Contract is next step (but not last) in cell tower plan

CORNWALL — Following a balloon test at the town gravel pit for a cellular communications tower, the Board of Selectmen has voted to pursue a contract with AT&T.But First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said the terms of the contract will be needed before decisions can be made. It is not a final decision, but the next step in the process. There is still a consultation needed with the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), as well as town meeting approval. On March 15, engineers launched a 4-foot-diameter red balloon on a 130-foot tether, to indicate the tower height, at a spot on 36 acres of town-owned land off Route 128 in West Cornwall. The three selectmen, as well as the engineers who were there on test day, said it appears that the only place the tower will be visible is from the top of Cherry Hill Road. It was noted that the Litchfield County Dispatch tower on East Street in Sharon is far more visible, rising above the hilltops. The proposed AT&T tower will have a backdrop of mature pine trees. Discussion at the meeting included how much it could be camouflaged, with paint or fake pine boughs. Ridgway said he would seek feedback from all Cherry Hill residents. A second tower site on property adjacent to the gravel pit was identified, but the owners, Tim and Tony Locke, will not likely consider the offer from AT&T, according to Ridgway, who said they decided the income was not worth the inconvenience to them. He also noted that at 200 feet higher than the site on town land, the tower was likely to be much more visible. Per the suggestion of town attorney Perley Grimes, a map will be requested that shows the distances from neighboring homes and Cornwall Consolidated School. The board had questions about service coverage that they plan to ask of their own engineering consultants. They would like to know, too, what limitations there might be, if any, on how much equipment could be put on the tower. They will look at leases between cell service providers and other towns to see what standard market value is used for land leased for tower sites. AT&T will be expected to make a presentation to Planning and Zoning at a future meeting.A related concern is the one-lane bridge that spans Mill Brook and is used to access the gravel pit, and whether it is capable of handling heavy truck traffic during tower construction. The board is wary of unanticipated expenses.Resident Roger Kane, who spent his career working for the state Department of Transportation on roads and bridges, will be doing a survey of town bridges soon. He said he looked at the bridge and does not have major concerns at this time. A more thorough analysis can be done once the snow melts. He did note that the steel for the bridge came from a demolished building and is much heavier than what would have been specified normally. However, that does not guarantee structural strength for load.