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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCell Tower 2005SECTION B THE ITHACA JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12,2005 Enfield town board to hear tower proposal By KERRIE FRISINGER Jounral Staff' ENFIELD — The Enfield Town Council will hear a pro- posal tonight to put a Cingular Wireless cellular tower on pri- vately owned land on North Van Dom Road. Supervisor Gary Fisher said the presentation went to the town planning board last week A site plan review would need to be completed before the plan could advance, he said. The choice of location, near the intersection with Hayts Road is intended to improve service between Tntmansburg and Ithaca, primarily along Route 96. according to Marty Nee, a Cingular spokesman. "The site is not designed to cover the Village of Enfield," he said. Cingular Wireless already has one tower in Enfield that does not include the village, Nee said. But, he added, the company hopes to eventually bring in a third tower to ower that area. "There are a number of areas in Enfield that you can't get service in," Fisher said. The board meets at 7 tonight in the Enfield Community Building, 182 Enfield Main Road. C wad: kfnvMra irha gw.rp cam Enfield town council hears (proposal to install cell tower 3y KERRIE FRISINGER Journal Staff ENFWI.-D — A new cellular tower won't fit aesthetically in a bucolic area like Enfield, some residents and town council members argued on Wednesday night — but if Cingular Wireless is going to install one anyway, some added it should at least help those who live nearby. "I would much rather be dri- hng down the road seeing a tree rather than something that looks like theEiffel a council said Pegg Hubbell, member. A representative hired by Lingular Wireless told town council members on Wednesday night that the com- pany hopes to install a Mi -foot pole tower on North Van Dom Road near Hayts Road on property owned by Raymond and Betty Poole. A similar pre- sentation went last week to the town planning board, which is not expected to come to a deri- sion for several months. If approved. the Enfield tower would connect average between current Cingular tow- ers in Ithaca and Trumansburg, `You can't stand in the way of prosperity. — William Eisenhardt -tykXZ 4CArAj%—l�ISjc,i Enfield resident strengthening the signal primar- ly along Route 96, as well as pert of Roue 79. There's a hole there.' said Terri Burkholder. of Syracuse - based FMHC Corporation. Which handles land acquisition and zoning matters for Crag Enfield tower Thee proposed would also overlap with another antenna Cingular wants to install in Lansing, in order to provide more consistent cover- age between communities, said Marry Nee, a Cingular spokesman who did not attend Wednesdays meeting. "The connection between the two is that they would hand off to one another:' Nee said. What the Enfield tower wouldn't do, however, is stretch service into Enfield's low-Ivurg dead spots, especially the cen- tral part of town. "1 dont know what we can do to get some wireless through this valley." said William Eisenhardt, adding that he can't use his cell phone at his Shudaben Road home and has rmtrhle receiving wR for his duties as a volunteer fficfighicr. 'You ain't stand in the way of prospenty., Burkholder said Cingular would like to add another tower targeted for Enfield but the company mint filst complete networks it has already started such as Tnlmansburg. The tower currently Pro- posed would have no lights and would be hidden at close range by trees. Burkholder said Wednesday's meeting also marked the official return of Jean Owens, who in 20 lost her seat as town supervisor. Owens won reelection as a awncilperson in November. "No energy goes into past conflicts." Owens said after the meeting. "There's too much work to do:' C~. vrmrw(a itlmm.t,+uaMrran Mather: Tower a bargaining chip - ithacajournal.com Home News Page 1 of 2 11 Entertainment Communities Classifieds Shopping Homes Cars Jobs Customer Sei Archive (1999-) ® i PYRAMID PacSun. 1.11;1que MALL Past Web Editions stores Home News Local News - Thursday, February 24, 2005 Local News Archives 20 8 1�SCPJAE TO THE ITHACA JOURNAL, Local Sports Mather: Tower a bargaining chip Lifestyle Elections Nation/World KERRIE FRISINGER a it Obituaries Journal Staff 614 S raeedm Next to 9arnae Celebrations "• t6o7)2724816 hebdeto5theca Opinion ENFIELD -- In a sparsely attended Planning Board public hearing that lasted - ---- less than half an hour, Enfield residents on Wednesday asked technical Technology questions about a cell tower that Cingular Wireless wants to install on North Weather Van Dorn Road. Harm Entertainment Bill Mather, an Iradell Road resident and former town supervisor, asked for 46 Communities Classifieds details on the planning board's role in deciding whether the tower goes up. " But the major point that Mather made was that the whole town isn't opposed Shopping to the tower just because it won't improve service throughout Enfield. Homes Cars "A lot of what we're able to do with this tower is able to help some people in Jobs some other towns," Mather said. "I think that's significant. Customer Service more ma "It gives us a bargaining chip down the road," said Mather. per mat Cingular needs to place the 150 -foot pole tower on property owned by Raymond and