Planning commission schedules joint hearing June 19 on proposed radio tower

The Tinmouth Planning Commission on May 15 set a joint hearing with the select board for Thursday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Old Firehouse to consider a proposal for a radio tower.

Chair opened discussion about scheduling and said, "Start that at, like, 06:00." Members were told the applicant will present with an attorney, an engineer and a representative from Industrial Wireless Technology, followed by public comment and questions from the planning commission and select board.

Members debated whether the structure would be classified as a radio tower rather than a cell tower. Member 3 said, "It's not a cell tower. It's a radio tower," and emphasized the commission’s role: to determine whether the proposal complies with the town plan and zoning bylaws. Member 6 noted expected local uses, saying the company had offered "the ambulance service a free account. So they're gonna be the 1st 1st account on the tower will be the ambulance service for the local town." Commissioners flagged that public-safety and emergency dispatch uses may be weighed alongside scenic and zoning concerns.

The commission discussed procedural steps under the Public Utilities Commission process: evidence may be gathered in pre-application filings, and once the company files an application there is a 30-day response period for public comments and for the PUC to decide whether to hold an evidentiary hearing. Member 3 urged members to prepare a list of questions for the June 19 hearing, including why the company selected the current site, how attachments (such as cellular arrays) would be handled in future and plans for decommissioning.

Next steps: the joint hearing is set for June 19 at 6 p.m.; commissioners will collect and consolidate questions in advance and may file comments in the PUC comment period if the applicant proceeds.