Matinecock Residents for Intelligent Telecommunications is calling on the Trustees of the Village of Matinecock to take three (3) steps now to protect residents’ interests, both with regard to a current application by Crown Castle, wishing to install unspecified and unlimited antennas on utility poles in our residential areas, and for the sake of the future interests of our community. The three steps are:
- Determine Whether There is a Need for More Wireless Telecommunication Antennas
- Require an Environmental Impact Statement for the Crown Castle Application
- Enact an Ordinance Establishing Future Protections for Residents, Resident’s Property and the Environment from Telecommunications
- Determine Whether There is a Need for More Cellular Antennas
This would include obtaining an independent assessment of the adequacy of present existing cellular infrastructure, to determine if more communication channels are necessary. It would also include an assessment of hardwired communications options for our Village, such as cable and fiber optics, which are faster, more reliable, more secure, and are the preferred option for the bulk of resident communications. Finally, residents should be asked whether they have experience to suggest that more cellular antennas are necessary to meet their needs. With these three analyses, the Village will be in a better position to assess current and future communications needs, and to weigh the current application from Crown Castle.
The current application from Crown Castle to install unspecified and unlimited antennas would be imprudent to approve without a needs assessment and an understanding of the full communications profile of our Village. Crown Castle should be required to pay for an independent needs assessment conducted by an RF engineer, selected by the Village, with no ties to the telecommunications industry, i.e. no potential for conflicts of interest.
- Require an Environmental Impact Statement for the Crown Castle Application
With regards to the current application by Crown Castle for the installation of unspecified and unlimited antennas in our residential neighborhoods now and in the future, the Trustees of the Village of Matinecock should require an Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). The environmental review should take into consideration the specific kinds of antennas planned, the nature of the intended transmissions, locations of antennas, the total number of antennas, the number of antennas already transmitted by all providers in Matinecock air space, and their aesthetic impact.
Matinecock is a pristine area of Long Island with nature preserves and thriving wildlife in our midst. It is important the Trustees call for a thorough environmental review to be conducted.
- Enact an Ordinance Establishing Future Protections for Residents, Resident’s Property and the Environment from Telecommunications and Utility Technologies.
The objective of the proposed ordinance is twofold: 1) to assure that in the future agreed upon procedures are strictly carried out with regard to applications for permissions from telecommunications and utility providers desiring to do business within the territory of Matinecock and 2) to establish a system whereby the Village of Matinecock periodically strategically addresses its long-term telecommunications needs, instead of responding one-by-one to a series of requests to operate in our area by parties whose interests may not be aligned with ours.
