Tensions soared at the Dec. 3 Riverhead Town Board meeting as residents and officials clashed over plans to build a 21-story cell tower, with many questioning its safety and necessity.
The town board gave the final approval for Elite Towers and Verizon Wireless to build the communications tower in partnership with Wading River Fire District when the council granted the project an exemption from local zoning rules — despite overwhelming opposition from local homeowners, some of whom live 50 feet away. “Can you imagine if a piece of ice let loose from the top of that thing? It would go through people’s homes and windshields, killing anyone under it?”
