Residents mixed on proposed Smithtown cell tower

<p>A well-known cellphone dead zone in Smithtown may soon get some coverage, but the proposed cell tower has some hung up on the idea.</p>

News 12 Staff

Feb 22, 2018, 7:35 PM

Updated 2,264 days ago

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A well-known cellphone dead zone in Smithtown may soon get some coverage, but the proposed cell tower has some hung up on the idea.
Elite Towers is asking the town for permission to build a 120-foot cell tower on a commercial property located at 300 West Main St.
Some residents are opposed, saying that the tower will be an eyesore and ruin the natural view for miles.
Town officials say the tower is more than an issue of convenience and that it would save lives.
"What's happening in that area, and we've been trying to overcome it for years, is that when someone makes a 911 call in that area…it will generally go to the state of Connecticut," says Smithtown Public Safety Director John Valentine.
Although there was a public hearing for this proposal last month, Amy Fortunato, of Smithtown, says there are still a lot of lingering questions.
"Health concerns, aesthetics, community involvement. No matter what way we go on this...the community really needs to be engaged," she says.
An environmental study must still be conducted, and the town board postponed a vote on the proposal Thursday night.


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