Cell tower proposed in Norway

NORWAY — Global Tower Partners, which claims to be the largest privately-owned tower operator in the U.S., is proposing to construct a 190-foot high self-supporting telecommunications tower in town. 

The tower would be located at 209 Frost Hill Road at an elevation of 975 feet. According to Planning Board Chair Dennis Gray, it would be another of many cell towers in Norway. 

Currently, Gray said, there are eight or nine already in the area. 

"This particular company erects the towers and they lease space to various providers that want to utilize it," Gray explained. "This one has the potential to have six different users on it." 

Some of GTP's premier customers, according to its website, include AT&T, U.S. Cellular, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon.

The website also indicates that the company already has two 190-foot high towers erected in Oxford – one at 317 Allen Hill Road and another off of Route 26. 

Gray said GTP has had a pre-application meeting with the planning board, during which it provided a sketch of the cell tower site and presented its proposal.

In addition, the planning board has requested information from the company that is required in order for the planning board to consider issuing a permit. 

"They have started the application process," said Gray. 

Once GTP completes the application, he said, the planning board will conduct a site plan review based on requirements of the town's site plan review ordinance. 

"There are requirements in the ordinance for information and have asked them to supply us with that information," Gray explained, including location of the tower, its dimensions, who owns the property, how to access the site, etc. 

"I am under the impression that they'd rather build it sooner than later, so I am sure we will be hearing from them soon," Gray said. 

Gray said the planning board has a meeting December 13 and anticipates that GTP will be present to submit its application. If the planning board approves the application, it will then schedule a public hearing to gather public input about the construction of the tower, he said. 

"They [GTP] has one customer we are aware of already," said Gray. 

"There are other spaces available – it could be for wireless, it could be for anybody that wants to rent the space, I'd think. Of course, that would be their decision, not mine," he said. 

Town Manager David Holt said that he's not ready to comment on the construction of a cell tower as the selectmen have not yet seen or discussed the proposal. 

"Right now, it's before the planning board," Holt said. 

GTP is also the fourth largest independent operator in the U.S., according to its website. It currently owns, manages or master leases more than 15,000 wireless sites, including 6,400 towers throughout the U.S., Mexico and Costa Rica.

If you have any concerns of any historic properties that may be adversely affected by this proposed tower, write to: David N. Robinson, P.E., The Lotis Engineering Group, P.C., 6095 Clarence Lane North, East Amherst, NY 14051.