Board questions cell tower signage policy

The Warwick Town Planning Board on April 3 raised concerns over placement of suicide-prevention signage as well as the lack of accountability for missed site plan and special-use permit renewal periods during its review of applications from American Tower.

American Tower, which owns wireless communications towers located in the town of Warwick, came before the board to discuss their applications for site plan and special-use permit renewal for two towers located on Tower Lane (off Brady Rd.) and Pysners Peak (off Kain Rd.), respectively.

During the discussion of the applications, members of the planning board questioned American Tower’s insistence that a suicide prevention sign be posted somewhere other than on the property fence. According to the representative of American Tower, posting signage on the fence was against company policy and requested that the suicide prevention sign be posted outside the entrance of the compound.

Planning Board Chairman Ben Astorino said he was not blaming the representative for American Tower’s policy, while also noting the town’s concerns regarding suicide attempts on the towers. Astorino noted that this is a particular issue in wooded areas where the towers are located.

Planning Board Vice Chairman Roger Showalter was among the board members who shared their dislike for the signage policy and asked that his concerns be brought back to American Tower.

“The policy is not good. I disagree with it. I don’t want to kill the messenger, but [suicide] is a huge problem in our country today,” said Showalter.

Along with the issue of suicide prevention signage, the planning board questioned why American Tower had not come before the planning board when their previous renewals had expired. According to the April 3 meeting agenda, the board last approved the site plan and special use permit for the Tower Lane tower in December 2011 and the same for the Pysners Peak tower in June 2014. American Tower initially went before the board requesting approval for five-year renewal terms for each tower.

Given that more than five years had passed since the last renewals, the planning board was prompted to discuss the lapse in time and what actions, if any, should be taken against the applicant.

Planning board member Dennis McConnell commented that the applicant was overdue and asked why the board wasn’t collecting fees on them. Astorino responded by clarifying that the town code does not permit the planning board to collect fees for missed renewals. He also noted that it is the building department, not the planning department, that has the authority to send notifications for renewal violations.

Although McConnell conceded that the town of Warwick has an obligation to keep track of the pending renewals, he expressed his view that the applicants should also bear some of the responsibility as well. Regarding American Tower’s application, McConnell said, “They ignored it. It may be our responsibility, but they can’t get out of ignoring that which they’re obligated to do and come before us and say, hi we’d like to renew.”

Discussion ensued on how these renewals should be enforced and why there were no penalties for cell tower owners who were late in submitting their applications. The board agreed that the Warwick Town Board should look into this issue.

Despite the objections to the signage policy and issues regarding missed renewals, the planning board approved the site plans and permits for the towers, provided certain conditions were met.

Other business

During the meeting the planning board approved a motion of recommendation under chapter 150 of the Warwick town code for a plan to be provided to the building department for the removal of soil on JuSuDa Farm. According to the applicant’s representative, the Environmental Protection Agency requires the applicant to remove a portion of the soil down to the wetlands level. The representative confirmed that the area will be inspected to ensure this requirement is met.