Click here for a previous Blog post with Videos and Links
Click here for the Tapinto Article from 2021
About that complaint from Verizon
The Borough tried to fight this.
CONSENT JUDGMENT AND SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
filing date 8/15/22
Sent to the Blog by Eugene Creamer
2016 Monmouth County Agreement with Verizon
Sent to the Blog by Eugene Creamer
Yes, let’s let them put up cell towers along the beach. I mean the only thing wrong with the sand, sun, and ocean breezes is the fact that I can’t upload my self obsessed social media updates fast enough!
What a sad state of affairs. Are we that GD needy? There are plenty of cell towers in this area. We are forced to look at cell towers because people are incapable of being present?
Are these ugly poles going to just be in Belmar or are all towns going to have to get them? And why on the beautiful oceanfront? Can’t they be placed elsewhere?
(There are many articles online about other towns in New Jersey, Editor.)
I can’t wait to hear McEvoy’s expert analysis on cell towers.
(There is a post about it on the Belmar/Lake Como/West Belmar Residents Facebook page with Joe’s comments, Editor.)
#2 Just Belmar. Other towns refused.
(Please see my comment under #2, Editor.)
There has to 20 of them. One on every block. Maybe offer them some alternatives. Atop the 3rd Ave garage or the water tower.
not a Verizon customer.
#6 Verizon rents their towers to other carriers too.
#5 Good idea. But I’m not sure why we have to ‘offer’ anything. Why can’t we just say, ‘no thank you’ to the whole cell tower proposal?
Idk when we got to a place where companies can dictate what towns can and can’t do. Have we lost our sovereignty? Does this ruling have something to do with the fact that the boardwalk is a publicly funded structure? It shouldn’t.
So is this a done deal? Are there anymore public hearings planned?
Verizon is barking-up the wrong tree … Belmar is not on the project critical path … CAFRA permit for the 20 cell towers is … embrace the NJDEP.
Seems our new mayor has thrown in the towel. He says he doesn’t like it but sounded defeated already.
#10 the Borough has been trying to fight this, first Mayor Walsifer, and now Mayor Buccafusco. See one of the links about the complaint filed by Verizon.
Gene, as you can see this would be an eyesore for our beachfront. You have proven to be extremely diligent and well thought out on numerous “events” that have saved the town of Belmar, not only financially but from a legal perspective also. If you have a understanding of the best way to tackle this situation, I think we can organize a group of concerned citizens to fight this from happening. Thank you.
Agree w #12. Historically the only way we get anything done in this town is to grass roots the hell out of it.
Am I reading the document submitted by Mr. Creamer wrong or does it say that Mayor Walsifer and his administration agreed to a settlement that the 20 poles would be installed? The settlement agreement seems to state that the 20 poles were agreed to by both parties and that in return for Belmar allowing the 20 poles to be erected, verizon wouldn’t argue the denial of a cell tower on the Mamalukes building.
If true, it’s just (Deleted by Editor.).
When Verizon says “WIRELESS” they mean “WIRELESS + POWER CABLE + FIBER OPTIC CABLE”
the towers in question are strictly for wireless capabilities. The cables and ‘fiber optics’ are already everywhere.
The argument is that they should be able to install them because they are ‘needed’. There are not ‘needed’. I have VZ cell service and have zero problems with connectivity. And, since we are a fairly populated area, without a lot of space for large scale developments, we DO NOT need more cell towers. It’s a money grab. They want more market share AND they can rent the towers to other providers for $$$. All under the guise of ‘Public need’. It would be like if Taco Bell lobbied successfully to have a restaurant on the beach because it serves a public need…for tacos. We should not let this happen.
This video is the February 6, 2018 council meeting, one of the meetings where Verizon was trying to convince our mayor and council to allow them to put up towers on Ocean Ave to give everyone at the beach free wifi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIG6TLtrdlg
#16. The concession at the Taylor Pavilion tried taco’s on the beach. Only lasted 1 year, they’re not coming back.
And 5G towers are only needed those 8-12 Summer Weekends when we have large crowds.
Cell phone connectivity causes us to look at them every day, all year.
Why on earth does anyone need WiFi on the beach? It’s the beach! Put your phones away ya friggin bennies. Look around, go in the ocean, take a walk. The world will survive without your inane social media posts for a day.
Society is doomed.
12 & 13 are right. We need to organize now. We all need to contact our federal representatives who can put pressure on the FCC and Verizon.
I’m particularly infuriated that we were barred from making health concerns an issue! Let’s make a list of all the things govt has told us were perfectly safe that turned out to be awful mistakes or downright lies.
#12 … the M&C should host a ZOOM Public ‘Workshop Meeting’ to gather input on the Verizon matter.
During the pandemic, there was a lot more public participation at M&C, PB and ZB ZOOM meetings
So let me get this straight. We are not going to have bathrooms on the beach this year but we will have amazing cell phone signal and potentially cabling coming on shore from the windfarms. I understand that we need to pick which battles we are going to fight with taxpayer $ in litigation but I think this one is more worthy than some of the dumb lawsuits the town wasted money defending in the past.
Belmar Residents: Aside from the calls, emails, and letters to our elected officials, what ACTION can we take to mitigate the proposed Verizon Cell Poles in Belmar? Is anyone aware of a petition, or lawyer who would represent our cause, or a lobbyist who would be our voice, or any actionable path we can take to effect change in Verizon’s plans?
The reference to 2016 settlement with Monmouth County (found above): WHEREAS, Verizon Wireless intends to Install its Communications System aerially on existing utility poles and subsurface within County light(s)-of-way along portions of County.
Route(s) as Identified in the attached Exhibit A Verizon Wireless Equipment Sites;
Existing structures – not new poles!…so we may have something here… as the Monmouth County Commissioner Tom Arnone said the other night at Taylor Pavilion – the County will hold tight to this – and they will fight…
***Also the area where Verizon wants to put the poles is EAST of Ocean Ave – which fortunately for us is Monmouth County property – not Belmar property – so Verizon trying to be cute and run an “end-around” may cost them – Belmar has no jurisdiction in this settlement agreement and we should be arguing that point – seems our former administration missed this too – one would think our former mayor and town attorney would have done their homework here…
Verizon attorneys may have actually messed up here…not realizing its Monmouth County right of way.
Mayor Buccafusco is aware of this and mentioned it Tuesday night…
good luck to us all and keep up the fight and help us -“Get the Cell Outta Here!!”
Some educational material from similar poles in Oregon.
https://www.orcities.org/application/files/8215/9682/8143/FAQ_on_Small_Wireless_Facilities.pdf