Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Wisconsin Residents File Lawsuit to Stop Cell Tower Construction


The members of Prairie du Sauck, Wisconsin have filed a lawsuit against the village’s planning commission because they oppose the cell phone tower that is being built by their homes. Earlier this summer, Governor Scott Walker signed a law that limits municipalities’ authority over the placement of cell towers.

The members of the Plan Commission felt they had little choice when it came to approving a conditional use permit when Verizon submitted a proposal for a 150-foot cell tower on the community high school’s property. The members of the community want the tower to be placed away from where the majority of the townspeople live and they hope to settle this dispute in court.

The Sauk Prairie School Board voted 5-2 in March to approve a tower lease agreement under which Verizon would pay the district $15,000 per year. The commission considered the feelings of the community members, but followed the law signed by the governor that prohibits them from denying a tower for aesthetic reasons. It also prohibits the commission from limiting the duration of the permit. The law was passed to make it easier for cell phone companies to construct towers and provide consumers with adequate cell phone service.  

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