Protesters call for cell-antenna moratorium

Updated: Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1:57 p.m. Protesters from various parts of Nassau County rallied outside Town of Hempstead Hall on Tuesday morning before a town meeting, calling for a moratorium on the installation of cell-phone antennas and towers around Bellmore, Merrick and Wantagh.

The Town of Hempstead recently hired a consultant, Richard Comi of the Center for Municipal Solutions, to assist in writing a town code to manage and control the placement of cell-phone antennas. On Tuesday, the town agreed to hold off on approving any new cell-antenna application until Sept. 21.

A group of roughly 25 residents, led by Claudia Borecky, president of the North Merrick Community Civic Association and chairwoman of the Telecommunications Task Force, brandished signs and stood together in an effort to suspend the installation of cellular antennas until such a code is completed.

"We first started fighting this issue over a year ago when they were placing cell antennas in front of our homes," Borecky said. "The problem is that the Town of Hempstead has no code in place to regulate and manage the placement of these cell towers, and other towns do. They did hire a consultant to deal with it, but since the town does not have a reputation of dealing with things in a timely manner, we are asking for a moratorium on these cell-tower applications."

According to Borecky, possible locations for the installation of cell-phone antennas by private companies include the Farmingdale Wantagh Jewish Center, the North Bellmore Firehouse and the North Merrick Public Library.

"The Farmingdale Wantagh Jewish Center is in a residential area, and they want to install a cell-phone tower on it," said Scott Boiko, a Wantagh resident. "We don't believe that it should be in a residential area. It should be on commercial property."

Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg, a Democrat from Merrick, attended the rally in support of a moratorium. "Other jurisdictions have adopted uniform codes that put requirements on cell-antenna installations with the goal of protecting the residential areas and trying to find coordinated locations where carriers can co-locate in commercial areas," Denenberg said. "Let the town come up with and adopt this uniform code, and in the meantime, put a moratorium on all applications."