Milton council plans Aug. 11 vote on cell tower appeal

Milton Town Council will meet at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11, at Milton fire hall to make a decision on an appeal regarding the Milton Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval of a special permitted use for Verizon to erect a 140-foot cellphone tower at 210 Front St.

Council will decide whether the commission erred in granting the permit to Verizon, doing business as Cellco Partners. 

The appeal was filed by former planning commissioner Barry Goodinson, who argued that the commission’s decision violated town zoning regulations because the site is located in a Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain area, and is not in keeping with the town’s vision for the area as spelled out in the comprehensive development plan. Goodinson has said while he supports Verizon’s stated goal of improving cell service in Milton for its customers, he believes the proposed location at the town’s public works yard is wrong. He said at council’s July 22 public hearing that Verizon should erect a transmitter on the town’s water tower instead of building a free-standing structure. 

Town Solicitor Seth Thompson, on behalf of the planning and zoning commission, has argued that the commission’s ruling should stand because the commissioners did their proper due diligence and found that the tower was suitable as a special permitted use within an R-1 residential zoning district. 

John Tracey, attorney for Verizon, said at the July 22 hearing that Goodinson’s concerns about flooding would be worked out during the next step in the process, site-plan review. He said engineers from Pennoni Associates studied the area and found that there would be no special flooding issues at the site. 

Public comment at the July 22 hearing was largely opposed to building the tower on Front Street. 

After hearing 3.5 hours of testimony, the council decided not to rule on the appeal that night, and instead deliberate on the evidence and resume the hearing within 25 days.