Boro's long quest for cell tower site is over
Council approves pact with Christ Church on Ridge Road
BY LIZ SHEEHAN
Correspondent

FAIR HAVEN - After years of attempts by the borough to find a site for a cell tower that would be acceptable to its residents, it appears a solution has been found.

The Borough Council unanimously approved the adoption of an ordinance at its meeting Monday that authorizes a lease agreement with Christ Church United Methodist, Ridge Road, to place a cell tower on the church property,

But Mayor Michael Halfacre said although a location had been found for the tower, it was not a "cause for celebration."

Some residents are unhappy about the location, he said, but it was the best "option we have left."

Several months ago, Halfacre had said the town was in negotiations that had to remain private to find a site, and added that the council and he were "at the end of our rope," concerning the situation.

After the meeting Halfacre declined to give the financial arrangements of the lease but said the revenues would be split on a sliding scale, with the church getting a base amount.

He said there would be a five-year lease, with five, five-year renewals provided in the lease terms.

The negotiations for the siting of the tower would be carried out by a Red Bank firm, Fsd Enterprises, led by Declan O'Scanlon Jr., Halfacre said. O'Scanlon is a councilman in Little Silver.

As the borough has attempted to locate a site for the tower, it has met with rejections from the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, which turned down two attempts to swap borough land in exchange for the use of property in Fair Haven Fields for the cell tower.

The Fair Haven Fields property had been acquired with the help of Green Acres funds; and therefore state permission was needed for the use as a tower site.

The town also considered several borough-owned properties but met with a storm of protests on the location it chose, a site between two residences near the town's police station.

Residents in that area threatened court action if the town moved ahead with its plan.

While the council sought a site that residents could agree on, Verizon Wireless has been seeking variances from the borough's Zoning Board to place a 133-foot cell tower on the property of the Church of the Nativity, Ridge Road.

There have been several hearings by the board on the application and the borough has retained an attorney, Stuart Lieberman, and O'Scanlon to represent it at the meetings.

A special meeting of the board on the Verizon application is set for August.

The board meetings have been attended by residents who live near Nativity Church who oppose placing the tower in their neighborhood and say it would depress the value of their properties.

Asked about the Verizon application after the council meeting, Halfacre said that Verizon had been accommodating in allowing the borough to attempt to find a site.

Using the borough tower would be "quicker and cheaper" for Verizon and T-Mobile, the other carrier seeking the variance, than going ahead with the Church of the Nativity application, he said.

In March, when Council President Thomas Gilmour said that negotiations were being held with Christ Church, the Rev. Eusun Kim, pastor of the church, said the congregation members are in favor of the plan because it would be a community service to end the controversy that surrounded the search for a site for the tower and it would bring revenues to the church.

The attempts to place a cell tower in the town began when some residents said there was poor cell phone reception there, while other residents said there was no need for a tower.