Planning Board extends Verizon Wireless tower permits

By NEAL RENTZ

The Lewisboro Planning Board took two unanimous votes Dec. 16 to approve proposed extensions of special use permits sought by Verizon Wireless for two cell towers. 

The first Verizon application was for the cell tower behind the Vista Fire Department, located at 377 Smith Ridge Road, South Salem. The second renewal request was for the tower at the Leon Levy Preserve, 1411 Route 35 in South Salem.

The board last provided special use permit renewals for the towers in 2020.

Unlike previous extensions, Verizon was given no expiration dates for the latest extensions. 

Before the votes, board member Bruce Thompson expressed concern that the extensions would not expire once they were approved.

“My concern is should there be any safety concerns” about cell towers in the future there could be no way they could be addressed if the Special Use Permits did not need to come back to the Planning Board in the future, Thompson said. 

He said there had been some general concerns years ago about the safety of cell tower emissions. 

Planning Board Chair Janet Andersen said if there were concerns about the facilities that house cell towers, not the towers themselves, could be subject to board approval. Counsel to the Planning Board Judson Siebert agreed with Andersen, saying concerns about a building housing a cell tower could go back to the Planning Board. 

As stated on its website, the Federal Communications Commission has the power to regulate cell towers. “Building new towers or collocating antennas on existing structures requires compliance with the Commission’s rules for environmental review,” according to the FCC. “These rules ensure that entities constructing facilities to support Commission-licensed services take appropriate measures to protect environmental and historic resources, and that the agency meets its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as well other environmental statutes such as the Endangered Species Act (ESA).”

Attorney Angela Poccia represented Verizon for both applications on Tuesday. 

Modifications of building housing cell towers would need Planning Board approvals, and the building department would review if the changes met the board’s requirements, Poccia said. 

Following the comments from Siebert, Andersen, and Poccia, Thompson said, “That’s helpful” and he joined his colleagues in voting for the permit extensions. 

Public hearings were scheduled for both applications, but no residents participated and the hearings were closed by the Planning Board.