HomeMy WebLinkAboutWireless Comm. Waiver Request MAILING ADDRESS:
PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS �O� O f SOU O/ P.O. Box 1179
JERILYN B.WOODHOUSE ly Southold, NY 11971
Chair
OFFICE LOCATION:
KENNETH L.EDWARDS Town Hall Annex
MARTIN H.SIDOR H Q 54375 State Route 25
GEORGE D.SOLOMON '.�O` (cor.Main Rd. &Youngs Ave.)
JOSEPH L.TOWNSEND ?"t, ' Southold, NY
Telephone: 631765-1938
Fax: 631765-3136
PLANNING BOARD OFFICE
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
MEMORANDUM
To: Scott Russell,Town Supervisor
Members of the Town Board
From: Jerilyn B. Woodhouse, Planning Board Chairperson W
Date: December 1, 2008
Re: Wireless Communication.Facility Moratorium Waiver Request
The Planning Board has reviewed the requested waiver from the Wireless Communication
Facilities Moratorium for the project proposed by Omnipoint in Cutchogue,and recommends a
denial of the waiver request. The moratorium ends in only 2 months (January, 29, 2009)and
there are some key changes to the wireless facilities code pending that will help ensure that
wireless facilities are constructed as safely as possible, especially in situations where the public
has access to the site,as they would in this case.
In the ongoing wireless communication study that is nearly completed,the town's consultant on
wireless communication facilities recommends changing our code to require full disclosure and
analysis of the potential impacts of electromagnetic radiation. The FCC has established limits for
Maximum Permissible Exposure(MPE)to the radio energy transmitted by wireless facilities,
however the FCC does not review, inspect or track wireless facilities for compliance. It is up to
local jurisdictions to ensure that wireless facilities meet all the standards. Our town code is not
worded properly to require this disclosure, or to require the information be presented in the best
way for us to be confident the public is not being exposed to electromagnetic radiation that
exceeds the federal limits. We believe the recommended code changes could be accomplished
prior to the expiration of the moratorium, and, with safeguards in place, the town could process
this application in a timely manner.