with a Visual EAF Addendum. The unlisted action may have a significant negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods and The Planning Board made a Positive Declaration of Significance regarding the application. The resolution passed with none opposed and Bill Brizee abstaining. SBA Properties Inc., on behalf of AT&T was also represented by Cathy Bardenstein, Esq. Nancy Sprenkle dispensed with reading the SEQRA Resolution and indicated the Planning Board prepared Part II of the EAF, together with a Visual EAF Addendum and the unlisted action may have a significant negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. The Planning Board made a Positive Declaration of Significance 1
regarding the application. The resolution passed with none opposed and Bill Brizee abstaining. Cloverwood Senior Living Inc. Tobey Road PUD Southwest corner of Rt. 252 and Rt. 65 Tax Parcel #163.02-1-35.111 & 163.02-1-35.121 The applicant was not present and the hearing was continued. Syncor Radiopharmacy Special Permit 830 Linden Avenue Tax Parcel #138.45-18 Thomas Fink of Davidson, Fink, Cook Kelly & Galbraith, LLP, as agent for Syncor Radiopharmacy presented a review of the request for Special Permit indicating Syncor is not new to the area having occupied offices at Linden Oaks Office Park from 1993 until its relocation in June of 2001 to 830 Linden Avenue. Mr. Dan Murphy a regional pharmacy compliance specialist for Syncor indicated Syncor s operating record is clear and the company is regulated by the NYS Department of Labor, the DEC and the NYS Board of Pharmacy which ensure safety standards are in place. Mr. Murphy commented that site inspections are regularly conducted by these departments. Mr. Murphy also reported Syncor serves hospitals and clinics in metropolitan Rochester dispensing low level radioactive material as a valuable tool for medical treatment, diagnosis and therapy. Mr. Murphy further explained the material has a limited life and is mostly in capsule form. He indicated that when the material is in a liquid state it is in a lead or tungsten shielded container. He did note that per DEC specifications Syncor is allowed to release a certain level of vented material and that any release is carefully monitored. Bill Brizee asked if Syncor or its competitors in the area have had any accidents. Mr. Murphy commented he was unaware of any problems related to Syncor and could not address competitors. Dan Murphy explained Syncors employees are well trained and the building is secure. Tracy Bilhorn has been Syncors pharmacy manager since 1990 except when she was on leave to have her two children. She indicated safety standards are in place and the materials are patient specific and used for diagnosis or treatment. 2
Bill Brizee explained the DRC report process to those present and indicated copies would be made available for their review if requested. Alan Knauf representing Mr. Shelton the general manager of Univeral Imports located next door to Syncor, indicated opposition to Syncor s application. Mr. Knauf indicated this request is before the wrong board and that it s use is not permitted at this location. Mr. Knauf explained by his interpretation of Town Code that Syncor is not an allowed use by Special Permit because Syncor s hazardous materials are their core business, not ancillary to a core business. Mr. Knauf also feels that Syncor is not an appropriate use in the Light Industrial Zone. Rich Williams, Planning Board attorney, commented this is a pharmaceutical manufacturer not a pharmacy. Don Allen operates an insurance agency at 800 Linden Avenue. He is against this application. Mr. Allen expressed concern regarding the possible risk of radioactive exposure and it s probable impact on the quality of the neighborhood which could cause business and property values to fluctuate. Walter Shelton of Universal Imports is also opposed to this application. He sited danger to the environment, decrease in property values and health concerns if an accident took place. Mr. Murphy,of Syncor, indicated the venting of a small volume of radioactive material is allowed by the DEC and it is carefully monitored. He does, however, understand the neighbors concerns and offered residents a tour of the facility. Linda Peck of 4383 East Avenue asked that a list of materials be read and she asked if employees wore gloves or used a shield while working. She also asked if a security system was employed. Mr. Murphy read the description of the materials Mrs. Peck requested and restated Syncor has a security system in place and it is monitored by the appropriate agencies. Steven Shore, Syncors regional operations manager, confirmed the building has a secure entry, alarm system and monitoring procedure. He indicated employees wear rubber gloves and work behind a leaded glass shield when assembling the product. Michael Mercer of EJ DelMonte located at 909 Linden Avenue is opposed to this activity and voiced concerns regarding how vehicles transporting these materials are protected should an accident occur. He also expressed concerns regarding training levels for parttime employees. Marty Brewster clarified for the record that at the time Syncor approached the Town regarding occupying the building, there would not have been a special permit procedure 3
