160-foot cell tower proposed off Route 202 in Bridgewater
BRIDGEWATER – The Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled to hear a proposal Tuesday to build a cell tower next to a water tank off Route 202 across from the Bridgewater Towne Center.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Dish all have antennae on the 106-foot tank owned by New Jersey American Water.
The proposed cell tower would be 160 feet high, 57 feet higher than the water tank.
But earlier this year the water company notified the wireless companies that it wanted the antennae removed from the tank built more than a half than half century ago.
In a letter to the township, the company explained that it wanted the antennae removed because they were "maximizing the structural integrity of the tank."
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The company also cited federal Department of Homeland Security guidelines to protect the security of the tank.
A use variance is required from the Zoning Board of Adjustment because cell towers are not a permitted use in the zone.
Variances are also required because the tower exceeds the 45-foot height limit for structures in the zone.
A variance is also required because the lot does not front on a road.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing is set for 7 p.m. in the Municipal Courtroom.
The meeting can also be viewed on the township's YouTube channel but those wishing to comment on the application must be present in person at the meeting.
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bridgewater NJ cell tower proposed off Route 202
