Oppose the Installation of a Cell Tower in Mt Kisco on 180 S Bedford Rd

Petition to the Planning Board of Mount Kisco to Deny the Application Submitted by Homeland Towers, LLC and Verizon Wireless for the Installation of an Approximate 145' Cell Phone Tower on a Parcel of Privately-Owned Property Located at 180 South Bedford Road, Mount Kisco, NY

Petition to the Zoning Board of Appeals of Mount Kisco to Deny the Appeal of Homeland Towers, LLC and Verizon Wireless Requesting Variances for the Setback and the Height of the Cell Tower Referenced Above

I am a resident of, or an owner of a home in Mount Kisco. I am signing this petition against the Homeland Tower application before the Planning Board and ZBA for various reasons, including the following:

1. The proposed cell tower location is at the Route 172 border entry for Mount Kisco from the town of Bedford and would be visible and imposing to those entering and departing our Big Little Village. The proposed location for this cell tower is on an approximately 25-acre parcel of privately-owned property. The owner of this beautiful property is a Florida-based LLC, not located in Mount Kisco, and has leased this parcel to two applicants for their financial gain at our expense as set forth below.

2. The cell tower site is unfortunately proposed in a naturally forested property located in a Conservation Development District (CD). The parcel of largely undeveloped natural habitat presently contains ('presently' because there is likewise a proposed solar project on the same parcel pending which requires the removal of roughly 600 to 700 trees) a multitude of large mature and specimen trees. It is also home to various birds and wildlife. It is surrounded by the Wildlife Preserve, Marsh Sanctuary, and residential homes on Sarles Street and in Mount Kisco Chase.

3. Homeland Towers, LLC and Verizon Wireless have requested vastly intrusive variances from the Mount Kisco Zoning Board of Appeals for buffers and setbacks of less than 1,600 feet from all residential dwellings. Instead, they are proposing to erect their steel tower at 197 feet from the closest residence (i.e., a 1,403 ft variance). Additionally, they are requesting a variance to the height of the structure from 80 ft to 145 ft. Note that the zoning for this property was established only recently (November 2018) by our own Mount Kisco Village Board of Trustees - and substantial variances for commercial development from those deliberate statutes are already sought to be disregarded!

4. There are known and unknown dangers arising from cell towers. Research has shown that there have been instances of fires occurring on cell towers, as well as equipment breaking off, towers falling in high winds, and accumulated ice fall causing damage to surrounding property. That area has powerful wind gusts and could strew hazardous broken parts and ice chunks or sheets easily reaching automobiles passing by, the Wildlife Preserve and the neighboring home on Sarles Street.

5. The incompatible aesthetics of the cell tower with the quiet, residential family neighborhood are a paramount concern to us surrounding residents. Attempts to 'camouflage' the base compound on a concrete slab and the cell tower with 6-8 ft arborvitaes and faux greenery will not remediate the aesthetics of the surrounding properties or roadway traffic entering Mount Kisco. As referred to in point 2 above, if the solar plant installation application is approved, it would include the clear cutting of 600-700 trees, which would make this cell tower even more destructive of the parcel since Homeland proposes to remove 38 or more trees itself to place their equipment and tower in a densely wooded area. Obviously, these projects should be installed in commercial and industrial areas NOT a natural wooded habitat surrounded by residences and a preserve.

6. Common sense dictates cell towers should be located on commercial/municipal lots, near highways and near water towers--they do not disguise themselves well with our bucolic community of environmentally conscious residents. They are a permanent eyesore, noisy, and have potentially harmful health effects according to some pertinent articles. Certainly, the effects from long-term physical proximity to a cell tower are unknown at this time. Because of these unforeseen proposed intrusions into our residential Code's buffer zones and setbacks for our neighbor, wildlife preserves and our own homes potentially, we have sincere concerns as to our own families' health, welfare, and happiness, and also the adverse effects upon our limited environment and wildlife.

7. Contrary to the applicant and their expert's self-serving assertions, the installation of a cell tower in this residential area has been documented by local professional realtors to significantly decrease surrounding home values due to the terrible aesthetics, possible noise and vibration issues, and at least, perceived health concerns, and general incompatibility of industrializing that parcel which is the gateway to Mount Kisco. The requested variances will result in a disparate decline in our home values—unfairly effecting some more than others, and all to some extent nearby as a whole. Correspondingly, the Village should be ready to lower our property assessments--generating less tax revenue for the Village. Unfairly, everyone in our community is asked to take a hit just so Homeland Towers and the solar project can turn a commercial profit.

8. Maintenance of the cell tower may be required at any time day or night, which will increase the number of trucks and service personnel accessing the site, negatively impacting the safety, comfort, and quiet enjoyment of the property by the surrounding homes and residents, as well as visitors to the Marsh Sanctuary and Wildlife Preserve.

9. Future plans, if any, for leasing additional land space for development on the remainder of this parcel by the owner is unknown at this time. The other application currently before the Planning Board and ZBA seeks approval for a solar plant installation on this very same green parcel. All this proposed disturbance is significant and effectively permanent and is unbelievably being considered to replace a mountain top and base of trees, water flow, and declining wildlife.

10. For the foreseeable future, wireless technology is here to stay. The importance and need for it is acknowledged, but that does not justify the proposed location. The applicant has only summarily and superficially documented that this location would provide the most effective service with the least intrusive means. They appear to have merely followed some repeated and evolving template. Have all potential alternate locations been thoroughly reviewed? It is interesting to note that of the approximately 11 property owners whom Homeland Towers and Verizon contacted about leasing space for a cell tower--the only one who agreed was someone who does not even reside on the property or in the area at all. And, that property is really a prize jewel in terms of natural habitat for all the community benefit with reasonable and foreseeable development in compliance with our Code. If all this effort was put instead to acquiring the parcel and using it as wildlife preserve—we are confident it could be done.

11. Seeking 'improvement' of cellular service in that corridor is not enough. The existing adequacy of cell phone and wireless data coverage throughout the area does not support destroying a residential, conservation-zoned property. Transforming to a commercialized, industrial site exposes the residents of Mount Kisco and the surrounding areas to unfair decrease of our home values and our families' welfare.