Balloon Test to be Conducted for Cell Tower Settlement Talks

T-Mobile has requested, and been granted, additional time to discuss with the township a possible settlement that would place a cell tower in a location other than the originally proposed Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company.

According to a letter filed April 5 with the United States District Court in Trenton, the township and T-Mobile are in the midst of discussing a possible settlement, which would identify municipal-owned property as a possible location for the monopole facility that was denied by the zoning board at the Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company in May.

But before the township will consent to the settlement, the letter said, it has requested that a balloon test be conducted on the property.

“[It has been requested] so that members of the township’s governing body can observe whether the facility would be visually intrusive at the proposed location,” the letter read.

The proposed location has not yet been released.

At this point, the letter said, T-Mobile has retained a professional planner to conduct the test.

In addition, the township has agreed to provide T-Mobile with a site plan of the property so that engineers can put together an exhibit that would provide the details of the proposed facility.

Township administrator James Naples said Friday that a date for the balloon test has not yet been scheduled, and no agreements have been made.

“These are all preliminary steps that must be taken to determine if a settlement is even feasible,” he said.

Because of the township’s request, according to the letter, T-Mobile has asked that the court extend all pretrial deadlines by an additional 60 days. The settlement conference that had been scheduled for April 12 to discuss these negotiations has also been requested to be adjourned for four to six weeks while more work and review is done.

The court granted the continuance, and the settlement conference has now been adjourned until June 19.

In May 2012, the board of adjustment denied an application from T-Mobile to build a 125-foot cell tower at the Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company. T-Mobile filed suit later that year, saying the board's decision was arbitrary and capricious.