“Why are they putting a tower in a hole?” Dai Dayton, president of the friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt, asked when reached over the phone about a Verizon Wireless plan to place a communications tower between the Sag Harbor Village impound lot and Southampton Town-leased transfer station to the north along the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike.
The tower would be 153 feet tall, and, as Anthony Trezza, the town’s principal planner, explained at the last Southampton Town Planning Board meeting on Jan. 27, because the federal government allows for an additional 20 feet, the tower “could conceivably go up to 173 feet, with little fanfare.”
The planning board was supposed to hold a vote on the town’s pre-submission report, but given a surplus of concerns from board members, who wanted those concerns added to the report by Mr. Trezza, it postponed the vote until the meeting tonight.
Dennis Finnerty, the board’s vice chairman, was passionate in his remarks. “Here’s my concern. The Village of Sag Harbor has designated this area to dump all their uses. And frankly, I’ve had enough of it,” he said.
Much of the opposition to the tower thus far has centered on the environmental impacts to the Long Pond Greenbelt. According to longpondgreenbelt.org, “Many of its ponds, fauna, and flora are classified by the New York Heritage Program as rare both in New York State and worldwide.” However, Mr. Finnerty found fault with the site for a different reason.
“This is along the Bridgehampton Turnpike which has historically been a community of color,” he said. “I see very big problems with this.” He said that many noxious, undesirable uses are being pushed to minority communities and “if we don’t address it, no one is going to address it.”
He apologized for coming “on a little strong” but explained that “this issue has really gotten my ire.”
The meeting went silent for a moment before every other board member jumped in, practically talking over themselves, to agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Finnerty. Hearing their concerns was “heartening,” said the chairwoman, Jacqui Lofaro.
“I totally concur with what you’re saying,” she said. “We’ve really been saddled with some very difficult situations with the Sag Harbor Village.”
James Larocca, the mayor of Sag Harbor, when reached over the phone this week, had a different take.
“The idea that we just use that area to dump our stuff on the town is an ill-considered and inaccurate remark,” he said. “Yes, we own the property, but we are not making the substantive decisions on its use. We are simply willing to provide a site at the request of the utility if the town agrees,” he said.
“As long as there is demand for cell service, the utilities will be in the business of finding locations for towers,” he said.
He said he expects the members of the planning board to do their homework and make the best decisions. Based on the comments at the meeting, it seemed planning board members had their minds made up.
“If ever there was a property that’s not appropriate for a 153-foot cell tower, it is this,” said Ms. Lofaro. “This property should be preserved. This is the wrong location for this project.” She added that the proposed tower violates the town’s telecommunications master plan, which calls for towers no higher than 100 feet.
Robin Long, another board member, agreed. “I don’t think that” a 153-foot tower “is fair to any community.”
Eric Helman, speaking for Verizon Wireless, said that after hearing the comments at the last meeting, Verizon would forgo the fake-tree look, and use a sleeker model for the pole, with the antennas inside. “We would go down from 153 to 150 feet. It would go in the same exact location as the tree monopole. So, I believe that might address some of the board’s concerns.”
“I don’t think three feet and bringing the antennas in is going to cut it,” said Ms. Lofaro “Have you looked elsewhere?”
“This is the most suitable parcel,” said Mr. Helman.
“I think what you’re hearing is that it’s not suitable,” said Ms. Lofaro.
“I hope the planning board stays strong,” said Ms. Dayton. “We really believe that the town and the village need to get together about this property.” Perhaps, she said, as a community preservation fund purchase. “This is an important nature preserve and the village is not protecting it.”
