Syracuse Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting

September 25, 2025

The meeting began with the adoption of minutes from the September 4th meeting after a brief correction discussion. The sole public hearing concerned a variance request from T-Mobile to increase the height of a stealth cross antenna on a church property by 2.5 feet. The board approved the variance with one opposing vote.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from the September 4th meeting were approved after a brief correction was discussed and deemed unnecessary by the board. A board member noted a line about the applicant's wife navigating from the porch to the basement, but the board decided the statement was accurate as recorded.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Applicant's Representative (Jeff Davis, attorney, Barclay Damon): Presented the case for T-Mobile. He explained that a previously approved stealth cross antenna design for the church became obsolete because the required equipment was no longer manufactured. A new three-in-one antenna design required a taller and wider stealth cross (22.5 feet tall, exceeding the 20-foot height limit by 2.5 feet). The applicant requested a 2.5-foot height variance. Davis stated that the new cross would replace the existing one and that eight old Nextel antennas on the exterior would be removed, making all T-Mobile antennas invisible inside the new cross. He confirmed the existing cross has been in place about 15 years and that the new cross, made of RF-transparent material, would be maintained monthly. He also stated there were no alternative technologies to reduce height.
• No other public comments were made in favor or opposition.

Discussion Items

• Question from a board member: Asked if the new cross would be maintained better than the current one, which appeared dirty. Davis responded that the new cross would be new and clean, and that monthly maintenance would address debris, nests, and structural issues.
• Question about antenna lifespan: Davis noted that internal antennas are upgraded every few years, but the cross itself is designed to accommodate future technologies to avoid another costly redesign.
• Board discussion on the 20-foot height limit: A board member asked if the code’s 20-foot antenna height limit might need future revision given similar requests. The discussion was deferred, focusing only on this application.
• Concern about bulk and mass: A board member noted the proposed cross would be not only taller but also significantly larger in mass than the existing one. The board chair clarified that the board only had purview over the height variance, not the bulk.

Key Outcomes

• SEQR Negative Declaration: The board unanimously approved a negative declaration under SEQR, determining the proposed action would not result in moderate or large environmental impacts.
• Variance Approval (V-2508): The board voted to approve the 2.5-foot height variance. The motion carried with one opposing vote. The motion included a balancing test noting the minimal height increase, church cooperation, lack of feasible alternatives, insubstantial neighborhood character impact, no adverse effects, and that the self-created nature of the need was mitigated by equipment unavailability. Conditions of approval required the applicant to obtain all required permits prior to site plan approval and to maintain the antenna and supporting structure in good condition.
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned with no other business.