Milton planners give formal approval to cellphone tower

Milton Planning and Zoning Commission formally signed off on a written decision allowing a special permitted use for Verizon to erect a 150-foot cellphone tower at the town’s public works yard on Front Street.

The commission had previously granted, by a 5-2 vote, a preliminary special permitted use for Verizon, doing business as Cellco Partnership, to erect the tower. The commission met again March 16 to finish a formal written decision that would provide further rationale and attach conditions. 

Among those conditions are that the site must be subject to an environmental review as well as review by the Federal Communications Commission. The tower must also cause no adverse impacts to neighboring properties and must meet the town’s floodplain management standards. 

The tower was controversial in town, with opponents decrying its potential effects on the town’s streetscape and placement within the downtown historic district, as well as its location within a floodplain. In the most recent Milton election, three of the four candidates spoke in opposition to the tower. The two no votes, commissioners Lynn Ekelund and Don Mazzeo, both voted the way they did because of aesthetic and location reasons. 

Under the town’s floodplain management ordinance, construction of new public or private utility systems within the floodplain can be reviewed by town council prior to construction. However, any review by council would strictly be in relation to the floodplain ordinance, not the special permitted use. 

Those in favor said the tower would provide much-needed improvements to the town’s cell service coverage and network reliability. Verizon had discussed the tower with town officials, and Front Street site was recommended as the best available in-town location.

Christopher Serico, Verizon spokesman, said, “The cell site planned for Milton will expand Verizon's 4G LTE coverage, reflecting our ongoing investment in our network to offer our customers the quality experience and reliability they expect and deserve.” 

The commission attached a condition mandating Verizon post a bond to clear the site in preparation to build the tower, as well as erect fencing and landscaping around the tower. Any changes to the tower cannot move forward without modification of the special permitted use, and there will be no additional lighting around the tower other than that required by the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration. 

As for when the tower will be ready, Serico said timing may vary, as it depends on the approval process, but construction could begin next year.