Last month, Oyster Bay, NY Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino revoked seven permits due to resident complaints regarding wireless “micro cells,” installed in the utility strip on residential property, on behalf of Verizon Wireless. Now the matter is a legal one; Crown Castle NG East LLC sued the Town of Oyster Bay in federal court last Thursday, seeking permit reissuance and unspecified damages. This is not Crown’s only battle for nodes in New York.
According to NewsDay, Crown Castle issued the following statement, “We are eager to serve the community of Oyster Bay and were disappointed town officials, after our work throughout the community had already begun, issued an order preventing Crown Castle from continuing to work on the small cell network installation permits the town issued to us.”
Crown Castle said it submitted detailed applications for nodes in 24 locations and after site visits with town officials, submitted 12 revised plans. Most permits were issued thereafter in April. Saladino claims that while the company was provided access to the utility strip, it didn’t have the necessary building permits, contracts or licensing agreements, reports NewsDay. Crown alleges the town denied the company due process and violated federal laws that prohibit municipalities from restricting installation due to potential health risks and against unreasonable delays to install wireless equipment.
Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said the town would “take every legal step to protect our residents” and “will not provide permits for Crown Castle.”
June 13, 2017
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