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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Atkinson selectmen to decide tower case

From the Eagle Tribune;

Atkinson selectmen to decide tower case
By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com

ATKINSON — Selectmen are to decide on Monday night whether to allow the owner of the Hog Hill tower to add three antennas to the 160-foot structure.

Selectmen and the tower's owner, SBA Tower II, have met several times in recent months to discuss adding the three flush-mounted antennas.

Nearby residents who have attended three recent public hearings have received notification of this meeting but won't be allowed to speak.

"It's not a public hearing but it has the flavor of a public hearing," Selectman Bill Bennett said.

Since the last public hearing in September, selectmen have been reviewing documents on the tower from years past.

The tower's owners have been presenting similar proposals since 2006.

The latest is almost identical to the one denied a special exception by the Zoning Board of Adjustment in March 2007.

SBA Tower II challenged the decision by filing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in September 2007, but a federal judge ruled a year later that it was up to selectmen to decide the case. The zoning board issued its decision when the 50-year-old tower was owned by Mariner Tower.

The three antennas are expected to improve T-Mobile's cell phone service in Atkinson, primarily near Route 121.

But there is still more information selectmen would like to see.

SBA Tower II has applied for a building permit to establish anchors for the guy lines needed to support the additional weight of the three antennas.

But so far, SBA Tower II has refused to pay for the town to hire an engineer to make sure the anchors would be able to handle the weight, Bennett said.

"They don't see why they should have to pony up $2,500," Bennett said.

Monday's meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

If they dont want to pony up for the engineering, then maybe the selectmen shouldnt pony up a vote for them to add to the tower

Anonymous said...

If the people voted this down the last time, selectmen shouldn't revisit the issue.

Anonymous said...

"If the people voted this down the last time, selectmen shouldn't revisit the issue."

Don't confuse this with communications tower behind the salt shed proposal. Two completely different issues and the town has never voted on anything related to the installation at Hog Hill.

I agree with the first posting. In the scheme of things $2500 is chump change for SBA and the BOS's request is not and unreasonable one. Can you say "shot yourself in the foot."

Anonymous said...

I hope they vote against this. I know I wouldn't want them adding to the tower if I lived there. It is being used for much more than it was intended and in a residential zone.

Anonymous said...

I would like the town and blog to know that we lost a great officer on Wednesday. Captain Yatsevich was once part of the Atkinson Police Department before moving on to Windham NH. I had the honor of knowing him and knew this was a man who would make NH a better State. He leaves behind a wife and three young children behind. Please say a prayer tonight and count your blessings that you have another guardian angel looking out for this State.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what happened to him? Was he ill or did he get hurt in the line of duty? Where and when is his funeral? What a loss and leaving young children behind is a terrible thing to happen. My prayers will be for him tonight and the rest of the week.

Why is it that the good die young?

Anonymous said...

Captain Yatsevich fought along battle of cancer. He will be waked at Brookside Funeral Home on Friday, burial on Saturday.

MAcciard said...

I am sorry to hear about Capt. Yatsevich. I remember his 18 months on Atkinson's force. He was a good man in an untenable situation. He tried to fix the PD and met the classic immovable object. He left out of frustration with his boss, and Atkinson lost an effective force for good. He will be sorely missed. If there is any justice He and John are throwing back a beer and laughing about all of this right now.

Good Bye, Pat.

Anonymous said...

Nice to see the Selectmen offically turned down SBA II's request to put three new antennas on the Hog Hill tower. I'm actually starting to have some faith in our BOS. I said starting.............