New Cell Tower Law Requires Owners To Gain Board Approval For Modifications

In the Village of Williston Park, New York a new local law was approved last week that will require cell tower owners to obtain board approval for major modifications to existing towers and have the Building Department sign off on minor modifications.

“Any major modification will be treated as an application for a new facility,” said village attorney James Bradley during a public hearing on the law. “We’re attempting to adopt a statute that makes sense for the village.” (Source: The Island Now)

The city is now considering major modifications to be a “substantial increase” in the height of the cell tower. The new law defines a substantial increase as a mounting of the existing antenna or antennas higher than 22 feet, six inches above the principal roof line of the structure where the cell towers are located. Once these changes are approved, they will be effective for five years and the approval will need to be renewed by the village Building Department after this time frame.