The Woodstock Town Board approved hiring telecommunications litigator Andrew Campanelli at its July 13 meeting to help beef up its Wireless Transmission Facilities and Site Developers Law in light of recent 5G expansion throughout the state.
Wireless providers are aggressively deploying the new technology that allows for higher bandwidth and more users connected to each tower, but opponents say there are health and environmental risks. A municipality cannot deny a wireless application based on health effects, but it can if it violates zoning.
The Planning Board recently denied a T-Mobile application to install 5G antennas because the significantly larger size would defeat design features put in place to disguise the town-owned tower on California Quarry Road, and councilwoman and zoning revision committee chair Laura Ricci shares the belief more applications are likely to come. Ricci proposed the resolution to hire Campanelli and share the cost with a benefactor, who revealed himself to be 5G opponent Steve Romine. “I think most change will probably come from Andrew Campanelli’s review and I think it’s smartest to do that sooner in the process rather than later,” Ricci said. “Because I think then it will go more smoothly through the process if you’ve gotten this feedback now.”
The town will pay up to 40 percent of Campanelli’s fees, with a cap of $1500, and Romine will pick up the rest. Romine said he and others have already contributed $11,000 to the cause.
Councilwoman Ricci and Councilmen Reggie Earls, Richard Heppner and Lorin Rose voted in favor of the resolution, while supervisor Bill McKenna voiced the lone dissenting vote. McKenna said Romine, working with Campanelli, had provided the town with a “wonderful document” as the basis for changing the town’s wireless regulations and it should work with that first. “I think we should be working with that before we spend any more money,” McKenna said. “And that’s got nothing to do with Campanelli. I think he’s done a great job and provided a good document.”
A roomful of concerned citizens applauded the decision and some expressed gratitude for protecting them from harm. “I live up on the top of the mountain. They put something on the top. They put it on the telephone poles. Either way, I’m going to get fried because the poles are right around my house,” said Toni Weidenbacher. “I don’t want to be fried. I’m glad you don’t want to have us fried. Thank you for not frying.” The Town Board and audience erupted in laughter.
Romine commended the board for adopting the resolution to retain Campanelli and agreed with McKenna that the basis document should have been adopted. But since a lot of time has passed, the town law needs updating, he noted. “There’s been a lot of court cases since then,” Romine said. “And that changes the whole ballgame. So, Campanelli is up on the law because he’s in the courts. He knows what judges go for and what they don’t go for.”
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