By TIM O'BRIEN, Staff writer
First published in print: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
http://www.timesunion.com
COLONIE -- The town Planning Board rejected a proposal late Tuesday for a church to build a new bell tower with a wireless cell phone tower within it.
Loudonville Presbyterian Church would be paid $900 monthly to allow Verizon Wireless to build the 60-foot bell tower. Upset neighbors expressed fear of cell-phone radiation on children, and Verizon sued the town for moving too slow on its application.
Tuesday's hearing lasted more than three hours, with Chairman C.J. O'Rourke taking pains to cut off speakers who raised health effects because federal law does not allow that to be a factor. Instead, the board focused on other issues including the tower's appearance.
"This cell tower would fundamentally change the use of that land," said resident Robert Hymes, a neighbor.
Michael Cusack, an attorney for Verizon, accused the board of caving to public pressure. Verizon spokesman John O'Malley said afterward the firm will decide whether to sue the town over the rejection. "We don't consider tonight's decision the final word," he said.
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