Montgomery Cell Tower Application Denied

The Verizon application was denied

Tuesday, December 13 Public comments needed to protest Verizon cell tower.       The New York SMSA limited partnership doing business as Verizon has applied to install a cell tower 200 feet from River Road in Montgomery. It could be in the shape of a fake tree or a very tall silo.          The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the courtroom of the Montgomery Municipal Building,  2261 Van Horne Road/Route 206 North, Belle Mead, NJ 08502; 908-359-8211.         The Zoning Board seems to be leaning toward allowing the tower, so the more members of the public they see in opposition, the better the odds of stopping it.        Verizon must still respond to questions from the D&R Canal Commission, so acceptance by the township is not the end of the issue.         You are also invited to every meeting of the Canal Commission, usually held at 10:00 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Call 609-397-2000 to confirm the date.     This tower is within sight of the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath, one of the premier recreational locations in central New Jersey. The canal is on the state and national registers of historic places. Unfortunately, the proposed tower is not within the review zone of the D&R Canal Commission.   River Road itself is part of four historic areas: The Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, The National Trail System, and The Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway. The Historic Preservation Office of the Federal Communications Commission is currently reviewing this project. Our own State Historic Preservation Office has ruled that the project will have an adverse effect on the district. In addition, some organizations and residents have not been notified about the cell tower proposal. The D&R Canal Watch did not receive notification. The proposed site is within one hundred feet of the house that is register-eligible. A family lives in this home and most likely would not welcome this intrusion. The Canal Watch has asked that another site be chosen or that a DAS system be considered.