At the Aug. 7 Ancram Planning Board meeting, Homeland Towers withdrew its proposal to build a 150-foot cell tower along Route 22 and said it will submit a new plan for a 100-foot structure, the maximum height allowed under town zoning without a variance. The company had sought the additional 50 feet to expand Verizon Wireless coverage in the area.
Planning Board Chair Joe Rocco said the revised application is expected at the board’s Sept. 4 meeting. The change follows months of public discussion, including a balloon test in April to gauge the visibility of the taller structure. Homeland did not say why it abandoned the variance request.
The session’s main focus was a more than two-hour public hearing on RIC Energy’s proposed solar array on 9.7 acres of farmland owned by Jim Miller on Route 82. Town Attorney John Lyons and planning consultant Nan Stolzenberg guided the board through the final sections of the state Environmental Assessment Form.
The board had previously determined “no to small impact” for most environmental criteria but flagged four areas as potentially “moderate to large”: visibility from public roads; diminished enjoyment of designated scenic resources, specifically Cottontail Road; the contrast with current agricultural use; and consistency with community character. Stolzenberg urged members to weigh both the 2019 comprehensive plan, which promotes agricultural preservation and renewable energy, and zoning laws that permit solar development.
To make final determinations, the board asked RIC Energy to provide a viewshed map within a two-mile radius and a landscaping plan to mitigate visual impacts. The company agreed to deliver both by Sept. 11. Lyons will also ask Central Hudson whether electrical lines for the project can be buried instead of mounted on new poles.
Public comment included a report commissioned by Pooles Hill Road resident and Hillrock Distillery founder Jeffrey Baker, prepared by Walden Environmental Engineering, which argued the project would harm rural character, create visual blight, and carry costly decommissioning requirements. Planning Board officials and RIC representatives reiterated that the panels contain no hazardous materials and that the company will cover removal costs.
Neighbors Andrea and Paul Gaschke submitted an 11-page letter criticizing communication around the project, citing canceled site visits and limited online updates. Board members noted that the body is volunteer-run with minimal staff support and welcomed Andrea Gaschke’s offer to assist. The solar proposal will be discussed again at a Sept. 25 special meeting.
In other business, the board postponed a decision on adding a staff cabin at the Bronx Emanuel Camp on Empire Road. The building inspector classified the proposal for a seasonal structure as a “multi-family dwelling,” triggering zoning requirements the plan does not meet. The board suggested the camp submit a revised proposal that qualifies as “temporary living quarters.”
Near 11 p.m., members conditionally approved demolition within a wetlands buffer at 100 DeWitt Lane, where owner Lily Zhou plans to replace derelict buildings and add a redesigned driveway with improved emergency access. Final approval is contingent on a formal waiver request and state environmental clearance.