Cell Tower in Branford? East Haven? Stay Tuned

First Selectman Anthony ​“Unk” DaRos told the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) at a hearing Tuesday that he prefers a proposed cell tower be located in East Haven rather than Branford, but the hearing was postponed before the town’s consultant could explain the research and rationale. The next hearing will require that residents and town officials travel to CSC headquarters in New Britain in order to testify.
 
​“We don’t want this to be a Branford or East Haven fight,” DaRos told the council as he testified Tuesday evening. ​“Branford is concerned about getting this right. Everything we see tells us the best location for this particular tower is at the firehouse on Short Beach Road.”

Prior to the hearings, AT&T flew a red balloon at each site to simulate the height of each proposed tower and the CSC conducted a field review at both locations. (See photo above in Branford.)

AT&T and North Atlantic Towers are seeking CSC approval to build either a 120-foot tower at 171 Short Beach Rd. in Branford; or a 103-foot tower at the fire station at 82 Short Beach Rd. in East Haven.

Hearings on both sites were held Tuesday at the Senior Center in East Haven. During a two-hour afternoon hearing, the CSC questioned an eight-member panel of AT&T experts about the two sites.  That session, which will include testimony from other experts and from intervenors, will be continued Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. in New Britain.

The Short Beach application is the fourth request for tower construction in Branford to reach the CSC in a little over two years. Click here to read an earlier story about the Short Beach proposals.

The evening session, which lasted about 45 minutes, was devoted to comments from the general public. That is when DaRos made the town’s preferences known. He said the East Haven site would fill cell phone service gaps and “have a less obtrusive visual impact from the land as well as the water.”

East Haven Mayor Joe Maturo did not attend. However, State Rep. James Albis (D-East Haven) addressed the council earlier in the day.

“I urge the siting council to consider all the concerns of the public,” he said, and especially to consider any impacts on sites like the Farm River State Park and the Shoreline Greenway Trail. 

New Cell Tower Law

This was the first CSC public hearing since Gov. Dannel Malloy signed into law the cell tower legislation that was spearheaded by state Rep. Lonnie Reed (D-Branford).  The law, which was co-sponsored by state Rep. Pat Widlitz (D-Branford and Guilford), upgrades the way the CSC approves cell towers and also gives towns more say in the process. Click here to read a story on how texting helped to save the law before a midnight legislative deadline.

CSC attorney Melanie Bachman told the Eagle that AT&T’s Short Beach application was filed before the legislation was approved and signed by the governor, so the law does not have a direct impact on the proceedings. However, Bachman said the council is asking questions that were raised by the new law. “We’re still going to seek that information,” Bachman said.

For example, during the afternoon session, CSC panel members asked AT&T experts (pictured) about the proximity of day care centers and schools to the proposed sites. The new law prohibits towers being built within 250 feet of schools and day care centers. The two proposed Short Beach Road sites are not near such facilities.

Residents Speak Out

Branford and East Haven residents urged the CSC not to approve the proposed tower in their respective communities.

Doug Hanlon, (pictured) who represents Short Beach on Representative Town Meeting (RTM), said he drove around town when AT&T floated balloons Tuesday afternoon to show the height of the proposed towers. He said he was surprised about the visibility from Branford Point, the site of the town beach and the popular harbor where Branford River flows into the Sound.  “You can’t believe the number of people on the beach who were pointing to the balloon,” Hanlon said.

Hanlon said the Branford tower site would not only affect the neighbors but everyone who uses the beach and waterways. Besides Branford Point, six other Branford areas would have near-shore views, the town’s consultant said in his report. East Haven, for example, would have views from Long Island Sound, not near-shore views.

Peter Black (pictured), a Republican member of Branford’s RTM who represents Short Beach, was concerned about water views of the proposed towers. In answer to a question raised during the afternoon session, Black said there is more maritime activity along the Branford shoreline because of the harbors and bays than there is in East Haven.

