Residents in one Massachusetts town don’t seem too thrilled about the prospect of improved wireless coverage in the area. A handful of locals attended the Westford Zoning Board of Appeals meeting earlier this week to voice their opposition to a cell tower that has been proposed by Varsity Wireless, reports the Lowell Sun.
The proposed tower is 140-foot and would be located in a business-zoned property. Residents, however, feel the tower is too close to nearby homes and would adversely affect property values.
The tower would be erected in the Nabnasset neighborhood of Westford; residents have crafted signs using the slogan “No ‘Nab’ Cell Tower” to protest the proposed structure. Several law signs have been spotted in the area, reports the Lowell Sun.
One Zoning Board of Appeals member, to the audience’s chagrin, made it clear the board had no authority to reject the cell tower outright. Federal law requires municipalities to approve wireless equipment that addresses a demonstrable gap in coverage.
“We cannot say ‘no’ to a cell tower,” ZBA member David Earl said during the meeting. “You’re going to have a cell tower. If you can help us [identify other potential sites], that’d be great. But we just can’t say ‘no.’”
No decision was made during the meeting. In addition to this location, Varsity has submitted another application for a site along the same road, but will only construct one tower at one of the locations.
April 24, 2017
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