So what exactly does the proposal of the Cranford Swim Club cell tower mean to you?
Here is a simplified breakdown of what this will mean for all of us.
The Applicants:
New York SMSA Limited Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless
Omnipoint Communications Inc.
New Cingular Wireless, LLC (also known as AT&T)
Sprint Spectrum L.P.
The above named applicants have filed a joint application with the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Township of Cranford for approval to construct a wireless communications facility at the Cranford Swim Club, located at 201 County Park Drive, Cranford, NJ.
The proposed facility would consist of a:
A 130’ Monopole
An equipment compound located at the base of the tower containing equipment for each carrier.
A 225 gallon diesel fueled generator, to be maintained by Verizon Wireless
The entire cell tower facility would equal 2,800 square feet.
In addition, the applicants said that a 12 foot wide access road extending from the swim club’s parking lot would be necessary for maintenance trucks to pass through every four to six weeks per carrier.
The applicants have filed applications with the Zoning Board of the Township of Cranford for the following variances:
A Use Variance – A use variance is a variance that allows a nonconforming use of property after the implementation of the zoning regulation or other applicable law. The property of the Cranford Swim Club is in a Residential Zone.
A Height Variance – To allow the proposed tower to be 130 feet, where tower height is limited to 70 feet. They are asking to make the tower 60 feet taller than allowed in this area! The tree level in the area is only 75-85 feet. The proposed tower would shadow over them by almost 50 feet or 5 stories!
A Setback Variance – To allow the tower to be located within a Residential Zone; where a setback of 300% of tower height from a Residential Zone is required. Not only are they not supposed to be in a Residential Zone, they are supposed to be at least 390 feet away from any Residential Zone!
A Setback Variance – To allow the tower to be setback 14 feet from the property line, where a setback of 125% (162.5 feet) of the tower height is required to the property line. They are asking that the tower be allowed to be placed 14 feet from the property line, where a 162.5 foot setback is required!
A Setback Variance – To allow the Equipment Compound to be setback 15 feet from the front property line, where the setback requirements are 35 feet.
A Setback Variance – To allow the Equipment Compound to be setback 13 feet from the side property line, where the setback requirement is 62.8 feet.
Variance – To allow the Verizon Wireless equipment shelter to be 345 square feet, where only a 200 square foot shelter is permitted.
Variances are typically only granted after undergoing a statutory review process against specified approval criteria. Although review criteria vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, three basic criteria are common to the vast majority of variance ordinances:
The variance is required due to specific site conditions (topography, soil conditions, etc.), which causes unnecessary hardship to the landowner;
Granting the variance will not result in a hazard to public health or safety, and;
Granting the variance will not result in a grant of special privilege to the property owner (in other words, any other property owner with similar site conditions could obtain a similar variance: this criterion is often addressed by citing precedent)
If the Township allows these variances, they will be setting a horrible precedent that will only open the door for every cell tower proposal, anywhere, to be approved.
The next tower could be in your back yard.
Continue the Fight Cranford!
This Proposal MUST NOT go Through!
