100-foot Cell Tower Proposed In West Harwich

HARWICH – The planning board has received an application from Vertex Towers, LLC to locate a 104-foot monopole-style cell phone tower on property adjacent to Route 28 in West Harwich.

 Wireless telecommunications carriers are in the process of independently designing, constructing and upgrading wireless telecommunications networks to serve areas in and around the town of Harwich, according to the application. 

 “This requires the antennas to be located in a location above the tree line where the signal is not obstructed or degraded by buildings or topographical features,” it reads. 

 The tower will be located at 206 Route 28, a 6.03-acre property owned by G. Rockwood Clark, trustee of the 206 Route 28 Revocable Trust. Vertex has entered into a long-term lease agreement with Clark, who said on Saturday that he was unaware of the project moving forward. He said Vertex gave him a retainer for the lease two years ago.

 Four antennas will be located on the tower at various heights. Verizon, AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile will utilize the facility, which will be surrounded by a six-foot stockade fence. Each company will place telecommunications equipment and backup batteries inside equipment sheds and or weather-proof cabinets immediately adjacent to the tower.

Vertex will be seeking a special permit and a site plan review from the planning board and a height variance from the appeals board. But the project will first be sent to the Cape Cod Commission for a development of regional impact review. Town Planner Christine Flynn said she was not aware that a hearing date has been set.

 There is a planned visibility demonstration for Monday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. A balloon will be launched from the site marking the height of the monopole and lightning rod. The pole is a 100-foot steel structure with a four-foot lightning rod on top.

 The property is located in the commercial highway one district along Route 28 and extends into the rural residential district. Personal wireless service facilities are allowed in all districts in town. However, according to the regulations, such facilities should be no higher than 45 feet above ground level, thus the need for the height variance.

 The six-acre parcel is next to a half acre lot the Harwich Conservation Trust is seeking to raise $1.2 million to purchase to provide parking to access 14 acres of conservation land and trails under the trust’s jurisdiction leading to the Herring River.

 According to the project narrative, “Once constructed, the proposed facility will have no adverse impact on the town’s scenic and historic assets, safety, health, environment, general welfare, values and quality of life, and will facilitate the provision of telecommunications service throughout the municipality and enhance the ability of wireless carriers to provide telecommunications services to the community quickly, effectively and efficiently.”