An alternate cell tower location

Township looks to build new cellular tower to boost service in western part of town.

By: Jessica Beym
   Instead of building a 150-foot cellular telephone tower in the middle of Cranbury’s Historic District, a Cranbury resident and former committeeman, Art Hasselbach, thinks there is another option.
   Since March, Mr. Hasselbach said he has been negotiating with Sprint to find out if his land, which lies east of Route 130 near CMI Plastics, would be a suitable site to build the tower.
   In order to boost cellular service on the western part of town, the township is drawing up bid proposals to have a new tower constructed behind the Cranbury Firehouse on South Main Street.
   The site, which currently hosts an emergency communications tower, is in the center of the Historic District and borders the Cranbury Brook stream corridor.
   "There is no good choice, but this is the optimal choice. Finding a place to hide a 150- foot tower isn’t an easy task," said Committeeman David Stout.
   But Mr. Hasselbach said the tower would be less obtrusive nestled in a patch of trees on his property, set back 500 feet from the highway in a more industrial area.
   "It’s an area that wouldn’t have any impact on Cranbury or the historical district," said Mr. Hasselbach.
   Sprint representative Lisa Malloy said Sprint has been talking to the township about a possible site for its communications. Until the township puts out bids, Sprint is unable to distinguish which sites would be optimal for boosting coverage. Ms. Malloy said Sprint’s first choice would be municipally owned land so that the township benefits from the revenue.
   "We’re considering all our options," said Ms. Malloy. "We want to improve our customers’ service, but we also want to do it in the least intrusive fashion."
   Since last month, a township subcommittee has been drawing up specifications for companies interested in constructing the tower. The new tower would replace the lattice tower behind the Cranbury Firehouse. That structure hosts police and emergency communications, and could hold up to four cellular telephone companies.
   Mayor Becky Beauregard said Sprint came to the township a year and a half ago, requesting to build a tower at that location.
   "We don’t go looking for opportunities to build cell towers," said Committeeman Richard Stannard during Monday’s meeting.
   With the idea presented to them, and the need for more service, the committee decided to go ahead with the process. The township is not under obligation to form a contract with Sprint.
   Township Attorney Triskha Waterbury has said the township has the ability to reject any and all bids submitted if it chooses. Any carrier that would build the tower will have to get approvals from the state Historical Preservation Office, because the property is within the state-designated Historic District. Additionally, the state Department of Environmental Protection would have to grant approval for the tower because it lies within the Cranbury Brook stream corridor.
   In order for the companies to construct the tower, the plans must be approved by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
   Ms. Waterbury said the committee would control certain aspects of the tower’s design, such as the height, which she said could be limited to 130 feet.
   Mr. Hasselbach said that if the tower were built on privately owned property, the cellular phone company would still have to pass through strict planning and zoning requirements, as well as meet Federal Communications Commission requirements.
   Mr. Hasselbach brought a sample of Sprint’s design for a monopole tower that could be placed on his land. The design for the tower isn’t necessarily the same as what would be proposed for behind the firehouse. He said residents are unaware of the obtrusiveness of the monopole tower.
   "Wait until all the leaves fall off the trees and the residents see what the tower really looks like. They won’t like it," said Mr. Hasselbach.
   Constructing the tower in the village would bring the township further from the historic feel they work to preserve, he said, adding that the township should reconsider its plans.
   "I don’t think the cell tower is appropriate to be smack in the middle of the Historic District," said Mr. Hasselbach.
   But the committee said no decisions have been made that preclude other possibilities.
   "We’re looking at the long-term interest of residents," said Ms. Beauregard. "Our intentions — we would want to go and share information with the community. They’re trusting us to do something in their best interest."