Letter to the Editor Elysburg Cell Tower

Elysburg tower ruling was mistake

Published: June 13, 2017

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We rely on the press to keep power accountable. We rely on our leaders to be faithful to the law, and to consider the rights of all residents equally. We were failed by the press and local leaders throughout the Zoning Board Hearings concerning Verizon’s application for a variance to install a 90-foot cell tower in Village Center in Elysburg.

The burden of proving that we do not need a cell tower should never have been put on Village Center residents. The burden that a cell tower is needed should have been judiciously examined by the Zoning Board and the Press. In addition, the Zoning Board is legally bound to ensure that a variance meets five requirements including proof of hardship (or inability to use the property without a variance), and proof that the request is the least variance needed to solve any hardship.

In the hearings, Verizon originally stated that they needed to install the tower to get ahead of projected capacity issues in a 20-mile radius  (Changed from original letter by the paper. Correction: Verizon sought to address a 2 mile radius around the Fire Hall). Specifically, they cited concern for tourists heading to Knoebel’s, who might lose service for their kids’ iPads on Route 54, while travelling through Elysburg. This complaint does not meet legal standards for a variance. Residents currently have excellent Verizon coverage.

Projected capacity issues and small dead zones could have been solved with small cells. In fact, the FCC is mandating small cell infrastructure to transition to the next generation (5G) cellular network. Small cells should have been considered as a solution to any capacity issues.

On May 4 the Zoning Board announced its decision to grant the variance stating that lack of reliable service and capacity issues from Verizon interfere with emergency services, resulting in a health and safety issue; and that, “Lack of reliable service and dead zones in the Township is troubling and not sufficient for the fire company to adequately respond to emergency calls.”

Stories published in the press did not examine or check the facts concerning the issue. What is the extent of “lack of service”? Are there instances of emergency communications being interrupted? In what instance has the Fire Company been unable to adequately respond to emergency calls? How will a Verizon cell tower remedy this health and safety issue?

In fact, the Elysburg Fire Hall does not route emergency calls. Our 911 communications center is in Sunbury. In addition, in 2014, Northumberland County entered a multi-million dollar contract with Motorola to provide complete coverage and new equipment in our area for 911 and emergency services.

In the June Planning Commission meeting, the Chief of the Fire Hall (who serves on the commission) refused to respond to questions about interference that might be causing a health and safety issue. Steve Jeffry, the Director of the Northumberland County Public Safety and Emergency Management Agency, said in a phone call that they had not been consulted, nor are they aware of any issue.
We have been failed by local leadership, and local press. Residents are at a heavy disadvantage trying to represent our interests against those of Verizon, and the Fire Hall (whose members are heavily represented as officials in our township). The financial risk of appealing the board’s decision is too much for objecting residents to carry.

The variance should have been denied at the Zoning Hearing Board level, based on legal standards. Residents cannot take on the burden of legally righting their actions, nor should the burden have been placed on us to do so. As it is, the cell phone tower will be a monument of failed leadership in our community.

Kathryn Bullington
Elysburg