Discussions are still underway between Verizon Wireless and the town of Grafton, MA regarding placement of a 165-foot tower on Lazy Hill, according to the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle. The carrier pitched the township on using the site by saying it would enhance coverage around Millbury Street Elementary School and along Main Street (aka, Route 122A). The town is also requesting a study of a few other potential sites and coverage analysis of the towers at different heights. For instance, the Planning Board asked, what would be the difference in coverage if the tower was 136 feet or 96 feet?
Verizon came back with studies showing the signal would cover 5,110 residences at 165 feet, 4,677 at 136 feet and 3,205 at 96 feet, the Chronicle reported.
“Anywhere you move that tower on Lazy Hill, it’s going to be visually prominent, so I don’t know if moving it around really makes a difference,” said local resident Adam Wray. “I also don’t know why it’s being so much discussed when it’s in our bylaws that says it has to be cited below visually prominent ridgelines, which Lazy Hill is, to my knowledge, maybe the most visually prominent ridgeline in the town of Grafton. I think a compromise with coverage would have been the other Follette Street location.”
The Planning Board intends to continue its hearing on March 13.
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