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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — The Springfield Township board of zoning appeals denied a variance request for a nearly 200-foot-tall cell phone tower.
However, neighbors around the land southwest of fire Station 2 aren’t sure how Verizon will respond to the denial.
Gino Mollica, who lives on Lexington-Springmill Road, said, “We won the battle per se, but I can’t say we won the war yet.”
Zoning inspector Bill Scott said the Dec. 13 vote was unanimous among the five members of the board. Scott is not a member of the zoning board of appeals, but he said neighbors around the property voiced concerns to him about the structure.
“Our codes say the tallest something can be is 64 feet, so that was one of the reasons it was denied,” he said. “It would also be too close to the neighboring property line.
“Now, there’s concerns Verizon or Cellco could take this to civil court, but that’s a different issue.”
The Springfield Township trustees signed a lease with Cellco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless in 2020 granting the business the right to “install, maintain and operate communications equipment upon the premises.”
The lease states Verizon would pay $10,200 annually for 10 years beginning when the installation process started. It would then increase rent at 5% for each five-year renewal of the lease.
In addition to the rented plot, the lease also includes the right to install equipment “through, over or under the property, provided the location of such services shall be reasonably approved” by the Springfield Township board of trustees.
The lease also allows Verizon to terminate the agreement with written notice. Trustee Paul Gleisinger said Verizon could choose to appeal the variance denial to civil court.
“We will have to wait to see what Verizon decides to do,” he said.
Neighbors petition & attend meeting to oppose cell tower
Mollica, who lives near the proposed tower site, started a petition against the tower that some of his neighbors signed.
“You’re talking about an eyesore in a residential area that will disrupt our residents and neighbors,” he said. “I think property values would be adversely affected, and so would tax revenue for the township.”
Mollica said 15 residents from the township or the City of Ontario attended Wednesday’s meeting to voice their concerns.
“I hope we can get the word out and have more people show up to future meetings or talk to the trustees about this,” he said.
A previous Verizon cell phone tower issue went to court in 2017. The board of appeals denied a variance for a 270-foot tower on Cookton-Grange Road, which former Common Pleas Court Judge James DeWeese overturned.
“Before the vote, some of the board members were talking about maybe adding more reasons to the no vote so they can back their case a bit more if it goes to court,” Mollica said.
“I’m concerned because we’re stuck in limbo until we know how Verizon responds, and no one knows how that will happen yet.”
A development consultant for Verizon Wireless has not responded to a phone call and email at the time of this publication.