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Cell Tower: T-Mobile’s application is a complete disregard of the Village of Ridgewood’s (Village) Master Plan and zoning ordinances
On March 23, 2011, T-Mobile Communications presented its application to the Ridgewood Board of Adjustment (Board) for numerous and significant variances to construct a 120 foot cell phone tower on a lot zoned for residential use on the corner of Barnett Place and First Street. The enormous tower would be placed only 40 feet from the house of a fellow village resident and in the immediate vicinity of other residences. T-Mobile’s application is a complete disregard of the Village of Ridgewood’s (Village) Master Plan and zoning ordinances and the granting of such an application would set a dangerous precedent in our town as to the permissible use of residential lots. We urge the Board to stand-up to T-Mobile and deny this application.
The Board should not permit a Village property owner to completely modify the legally permissible use of his or her residential property simply because the owner would like to generate rental income from a wireless carrier. This is not a legally cognizable basis for the granting of such a variance and a slippery slope that will come back to bite Village residents if granted. If these towers are built they should be placed away from residential areas on Village owned property so that the Village can generate income from the wireless carriers. Indeed, in these economic conditions, the Village could utilize additional revenue sources.
In addition, this is not the only cell tower that the telecommunications carriers will try to construct in our Village. T-Mobile and other carriers will certainly seek out other locations in the Village, possibly on residential lots, which is why it is extraordinarily important for the Board to send a clear message to T-Mobile and other wireless carriers that the Village does not permit residential lots to be used for cell phone towers. In fact, we have learned that an application by Verizon to build a cell phone tower on another location within the Village was scheduled for late April but has now been rescheduled.
The Board is entrusted by Village residents with the duty to interpret and enforce the ordinances of the Village in accordance with the Master Plan so as to preserve the Village’s integrity, character and beauty. To fulfill its duty, it must be educated by independent experts as to the true merits of T-Mobile’s application. T-Mobile’s experts should be viewed by the Board with great apprehension and skepticism. T-Mobile retains the same experts over and over again who recite a script for each zoning Board they testify before. Indeed, Mr. Ben Shidfar, T-Mobile’s first expert witness, admitted that he has testified over 70 times on behalf of T-Mobile and approximately 90% of his business is derived from T-Mobile. We urge the Board to retain its own experts so as to ensure that the testimony of T-Mobile’s experts is independent, credible and valid.
The permissible use of residential lots is a very important issue in the Village that affects all Village residents. If T-Mobile is permitted to build this tower on a residential lot, T-Mobile or another wireless carrier will surely attempt to build on another lot close to your home in the near future. Show the Board you oppose such use of residential lots and attend the next Board meeting on May 24, 2011 at 7:00 P.M. We hope to see you there.
Eric and Christen Gross on behalf of concerned residents of Barnett Place, Mulberry Street and First Street.
