A proposal to replace the Bayport Fire District’s aging communications tower with a 154-foot wireless tower drew hours of testimony and significant opposition from Bayport residents before the Town of Islip Zoning Board of Appeals.

Application 654-26 seeks approval for a new “stealth” communications facility at the fire district property near Snedecor Avenue and Railroad Street. The proposal would replace an existing rooftop lattice tower that representatives said is structurally failing. The new tower would carry fire district antennas while providing space for commercial wireless carriers. Verizon has expressed interest in locating equipment there.

Fire district representatives emphasized the public-safety role of the site. The district provides round-the-clock dispatch and communications services for Bayport and other emergency-service organizations, with testimony indicating the agencies collectively handle about 6,000 calls annually.

Communications experts said keeping antennas physically connected to the dispatch center is important for reliable contact with first responders.

The applicants are also asking the ZBA to determine that the project is exempt from local zoning requirements under the legal balancing test established in County of Monroe v. City of Rochester. Otherwise, the project requires significant zoning relief, including a proposed 4.8-foot front-yard setback where 167.2 feet is required.

Residents challenged the tower’s height, location in a residential area, visual impact and potential effect on property values. Bayport Civic Association President Bob Draffen, a former Bayport firefighter, said he supported replacing the department’s communications equipment but opposed combining that need with a commercial cell tower. Other nearby homeowners raised concerns about views from their properties and Bayport’s historic character.

The applicant disputed several claims made by opponents and defended its professional visual simulations, structural design and analysis of alternative locations. The lengthy hearing ended without a final approval or denial recorded in the transcript, leaving the proposal unresolved.

Source: Town of Islip Zoning Board of Appeals meeting