"Hello Ocean Pointers,
We are forwarding a copy of a letter to the editor that
we sent off to the Boothbay Register regarding the proposed Ocean Point cell
tower. If anyone has questions or would like a full copy of the submitted
application, please feel free to give us a call at 207-318-3282.
Best,
Brad & Danielle Betts
To
all Boothbay residents,
Mariner
Tower has applied for a variance to build a 120-foot cell tower in Ocean Point
at the corner of Route 96 and Van Horn Road. According to AT&T
coverage maps submitted by Mariner Tower, the proposed Ocean Point tower has
limited reach due to topography and covers a very small radius which leaves the
majority of Linekin Neck and the most populated areas of Ocean Point (including
portions of Middle Road south to Shore Road, from Grimes Cove to the Ocean
Point Inn) with “inadequate and unreliable coverage” (shown as red/yellow on
the attached map). So considering the very small reach of this one tower,
how many more towers will we need to ‘connect the dots’ in AT&T’s service
coverage?
Cell
service is a necessity in today’s technological age – but cell towers are
not. Everyone wants cell service but no one wants a tower in their
backyard for obvious reasons – they are unsightly dinosaurs that put the burden
of cell service on a handful of neighbors by diminishing their property values.
They are quickly becoming a thing of the past as modern technological alternatives
become available.
One
alternative that has passed the testing stage and is being implemented
wide-scale across the country is ‘small cells’. Small cells (the size of
a ream of paper) are installed on existing telephone poles (not towers)
offering an affordable, low impact and ‘greener’ way to significantly improve
mobile coverage in rural areas and villages. According to AT&T’s
website: “AT&T is helping lead the mobile industry by deploying small
cells across its network. Small cells are innovative and flexible network
solutions which help provide the best possible mobile coverage and connectivity
where AT&T customers need it most. Small cells are the latest solution in
the next-generation toolkit AT&T is using to build the world’s best wireless network.
Over the next three years, AT&T will deploy more than 40,000 small cells
across its network”.
Boothbay apparently has
the infrastructure to support this type of network. Fairpoint Communications, whose
network reaches more than 95 percent of all business addresses in northern New
England, is
already leading the way providing small cell service expansions. From a
September 2013 FairPoint press release, "The growth of wireless
network technologies and the proliferation of smart phones and tablets have
fueled an unprecedented demand for wireless coverage," said Chris
Alberding, FairPoint vice president of product management. "Consumers do not
want to be without connectivity, even in rural areas. Small cells are a
fast-growing market segment because they can be used to increase the capacity
of 4G networks, but can also be used to deliver service in hard-to-serve
markets with challenging terrain and economic constraints."
So
why not use small cells in Boothbay? Our winding, hilly coastal roads are
an ideal location for small cells on existing utility poles. Plus
Boothbay has proven to be a leader in choosing smart ‘green’ technology in lieu
of costly infrastructure, as shown by the commitment our municipality and
numerous local businesses have made to the “GridSolar Boothbay Pilot
Project”.
The
Boothbay Zoning Ordinance already allows tower placement where it can be
reasonably accommodated in commercial, industrial and maritime zones, but
clearly states that communication towers are prohibited in ALL residential
zones. The variance proposed by the tower company would overturn our
ordinance and set a precedence for all residential areas in the
town. And this would allow more and more such towers to be placed on
residential properties.
Since
towers are prohibited in residential zones, our codes are silent on how to
protect residents from the growing number of towers that may be built in
residential zones. There are no fall-protection setbacks, nor other
conditions specific to the potential negative effects of having a large tower
next to a home. For instance, the currently proposed Ocean Point cell tower is
on a 5-acre property, however, Mariner Tower has sited it so close to the
property line that if it were to fall, it could damage property of the abutting
neighbors. Other cell service providers have successfully broadcast their
service to even the most remote areas in Boothbay without overturning our
ordinance. Mariner Tower should not be granted a variance that would, in
effect, overturn our ordinance when cell carriers have proven it can
be done within the code, and especially in light of the fact that more modern
technologies are available.
Mariner Tower is in the tower business – they will not help guide us to the right solution, one that provides
our community with the best cell service possible using the lowest impact
technologies. Please take action: attend the first public hearing
on October 29 or send a letter to support
protection of our ordinance and to encourage town officials to investigate all possible
alternatives. Letters/emails can be sent to:
Appeals Board, Town of Boothbay
PO Box 106
Boothbay, ME 04537
To view the proposed cell tower
coverage map, or to learn more about small cell network alternatives, visit: smallcellsboothbay.wordpress.com.
Thanks!
Brad and Danielle Betts
30 Van Horn Road
East Boothbay, ME 04544
207-318-3282
bbetts@maine.rr.com"
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