By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
Princeton Township residents who live near the potential site of a new cell phone tower — proposed by the township to eliminate a “dead spot” in police communications — are now out to make sure their concerns about the project are heard loud and clear.
More than a dozen neighbors of the site met over the weekend and planned to attend Monday’s Township Committee meeting, where the committee was scheduled to hear a “status report” on the project, designated for the intersection of Cherry Valley Road and The Great Road.
In February, the committee passed a resolution authorizing the solicitation of bids for a “monopole” tower between 140 and 170 feet tall — similar to the one at the intersection of Cherry Valley Road and Route 206 — on township land near where the police department has consistently experienced spotty radio coverage.
The proposed solution to the problem is to have cell phone service providers submit bids on the construction of a tower that could have police communication equipment attached to it at no cost to the township.
The successful bidder, as well as the final height and features of the tower, would be subject to Planning Board approval.
Hosting the hastily organized meeting on Sunday was Heather Lane resident David Gray, who said he was concerned that the township was soliciting bids to construct the tower without community input.
Among the concerns cited by Mr. Gray are whether a new tower is absolutely necessary, whether one should be constructed on what he called a “wetlands area,” and whether the proposed tower could be replaced with “some more modest structure.”
Mr. Gray also said some people believe that cell towers cause health problems, and said that his concern is that such a perception — whether it’s true or not — could lead to a decline in property values for those that live near a tower.
A discussion of cell towers on the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org states: “While high levels of radiofrequency waves can cause a warming of tissues, cellular phone towers do not yield exposure at levels sufficient to cause this effect. There is no evidence in published scientific reports that cell phone towers cause any other health problems.”
Mr. Gray said that the township has assured the residents that they will be able to meet with officials to discuss all the possibilities at a meeting to be held at 7 p.m. April 8, 10, or 22, depending on the residents’ preference, at Township Hall.
Township Engineer Bob Kiser confirmed the future neighborhood meeting Monday, noting that it will be held to discuss “all possibilities prior to any award of a contract.”
He added, “Rest assured we’re looking at all the options,” noting that the “No. 1 priority” is to solve the police communication problem.
Mr. Gray said he believes the residents “certainly support” finding a solution to that problem, but want to ensure the township explores all the options.
”To the extent that there’s some possibility that we can maintain the environment in the neighborhood, we’d love to,” he said, questioning whether a solution could be looked at jointly with Montgomery Township, which borders the site.
Mr. Kiser said the township will indeed “be having discussions with Montgomery as well.”
For now, the township is waiting to receive the bids, which are scheduled to be returned by April 2, he said.
Mr. Gray said he hoped more residents were planning to attend Monday’s meeting, “where hopefully we can get some traction on this issue.”
Among other neighbors of the proposed site who have discussed the issue with Mr. Gray is Heather Lane resident James Kilgore, president of The Princeton Packet.
