Village Flubs on Cell Towers

Northport Village Attorney James Matthews is blaming the premature installation of two cell towers in the village on a miscommunication between himself and village staff.

The cell towers, cylindrical devices atop telephone poles, were installed on village property near the highway department garage and at the corner of Laurel Avenue and Main Street. By law, Matthews explained, a public hearing should have been held to allow residents to voice their concerns over the placement of the poles.

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The village zoning board gave approval to cellular communications company Next-G to install the poles in March of 2012 after a public hearing. Because the initial installation locations-- one proposed for Scudder Avenue-- were voted down by the zoning board, a second public hearing would have been required prior to approval of the new locations.

"There was a miscommunication and we didn't get it rescheduled for a hearing before they were allowed to go forward," Matthews said at the Northport Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday.

Matthews said a public hearing and joint meeting between the board of trustees and the zoning board has been scheduled. Next G will be present to tell the public why they chose the locations and discuss configuration, design, and aesthetics.

The public hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in village hall.

It's unclear whether the poles would be uninstalled should the public strongly object to their placement.

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