Politics & Government
Council Votes Down Ordinance to Lease Land for Cell Tower
0-7 vote defeats possibility of leasing vacant, city-owned lot on Constantine Place.
The Common Council defeated an ordinance Tuesday night 0-7 which would have leased a city-owned vacant lot on Constantine Place near the Transfer Station for use as a possible wireless communication facility.
Councilman Dave Bomgaars explained that the city received an inquiry from Verizon about the 60 x 100 foot rectangle approximately 50 feet east of the pumping station.
"There is a clear dead zone in that area," he said.
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Despite the limited cell phone reception and the possibility of enhancing spotty police and fire communications in that area of town, council decided not enough information was known about the federal preemption which might exist for a company at this location, the possibility of other sites within the city for such a use and the health effects of cell tower radiation, mainly on children, to proceed at this time.
Dave Mciowain, a West End Avenue resident, said the lack of hard evidence supporting concerns about radiation from towers on children should not be cause to proceed with this ordinance.
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"The challenge is I'm hoping you guys can make a decision based on your assessment of the anecdotal evidence and whether you're willing to take a risk on the health of the local population," he said.
Beth Kinney said the tower would be about 400-500 feet from the nearest homes and Bomgaars said the lot is actually closer to the Constantine Apartments. The lease would produce between $1,500 and $6,000 in revenue per month for the city.
If the ordinance was passed and the project had gone out to bid, the application would have gone before the zoning board for a height variance.
Mayor Jordan Glatt said he felt passing the ordinance now and letting a discussion about a possible cell tower occur at the zoning board would have been "off-laying our responsibility."
Councilman Michael Vernotico agreed.
"I think the forum for that discussion –I agree with Jordan – is here," he said.
The ordinance was defeated 0-7 and an item on the consent agenda which would have authorized the lease to go out to bid was tabled.
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