The Village of Plandome is seeking to install a new cell tower to bolster cellular service in their village amid issues of dead spots and cell shortages, a proposal that drew overwhelming support at a public hearing Monday night.
“This is the latest and greatest,” Mayor John Kurkjian said. “I think we’re on the right track for better cell service for the entire village doing this.”
Kurkjian said the cell tower is proposed to be installed in the lot across from the Plandome Country Club, but an exact location in the lot has yet to be determined. Kurkjian said the lot has been studied and determined to be an ideal location.
“Somewhere back there, obviously ideally where it’s not too obtrusive and sticking out, we tuck it back as far as possible without running into the wetland,” Kurkjian said.
The cell tower being considered would be a 5G pole about 125 feet high that Kurkjian said would be tucked away as far as possible. He said the color is still to be determined but could be neutral. Renderings showed it in a dark gray color.
The cell tower would provide not only service to Plandome but also to the neighboring areas.
Kurkjian said multiple cell tower companies interested in the project and with “decent” proposals have approached them, but no application has been filed yet. The companies are independent and would then contract with cell service providers to bring their coverage to the village.
“These companies will have ideally every single carrier – T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T – on that pole so that everybody in the village, no matter which service you have, will get better service,” Kurkjian said.
He said the village is seeking to bring in a company that will solicit and secure the most carriers to bring their service to the village. He said the companies they are talking to have a track record of this.
“There are many companies that are interested so that gives us a feeling of confidence that they must have a pretty good idea,” Plandome Clerk-Treasurer Barbara Peebles said.
Kurkjian said they were initially approached by one company interested in installing the cell tower. After that, he said Peebles reached out to additional companies to see if they were interested and another company contacted them regarding the project.
“So we’ve done our due diligence,” Kurkjian said.
The mayor said the cell tower would benefit residents and local first responders who experience poor cell service throughout the village.
Multiple residents expressed a need for the service, explaining how there are often service dead spots throughout the village and in their own homes. One resident, who is a physician and relies on cellular service for his job, said he had to purchase a $200 personal cellular service box for his home.
All the residents who attended the public hearing Monday night supported the cellular tower. Kurkjian and Peebles said the feedback they received from residents was also positive.
Kurkjian said the cell tower would also be a revenue source for the village, but he could not provide numbers for what they expect.
He said that in addition to an upfront payment, the village estimates that it will receive 50% of the cell tower’s revenues based on the proposals it has received so far. He said the village would seek the proposal with the best deal.
Revenues would also depend on the number of carriers associated with the tower, Kurkjian said.
Kurkjian said the board is planning to vote on approving the cell tower at its next meeting. He estimated the tower wouls be in place within six to eight months.
