NAHANT — The Nahant Planning Board met this week to discuss next steps regarding the wireless special permit to upgrade the Crown Castle cell tower. The safety of the tower has raised recent concerns not only from the Planning Board but also within the community, given the potential dangers of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF).
A cumulative study is being done by T-Mobile to assess the tower, which will provide the Planning Board with key insight on how to proceed forward and could impact their view on the permit.
The Planning Board also plans to hold a meeting with the public to further explain the matter and hear directly from Isotrope LL RF Engineer Michael Lawton, who will be providing further insight and addressing the study through a presentation. Lawton will also be made available to answer any questions.
“Typically, where that takes place is when the antennas are on a rooftop, and if antennas are on a rooftop, there can be concern about some areas that need to be controlled for RF [radio frequency] safety,” Lawton said. “If the report identified areas of concern, then mitigation would need to take place of some kind,” Lawton explained to the Board during the meeting. If the report does not identify areas of concern, then it’s all good.”
It will take 5-10 business days for the report to be done, which the Planning Board hopes will happen soon so that they can move forward in the process and schedule the meeting, though a date has not yet been set.
“We hope that we might be able to get some information on whether or not the study is complete or, possibly [if] it’s coming down the pipe, we’re going to review it and it’ll be in your hands the following week,” Planning Board Chair Sheila Hambleton told Lawton. “So, [we] kind of have our fingers crossed [that] we can move this right along as quickly as possible.”
