Cell Towers and Diamond are Forever

Just a few weeks back, was voted “best” in the area by Patch readers.  Our Community Park is recognized as the jewel in the crown of Forks Township. 

Yet, three Supervisors voted on April 19, 2012 to consider destroying trees and bushes smack in the middle of our park to upon a large concrete platform to accommodate up to five phone companies. Encased by a nine foot barbed wire fence with DANGER signs on all sides, such towers need steel electrical equipment lockers and noisy air conditioning compressors to cool equipment year round. 

And yes, this new cell tower would be located at one of the busiest, most well traveled places in our beautiful Community Park.  Directly across from the Forks Athletic Association batting cage, our walking path, football field and stationary exercise equipment is the exact location being proposed by Verizon for this monstrosity.  What were Supervisors Chuss, Billings and Egolf thinking when they voted 3-2 to even contemplate forever despoiling parkland with an ugly eyesore or jeopardizing public safety where so many children run and play? 

The fall-zone of a huge cell tower crosses roads both public and private, extends to the batting cage, walk ways and commercial parking.  Aesthetically, the tower would be seen from all outdoor recreational activities and the amphitheater, with its high blinking navigational lights always visible. Not to mention the constant hum of the compressors.

The specific site coveted by Verizon was carefully chosen on a main park road accessible to ample underground electrical power sources already there.  A tower anywhere else in the park lacks both the service road for trucks and the needed electrical power supply.  This location is the only one separate from residential developments that border our park on its three other sides. 

Township Zoning Officer Tim Weis presented this same proposal on behalf of T-Mobile in 2006 as a revenue-raiser that might add $18,000 to Forks General Fund.  It was soundly rejected by Supervisors then, who sent T-Mobile packing.  The cell tower opportunists, however, vowed to return when all the former Supervisors were off the Board.  Now – they’re back, only offering $2,000 more than in 2006.

While Mr. Weis presents the cell tower as a simple business decision with economic benefits to the Township, Supervisors O’Neill and Martyak voted no.  They are unwilling to detract from the natural beauty, enjoyment and safety thousands of families experience throughout our parklands.  We think Supervisors Billings and Chuss, who closely identify with corporate cellular communications, should avoid any perception of conflicts of interest, and abstain from this decision. 

Ample private Township land is available should cellular telephone service need to be enhanced.  People say diamonds are forever.  So are ugly and unsafe cell towers. A new book titled, “What Money Can’t Buy,” takes a hard look at shared values.  What are we willing to put up for sale?  Putting leaves no place for a cell tower in the middle of Forks top-rated asset, our beautiful Community Park.