Atlas Twp.- A growing need for cellular communications has at least one company eyeing some township property.
Skyway Towers, LLC has proposed to build a 180-foot Monopole Communications Tower in the 8000 block of East Baldwin Road. The company, which has more than 480 towers nationwide, was seeking comments regarding the potential effects from this site on historical properties.
Erika Diak, a spokeswoman for Trileaf Corp., environmental and engineering project specialist said a prelimanary site investigation is ongoing.
‘The first step will be to seek any historical impact on the property where the tower is proposed,? she said. ‘Also the area will be evaluated for direct environmental impact. Once the information is gathered it then goes to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service along with the state historic preservation office. Cell phone companies look for sites that don’t have a lot of coverage or there may be too many dropped calls in that area. They often look at the number of complaints and then consider a tower.?
If the approvals are gathered the company will then apply to the FCC and local planning commissions, she added
Rick Misek, township planning commission chairman, said towers must be in compliance with established ordinances.
‘The tower company must make application to the township planning commission for conditional use or land use not permitted within the particular zoning district,? he said.
‘We have not as of yet received any notification for anyone regarding the tower, they will have to go through the process,? said Misek. ‘It’s my understanding that Verizon is considering the site on Baldwin Road for a tower. Once the application is made the tower location will go through the process so planners can determine if the use is compatible with the township ordnance. The township cell tower ordinance requires, if possible to construct the tower on township property first, unless the tower must be built on private land for coverage reasons. The Baldwin Road site is about 2 1/4 miles from the Gale Road township hall tower and even less from the Horton Cemetery which could also be a site. We have a good communication ordinance’the current tower on the township Gale Road property has gained about $1 million in revenues for taxpayers every 25 years.?
Misek added that while the proposed Baldwin Road site is the first tower proposal in a few years.
‘There will be more players in the telecommunications business as time goes on,? he said. ‘The population growth of a community will spark the need for more towers.?