The Martha’s Vineyard Times reports, the height of a proposed Verizon tower may be at odds with the surrounding trees. Residents are currently being serviced by a 77-foot monopine but growing obstructions from surrounding trees are dictating a new, taller tower, 130 feet tall, take its place so it will not be outpaced by its non-faux brethren.
Verizon attorney Geoghan Coogan explained to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission that unlike other cell towers, the type of tower they have, relies on a direct path between transmission points that cannot be obstructed.
Raising the height of the tower and the attached dishes to the proposed elevation, tops the tallest trees by 30 feet. Due to wind and soil conditions, local trees generally do not grow past the 100 foot mark.
Commissioner Doug Sederholm questioned both the aesthetics of the tower and the possibility of moving it to a more remote section of the Verizon property. “Assuming you need a tower that reaches that height, and since there is space in the back parking lot, I take it it is technically possible to locate the tower further back from the road,” he said. “Why can’t you locate it further back on your own property? I suspect the answer is that it costs more money.” In response, Coogan said that the current location is next to the Verizon building where, “All the services go right through the door, so relocating all the technology and cables is one part of the problem.”
Pitting arborists against each other, Verizon consulted tree expert Tyler Chronister for more information on projected tree growth. In response, the commission turned to Polly Hill Arboretum for their feedback. A final decision is pending. Comments? Email us.
December 5, 2018
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