Granting its conditional approval, the Zoning Board of Appeals in Rowe, MA has voted in favor of a new cell tower, reports the Greenfield Recorder. Conditions include capping the potential height at 200 feet, and agreeing that the tower will remain unlit. The tower can only be used for communication purposes. Should a power outage occur, the tower can resume service only through the use of back-up batteries, and an emergency generator.
Vertex Towers LLC, the proposed developer for the tower site, said that the cell tower they designed would stand 175-feet tall and occupy a fenced 60×60 ft site. The County Road location would be accessible via a gravel road that would require minimal maintenance. Both prior to construction and upon completion, representatives from Vertex agreed to walk the road with Rowe’s highway superintendent to spot and address any construction and repair issues.
To help keep the site safe from trespassers, a six-foot chain link fence would surround the cell tower site. Attorney Francis Parisi spoke on behalf of Vertex and pointed out the company’s commitment to safety. He noted that the tower design includes features to thwart unauthorized climbers. The anti-climbing mechanisms include special pegs that must be used to scale the tower – and are not kept at the tower site.
Although some residents raised objections, the Greenfield Recorder reports that Rowe residents are overwhelmingly in favor of gaining or improving digital connectivity. While some of the nearest neighbors griped about the noise and disruption of a construction project, Parisi said the build could be completed in four to six weeks, and could begin within the next six months. Further approval from the town board is needed in order to keep the project moving forward, according to the Recorder.
Many Rowe residents, like Fire Chief Dennis Annear, expressed their eagerness for construction on the new cell tower to begin. Annear spoke enthusiastically about the technological advantages that would be possible with better connectivity. He noted that the safety of all residents would be improved by the the tower’s ability to aid the fire department in emergency situations
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