Planners get little notice about cell tower balloon test

By Jay Braman Jr., Correspondent Daily Freeman February 14, 2006

Despite Shandaken town planners wanting ample notice of the date and time for a test to gauge the visual impact of a proposed 190-foot cell tower, applicant Masterpage Inc. moved ahead with the test on Saturday after giving officials less than 24 hours notice.
At a Planning Board session last Wednesday, many of the seven members complained of not being kept in the loop about such an important test.
Masterpage owner Kevin Kellerhouse has attended a few Planning Board meetings since last fall and has supplied some information on his plan to build the tower on town of Shandaken land near Glenbrook Park off state Route 42 in the hamlet of Shandaken. He has yet to submit a site plan for the project, and planners have sent him away after his visits with requests for further information.
On Wednesday, Planning Board Chairwoman Joan Munster openly complained that she had heard informally that the balloon test was scheduled for some time during the week of Feb. 12. She added that such a test, designed to give an indication of what type of visual impact the structure would have on the community, should be well publicized to the board and certainly be one conducted when planners could view the results.
The rest of the board agreed.
"Even if they have a tentative date set, they should let the board know so at least the board could schedule it tentatively," said planner Keith Holmquist.
"If they're planning tests, we should know more than the day before," added planner Beth Waterman.
But on Saturday, even before it was light out, that's just what happened.
Town Code Enforcement Officer Glenn Miller said he got a call from Masterpage on Friday saying they were doing the test the next day at 5 a.m.
"I got the call and I notified all the Planning Board members," Miller said. "They (Masterpage) had it up as late as 8:30 that morning."
Miller said he wasn't sure if it was appropriate to give the Planning Board less than 24 hours notice of the test. He added that he had not spoken to anyone yet that had seen the test.
Masterpage proposes to build a 140-foot tall tower with another 50 feet of antenna on top.
Last fall the Town Board authorized town Supervisor Robert Cross Jr. to enter into a lease agreement with Masterpage to use the site. The towns officials' Web site states that a copy of the lease is available for inspection at the Town Hall and is subject to the right to a permissive referendum. It could not be determined Monday whether the lease has been signed.
Kellerhouse could not be reached for comment. He is expected to appear before the Planning Board next month

.©Daily Freeman 2006

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