COLTS NECK — The plan for a cellular communications tower to be placed on the grounds of Colts Neck High School was recently disconnected by members of the Colts Neck Zoning Board of Adjustment.
At a meeting on April 20, the board members denied an application that had been filed by Verizon Wireless, which sought permission to place the communications tower at the high school, Route 537 and Five Points Road, in order to improve its cellular coverage in the area.
The topic of the placement of a cell tower at the high school was a sore point in 2007 when, according to previously published articles, residents turned out a meeting of the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education to express their displeasure with a plan to place the cell tower on the high school’s grounds.
Colts Neck High School is one of six schools that make up the FRHSD.
At a 2007 board meeting, FRHSD Superintendent of Schools James Wasser said he wanted to reach out to Colts Neck residents and the representatives of Verizon to resolve everyone’s concerns.
The cell tower application came before the Colts Neck zoning board on March 8, when testimony from the applicant’s professionals was heard and residents were permitted to make comments and to ask questions. The board voted on the application at a special meeting that was held on April 20.
The Verizon application called for a 130-foot tall monopole and an equipment shelter to be placed on the school property.
Meeting minutes indicate that Verizon’s representatives looked at various locations for a cell tower, including a site at the Route 18 and Route 537 intersection.
When the state Department of Transportation was not interested in leasing that site, William Perry, a contractor representing the applicant, went in search of other alternatives, which led to the FRHSD being approached.
Previously published articles state that the FRHSD board entered a formal agreement with Verizon Wireless in April 2007. However, the site plan for the cell tower did not come before the Colts Neck zoning board until earlier this year.
David Samberg, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, said the company will review the decision of the zoning board prior to determining whether an appeal will be filed.