For Immediate Release: February 22, 2002
Contact:
Victoria Hristovski | Director Public Information | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK - The Adirondack Park Agency, at its February 15th monthly meeting, adopted a new policy entitled, "Agency Review of Proposals for New Telecommunications Towers and Other Tall Structures in the Adirondack Park." The new policy, developed over the past eighteen months following significant public input, replaces the Agency’s existing policy from 1978.
"We are very pleased with this new policy and the work done by our consultants, the LA Group, and by our staff in the preparation of this comprehensive policy," APA Chairman Richard Lefebvre said. "It will assist the Agency in meeting its statutory responsibilities to protect Adirondack Park aesthetics, open space character and other resources of the Park, and at the same time, help the Agency take into account the Park setting and serve the needs of Park residents and visitors."
The new policy is intended to provide guidance to the Agency, applicants and others regarding the Agency’s powers and duties in light of the provisions and requirements of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The policy identifies important criteria and issues the Agency will consider as it reviews applications for new towers and related telecommunication facilities.
The policy supports and explains a comprehensive Agency regulatory review and application process. The new policy does not change the Agency’s review standards or its underlying authority to issue, modify, or deny permits in accordance with existing Agency rules and regulations.
At the core of the new Agency policy are the following major themes and elements:
seeks substantial invisibility of new towers through concealment, co-location and consolidation of visual intrusions as preferred methods to reduce visibility. Also recognizes avoiding mountain tops and ridges, use of topographic/vegetative foreground/background, minimizing structure height and bulk, color, use of existing building as ways to accomplish reducing visibility;
the purpose of the policy is to provide general guidance to Agency and telecommunication providers on Agency duties, powers and responsibilities regarding siting and location of telecommunication facilities as major public utilities;
policy is linked to the APA Act, State Land Master Plan, and the Agency’s permit application process;
applies to all telecommunication facilities and other tall structures over 40 feet in height;
recognizes special aesthetic, open space resources in the Adirondack Park and need for a telecommunication system consistent with federal law;
reinforces the previous Agency policy by discouraging mountain top structures and encouraging co-location;
relies on existing development character to determine location of wireless communication improvements;
links improved wireless communication to existing necessary support facilities of land line telephone and electric services;
does not change underlying permitting authority or constitutional protection of State Forest Preserve lands which prohibits private commercial telecommunication facilities;
recognizes the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 which requires the Agency administer its regulatory responsibilities without discrimination among providers and in a manner that does not result in prohibition of service. Federal law does recognize special protections afforded to the Adirondack Forest Preserve;
calls for Agency consideration of alternative designs, locations, and cumulative impacts as part of project planning and the permit application review process;
recognizes government emergency communication facilities to protect public health, safety and welfare, and;
requires removal of obsolete or abandoned equipment.
For more information on this policy, please visit the APA’s Web site http://www.northnet.org/adirondackparkagency/
or contact:
Victoria Hristovski Director, Public Information NYS Adirondack Park Agency P.O.Box 99 Rt. 86 Ray Brook, NY 12977 (518) 891-4050 ext. 173