Cell phone antenna construction restricted in Millstone Township

By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
   MILLSTONE — Township Committee has adopted an ordinance restricting the location and appearance of new cell phone antennas.
   The committee adopted the measure by a 3-1 vote at its Oct. 15 meeting, with Committeemen Elias Abilheira abstaining and Steven Sico absent.
   ”I think (the ordinance) goes really beyond what might be argued to be necessary,” said Township Planner Richard Coppola. “But I think the Township Committee very much wanted to safeguard the residents to the greatest extent possible.”
   Under the ordinance, cell phone companies seeking to erect antennas must first try one of 11 existing structures, or the supporting towers of certain power lines. Such “first priority” locations include the FCC Lattice Tower directly behind the Millstone Elementary School; within the steeple at United Presbyterian Church on Millstone Road; and on the lattice tower in the garage area of the Municipal Building on that same street.
   Mayor Nancy Grbelja said Friday little concern had been raised in the township regarding the possibility of a cell phone antenna next to the school.
   ”From what we’ve been told by our attorney, the courts are not going to entertain that this poses a health hazard simply because they don’t recognize it,” she said, adding that studies have not found significant evidence of such risks.
   The American Cancer Society says on its Web site that cell phone antennas and towers are “unlikely” to cause cancer, but notes that no studies have directly examined the effects of such towers on humans.
   The first priority sites should be enough to allow for antennas to cover the entire township, Mayor Grbelja said, and so having to find more locations should not be an issue.
   In addition to defining the location of antennas, the ordinance also regulates their noise and appearance. Any tower that has a base within 500 feet of a residence is required to have a “super critical muffler” on the generator, “to further reduce any sound emission,” the measure reads. Mr. Coppola called such equipment an “industry standard.”
   Mr. Coppola said those stricter rulers also require the equipment be housed in a cabinet with a decorative surface and a shroud over any outside cooling equipment, and the structure must be contained by an 8-foot-high board-on-board fence.
   In all cases, cabinets must be located on the side of the structure furthest from the nearest residence, and the antennas shall emit “no perceptible noise.” Exterior lighting is to consist of only one source, and the company must landscape the area to hide the cabinet as much as possible from the surrounding properties and streets.
   During public comment, Millstone Road resident Dan Gravatt expressed concerns that the ordinance would consider give protection to the nearest residence to a tower even if the tower was itself on the house. This led to the measure being adopted with slight modifications.
   Mr. Abilheira also raised objections. While admitting that the ordinance does extend some protection to residents, he said he would have liked to see the township fight cell phone companies who wish to put up antennas.
   Councilman Mike Kuczinski disagreed, saying that should such a company challenge the ordinance, “We don’t have a leg to stand on.”