Some residents of Michigan’s Putnam Township are still rallying against a Verizon Wireless tower. The trouble is, the tower was erected last May and chances are it’s not going anywhere. Their argument is that not all of those residents that should have been notified about the tower when it was proposed, were notified. Hamburg Township officials now acknowledge that and have even apologized for the “oversight.” But some Putnam residents are not satisfied. Angela Schmoekel lives on Scholar Drive and told Krol Communications Country radio station WHMI-FM that in her opinion they were purposely left off the notification list as the tower is most visible from their road, but not from others. She also says there were no notices of construction or permits posted at the site when it went up last May.
A lawsuit was filed against Hamburg Township last year, reports WHMI-FM, and the township was court-ordered to hold a public hearing regarding the application for the wireless tower, which was entertained by the Zoning Board of Appeals on March 9.
Residents in attendance had the chance to make their case against the already-constructed tower, as well as attorneys representing them, Verizon Wireless and Pinckney Community Schools. Resident Shawn Glaser shared concerns about the tower, including radiation, an unpleasant aesthetic and a decrease in his property value.
The ZBA chose to reaffirm their original decision to allow the tower and a variance request that allows it to stand 85 feet from the west property line, 110 feet less than generally required. Several commissioners apologized to the residents who were not notified, but they also noted even if that mistake had not been made, they likely still would have voted in support of the tower. The lawsuit against Hamburg is still standing with the Livingston County Circuit Court and the residents are pursuing an appeal of the ZBA’s most recent decision.
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