Most neighbors who testified said a tower would have an adverse impact on views, property values and health.

“It’s way too close to our house. It’s intrusive,” said Paula Perrelli of 177 Short Beach Road in Branford. “Aesthetically, it’s going to ruin a beautiful neighborhood.”

Bruce Williams of 54 Hilton Ave. in East Haven, said his family’s home is behind the fire station. “We’re going to be looking straight up at it.” He said that years ago, a fire truck, which was parked where the tower would be built, slid down the hillside into his back yard.

“I’m not opposed to towers,” said Edwin Salmon of East Haven. “I just think they should have wind turbines on them, not cell towers.”

James Berardi of 90 Short Beach Rd. in East Haven, said his home is 100 feet from the proposed tower at the volunteer fire station. He said his cell phone service is fine and there is no need for a tower.

However, many residents and officials of both communities have complained about a lack of cell service and “dead zones.” The Short Beach neighborhood in Branford and the Riverside area of East Haven, which are separated by the Farm River, are a distance from existing cell towers. 

AT&T states that either of the proposed sites would bridge the service gap that spans both municipalities. Verizon has already asked to share space at whichever location is approved.

The Branford site is owned by Wayne Krasnow, who has operated Air Inc., a heating and air conditioning business, at that location for about 20 years. The tower would be built to the rear of his property, near a wooded parcel owned by the Branford Land Trust.

The East Haven site is owned by the Riverside Volunteer Fire Department, and the tower would be constructed to the rear of the parcel with access along the western side of the parking lot. The height of the proposed tower was lowered from 125 feet to 103 feet after the State Historic Preservation Officer said the taller tower would have too much of an impact on the Branford Electric Railway District.

Branford’s Analysis

Due to the onslaught of tower proposals in Branford in recent years, town officials formed a Cell Tower Advisory and hired a consultant and an attorney specializing in cell tower issues. Two towers have already been approved in a little over two years. A request to build a 160-foot tower on Pleasant Point Road was withdrawn by T-Mobile while the company looks at other options suggested by the town.

Branford’s cell tower attorney, Keith R. Ainsworth, and engineering consultant David Maxson were prepared to participate in Tuesday’s hearing, but the CSC adjourned until August.

According to pre-filed testimony, Maxson was prepared to provide rationale and research regarding Branford’s preference for the East Haven site. In the written document, he stated that the East Haven site would best serve the public need and would result in less visual impact. He cited AT&T data that 83 Branford homes would have views of the tower, compared to 71 homes in East Haven.

In addition there would be 600 more acres of view impact in Branford, and that Branford would have near-shore views at Branford Point, Branford Harbor, Lamphier Cove, Indian Neck Point, Dugg’s Cove, Stanley Point and Horton Point. By comparison, East Haven would have views from Long Island Sound, not near-shore views.

According to Maxson’s data and also data from Verizon, the East Haven site would provide better cell coverage and have fewer gaps.

Three intervenors from East Haven will also have to wait until August to testify. In addition, 30 Riverside residents signed a petition protesting the East Haven site.

During the afternoon session, CSC technical analyst Robert Mercier asked if the tower could be moved behind the fire station in East Haven instead of next to it. “I think we could move it slightly,” said John Stevens, president of Infinigy Engineering. He said the tower could be moved about 10 or 15 feet to the east of the current proposed location.

CSC members (pictured)  and staff asked numerous questions about the design of the towers, and the possibility of using less invasive technology such as Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS). Anthony Wells, a radio frequency engineer testifying on behalf of AT&T, said the DAS nodes would be problematic in the Short Beach Road area.

CSC also asked several questions about back-up generators, in reference to the difficulties encountered in the lengthy power outages sparked by Tropical Storm Irene and the October snowstorm. Stevens said the site would have a permanent generator installed that would operate for two days without re-fueling.

Testimony and cross-examination will continue at the August hearing in New Britain. 

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