East Quogue Residents Make Voices Heard At Fire District Meeting

Some 30 residents descended on the East Quogue Fire District on Tuesday night to let fire district officials know that they do not want a 100-foot, T-Mobile cell tower erected on land behind the on Montauk Highway.

East Quogue Civic Association member Julie Crowley, who was in attendance at the meeting, said residents, one by one, stood to ask the fire district to withdraw it's application, citing detrimental health effects.

However, she said, fire district officials made it clear that as per law, a cell tower application can't be denied based on possible health effects.

Crowley, who says she understands the fire district's position and that a communications tower is needed in the area, said she hopes that the issue will prompt area residents to stand up in Washington and let it be known that there is a serious health concern and that legislation as to where cell towers can be placed needs to be enacted.

"This is a really important issue," said Crowley. "Hopefully everyone will come together and take time out of their busy lives and make a presence about this issue."

The cell tower has been a bone of contention in the community for sometime.  On Saturday, civic members crowded in the the to discuss options.  Currently, the tower application is at a standstill with the Town of Southampton Planning Board approving a pre-submission application for the tower that gives the fire district and T-mobile one year to file a formal site plan application that addresses a fall zone issue that was mentioned in the planning board's report.

According to the planning board, the cell tower as currently proposed does not meet the town's fall zone requirements.