LAKEWOOD ZONING BOARD APROVES CELL TOWER ON GEORGIAN COURT UNIVERSITY




Lakewood Township's Zoning Board on Monday night granted approval for installation of a permanent cellular communication tower on Georgian Court University.


Due to heavy objections from the neighbors, the cell tower will be constructed on a location within the university property different from where it was previously proposed.


The original 2022 application proposed a tower to be located in proximity to Laurelwood Avenue, Fernwood Avenue, and Georgian Terrace, 358 feet away from the nearest residential dwelling.


The new site, which will be mostly visible from Cedarview Avenue and Case Road, with some visibility from Lakewood Avenue, is 791 feet to the closest residential dwelling.


In addition to the use variance for the non-permitted use, the Board also granted variance relief to locate the tower about 791 feet away from at least one residential dwelling whereas the Township ordinance requires wireless communication facilities to be setback 1,500 feet from residential dwelling units; as well as a height variance as the maximum height in the R-12 zoning district is 35 feet, whereas the proposed height of the tower is +143 feet measured to the top of the proposed antennas (exclusive of the lightning rod).


To increase aesthetics, the proposed design will now include “Georgian Court" banners.


The BMG Roshei Yeshiva, the Satmar Dayan Rabbi Klein, as well as BMG Senior Posek Rabbi Forcheimer signed letters opposing installation of additional cell towers in Lakewood.


The letter signed by the BMG Roshei Yeshiva states "these towers do not come free of serious health concerns and risks for the Lakewood community." The letter also states that installation of cell towers in residential areas "defies Torah law", and calls on Lakewood residents to "join the efforts to oppose these advancements."


New Jersey State law requires board members who own or are "related to" properties within 200 feet away from an application site to recuse themselves from applications


As previously reported here on FAA News, despite acknowledging that Board Member Meir Gelly stated that he is also a board member of BMG - who personally signed the contract to purchase a portion of the very lot of the subject application - and that Board Member Moish Glieberman is also an employee of BMG, Board Chairman Halberstam permitted these board members to continue to sit on this application.


Following exposure on FAA News of this issue, as reported here on FAA News, at the Board's second public hearing, Board Attorney Jerry Dasti directed Mr. Glieberman and Mr. Gelley to recuse themselves.


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In 6 months they'll grant another variance to build housing all around the tower.