In January of this year, Crown Castle filed a civil lawsuit at the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire claiming that the Bedford Zoning Board of Adjustment unlawfully denied its application for a special exception and variance. Crown wanted to build a 190-feet tower located at the town’s transfer station site, according to the Union Leader.
In November, after over 300 signatures opposing the tower were collected, Crown informed the Town Council that it was withdrawing from the project. Town officials are now reconsidering the proposal but stopped short this week of voting on whether to prohibit tower leases on town-owned property.
The Bedford town council chairman, following a heated discussion, made a motion to prevent town land from being leased to cell tower companies although her call was not seconded, according to the Leader.
On Wednesday, Bedford Police Chief John Bryfonski said the aging condition of the town’s land mobile radio network equipment must be explored, adding some of it is at least 15 years old. “We have very poor coverage currently in the south and southeast part of town,” said Bryfonski, adding there is a need for a secondary, backup emergency operations center.
Town Manager Rick Sawyer said in a statement to the Bedford Town Council: “I support either constructing a tower next to the DPW garage where opportunities exist for a secondary emergency operations center … or partnering with a private company on the firing range site as it is clear that we need to make improvements to the network in that portion of town, and sharing the cost is fiscally responsible,” he said.
“The value of partnering with cell service providers is the ability to significantly reduce the cost of implementing improvements to our communications system, however concerns about the impacts of towers have been raised by many residents,” Sawyer said in his statement.
One opponent to the tower told the Leader: “This is purely the revenue that the town of Bedford could put into their budget,” he said, cautioning about the impact and expense it will have on neighbors. If improvements are necessary for the safety of local police, fire and emergency medical service providers, a warrant article should instead be placed on the ballot seeking funding to enhance the town’s land mobile radio network,” he said.
December 20, 2016
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