Board Approves Cell Antennas at Lighthouse

At its meeting on Jan. 9, the East Hampton Town Zoning Board of Appeals gave the green light to plans by the Montauk Historical Society to adorn with cellphone antennas the concrete fire control tower that sits next to the Montauk Point Lighthouse.

The society now needs to get final site plan approval from the town’s planning board to move ahead with the project, which calls for AT&T to install three sets of three flat cellphone antenna panels on three of the four sides of the tower, which was built by the Army in 1942, next to the iconic lighthouse. A global positioning system will be set up at the top of the tower, and all electrical components of the project will be installed inside it.

The society needed a variance from the section of the town code that prohibits cell towers in areas zoned for parks and conservation, as Montauk Point is. 

While the antennas will service only calls from AT&T customers, it will automatically connect anyone in the surrounding area who dials 911 to the police, no matter what company he or she is using. This was a major selling point for the four board members who voted to approve the variance request for the project. A fifth board member, Theresa Berger, had recused herself during deliberations. 

“The applicant has come in and proved the public necessity,” the board’s David Lys said of the flat antennas, which will be painted to match the color of the lighthouse. 

“There are a number of people, a number of anglers on the Point on those rocks,” Cate Rogers said. Right now, if there is an emergency, it can be difficult to call the police. “I think this is a good idea,” Ms. Rogers said.

One concern board members had was that after AT&T installs its antennas, other companies will seek to do so. That fear was allayed by Beth Baldwin, the board’s attorney, who said that an approval of the variance would apply strictly to AT&T. Any other company would have to go back to the board for a new variance. 

“I like the idea of this thing not becoming a Christmas tree,” Mr. Whelan said.