HOLMDEL— TheTownship Committee gave its approval for Verizon Wireless to build a 130-foot-tall cell tower in Holmdel, at its meeting July 21.
The committee unanimously awarded the contract by a 4-0 vote. Mayor Patrick Impreveduto was not present.
“We can move forward with it,” said Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso. “But as with any application, it has to go to the Planning Board for site plan approval. People have an opportunity to comment on the cell tower at that point in time.”
The tower would be built near the northern most portion of Bayonet Farm, closest to Bell Laboratories Road and American Way.
“When you drive down Middletown Road — and you think of Bayonet Farm — this is essentially one of the farm fields,” said Committeeman Larry Fink.
DiMaso emphasized the financial implications that the Verizon Wireless cell tower could bring the township.
She said the township would be paid $32,000inthefirstyear,witha3percentincrease every year after. Additionally, the township would receive 75 percent of the rent that any additional carriers pay to use the cell tower.
“It could substantially bring in close to $100,000 a year for the township, which is clearly needed,” DiMaso said.
Verizon Wireless would lease the cell tower for a five-year term, with a maximum of four five-year renewal options. After that point, the township can assume ownership of the tower.
The township resolution awarding the contract to Verizon Wireless describes the tower as a “self-supporting wireless telecommunications 130 [foot] stealth tree-type monopole, capable of a 20 [foot] extension … within an area of 19,154 square feet, which shall include an access driveway.”
“If you look carefully, you will see a taller tree. And if you look even more carefully, you can say, ‘That’s not a tree, that’s a cell tower in disguise,’ ” Fink said.
“The committee is always looking for ways to increase revenue to the township and minimize impact on the taxpayers,” he said.
He said the committee weighed the impact the cell tower would have on the township sightlines with the revenue it could bring in.
The committee members stressed that they would account for every possible eventuality the tower could bring.
“There’s a lot of things we’re looking at,” Committeeman Rocco Pascucci said. “We have all the data and all the pictures.”
Fink said he wanted to make sure the cell tower had minimal impact on the surrounding farmland.
He offered the example of the site’s maintenance driveway, which he suggested consist of gravel instead of paving it when it is built.
“We want to be sure that anything [will be done] in a minimalistic approach,” he said. “Anything in keeping with the bucolic nature of Bayonet Farm.”
Contact Mike Davis at [email protected].