Sunday, February 28, 2021
Subscriber Login
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Community
    • Covid-19 Updates
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber LogIn
    • Join us – Subscribe Today
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Community
    • Covid-19 Updates
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Obituaries
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
  • Classifieds
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber LogIn
    • Join us – Subscribe Today
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Towns Bethlehem

Strong reception for New Scotland cell tower

Tricia Cremo by Tricia Cremo
February 15, 2016
in Bethlehem, Business, Guilderland, News
0
Strong reception for New Scotland cell tower
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

NEW SCOTLAND —  “My mother died trying to call me. I will pay for anything these guys want to put [a cell tower] up,” said Rich Hazen, of Clarksville.

Hazen lives in what has been called a “dead zone” of cell activity in Clarksville, where calls are often dropped and any other cell phone activity involving data use can take up to minutes to be processed. A cell phone tower from Verizon Wireless approved by the Zoning Board and given preliminary approval by the Planning Board seeks to change that.

The plan received approval for a height variance by the Zoning Board in January, and later the Planning Board after a strong show of support from community members.

“There has been a need for coverage in that area for a while,” said Planning Board Chairman Charles Voss to Mr. Hazen, after expressing his condolences for the loss of his mother.

When the cell tower was originally proposed to the Zoning Board, the town had sought to place it on government-owned land. The town landfill and water tower areas were surveyed as possible locations, but ultimately, Verizon bought private property at 20 Stovepipe Road, because more room was needed.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” said resident Sharon Boelke, at the Feb. 2 Planning Board meeting. “We have them all over the town already.”

The new 124-feet tall tower will be disguised to look like a pine tree, after the decision on cell tower design left to the discretion of the Planning Board.

Though the monopine design is slightly taller than other design options, as more height is needed for the top cone of the “tree,” the added height was included in Verizon’s original Zoning Board height variance application, and for the Planning Board, the added camouflage was a positive feature.

“Based on proliferation of towers throughout upstate New York and the entire U.S., Verizon’s position is that a monopine design is not that visually intrusive. Most folks realize what they are looking at, and there’s not a lot of visual sensitivity to them anymore,” said a Verizon representative at the meeting.

Verizon needs now only approach the Planning Board once more with final revisions to achieve its approval, which would leave final approval up to the town board.

Cellco Engineering has applied on behalf of the Verizon company, who proposes to place the cell tower in Voorheesville to alleviate dead zones in town, which have grown alongside the growth of cell-data usage in recent years.

For every call, text, app used and any other so-called “data event” cell phone towers pick up signals, and each tower is only able to handle about 1,200 simultaneously. Verizon says another tower is needed to accommodate this, and in other nearby towns, cell towers are placed about 6 miles apart.

According to the company’s attorney, Jared Lusk, from Nixon Peabody, fixing these dead zones assures that Verizon keeps its Federal Communication Commission (FCC) license, by providing “substantial service to its licensed area.”

“Verizon Wireless is always exploring opportunities to improve its network on behalf of our customers,” said the company in a statement. “The tower is designed to enhance 4G/LTE coverage and capacity for our customers on State Route 85 and County Route 443, including the Clarksville Hamlet area, in the southwester portion of the Town of New Scotland.”

Share this to twitter or facebook:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: cell towerNew ScotlandVerizonzoning board
Previous Post

Bethlehem Opportunities looks to everyone at annual spelling bee

Next Post

Dawson Homer, Jeremiah House lead list of state indoor track and field meet qualifiers

Next Post
Dawson Homer, Jeremiah House lead list of state indoor track and field meet qualifiers

Dawson Homer, Jeremiah House lead list of state indoor track and field meet qualifiers

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

  • 7k Fans
  • 4.6k Fans
  • 609 Fans
  • 357 Subscribers

Recent News

Colonie man killed in Montgomery County accident

Colonie man dies after car pins him to building

February 27, 2021
Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

WFP endorses three of its own for Colonie Town Board

February 26, 2021
Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

February 26, 2021
New York Small Business Development Center is still kicking

New York Small Business Development Center is still kicking

February 26, 2021

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
UPDATED (w/video): Police investigating break-ins in Delmar neighborhoods

UPDATED (w/video): Police investigating break-ins in Delmar neighborhoods

February 22, 2021
Colonie Democrats pick slate of candidates for town offices

Colonie Democrats pick slate of candidates for town offices

February 20, 2021
SPOTTED: Shaker and Guilderland wrestlers kick off season

SPOTTED: Shaker and Guilderland wrestlers kick off season

February 24, 2021
Guilderland Chamber of Commerce gears up for restaurant week

Guilderland Chamber of Commerce gears up for restaurant week

February 23, 2021
Colonie man killed in Montgomery County accident

Colonie man dies after car pins him to building

February 27, 2021
Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

WFP endorses three of its own for Colonie Town Board

February 26, 2021
Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

Conservative Richie Stack ‘seriously considering’ run for supervisor in Colonie

February 26, 2021
New York Small Business Development Center is still kicking

New York Small Business Development Center is still kicking

February 26, 2021
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • Sports
  • The Spot 518
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Opinion
  • Subscribe
  • Log In
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login

© 2021 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949