Plans for cell tower at Bernards Sewerage facility to be detailed

Posted via MyCentralJersey.com:

The Bernards Township Sewerage Authority has scheduled a public information session at 7:30 p.m. today about plans to allow construction of a 150-foot-high cell tower on its 19-acre facility off Martinsville Road, near the intersection with Allen Road.

The tower, proposed by T-Mobile, would be located 575 feet back from Martinsville Road, 1,100 feet from Valley Road and 740 feet from the closest building at the Society Hill condominium complex, according to the public notice for the meeting.

The sewerage authority's administrator, Peter Messina, said the tower would earn rental income for the authority and about $10,000 to $15,000 in annual taxes for the township. He said the base rental fee would be determined by public bid, and the authority could expect to earn additional fees of about $25,000 per year from each of three to four antennas attached to the tower.

The township sewerage authority operates separately from other municipal operations, Mayor Carolyn Kelly said, adding that she only had learned about the plan on Nov. 23.

Messina said on Wednesday he had not received any public feedback. He said the sewerage authority had been considering the proposal for about two months.

Maps, site plans and documents for the project are available in the office of the authority administrator at 277 S. Maple Ave.

The Board of Adjustment had approved plans in July 2007 for a 170-foot-high cell tower on property owned by the Liberty Corner First Aid Squad, also on Martinsville Road, but that tower never was built. A representative for the squad was unavailable for comment.

Township Committeeman John Malay, also a member of the sewerage authority, said the public information session is not legally required, but the authority members wanted to allow the public an opportunity to ask questions or make comments. "We didn't want people in the area to feel shut out of the process."

Linda Sadlouskos: 908-243-6608; lsadlouskos@MyCentralJersey.com

IF YOU GO

WHO: Bernards Township Sewerage Authority

WHAT: Public information session on the authority's plans to allow construction of a 150-foot-high cell tower off the authority's property at 726 Martinsville Road

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30

WHERE: Bernards Township Municipal Building, 1 Collyer Lane, Basking Ridge section

CONTACT INFO: Township sewerage authority, 908-204-3020