Anti-Tower Group Planning Action

SEA ISLE CITY – The Herald has reported as early as March 2015 and as recently as Jan. 6, 2016 about the growing controversy related to Verizon’s request to find a new site for its radio communications tower also known as a monopole.
At its Jan. 5 meeting City Council introduced an ordinance to re-zone a city-owned parcel of land adjacent to Dealy Recreation Field, i.e. not on the field, to accommodate the monopole.
Last in 2014, Verizon had originally requested locating the monopole on Dealy Field but withdrew that application in the face of growing citizen concern about commercial use of a recreation field where children play.
The new proposed site on the city-owned parcel of land is an extension of 63rd Street and the ordinance addresses a change in zoning of the parcel from R-2 (residential two family) to public zone as location for the tower.
Under the municipality’s ordinance laws, once an ordinance is introduced that addresses a zoning change, the planning board has 35 days to review the ordinance and changes.
The planning board met Jan. 11 and reviewed the Verizon proposal. Within the strict purview of planning board regulations was its sole ability to decide whether Verizon’s application was “consistent” or “inconsistent” with provisions of the municipality’s master plan.
At that meeting members found Verizon’s new site plan application was “not inconsistent” with the master plan although the vote was not unanimous reflecting objections articulated by residents about the potential of lost parking.
As reported here Business Administrator George Savastano, who attended the Jan. 11 planning board meeting, noted “there was ample time for all sides to state their positions and concerns after hearing a complete explanation by the city solicitor about the process. We really are just at the start of this new process since Verizon has to begin its application all over again.”
As a result of the Herald’s coverage and the outcome of the planning board meeting, residents Eleanor and Robert Forte, contacted the newspaper to publicize growing efforts in the municipality to stymie efforts to change this parcel’s zoning.
According to Eleanor Forte, the present group of 15 residents is organizing on Facebook, paying for opposition signs to post on lawns, contacting various media outlets, and sending letters to city council. According to Forte, the parcel in question was a gift to the municipality to be used as open space and an attorney is being consulted to research the issue.
Forte, who attended the Jan. 11 planning board meeting, noted to the Herald that “First and foremost the planning board has no power” and that “the verbiage between not inconsistent and consistent was enough to make my head spin.” 
The objective of the opposition group as stated by her is to ensure that the parcel continues to be zoned as R-2 and she is working to ensure residents turn out in large numbers Jan. 26 when city council takes up the Verizon petition for consideration upon second reading and public comment.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.