Plans for N. Bellmore cell tower halted

A proposed cell tower on state land in North Bellmore will no longer be pursued. The news came in a letter from Jacqueline Murray, the lawyer representing Crown Communications, the company that has held a contract with New York state’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to develop cell towers on state land since 1997.

The letter, addressed to New York State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican from Merrick, stated, “Based upon review of current user interest in the proposed facility, this conceptual proposal will not be further developed at this time.”

The proposed monopole would have been at the intersection of Bismark Avenue and Bellmore Road in North Bellmore. A small wooded area at the intersection protects the surrounding neighborhood from traffic entering and exiting the eastbound Southern State Parkway at exit 26; Bismark Avenue is the access road to the parkway.

Though the letter states the facility will not be developed at this time, North Bellmore environmental activists Lisa and Richard Schary say they are not certain the cell tower won’t be developed elsewhere in the area.

Richard said he was pleased with the decision and extended thanks to local officials, including Fuschillo, Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, Nassau County Legislator David Denenberg and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray.

“The state parks department’s decision not to place a cell tower on South Bismark Avenue is the right one,” Murray said in a statement. “When neighbors, Senator Fuschillo, Assemblymen [David] McDonough and McKevitt, and the town combined forces, we were able to defeat this ill-conceived proposal. This is truly a victory for North Bellmore neighbors.”

Despite the apparent defeat of the cell tower, Lisa encouraged North Bellmore residents to continue writing letters against cell towers and to support legislation proposed by Fuschillo with Sen. Jeffrey Klein, a Democrat from Westchester County, that would regulate the building of cell towers on state land.