UPDATE Some Ocean City, MD residents object to seeing Crown Castle move in as a new neighbor. As The Dispatch reports, Crown Castle has asked to place three 30-foot cell towers in residential quarters. Opponents point to the town’s 15-foot height restrictions saying that the proposed additions are not their kind of towers.
The Montego Bay community at the north end of the beach town denied the official construction request presented last week following the denial of an informal request earlier this year. City Engineer Terry McGean cited aesthetics and height requirements as reasons to disallow construction. He also reminded those assembled that federal guidelines could end up ruling the day.
“The council is now being asked to make a final decision as to whether to approve or deny the applications,” said McGean. “Absent an agreement by Crown Castle to extend the time for action, that final action should be taken by November 4, and if not, the town will be presumed to have violated federal deadlines for action on applications for new small wireless facilities.”
“There are sound reasons for the limitation in the MH-zoned district [to support a denial],” McGean continued. “Among them, there are no city or utility-owned street lights or above-ground utility poles or an aerial plant near the proposed facilities. Staff believes the proposed structures and their placement are not aesthetically or architecturally compatible with the surrounding environment.”
A petition signed by 978 local residents cited expected concerns including aesthetics, property value worries, and phantom health concerns. “We sincerely suggest you reject those tower requests and ask Crown Castle to cease and desist,” said Montego Bay resident and nurse practitioner, Holly Donovan. “It has become harassment.”
Speaking on behalf of Crown Castle, the company’s Government Relations Manager, Carly Didden, told The Dispatch, “To review why this is so important, we have proposed three tall towers. Through the process, we have gone through redesigns to limit the visual impact. If we went with shorter towers we would need more of them. We would need five instead of just three. We have to have above-ground equipment.”
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