Village balks at AT&T plan for 190-foot tower

A proposal to erect a 190-foot-high communications tower near the intersection of Highways 57 and H in the Town of Fredonia was not well-received by the village Plan Commission last week.

AT&T is asking the town to approve plans to erect the tower just west of Highway 57 and south of Highway H where it meets Highway A.

But the Village of Fredonia owns extra-territorial rights over the property because it lies within 1.5 miles of the village limits. Consequently, plans for the tower must come before the village, which has veto power over the project. 

Rick Hartman, a consultant for the project, last week told the village Plan Commission the mono-pole tower would be located on a 75-by-75-foot leased space and that other locations nearby would not work as well.

The village’s comprehensive plan calls for the area to be developed for commercial purposes. Village officials are currently considering hiring a consultant to recommend areas for future commercial, residential and industrial development, and that location and other nearby sites have been mentioned as potential choices.

“At some point in the future, that land will be annexed into the village,” Village President Don Dohrwardt told Hartman. 

Village Public Works Director Roger Strohm told commission members he had several reservations about the project.

For instance, village ordinances dictate that the height of communication structures cannot exceed three times the distance from the nearest lot line, which in this case would be 37 feet, six inches.

The setback can be reduced if a certified engineering plan shows the structure is designed to collapse within a smaller area than the required setback. 

Although Hartman said it will collapse in a smaller area, the submitted plan contained no certification.

Another ordinance requires an explanation why a “co-location,” a cluster of antennas, namely on the village water tower, was not chosen.

“The letter provided by the applicant does not state why this site is better than our water tower,” Strohm said.

Fredonia Town Clerk Bob Eichner, who attended the meeting, said the town is waiting on the village’s decision before taking action.

“The biggest sticking point for the town is whether AT&T could use the village water tower on the south side of the village,” Eichner said. “Apparently, a study indicated that the water tower could not be used, but they need to provide a certified copy of that report to the town.”