Friday, January 25, 2008

The Westfield Leader 1/24/2008

Letter To The Editor

Residents Need to Attend Meeting And Voice Opposition to Tower

There will be a Cranford zoning-board meeting on January 28 at 8:15 p.m. on the status of the proposed 130-foot cell tower located at the Cranford Swim Club property on the Cranford/Westfield border. Briefly, the reasons this tower is totally inappropriate here are stated here forth. 1, Too many important zoning laws ignored and too many serious variances required to build it here. 2, Tower would be located in an all-residential area and will set a precedent for more such towers to be erected in residential zones, thereby destroying neighborhoods. 3, Property values would be severely reduced and owners would have difficulty selling homes near such a site. 4, The tower would have a diesel generator and 225-gallon fuel tank. 5, Unknown health and safety issues. 6, The cell tower and antennas would stand approximately 60 feet above the three tops with four to five levels of antennas. Operation of such a tower would be 24 hours daily, seven days a week. 7, The tower will denigrate atmosphere of area and adjacent Lenape Park used by residents from District. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders adamantly opposes the construction of this cell phone tower at the Cranford Swim Club site. Natural areas of placid parkland should be preserved for use now and for the future. It is evident that other areas will be subject to cell towers put in residential areas so let us stop this proposal now and let the elected officials of our towns, of Cranford and Westfield, know this is unacceptable. Please attend the January 28 meeting in Cranford of the zoning board. Call (908) 709-7216 for confirmation of the meeting.

Jenny Schuvart
Westfield