The Township Council is looking favorably on the idea of allowing a cell tower to be erected in Community Park.
During its January 5 meeting, Division of Land Use Manager Sam Surtees told the council that a telecommunications company has expressed interest in erecting a cell tower between 135 and 150 feet high on township-owned land in Community Park. Because the property is owned by the township, it would receive revenue for allowing the tower to be placed there.
Currently, the township collects over $200,”000 a year in rentals just for cell equipment, Surtees said. He pointed out some examples of what the cell tower would look like. “The tower would be up to 150 feet in height, which is quite a large tower in there, and it would be pretty difficult to shield it from view,” Surtees said. “The proposal here is it could be a flag pole. It could be one of those funny looking trees you see on the turnpike in Pennsylvania.”
But the question during the meeting was not about the design of the tower, but rather whether the council wanted to move forward with allowing a free-standing cell tower in Community Park in the first place. Specific locations and design of the tower would come later.
“The proposal here shows the cell tower out about where the contractors’ storage trailer used to be located for the dredging of Grovers Mill Pond,” said Surtees. But, he said, “that was just a location that they drew on the map to say, ‘This would be a good possible location.’”
Another area township officials are contemplating is the pavilion area in Community Park, which currently has a flag pole. “There could be the possibility of replacing that flag pole with the new cell tower flag pole, but it would be a lot higher.”
Councilman George Borek said he was “very uncomfortable” with a cell tower with a flag. “I think that’s totally disrespectful to the American flag. I would definitely not be in favor” of that design, he said, although he raised no objections later to the idea of having a cell tower in the park.
“To me, it’s a cell tower,” said Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman. “I don’t have any problem putting one up in the township in a recommended location. But we shouldn’t make it look like a cartoon tree.”
Marion said cell companies prefer township-owned property because those properties are usually located away from neighborhoods, and they are usually looking for a place that is off the beaten path.
Surtees also said that public service has a right-of-way through the park, and cell equipment has been approved by the Planning Board to locate on the high transmission towers located there. But those towers are around 100 to 110 feet in height, and this company was looking for something between 135 and 150 feet. “So the existing transmission towers that public service have are just not high enough for this company.”
Surtees said there is an opportunity for the township to allow multiple carriers on the tower, in which one company has the lease for the cell equipment and maintains it. Then the township will get a percentage for every other cell carrier that locates on the tower. “That way we don’t have a lot of separate towers throughout the community, and they’re on one location,” Surtees said.
And by law, Marion said, the township is required to work with telecommunications companies to find locations in the township to be used for cell towers.
Councilwoman Linda Geevers said she also was opposed to the flag pole design, and asked whether there were any adverse visual effects to the surrounding neighborhoods or the ball fields where children play sports.
Marion said if the tower is placed correctly, there should be no problems. Geevers said she did like the idea of bringing in revenue for the township.
“If the leases were $2,”000 a month, with 4 percent increases for the first five years, plus four five-year extensions, which is 25 years, the total revenue to the township is almost a million dollars,” she said.
Most council members nodded their heads in agreement. Councilman Will Anklowitz said the cartoon tree design was better than the “erector-set” cell design, but asked whether there were other design options available.
Council President Charles Morgan, however, said he did not understand the objections to the flag pole idea. “It’s much more attractive than any other approach. I do not understand the suggestion that it’s disrespectful,” he said. “A flag is flown from all sorts of places — the tops of cranes, new buildings, and it doesn’t bother me, for what it’s worth. I agree with Heidi about the trees.” He pointed to the tree tower in Clark on the Garden State Parkway. “They’re just ridiculous.”
Maneely Setbacks. In other business during the meeting, the council reviewed the setbacks for the ordinance dealing with the Maneely property.
The Maneely property was included in the housing element and fair share plan needed to address West Windsor’s third-round Council on Affordable Housing obligations. The Maneely site, located on Alexander and Bear Brook roads encompasses 50 acres, 37 of which are developable. The plan calls for mixed-use development of 75 housing units, with a detached office and retail component as well as executive suites.
Before the council voted on endorsing the housing element and fair share plan to send it to COAH last month, Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman said she was frustrated that her concern with the setbacks on Old Bear Brook Road included in the Maneely portion of the plan were kept at 35 feet when the current setbacks for homes on the road are at 50 feet. After the plan was approved at the Planning Board level with the 35-foot setback, Kleinman said she learned that the current houses on the right side of the street are about 50 feet back from the road, and what was approved, and coming before council, was a 35-foot setback. She said she felt the number should be changed to address the issue that Old Bear Brook is a residential street.
Other members of council seemed to agree with Heidi that the setbacks should be changed.
Lights at Roundabout. Also in other business, Business Administrator Chris Marion told the council that lights would be installed on the new Alexander Road roundabout once PSE&G is able to install new utility poles.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh has said that the state Department of Transportation must first coordinate a schedule with Amtrak to remove the steel frame of the old bridge. After that, PSE&G can replace the utility poles, and then lighting will be added.
