Township Residents Continue to Speak Out Against the Cell Tower

Several Washington Township residents came out to the council meeting Monday night to ask the governing body for an update on the cell tower and to express their concerns.

Mitchell Rosenthal said he wanted members of the council to reconsider placing a cell tower in a highly residential area. The current proposal calls for the tower next to the police station at the , which has many houses surrounding it. Rosenthal said as a cancer survivor, he's worried about the health risk for residents.

"I don't know whether or not cell towers emit anything that will cause cancer or anything of that nature, but I am not willing to take that chance on our residents in this neighborhood," Rosenthal said. "I think it is absurd to take a 140-foot potential cell tower and place it in the center of a residential community."

He also said that he believed putting up the cell tower would discourage people from moving into the township.

Council President Fred Goetz said the accepted cell tower bid, awarded to Verizon, was for a 120-foot tower, not 140. He reiterated that the tower is slated to replace the 80-foot police radio tower currently next to the municipal complex and that the governing body has asked Verizon to consider an alternative location, near the .

Township Attorney Kenneth Poller said his conversations with Verizon about the alternative location are not yet complete so he did not have any new information to relay to the public.

He also explained the history of the cell tower issue, which has been ongoing for more than two years. He said there was an application before the township Zoning Board for a cell tower by the , which was denied. Since then, according to Poller, the only other location has been next to the municipal complex. He said discussions about the alternative location are informal and when the cell companies come back with an answer about the feasibility of the alternative location, that information will be brought before the council and the public.

Resident Sandy Philips, who lives very close to the municipal complex, wanted assurances that she and others would have the chance to speak again before a final decision is made. She also asked the governing body to consider denying the cell tower.

"If we do not want it, we should fight Verizon," Philips said. "Don't be afraid of a lawsuit." She added a lawsuit from those opposed to the cell tower could be worse than one from the cell companies.

But Poller explained that the courts have sided with cell companies and if a lawsuit is successful, "the courts mandate where they go" and can override home rule with regard to zoning.

Some residents said they wanted the governing body to wait until the cell tower on the Garden State Parkway is complete before moving forward with the township project. Mayor Janet Sobkowicz explained that the cell companies have said the tower on the Parkway won't help with coverage gaps in the township. She said T-Mobile was fighting for space on the township cell tower even though that company will be placed on the Parkway tower.

For now, the project sits in limbo as township officials wait to get a final report from Verizon about the alternative location. Councilmen first in February. At the end of April, the . In March, government officials . They have not revisited the ordinance since then as they wait to hear back from Verizon.

Back in December 2010, officials said . Now they're not sure when the project will begin.

The next township council meeting is scheduled for June 27.