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Parsippany (Troy Hills) planning board approves temporary T‑Mobile monopole at Route 46
Summary
The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Planning Board unanimously approved a temporary 49‑foot monopole with nine antennas and temporary electric service at 1269 Route 46 to maintain wireless coverage during redevelopment; the approval includes conditions on fence height, parking relief and a six‑month return for status updates.
The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Planning Board voted unanimously Dec. 2 to approve T‑Mobile’s application for a temporary 49‑foot monopole and associated equipment at 1269 Route 46 to maintain cellphone service while the site is redeveloped.
Attorney Jennifer Kinnick, representing the applicant, told the board the installation would host nine temporary antennas and temporary electric service and that the company seeks three C‑variances for location in the front yard, front setback and side setback. Kinnick said the requested location shifts a previously approved temporary facility to another corner of the parcel to accommodate nearby construction.
The board heard technical testimony from three witnesses. Daniel Czech, an RF engineer with PureCon Solutions, presented an EMF analysis dated Oct. 8, 2024, and testified that the temporary facility would operate well below exposure limits: “the T‑Mobile facility would emit 15.78% of the FCC allowable limit … and 3.16% of the New Jersey maximum permissible exposure limit,” he said, summarizing a worst‑case calculation that assumes all antennas are actively transmitting. Joshua Cottrell of FPA Associates described the temporary installation as a ballast‑mounted steel monopole with equipment cabinets, enclosed by a chain‑link fence, and said the antennas’ centerline would be about 45 feet, with a top elevation of 49 feet. Planner Matthew Flynn of John McDonough Associates displayed renderings and said the monopole would be modest in visibility relative to surrounding fixtures and is remote from most residential properties.
Board members pressed the applicants on several points: proximity to Topgolf and the Smithfield area, potential impacts on parking, and how long the temporary site will remain in place. Cottrell said the relocation was chosen to avoid a stormwater management facility tied to the Topgolf build‑out and that the temporary pad would occupy about four parking spaces (the applicant said the development plan still exceeds the parking requirement cited in prior approvals). He also said technicians would visit the site roughly every four to six weeks for maintenance and that, once a permanent site is available, equipment on the demolished building would be taken out of service.
In deliberations the board attached conditions to the approval: the temporary fence must comply with a 6‑foot height requirement; the applicant must seek additional parking relief if the temporary location reduces required spaces; and the facility must comply with FCC and New Jersey permitting and exposure limits as well as any prior conditions that remain applicable. The board also required the applicant to return to the planning board within six months with updates or a permanent site application.
A motion to approve the minor site plan with associated C‑variance relief was made and seconded; Nora conducted the roll call and all voting members recorded affirmative votes, resulting in approval. The minutes reflect no public speakers in opposition during the hearing. The board closed the evidentiary portion and adjourned following a brief procedural close.
The board will revisit the temporary facility at its next appearance or upon the applicant’s six‑month return; required municipal permits and any county or state exemptions remain outstanding as noted in the record.
