Resident wants answers about new Marlboro cell tower

In June 2005, the Marlboro Township Council, without contacting any of the affected local residents and businesses, approved the construction of a 168-foot tall cellular tower in the Union Hill Road commuter lot and unbeknown to a vast majority of residents, construction began in July 2006.

The actions of Marlboro town officials are in stark contrast to their counterparts in Colts Neck. Whereas Colts Neck sought community involvement in their cell tower project, Marlboro did not. Colts Neck is building their tower adjacent to a first aid facility, while Marlboro constructed theirs in a busy commuter lot adjacent to a 162-home community, two shopping centers and a host of residences along Union Hill Road.

And finally, while Colts Neck is requesting a 130-foot tall tower camouflaged as a tree, Marlboro approved a 168-foot tall silver monopole that, according to an official associated with the tower construction, cannot be modified from its present design.

Marlboro's mayor and township engineer gave assurance that the township would take the necessary steps to ensure the tower was in compliance with Township Code 84-63.2 which states that the visual impact of any newly constructed cellular structure be minimized.

As it turns out, this structure, as approved in 2005, can never be visually minimized. In fact, if the township negotiates deals with other cellular companies, more platforms will be added to the structure, making it more unsightly than it already is.

But most importantly, if you read ordinance 84-63.2 more closely, it also states that a cellular tower cannot be constructed less than 500 feet from a residential zone. This tower, however, is a mere 220 feet from the closest Prides Crossing residence, which makes it an illegal structure. Why was this not caught by the township engineering department?

Marlboro's cell tower project has been handled irresponsibly since its inception. First, notification was never given to local residents (not counting the 1-inch announcements required by law in the local newspaper).

Next, a full three months passed until a noisy, unsecured and unguarded generator was finally fenced in (and poorly muffled), eliminating an extremely unsafe condition.

And now, township officials are forming a wall of silence when they are asked how they are going to justify this structure despite the many inconsistencies with their own codes.

Most residents would appreciate a response from township officials explaining in this publication why a consensus was not solicited from residents (similar to Colts Neck and Fair Haven), why a desolate area or firehouse/first aid station was not chosen as a preferred site, why this particular tower design was chosen and most importantly, why the township refuses to enforce its own ordinances as it pertains to the 500-foot buffer and the visual impact of this structure.

The tower is an illegal structure and should be removed as quickly as possible. If a tower is needed in Marlboro, the process should be started anew except without the secrecy and illegalities associated with the present structure.

Howard P. Vogel

Marlboro