Zoning Board OKs Adding Height to T-Mobile Tower

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved Wednesday night a request from T-Mobile Northeast to install antennas onto an existing transmission tower at Season’s Glen Drive and Gathering Hill Court.

Attorney James Pryor explained that while the tower already exists, his client would need a height variance to accommodate the antennas, which would stand at just over 140 feet.

While the tower currently stands at 123 feet, Pryor explained that the antennas would have to stand atop the tower due to Jersey Central Power & Lighting restrictions, and because there is a Verizon component below that T-Mobile is forced to avoid.  

The tower also sits approximately 120 feet from the nearest residence. Pryor explained that he sent out over 140 notices to residents alerting them to the application. No residents were present at the hearing.

Testifying for the project was architect Joanne Slaman. She explained that that T-Mobile wants to improve the existing access drive, extending the turnaround area width to 20 feet in an effort to accommodate emergency vehicles. The plan also includes installing a new retaining wall due to the slope of the site of the existing tower. The wall, which will surround the tower on three sides, will vary from six inches to eight feet in height.

Slaman added that any part of the retaining wall that exceeds six feet will be tiered and have additional landscaping that fits the requirements that JCP&L has. 

“We’re proposing to install what’s called a power mount tower inside the existing transmission tower,” Slaman explained. “The existing transmission tower is 123 feet tall, and the power mount will be 140-feet-4 inches. The insert is not a freestanding structure, it’s actually connected to the tower at several locations and it becomes integral to the tower.”

Slaman also explained that the tower will have a work light that is operated on a timer and that also has a manual switch, but won’t have a motion sensor. She also explained that the site is only visited about once a month for maintenance, that it will match the existing tower in color, and that it doesn’t produce any smoke, noise, glow or vibrations.

Licensed Planner David Karlebach also testified on behalf of T-Mobile explaining the advantages approving the request.

“I think this site is particularly well-suited for this use for several reasons,” he explained, “most importantly that it is centrally located within a service gap area and it allows this carrier to remedy this service gap and do so using an existing structure, which of course is a supreme planning benefit.”

Karlebach added that because this is an unmanned station, it will result in no additional population, traffic or employment impacts at the site.

“I believe that residents and passersby are already acclimated to the presence of very tall structures at this location, and the addition of nine antennas is not going to change their perception of the site,” Karlebach said. “Therefore I don’t think there’s any significant visual impact.”

The board also unanimously approved a request from DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., at 45 Westerview Blvd., to add a sign on the façade of the building, as well as two monument signs on the property.

The sign, which is part of a new roll out plan by DSM, would require a height variance, as it would sit over one story higher than allowed.

Testifying for DSM was Peter Shapira of Banner Signs in Hillside, who explained that the orientation of the windows on the building aren’t conducive to the hanging of a sign, and that the façade is the ideal place to do so.

Shapira also added that the sign isn’t in the view of any residents or property in the area, and that the current sign is difficult to see from Route 46.

Board Planner John Chadwick shared his opinion regarding the variance.

“The application really doesn’t request any substantial changes from it ordinance,” he said. “It merely pushes the sign up a story or so.”

The request was passed unanimously, 7-0.

The ZBA's next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m.