before the Planning Board. Subsequent to that initial contact code modifications adopted by the Town Board subjected the storage of hazardous material ancillary to use a to special permit. There was no further comment and the hearing is continued. SBA/AT&T Cellular Facilities Clover St. & Jefferson Rd. (NYMO Line) Tax Parcel #163.02-01-061.1 Jeff Scherzer, representative for the applicant indicated this application is for co-location on Niagara Mohawk s existing power line structure by means of attaching a pole through the center of the tower 9' above the tower. There is no need for horizontal support as the tower provides enough vertical support. Nancy Sprenkle commented there were no specifications or photos and requested the street location. Jeff indicated the proposed tower is located at Route 252 and Clover Street and is important to the entire system. He mentioned the Stone Road and Clover Street location was the original choice, however, the Route 252 and Clover Street location allows better land use and road coverage. George Drysdale a senior rf engineer indicated the NiMo lines at Clover Street and Route 252 shows 90' and it is actually 115' The hearing remains open. SBA/AT&T Cellular Facilities Mendon Road & Turtle Creek (NYPA Line) Tax Parcel #192.01-1-44 Jeff Scherzer commented this application would improve coverage along the NYS Thruway and the antenna would be attached directly on the existing New York Power Authority tower. He also indicated outside cabinets would be required. 4
Jeff commented the power lines are not a first choice for co-location due to safety concerns at installation and when servicing the equipment, however, the structure is existing and coverage is required. Rich Palumbo questioned whether coverage gaps would continue to exist. Mr. Scherzer indicated Rt. 65 and the Thruway have an absence of coverage and commented on a site in Henrietta and the possibility of using grain silos to increase coverage. He indicated the Crown site on S. Wilmarth Rd. would not provide adequate coverage at 125'. Nancy Sprenkle questioned the need for equipment sheds and Jeff indicated that sheds are being replaced by cabinets which are much smaller, about 5' x 5' x 2. It s possible that more than 1 cabinet will be necessary for capacity. The hearing remains open. Voicestream Cellular Facilities Knickerbocker Farm Site Tax Parcel #164. Peter Goutos, environmental engineer, for the applicant indicated the 100' monopine proposed at the site could support 2 or 3 co-locators and indicated its height would conform with the surrounding landscape. He noted an 80' monopine would not allow Voicestream adequate coverage. He also indicated the proposed base area is approximately 5' lower than that of the existing monopine. Bill Brizee indicated the Board will look at the technical information and that it would have to be very similar to maintain the viewshed. Nancy Sprenkle requested another photo simulation be provided for review. Richard Lewis of 157 Knickerbocker indicated he against this application. He expressed concern regarding the viewshed and he noted the proposed 100' monopine would stand well above the tallest trees in the area. He presented a letter stating these and other objections to the Board. The Board briefly discussed the application and all members agreed that the proposed 100 foot tree would be inappropriate and a different solution should be found. The hearing remains open. 5
Voicestream Cellular Facilities Lehman Farm Site Tax Parcel #191.02-1-27.1 Peter Goutos indicated the proposed 150' monopole is requested because the position currently available on the existing monopole is too low to meet Voicestream s needs. This proposed monopole has Northcoast interested as a co-locator interested and would have three additional positions available. Richard Palumbo asked the applicant if he could foresee any interference from the existing monopole. Peter indicated interference is not anticipated. The hearing is continued. Other Matters: Peter reported Voicestream would propose co-location at the top of the existing NiMo structure at Clover Street as well as pursuing co-location on the Sisters of St. Joseph Smokestack. The Board indicated a consensus in accepting the Kensington Subdivisions sign. Bill Brizee motioned to accept the minutes of 10/8/01 and 10/22/01. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted by: Linda Dzakowic Planning Secretary 6