THOMPSON — The Thompson Planning Board reviewed an application from Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, on February 28. 

Verizon plans to construct a 180-foot tower—184 feet including a lightning rod—with antennas, cables, and equipment within a 4,225-square-foot compound.

The proposal, according to Verizon, aimed to address service gaps and network capacity issues in Thompson by establishing a new Personal Wireless Service Facility (PWSF) on a site at 585 South Maplewood Road.

This site, covering 17 acres and currently utilized as a solar farm by Delaware Solar, has been selected for the development of the PWSF. The property is located in the Suburban Residential (SR) zoning district.

To see the visual impact, a balloon test was performed in July 2023. The purpose of this test was to offer a realistic view on the appearance of the tower from various viewpoints in the area of the proposed site, once it is constructed.

The applicant began this planning board process in May 2023, involving discussions, return visits to the planning board meeting and a public hearing. 

The “shot clock” was extended to March 14, 2024, as of February 14, allowing more time for applicants to make adjustments to the project per the planning board’s comments, along with the public. 

A shot clock, in planning terms, sets forth statutory timelines for a municipality to act on a plan.

The Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development & Environmental Management conducted a review, with the main concern of Dermot Dowd, a Civil Engineer from Sullivan County’s Division of Public Works, being the potential impact of a tower collapse on County Road 45. 

The applicant said it had included considerations for setbacks and design features to ensure the tower would collapse inward, minimizing risk.

Before the Thompson Planning Board could approve the project, it requested additional balloon test photos to better understand the tower’s visual impact from nearby roads.