Verizon tower location irks some in the Town of Eden
By DAVE DAHL
Citing potential health risks, some Town of Eden residents have voiced strong opposition to the latest proposed site for a telecommunications tower.
Residents and a woman who lives near the town expressed concerns about cancer, declining property values and aesthetics during a public hearing at the Eden Town Board meeting held last Wednesday (July 9) night.
The hearing gave residents a chance to speak about Verizon Wireless’ proposal to build a 195-foot tower on a town-owned property to the left of Swartz Field on Main Street.
Several locations had been ruled out in the past two years before the company’s most recent proposal.
A Village of Hamburg resident with a sister who plans to move back to Eden stressed that about 900 people gather at Swartz Field for youth soccer games.
“Twelve percent of the town of Eden’s population will be subject to possible future health risks,” said Suzanne Krycia, who is Councilman Edward Krycia’s sister-in-law.
Saying that her sister, a two-year cancer survivor, asked her to speak at the hearing, Krycia added that she hopes Verizon finds another location.
S
he also emphasized that the property’s previous owners, who gave the land to the town, probably would not like to see the tower built there.
“I hardly think that they would be happy that the property they donated to preserve green space is now going to be used for a cell phone tower,” she said.
One Eden resident cited academic studies to support her claims that the tower would pose health risks and lower property values.
“Many studies have found a correlation between electromagnetic fields and cancer,” said Lauren White of North Main Street.
She referenced the Berkley Technology Law Journal, Fertility Weekly and The Appraisal Journal to argue that electromagnetic waves from towers disturb sleep, alter brain activity, cause headaches and fatigue, raise blood pressure and increase the risk for certain types of cancer and heart disease.
She also cited an article in which a real estate brokerage office manager in New York was quoted saying a home with a cell phone tower in its back yard can sell for 25 percent less than a comparable home without a tower.
Before the hearing, Tom Greiner, Verizon’s attorney, said the amount of electromagnetic power the towers emit is less than that of automatic supermarket doors.
Greiner emphasized that building a tower near Main Street in the hamlet will allow “seamless calls” from Eden to towers in Evans and on Long Avenue in the village of Hamburg.
Using existing structures to “co-locate” and avoid building a tower would provide inadequate service, he added.
“It doesn’t cover the hamlet,” he said.
He also stressed that the tower will transmit data as well as voice calls, giving residents better Internet service.
Firefighters can view a building’s layout on a computer as they travel to a blaze and police can use the tower’s signal for private communications.
Two residents asked that sites away from Main Street be considered.
“Give them a list of criteria... not on Main Street, not near a park, not near homes,” said Rich Inserra of West Avenue.
Another resident urged the board to consider more distant locations.
“Verizon waited two years,” said Bill Feasley, who lives on Church Street. “They can wait awhile longer.”
Greiner has said at previous meetings that the company likes to place towers in populated sections of towns to give residents better coverage and preserve pristine areas.
The board made no decisions about the tower. In May, it authorized a lease agreement with Verizon and declared no environmental problems at the site.
In another public hearing, the board heard comments about a possible special-use permit for a dog
kennel.
Renee Adams, who breeds dogs at her home on Hickman Road, wants to open a dog kennel there.
One of her neighbors, Joyce Scheetz of North Boston Road, opposes the project. Scheetz said Adams leaves dogs outside during bad weather and has let dogs run around the neighborhood.
Adams denied leaving the dogs unattended, saying a dog escaped just once and that she apologized to a neighbor about it.
There is a pending case in court involving Adams’ dogs running loose, said Dog Control Officer Ray Zabron.
Town Clerk Mary Jo Hultquist said Adams has a dog-breeding license but no kennel license.
Scheetz also accused Adams of mailing her a letter about libel and character defamation.
The board issued no decision but may revisit the issue at its next meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13.
Supervisor Glenn Nellis said the board needs time to further examine the request.
Board members also heard a status report from Town Attorney William Trask about two vacant houses.
Byron Gould, who owned the home at 2718 W. Church St., finalized the sale to his next-door neighbor,
Robert Lavelle, in the first week of July, Trask said.
Lavelle, who lives at 2712 W. Church St., plans to speak with Building Inspector Scott Henry about making repairs to the home.
The other vacant house, located at 2639 Sunset Dr., faces further foreclosure proceedings, Trask said. After the judge issues a ruling, there will be a public sale.
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