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Preliminary notice issued for Route 140 radio tower; 60‑day local comment period begins
Summary
A company has given preliminary notice for a proposed 160‑foot lattice radio tower (173 feet with antennas) near the sand/growler pit on Route 140; the town will hold public meetings, a planned balloon test and planning‑commission review during the 60‑ to 90‑day window before any PUC filing.
The Select Board received a preliminary notice about a proposed radio tower along Route 140 that could host cellular antennas. Town staff said the tower structure would be about 160 feet tall, and with antennas could reach about 173 feet, and that the company will perform a balloon float test to show visual impact.
The board outlined the early‑stage process: the local 60‑day window is the time for the select board and planning commission to gather public input and ask questions about site placement, visual impacts, buffers, wildlife (bats), and whether the footprint encroaches on wetland or river buffers. If the town's local review is completed, the company may file with the Public Utilities Commission later in the 60–90 day time frame; PUC review and external permitting follow.
Neighbors raised concerns about visual impact and health effects. One resident cited a New Hampshire study recommending 1,500‑foot separation for health reasons but acknowledged he “read briefly” and did not present definitive evidence. The board encouraged residents to attend the balloon test and public meetings; staff offered to host informational sessions and invite the company's engineers to present site plans and simulations.
