A New 'Monopine' Cell Tower Is Being Proposed In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — In an effort to boost service and fill cellular coverage gaps for residents in the mid-country, Greenwich is considering a proposal for a "monopine" cell tower on the property of Nathaniel Witherell, the town-owned nursing home.

Unlike traditional cell towers, a monopine is a tower disguised as a pine tree to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

Town Administrator Benjamin Branyan, attorney Chris Fisher from Cuddy & Feder LLP, and John Arthur, the president and CEO of Wireless EDGE, a tower operating company, appeared before the Board of Selectmen on Thursday to present the proposal they've been working on for the past year.

The board did not take any action, as this was a first read. A vote could take place during the next regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 28.

However, the regulatory and approval process is substantial, Fisher said. Planning & Zoning would also examine the proposal, as would the Representative Town Meeting.

The proposal would then go to the Connecticut Siting Council, which has exclusive permitting jurisdiction over towers, Fisher said.

"There are a lot of layers to this, but we cannot achieve the community benefit of enhanced wireless service without your help," Fisher added.

Branyan said the tower would come at no cost to the town, and there is revenue sharing depending on how many carriers are eventually installed. Planing & Zoning could examine the matter for one or two reads, and Branyan said the team is working towards a Nov. 17 submission to RTM, with approval in December.

Under the proposal, Greenwich would lease out its property located on the northern side of Nathaniel Witherell on Parsonage Road so a 135-foot monopine tower can be built within a 75-foot-by-75-foot fenced compound.

Access is already provided to the proposed site by a dirt road. The site is away from the functional areas of the 200-bed facility.

Areas along North Street between the Merritt Parkway and East Putnam Avenue, including public buildings and private residences, are in a coverage gap for all wireless carrier networks, Fisher explained.

This part of the mid-country has been the subject of periodic efforts over several decades by the wireless industry to try and secure a suitable property for a tower.

"I would say just off the cuff we've probably looked at this area of town three to four times over the last 20 years," said Fisher, who has worked on various wireless projects in town. "We constantly came back to this particular area."

The property at 393 North St., which is where Greenwich Animal Control is located, was also considered as a potential site. A short, town-owned tower is already at that property.

These two properties are the "only viable and feasible" locations for a tower, documents submitted to the board state, but Nathaniel Witherell is preffered.

Fisher said he believes now is the time to finally install a new tower.

"This is not just about mobile traffic anymore; it's about in-building coverage, and it's not just about convenience, it is about public safety," Fisher said. "We feel like we're at a really great confluence in time to work on a facility that will solve the community need, and do it in a way where the town frankly maintains maximum control because you would be the leasing entity."

Arthur, who has worked with the town in the past on antenna-related issues, took the board through a brief presentation on the monopine tower and the proposed site.

He noted that the area has "a nice backdrop of trees" which is key for monopines.

"They never really look good when they're standing by themselves, so it's always best when there's a backdrop," he said.

There would be space for up to five carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, and "other FCC-licensed wireless carriers." AT&T would be the anchor tenant and installed at the 124-foot level.

Additionally, there would be space at the top for town/public safety antennas.

The coverage would be 700 MHz, Arthur said. It would provide basic LTE coverage for making calls and using data.

Arthur showed the board before and after maps of how cell phone coverage would be affected by a new tower.

Branyan mentioned that monopines can deteriorate over time, and included in the proposed lease is language for "branch management" to maintain the symmetry of the tower.

He also said the Nathaniel Witherell Board of Directors is expected to have a formal vote on the proposal next month.

"We've received nothing but positive feedback on this proposal. I think it solves a long-term public safety issue in this area. There's a deficiency in cell coverage, in addition to the residents at Nathaniel Witherell have significant cellular connectivity problems, so it solves their problem as well," Branyan said.

The selectmen did not ask any questions but seemed understanding of the need.

"Usually in years past when you'd mention a pole or any type of antenna or tower, you'd get lots of opposition. That's not the case anymore," First Selectman Fred Camillo said. "Certainly in this area, not only for Nathaniel Witherell, a lot of the neighboring roads there and the residents there are very much in favor of this."

Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan agreed that Nathaniel Witherell has very poor cell coverage, and Selectwoman Lauren Rabin noted that her mother, who resides at the facility, has trouble making FaceTime calls.

The proposal and more information can be found in the Sept. 14 Board of Selectmen agenda.