Lea Kahn

By: centraljersey.com
A pair of applications submitted by Liberty Towers LLC to build two cell towers – on opposite sides of Lawrence Township – will be heard by the township Planning Board after the board swears in two members at its annual reorganization meeting Monday.
The Planning Board is expected to swear in the two new members and chose a chairman and vice chairman at the meeting, which is set for 7:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room at the Municipal Building.
Once the reorganization matters have been resolved – which include appointing the board’s professional staff, including its attorney, planning consultant, engineer and traffic and noise consultants – the board will listen to the applications.
Liberty Towers is seeking minor site plan approval and a conditional use variance to build a 150-foot tower on an unused portion of the Trenton Farmers Market property on Spruce Street at Princeton Avenue. A cell tower is permitted as a conditional use in the Highway Commercial zone.
The tower would be constructed on land behind businesses, such as Dunkin’ Donuts, that have frontage on Princeton Avenue. The nearest residence in the Tiffany Woods townhouse development is about 350 feet away from the base of the tower, according to a report prepared by township planning consultants Philip Caton and Brian Slaugh.
The cell tower and an equipment shed would be constructed inside a 10-foot by 10-foot area. It would be surrounded by an 8-foot-tall chain link fence, topped by barbed wire with mesh to make the fence unable to be climbed.
Liberty Towers, LLC also is seeking minor site plan approval and a conditional use variance for a 160-foot-tall tower on a vacant 5-acre parcel on Bakers Basin Road. The lot is adjacent to the township’s Department of Public Works facility. A cell tower is a permitted conditional use in the Light Industrial-1 zone.
The plans call for locating the cell tower and an equipment shed inside a 10-foot by 10-foot area. The tower would be 390 feet away from the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, and about 500 feet from the canal. Mr. Caton and Mr. Slaugh noted that the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Mr. Caton and Mr. Slaugh questioned whether the presence of a cell tower would interfere with one of the purposes of the park, which is to preserve the appearance of the canal and landscape as it was in the late 1800’s.