Verizon
is attempting to expand its service in Orange County by building a 100-foot
cell tower – but neighbors have a slew of concerns.
The
telecom giant is trying to get clearance to build it off Strauss Lane in
Monroe. It would need approval from the town’s Planning Board and the Board of
Zoning Appeals to move forward.
Neighbors,
such as Rob Furbeck, say they're concerned about aesthetics, the
environment and their property values.
"If
that becomes a reality, then we're really on the short end of the stick here,”
he said.
At
a recent public hearing, David Kenny, an attorney for Verizon, said his team
has heard those concerns and they're doing everything possible to minimize the
number of trees they remove to reduce visibility of the tower.
He
said Verizon is trying to improve cellphone coverage and increase capacity – so
the tower needs to go somewhere.
"It's
a balance. We want to make sure we're providing a tower that absolutely fills
the gap in service, but also one that is minimally intrusional upon the
community,” he said.
Kathleen
King, a Monroe resident, voiced support for the tower, at that public hearing.
"Our
cellphone service is terrible," she said. "Our biggest fear is that,
in the worst case, a cellphone user might not…be able to get emergency
help."
Verizon's
attorney and consultants are considering many ideas to make the tower less
visible. For one, they say the tower would be painted brown to blend in with
the trees. Another idea would be to move the tower site by 50 feet to where
it's less visible. That shift though, they say, might require the tower to be
taller, if it ends up in a spot with lower elevation.
The
Planning Board voted to extend the public comment period for the tower proposal
until Feb. 21.
Verizon's
attorney says the company is willing to extend the shot clock, though they've
been working on their application for the tower for about a year now.