Short Beach Residents: Find A New Spot for Cell Tower

Short Beach residents thought they found a viable alternative for a 120-foot cell tower in the heart of the community, but now it seems the search for an appropriate site needs to continue.

“Where should it be?” asked Catherine Jackson, who hosted a neighborhood meeting last week. About 30 residents voiced concern about erecting a tower on town-owned property at Orchard House, claiming the site is too close to homes and would impact a wetland.

The Orchard House property had been suggested by about 75 residents in October as an alternative to a proposed tower on private property at 86 Shore Dr., behind Shore Automotive. 

The Orchard House issue will be discussed by the Administrative Services Committee of the Representative Town Meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Canoe Brook Center. Since the proposed site is town property, the RTM would have to approve a lease.

“We need to have an action plan before we go to that committee meeting,” said Jackson. ​“We want more information.” 

The plea for information about cell towers has become critical throughout Branford as developers and cell phone companies have proposed at least eight towers scattered across the town. The Connecticut Siting Council (CSC), which has oversight for tower placement, held a hearing in December regarding a cell tower on private property at 123 Pine Orchard Road. About 65 people from that neighborhood opposed the plan. A decision on the matter is expected soon.

In Stony Creek, plans to build a 75-foot tower on town property at the fire station at 84 Thimble Island Road met with unanimous opposition. The Stony Creek Association voted at its most recent meeting to hire an attorney to fight the plan. 

One driving force behind the proliferation of towers is Amtrak, which is attempting to boost cell and WiFi service for train passengers along the shoreline.

“We are trying to mitigate the impact,” First Selectman Anthony ​“Unk” DaRos told the RTM last week. ​“This coming week and next, I am going to be reaching out to selectmen along the shoreline. It is a shoreline problem, not just Branford’s problem.”

DaRos has formed a special advisory panel to delve into the local issue, and is hoping to hire a consultant to provide expertise.

The members of the special advisory panel are: Terry Elton, who heads the town’s economic development department, and residents Karyl Lee Hall, Doug Marsh, Kurt Schwanfelder, Greg Robbins, Richard Kane, and John Rusatsky.

Elton said that in recent weeks the panel has been meeting informally with DaRos to discuss issues such as the feasibility of a local ordinance regarding cell towers, contracting with a consultant, cell coverage and alternate technologies.

Most of the towers would be built adjacent to Amtrak property to provide connectivity for train passengers and to widen the cellular base for residents. The Short Beach tower would address dead zones in the community where cell coverage is spotty or non-existent.

“I don’t think the Short Beach location would be part of Amtrak’s need for continuous coverage,” said Doug Hanlon, who attended the Orchard House meeting last week.

“The clock is ticking in Short Beach,” said Alinor Sterling, an RTM member from Short Beach. ​“We need time to get the technical information.”

She urged neighborhood groups to express their opinions to town leaders. ​“The tower is going to go somewhere, the question is where,” Sterling said.

“Usually it’s a matter of the least-worst option,” said Peter Black, an RTM member from Short Beach who also serves on the Administrative Services Committee.

Black, an attorney, outlined some of the legal issues regarding cell tower placement. ​“The Connecticut Siting Council says if there’s no service or poor service, there’s a need.”

He said the CSC supersedes local zoning codes.

“Not everybody in this community is against it. Obviously the closer you are to the tower, the more vehemently you oppose it,” Black said.

Short Beach resident Peter Jackson said most people want better cell service, but placement is an issue. He said the tower proposed for the center of Short Beach was bad, but the Orchard House site ​“is worse. It’s actually a wetland.”

Resident Warren Gould said the town’s special advisory panel may be able to find a better location. ​“We need to find locations that would work for the people, the Siting Council and the developers,” Gould said.

Keith Sitnick said a cell tower in Short Beach is inevitable. ​“The next question is where you want to have it. Is it going to be on town property or private property? I think town property would be better.”

Jane Bouley, the town historian, said the town would have some control if it is on public property. ​“If a private person negotiates the lease, we don’t even know what’s in the lease.”

At the conclusion of the Orchard House neighborhood meeting, the residents decided to circulate petitions to present to the RTM’s Administrative Services Committee. The petitions are available at Sweet Bears Café, 328 Shore Drive.

The petition urges the committee to postpone voting on a lease ​“pending further investigation into the needs for and alternatives to the Orchard House site and further investigation into a comprehensive plan for town-wide cell service.” The petition also urges the town to study alternative sites that are on higher ground, farther from homes, and away from wetlands and natural resources.

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