Cell Provider Restarts Monopole Application, Public Hearing Scheduled for Jan. 26

SEA ISLE CITY – Sea Isle City Planning Board considered a new application by Verizon Wireless Jan. 11 for installation of a communications tower, termed a “monopole,” that was triggered by action taken by Sea Isle City City Council Jan. 5.
As previously reported here in March 2015, city council at that time, acknowledging interests and concerns of residents, invited representatives of Verizon Wireless which wanted to build the tower on Dealy Field to answer any lingering questions regarding the project.
“The time spent on this issue, today equaling more than two hours,” said John Divney, council president at the time last year, “shows that we have, throughout the process, conducted exhaustive meetings with ample time for input from the public and that we have heard from the experts how we are fully in compliance with regulations. And the process has made this the most publicly visible ever of any project on city-owned land.”
Solicitor Paul Baldini added that “without this cellular monopole Sea Isle City will only have inconsistent and subpar service for residents as well as tourists. We’re not doing this for any financial reason but to improve service for everybody.”
At the Jan. 5 council meeting an ordinance was introduced to re-zone a city-owned parcel adjacent to Dealy Recreation Field, i.e. not on the field itself, to accommodate the monopole.
The parcel is an extension of 63rd Street and the ordinance addresses a change in zoning of the parcel from R-2 (Residential 2 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 such changes.
After that review the ordinance returns to council for a second reading and public comment hearing. In this case this second reading and public hearing will take place at council’s Jan. 26 meeting.
Within the strict purview of planning board regulations was its sole ability to decide whether Verizon Wireless’ application was “consistent” or “inconsistent” with provisions of the municipality’s master plan.
At the Jan. 11 planning board 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.
According to Business Administrator George Savastano, “There was ample time for all sides to state their positions and concerns after hearing a complete explanation by the 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.”
The new site plan proposed by Verizon Wireless moves its desired site from “left center field where Little League baseball games take place at Dealy Field to a more favorable location not within a playground.” 
It is thought that Verizon submitted a new application and new site plan because it still needed other approvals which could have been problematic to obtain and that might not have been received given its original proposal of siting the monopole on Dealy Field and strong resident opposition. 
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.