Verizon Wireless Water Tower Plan Opposed in Somers
Even before a formal application had not been submitted, the Somers Town Board unanimously expressed its opposition for a plan by Verizon Wireless to place cell telephone towers on a municipally owned water tower.
Verizon recently informed the town about its plan to place cell towers on the Ross Drive tank, which is owned by the town.
At the March 12 town board meeting, a group of residents asked the board to reject the plan and the board subsequently did so via a roll call vote.
Ross Drive resident Jennifer Klee and others told the board they had a number of concerns about the plan including potential health risks, especially for children, such as possible cancer causing emissions from cell towers. Klee gave several articles about the downsides of cell towers to the town board.
Other concerns given by the residents included a fear that cell towers in the residential neighborhood would reduce property values. The town board heeded the residents’ comments.
Councilman Thomas Garrity Jr. said because the cell towers were planned for a town-owned facility, the board would be within its legal authority to reject the plan. The board voted unanimously to the resolution from Supervisor Rick Morrissey to turn down the request from Verizon, even though the company had not formally presented it in a written form to the town board.