Betty Poole to complete the network between Ithaca and Lansing, according to Terri Burkholder, of Syracuse -based FMHC Corporation, which is representing Cingular. Officials expect the proposed tower to improve coverage in the northeast valley of Enfield, but not in Enfield Center -- a point of contention some residents raised at a Town Board meeting last month. Mather and Gary Fisher, the town supervisor and only other audience member to speak up at the hearing, pushed on Wednesday for more details on Cingular's future plans for Enfield. Burkholder said Cingular has tentative plans to eventually expand Enfield's network, but the company had not yet finalized the budget for upcoming years. When Cingular does start to focus on Enfield, the town may find itself In a similar position as the current one, needing to put a tower in another municipality to get full coverage, Mather said. Fisher also asked for details on the strength of the pole and potential for http://ithacajoumal.com/news/stories/20050224/localnews/2021600.html 2/24/2005 Mather: Tower a bargaining chip - ithacajournal.com collocating Cingular antennas on tower with emergency radio system the county plans to build. Burkholder said Cingular's planned structure could hold up to three different antennas and could be made to bend and withstand gusts of 75 mph. "Similar to when you see pine trees, palm trees bow," Burkholder said. Cingular Wireless is also attempting to install a 195 -foot tower in Lansing, which company officials have said could overlap with the proposed Enfield tower. The process has stalled for several months with the Lansing Town Board amid questions over the site selection and potential health impacts In Enfield, Planning Board Chairman Rick Chase said the board will incorporate the feedback from Wednesday's hearing as it reviews the site plan. According to the town's cell tower ordinance, Chase said, a tower should only go up "where the Planning Board determines it to be most effective." Contact: kfrisina(d)ithaca.aannett.com 20 Email this story Originally published Thursday, February 24, 2005 Page 2 of 2 Home I News I Entertainment I Communities 1 Customer Service Classifieds 1 Sh000ino I Homes I Cars I Jobs Contact Us I Subscribe I Place an ad Copyright ©2005 The Ithaca Journal. All -rights reserved.GF Q~ qNUse of this site indicates your agreement to the Terms of Service c��n .. (Terms updated 12/20/02) http://ithacajoumal.com/news/stories/20050224/localnews/2021600.html 2/24/2005 SECTION B THE ITHACA JOURNAL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2005 Mather: Tower a bargaining Former town supervisor says cell service could help By KERRIE FRISINGER Journal Stafj' ENFIELD — In a sparsely attended Planning Board pub- lic hearing that lasted less than half an hour, Enfield residents on Wednesday asked techni- cal questions about a cell tower that Cingular Wireless wants to install on North Van Dom Road. Bill Mather, an tradell Road resident and former town supervisor, asked for details on the planning board's role in deciding whether the tower goes up. But the major point that Mather made was that the whole town isn't opposed to the tower just because it won't improve ser- vice throughout Enfield. "A lot of what wf re able to do with this tower!is able to help some peopl in some other towns, Mat r said. "I think that's signifrc I. "It gives us a argaining chip - down the r ad," said Mather. Lingular needs ti place the 150 -fool pole toveron property owned by Raymor-J and Betty Poole to complete the network between Ith- aid 1 ang% according to Terri Burkholder, of Syracuse-baszd FMHC Corporation, which is repre- senting Cingular. Officials expect, the pro- posed tower to im a cover- age in the northe�t valley of Enfield, but nut in Enfield Center — a point of con. tention some residents raised at a Town Board meeting last month. Mather and Gary Fisher, the unvn supervisor and only other audience member to speak up at the hearing, pushed on Wednesday for more details .. ruture plans for Enfield. Burkholder said Lingular has tentative plans to eventually expand Enfield's network, but the company had not yet final- ized the budget for upcoming years. When Cingular does start to focus on Enfield, the town may find itself in a similar position as the current one. needing to put a tower in another municipality to get full mverage, Mather said. Fisher also asked for details on the strength of the pole and potential for colloeatinry Cingular antennas on w-er with emergency radi.; -ystem the county plans n °wld• o..Al-...o�t77rr"aid Cingulars planned�shulture could hold up to ilkeeand yould be made to bend anal withstand gusts of 75 mph. !' imilar to when you see ItiAe trees, palm trees bow," B rkholder said. �Cingular Wireless is also attempting to install a 195 -foot tower in l.ansinz which com- chip others panyofficials h,,.. caiJ could overlap will -'he proposed Enfield..+cr. The process has str" for several months witt..ne Lansing Town Board .wd questions over the site selection and potential health impacts. In Enfield, Planning Board Chairman Rick Chase said the board will incorporate the feedback from Wednesday's plan. Ao8orrgv ♦wethe .s-te cell tower ordinance. Chase said, a tower should only go up 'lvhere the Planning Board determines it to he most effec- tive." L"19aaCF. l�itiVa(� (rc i(l�ad�yay{r.['p�1