Plan For 500-Foot Cell Tower In Mahwah Woods Is Dropped By Officials: What's Next?

MAHWAH, NJ — Bergen County officials are no longer proposing a 500-foot-tall communications tower for the Ramapo Valley County Reservation in Mahwah. READ MORE: Activists To Fight 50-Story Communications Tower In Bergen County

County officials broached the proposal last spring, saying it would improve cellular communications in parts of the woods and Reservation where service is limited.

But environmental activists like the Sierra Club and members of the Ramapough Conservancy attended county hearings, saying they'd fight the proposed structure, to be built near the Mahwah/Oakland border.

"This massive industrial structure would dominate the skyline, scar a cherished landscape, and open the door to further commercial encroachment on lands that belong to everyone," said a group called Save Our Amazing Ramapos.

Last week, Steven Spoto, a spokesperson for Bergen County's Board of Directors, confirmed for Patch that the commissioners have decided not to move forward with the plan.

“After careful review and due diligence," he said, "the county of Bergen has declined to take any further action regarding the proposed telecommunications tower opportunity at the Ramapo Valley County Reservation."

He added, "Over the past several months, the county evaluated whether there were feasible options to improve cellular coverage and communications reliability in the Reservation, particularly given the increase in visitation and the public safety challenges associated with limited service in emergency situations.

"After weighing the potential benefits against the regulatory complexity and the importance of preserving the character of this treasured reservation, the county has determined that it is not in the public interest to pursue this proposal further."

When asked whether the county will consider a smaller tower or another way to facilitate communications, Spoto said, "At this time there are no communications issues and they are not actively seeking any other projects."

Activists had argued that the tower was really meant to serve corporate interests.

Environmentalist Jeff Tittel, the former director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, called the decision a "big win for the Ramapo Mountains reservation and the people!"

"The county did the right thing by opposing this destructive project after listening to overwhelming public opposition," he said. "By rejecting it, Bergen County is now protecting the heart of the Ramapo Valley County Reservation and upholding the public trust."

READ MORE: Activists To Fight 50-Story Communications Tower In Bergen County