People unhappy with internet tower process

The plan by Barrett Xplore Inc. to raise a tower at 191 Neil McGregor Rd. in Cramahe Township has hit a snag.

The company has contracted with Northumberland County to provide county-wide high-speed internet service. In June, Cramahe Council read a letter from Barrett explaining where it was going to locate its tower in Cramahe. The letter also advised Council that the letter was for information. The township did not have the authority to reject the company's proposal.

The company was required to allow a time for public response and was back at Cramahe on August 11, requesting concurrence to build the 30-metre tower. The report from Cramahe Development Officer, Rebecca Goddard-Sarria stated there had been one letter received during the public input period. She recommended that Council consider the request for a letter of concurrence.

And that's when the process hit a snag.

In her opening comments to council on August 11, Ms. Goddard-Sarria stated she had been in discussions with Nic Parker of Barrett regarding the land owned by Peter and Diane Clarey adjacent to the proposed tower site. The Clareys expressed their concern about the location in a letter to Barrett and have repeatedly attempted to engage the company in a discussion of the site. They have yet to have anyone from the company call them, despite numerous emails sent by the family. The proposed tower would obstruct the view of a dream home they have been planning since they bought the property more than 10 years ago.

At council the Development Officer wondered aloud where the Clareys wanted to put their home. When asked by Mayor Marc Coombs if she had met with the Clareys, Ms. Goddard-Sarria admitted she had not.

Councillor Ed Van Egmond jumped in at that point to state he had problems with that. The Clareys had sent their letter in June and had not yet been contacted verbally. He worried about having a big business push its proposals through.

The councillor had obviously done his homework on this one. He knew that the house planned by the Clareys would sit 20 feet higher than the base of the tower, leaving 60-70 feet visible in the best site line of the home. It was not right to do this to a family which had made plans. He added his concern that Barrett hadn't felt it important enough to talk to the Clareys. A phone conversation on August 19 to Mrs. Clarey revealed the company has not done so yet.

Councillor Van Egmond moved that Council reject the Barrett request for a letter of concurrence until the company had done its homework and "smoothed some feathers".

Councillor Pat Westrope agreed, stating her concern about a big company walking over a small-property owner.

Seeing the possibility that the company would not get its letter, Ms. Goddard-Sarria reminded Council that she had spoken to Northumberland County Consultant, Paula Preston, and Mr. Parker. "If the letter of concurrence is not approved until September 15 (the date of the next Council meeting), the whole project will be delayed," she stated. She added that, if this site is rejected and another site chosen there will be another public consultation period of 30-35 days.

Her warnings fell on deaf ears.

Mayor Coombs summarized Council's feelings, commenting, "I'm hearing from Council. We don't have the the decision-making power, but we can delay support until Barrett talks to the Clareys." The mayor hoped that a compromise might be found in discussions held on the site of the proposed tower.

In an August 19 phone conversation Mrs. Clarey said she was certain there were other alternatives to the one chosen by the internet provider which is 25 feet from her property line.