WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday sent an applicant who wants to build a cellular tower in South Williamstown back to the drawing board one more time.

 

The board spent two hours discussing an application for a special permit from Pittsfield's Evolution Site Services. In the end, the ZBA opted to continue the public hearing to a fourth meeting in hopes that Christopher Ciolfi can design a tower that is as short as possible and that allows for possible expansion if needed in the future.

 

"We're considering a lattice tower, 113 feet for the lowest [antenna] position, the ability to add to the tower so that needs to be considered as part of the engineering, but currently only capable of taking three services at 11 feet per service," Chair Andrew Hoar said in summing up the changes the board would like to see in the application.

 

"Christopher, if you could please, provide us with the best you can based on that request: lattice, three services starting at 113 feet, the ability to add to it and pipe mount to the lattice."

 

Evolution's original application to the board was for a 165-foot cell tower on the Phelps family's farm. That would have been enough height to accommodate five cellular services with 12 foot centerline spacing between antennae.

 

Ciolfi has been before the board with the request in March, April and May.

 

The board has heard considerable feedback from residents of the area about the potential impact to viewshed in that part of town, and the ZBA members hope that by reducing the spacing between antennae and the number of carriers in the initial design, Evolution can lower the overall height of the tower it is proposing.

 

The town's independent consultant has previously told the board that it is possible to build shorter towers designed for expansion. And given the fact that only two "co-locators" are currently contemplated along with AT&T, which is financing the tower, ZBA members hope that the tower's height can be minimized.

 

The potential for expansion is important, though. One of the reasons to build a tower high enough to support multiple users is that it limits the number of towers needed in a coverage area.

 

"The last thing we want to do is have more towers popping up," Hoar said.

 

For some residents, the last thing they want is to have any towers popping up.

 

"I keep thinking that it's not really a matter of aesthetics or the fact that we like to look at a pretty view," Pam Weatherbee said. "I feel [the landscape] is also an economic asset to the town. The town does not have very many industries aside from the Clark [Art Institute] and the college. A lot of it is built on the beauty of the environment.

 

"I would like to know how we are judging our scenic values. Who is judging scenic values on your board? How do you judge them? And does anyone have any expertise in this?"

 

Attorney Daniel Finnegan of Springfield, who represents Oblong Road homeowner Donald J. Toumey, reminded the ZBA on Thursday that the federal Telecommunications Act enables local permitting authorities to consider aesthetics and that the town's bylaw on cellular towers specifically references, "Protect[ing] the scenic, historic, environmental and natural or man-made resources of the community."

 

Hoar assured Weatherbee that the members of the board had read all of the correspondence and listened to all of the testimony from residents who have objected to locating a cellular tower at the site in question.

 

"Many, many years ago, I spent my summers on Oblong Road at what was then the Brown estate, where my grandfather was the caretaker," Hoar said. "I share a love for that area as well. Please know that this board does not take lightly any of the decisions we're making here."

 

ZBA member Vince Pesce pointed out that the board has to balance the need to protect the environment with the need to provide access to cellular carriers demanded in the 21st century.

 

"For me, the thing is we are going to have an impact on our environment," Pesce said. "We build a road, we build a house, even erecting a tent has an impact."

 

Susan Yates and Sherwood Guernsey of Hancock Road joined residents who have told the ZBA that they are concerned about the coverage gap that the proposed tower is meant to address.

 

"The coverage is so bad that it is really a problem for the use of cell phones, which everyone has," Guernsey said. "It makes communication impossible for everyone in the area. We would support that tower from a safety standpoint, from a health standpoint and, obviously, just communication that we all rely on today."

 

Pesce also addressed the economic impact concern that Weatherbee raised.

 

 "I work at Jiminy Peak, and, years ago, one of the complaints we heard, even to the point of not wanting to come back, was the lack of cell phone service," Pesce said. "Does Williamstown become a more desirable place for people to return knowing that they have good cell phone service here?"

 

"It could be a selling point: no cell phones," ZBA member David Levine countered.

 

Several years ago, when the ZBA was considering a permit tower at the junction of Routes 2 and 7 that never was built, a local hotel owner testified that he did lose business because of the poor cell service at his property.

 

The Evolution special permit hearing will be continued at the ZBA's meeting on June 17.

 

In other business on Thursday, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved the special permits needed to build the third and final phase of the Cable Mills residential complex on Water Street. Developers detailed a plan to build 54 units in a 64,000 square foot, four-story structure.

 

Attorney Donald Dubendorf told the board that 17 of the new units will be designated as affordable housing. In the first phase of the project, the renovation of the existing mill building, 13 units were designated affordable for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income. An additional 17 units will mean 22 percent of the units in the complex will be designated affordable.

 

"That's something the developer is proud of and has worked hard to promote," Dubendorf said.

 

Engineer Charlie LaBatt of Guntlow and Associates told the board that when the project is completed, the Cable Mills complex will have nine-tenths of an acre less impervious surface than it did when the developer started the project.

 

"I don't think we ever envisioned it would be that much [of a reduction], but obviously that's a huge asset to the [Green] River, it's a big asset to stormwater management and recharge for the well overlay district here," LaBatt said.

 

After the board unanimously granted the permits needed for the project, Dubendorf informed the panel that Thursday marked his last appearance before it because he will be retiring at the end of the month.

 

Board members expressed their appreciation for Dubendorf's professionalism in representing clients who have come before the ZBA over the years.

 

"Don, I've always appreciated your honesty and your doing your homework thoroughly," Levine said.

 

"We certainly have enjoyed being on the opposite side of the table from you," Hoar added.