Fair Haven continues quest for cell tower site
Gilmour will urge boro to sue DEP over denial of tower site
BY LIZ SHEEHAN
Correspondent

FAIR HAVEN - - Borough officials will meet with representatives of Christ Church United Methodist, Ridge Road, next week to discuss the possibility of locating a cell tower on the church property.

The attempt by the town to find a site for the tower follows the second rejection by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection of the borough's request to place the tower in Fair Haven Fields.

Last month, after meeting with representatives from the borough, the DEP ruled against the town's application.

Mayor Michael Halfacre said the reasons given by the DEP for the decision were that the DEP did not want to set a precedent for using Green Acres properties for cell towers and fear that environmental groups would sue if a tower were permitted on Green Acres property.

The borough had to seek permission to use property in Fair Haven Fields from the DEP because Green Acres funding, which is dedicated to acquire land for conservation and recreation, was used to buy the property.

The Rev. Eusun Kim, pastor of the church, said Tuesday that it was "very early" in the process of discussion about placement of the tower.

He said the majority of the members of the church favored the plan both because it would be a community service to end the controversy that has surrounded the search for a place to put the tower and would provide income for the church.

However, he said "a segment [of the church members] are still very much against it," and there was "a question if Fair Haven needs it [the cell tower] at all."

Kim said the 5 acres that are owned by the church would probably be the best property for the tower because it would be removed from residential areas.

He said that other considerations were also involved, including the need for permission from the higher levels of the Methodist church.

Borough Council President Thomas Gilmour confirmed Tuesday that the meeting would take place next week.

He said he was going to place before the Borough Council at its next meeting the idea of taking legal action concerning the DEP's rejection of the borough's request.

"I'd be in favor of doing that," he said.

Since the council, prompted by the desire to control the location and revenues of the tower, passed a resolution in 2004 restricting the placing of cell towers to only borough-owned land, attempts to find a site for the tower have met with strong opposition from residents who do not want the tower in their neighborhoods.

In response, the borough has sought to use Fair Haven Fields for the tower.

While the town was searching for a site, Verizon Wireless entered into negotiations with Church of the Nativity, Ridge Road, to put a 133-foot cell tower on its property.

This proposal was opposed by some neighbors of the church and by some parishioners who said they had not been consulted about the plans.

The Verizon application for the tower requires variances and the company has had several hearings before the borough's Zoning Board.

At one of these hearings, Warren Stillwell, attorney for the company, said that an ordinance enacted in another municipality similar to the one in Fair Haven that limits towers to borough-owned property had been overturned by a state court.

The board will have a special meeting to hear the Verizon application in April.

The council has hired an attorney to represent it at the board hearings on the Verizon application.

The search for a tower location was begun after some complaints of poor cell phone service in the town, although other residents say there is no need for a tower.