Village of Great Neck Plaza trustees weighed a proposition from Verizon Wireless representatives to install a wireless facility atop 98 Cutter Mill Road last Wednesday before ultimately requesting more information.
The facility, according to representatives, would be located at two separate points on the roof. One of them would mount two antennas to existing HVAC equipment, not to exceed the height of a facility already placed there by T-Mobile, and it would be concealed by walls.
The other enclosure, on the southwest portion of the roof, would feature four antennas in addition to equipment, a back-up generator and GPS units.
“The tallest enclosure would be 57 feet, 10 inches and T-Mobile’s existing facility is 58 feet and the existing HVAC unit is also 58 feet,” said Denise Vista, a representative from Amato Law Group.
Some trustees raised concerns about the view it could present to residents and requested that planners investigate the possibility of moving the two proposed installations closer to T-Mobile’s so they are less visible.
Representatives also addressed concerns about potential exposure to radiofrequency radiation, saying they took measurements at a conservative level, that it weakens at a distance and that proper barriers and signs will be installed for anyone coming to the roof.
Michael Sweeney, the commissioner of public services for Great Neck Plaza, said that the plans would likely conceal the installations properly.
“T-Mobile has put theirs on top of an existing bulkhead. They matched the existing bulkhead in material and color, so it looked like it was originally there. No one ever took notice to it, except for the board,” Sweeney said. “These guys will stealth their communications with a similar material and in a similar color.”
But Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender took issue with the site plan presented to the board. She said she wants to be able to clearly see what is being proposed, what the relationship of the facility would be to the roof, the materials being used and, in general, “what it’s going to look like.”
“These pictures, these drawings – I don’t care what they are – they’re hard to understand, they’re hard to read and they’re hard to interpret,” Celender said of the plans, requesting more three-dimensional drawings with greater detail and material samples.
The next public hearing concerning the proposal will be on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m.
If approved, it would be the second Verizon Wireless facility in the village. The other is located on 12 Bond St.
In unrelated business, trustees approved a permit for Be Your Chef, a new Chinese take-out restaurant offering delivery and a sitdown area.
