Politics & Government

Residents: Fire Companies Should Not Support Commercial Entities

Residents speak out to the township council against proposed T-Mobile cell antennas at a local firehouse.

With concerns over bringing a commercial aspect into a residential neighborhood, residents spoke out against a proposal to build a T-Mobile cell tower at the Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company on North Bridge Street.

Residents made their views known at Monday's Bridgewater Township Council meeting, emphasizing that they were against allowing this kind of entity to be built in the vicinity of their residences.

"The fire department should not be involved in commercial property," said North Bridge Street resident Robert Mcintire. "The residents should not have to have their properties devalued. This doesn't have to be put across the street from our homes."

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T-Mobile currently has an application before the Bridgewater Township Zoning Board of Adjustment to attach six cellular power antennas to a flagpole that would be at the Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Company firehouse. The application also requires the addition of new radio equipment in a container at the base of the flagpole.

The cellular company is looking to obtain a use variance to place the antenna panels on the flagpole, in addition to getting variances for height, lot coverage and fence height.

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The application was first heard at the Aug. 3 zoning board meeting, and has been continued to the Aug. 31 meeting.

But the about 30 residents in attendance at the council meeting decided to take their cause to the elected officials. Holmes Court resident Andrew Leven passed out fliers to those at the meeting, addressing the concerns of the Green Knoll residents and members of the Foothills Civic Association, and encouraging people to get involved to speak out against the tower.

"I do support our firefighters," he said at the meeting. "But I don't support the decision by an individual fire company to do things that would do harm to the public."

Leven said he was hoping the council could move forward in trying to determine where the tax money and donations to the fire companies are being used. He said the residents support these companies, and he is concerned that one would then turn around and attempt to put something commercial in the middle of a residential zone.

"It is difficult to understand how the money is being used," he said. "On the issue of use of funds only, how much money is Green Knoll being paid in the lease with T-Mobile? What is the money being used for?"

Leven said he understood that the council probably did not have the answer to those questions, but implored the members to try and find out, citing that the information should be public record, and, if the company refuses to give those figures, the residents should be told.

"The fact is we don't elect a board of trustees or firefighters," he said. "We don't have a line of sight to them. We come to you because you are our elected officials."

Council President Matt Moench said residents do need to remember that they can elect their fire commissioners, who discuss this kind of information.

But Leven said he hoped the council would consider looking into it.

"The department usually has a strong level of support," he said. "But I think this is a town-wide concern that casts a shadow on all the companies."

Cedar Street resident Peter Sepesi said he moved to his current home in a place that was focused on quality of life, and not commercial entities.

"I wanted to live in a pristine, non-commercial area," he said. "But I found out by word of mouth that they [might be putting] a 125-foot tower in, and that's got me upset."

Moench said he appreciated the residents attending the meeting to speak about the tower, but that there is nothing the council can do in this situation, and it is in the habit of not commenting on pending applications before other boards.

"The council has a policy, and it will not take a stance on matters before the boards," he said. "An applicant can appeal to the council if its application fails."

Instead, Moench said, the best thing for residents to do would be to speak to the fire commissioners themselves, and attend the actual zoning board meetings to speak directly with the applicant and make their concerns known to the board itself.

"There is nothing the council can do now, and the best thing is to go to a zoning board meeting and hear the applicant," he said. "Any objector can make a case at the meeting, and I encourage everyone to go to the zoning meeting."

Still, residents said they were concerned about the possibility of the cell tower, and worried that it would harm the quality of life.

"This is a pristine area with trees, and it is a shame we have to give way to something commercial," Sepesi said. "I am appalled by this, and I am here just to make everybody aware."

The zoning board will hear continued testimony on the application at its Aug. 31 meeting.


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