Hawk’s Nest tower still open for discussion

Will be ‘for a long time’

By SARAH KOENIG

HUGUENOT — The Town of Deerpark Planning Board, who held a public meeting Wednesday, December 12 to hear residents’ comments on a proposed wireless telecommunications tower on property owned by the Hawk’s Nest Hunting Club, extended the deadline for public comment until Saturday, December 22 in order to accommodate anyone unable to attend the meeting.

Following a presentation by Frank Ferraro, Esq., who questioned a number of experts who testified that other sites for the cellular tower had been looked into and that Hawk’s Nest was the best of the possible locations, several residents voiced concerns that ranged from health issues and aviation safety to aesthetics.

Resident Jean Scott read from a number of websites chronicling the detrimental health effects of cell towers, which she submitted to the planning board as evidence. This argument was countered by radio frequency engineer Raymond Kim, who said that, based on the height of the proposed tower, 180 feet expandable to 199 feet, the exposure to harmful radio waves would be minimal.

Ferraro also brought up the fact, confirmed by the board, that according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the possible negative health impact of a tower could not be a factor in denying the application, and that the FCC had strict regulations that towers had to follow.

Ira S. Zaroff, representing Nextel Communications, Inc., the service provider that hoped to provide service to the tower, said that the tower would provide not only business and personal telecommunications, but would enable emergency calls. “Cell phones can really save lives,” he said. Currently, Deerpark and Port Jervis have difficulty with emergency communications.

Also present at the meeting was Phil Chase, the Deerpark representative to the Upper Delaware Council (UDC), who read a letter from Bill Douglass, Executive Director of the UDC.

The letter, sent to the planning board December 12, stated that although the proposed site of the cell tower is “just outside the [Town of Deerpark] RRC (Recreational River Corridor) zoning district that corresponds with the Upper Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River corridor boundary.” The letter expressed concerns “about possible adverse visual impacts on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational corridor.” The letter suggests the use of “available camouflage and stealth technology” to minimize the visual impact.

Tests conducted by SBA Properties, Inc., the telecommunications company who plans to erect the tower, submitted into evidence during the meeting, showed computer renderings of the tower at its proposed height at various geographical points. SBA also showed computer renderings of the tower making use of the “available camouflage and stealth technology,” which Ferraro maintained would make it more obvious to passers-by.

Willard Wilson, chairman of the planning board, reiterated to the audience that the process of approving the cell tower was only in the beginning stages, pointing out that there were procedures to follow and that if the tower was to ultimately win approval, it wouldn’t be “for a long time.”

Diane Rainey, spokesperson for Nextel, approved the idea of taking things one step at a time, and said, “We tread carefully, in respect for the community as well. We want to be a good business neighbor.”