Controversial cell tower arguments voiced in New Canaan

The Connecticut Siting Council held a public hearing Thursday to debate a new cellphone tower slated to be built in a residential neighborhood in New Canaan.

News 12 Staff

•

Jul 9, 2020, 6:55 PM

•

Updated 1,521 days ago

The Connecticut Siting Council held a public hearing Thursday to debate a new cellphone tower slated to be built in a residential neighborhood in New Canaan.

First Selectman Kevin Moynihan says a new tower on Soundview Lane will provide better service for thousands of residents. Still, neighbors say they don’t want it in their community.

Roy Abramowitz, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1996, says he doesn’t experience bad cell service in his home.

"I can watch videos, I can look at my email. Anything you want, never had a problem,” he told News 12.

The controversial tower would be placed on the property of Keith Richey. Richey says in negotiations, he pushed for a structure that would be as inobtrusive as possible.

"It's designed to look like a Christmas tree. Like a Norway spruce, says Richey.

Richey says the tower will improve coverage for over 1,000 residents, dozens of whom he says have thanked him personally.

However, the planned tower would violate town planning and zoning rules about equipment on residential property – rules the Siting Council has the power to ignore.

But Richey claims those rules were written after the tower plan was drawn up.

"They appear sensible, but in fact, if they were uniformly imposed, we would have no cell coverage in the town of New Canaan,” says Richey.

Abramowitz called it government overreach, plain and simple.

"It's not 'not in my backyard.' I won't see it. But it's not right,” he says.

The Siting Committee doesn't expect to have a decision on the Soundview Lane cell tower until at least August.