MILLSTONE – The township is offering some protection to residents who live in areas of town designated for wireless antennas.
The Township Committee introduced an ordinance at itsApril 16meeting thatwould provide safeguards to residents living in close proximity to structures in town that have been identified as first-priority locations for antennas. A public hearing on the issue will be held May 21.
The ordinance lists first-priority locations for wireless antennas as the Stavola Asphalt Plant on Route 33, the Aqua Soft Water Co. on Route 33 and the Silvi Concrete Plant on Iron Ore Road (Route 527A). The proposed ordinance pertains to standards, conditions and locations for wireless communications facilities.
Township Planner Richard Coppola said, “This is intended to be a streamlined review process, done by the township engineer and a planning consultant.”
The proposed ordinance sets forth general design requirements. Antennas extending above an existing structure could not exceed 10 feet. The shelter/cabinet for the antenna’s electronic equipment could not be more than 15 feet high or more than 375 square feet in area.
The ordinancewould require generators to be located in shelters/cabinets.Antennas, shelters/cabinets and other accessory equipment would have to be silent except for generator testing up to one hour per week and in emergency situations.
No exterior lighting would be permitted at the antenna site except for onemanually operated light not exceeding 70watts at the entrance to the shelter/cabinet. The ordinancewould also require landscaping to the maximum extent reasonably possible to screen the view of the shelter/cabinet from surrounding properties and streets.
The ordinance also charges the township engineer, in consultation with the land use planner,with reviewing the proposed locations of shelters/cabinets to ensure that the location will have relatively little visual impact upon adjacent residential properties.
The ordinancewould further provide for public notice to go out to property owners located within 200 feet of a property applying for an antenna. The municipal building would keep plans for residents to review.
To minimize trips to and from the antenna sites, the ordinance would also require all electronic equipment to be automated.
The ordinance would allow antennas to go up on north/south and east/west power lines running throughout the township.
The township has also identified the next three priority locations for antennas on themonopole towerwest of the cul-de-sac on Sommers Court, in the steeple at theUnited Presbyterian Church onMillstone Road and on the lattice tower at themunicipal garage area on Millstone Road.
Other locations for antennas include the lattice tower behind the Millstone elementary school, the steeple of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, along Route 33 east of Prodelin Way at Joule Yacht Transport, the light poles at the Millstone Roosevelt Little League Complex on Perrineville Road, the silo on Battleground Road near the intersection of Perrineville Road, the lattice tower on theMillstone Fire Department and the tower along Burnt Tavern Road near the Squan Road intersection.