COLRAIN — Tarpon Towers and Verizon have made it over the first hurdle to constructing a 125-foot cell tower on Call Road.

The Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously on Wednesday to issue a variance that will allow Tarpon Towers to construct the tower to be 5 feet taller than what is permitted under the town’s height restrictions, which are set at 120 feet.

The Planning Board has yet to vote on the special permit application, and is expected to do so May 14, after the Conservation Commission has had time to review the proposal.

“Our proposal is to lease from Mr. Bailey a small 25-by-50-foot compound, wherein we would install a security fence, supporting equipment and our 125-foot tall tower in the interest of deploying data and coverage for the residents of the town of Colrain and those in the business community and passing through,” Michael Fenton, an attorney representing Tarpon Towers, said during a public hearing on Wednesday.

ZBA members said the variance requested is just 5 feet, and in comparison to the other cell tower in town, which is 160 feet tall, Tarpon Towers’ request is minimal. Board members voted unanimously to approve the height variance, however the Planning Board was unable to take action due to a lack of attendance at the hearing.

Fenton said that under Massachusetts General Law, the permit would need a two-thirds majority to pass. Only four members of the seven-member Planning Board were in attendance at Wednesday’s hearing, making it one member short to reach that majority, so the board was unable to put the matter to a vote.

Planning Board members noted that they would like input from the Conservation Commission and Fire Department before making any decisions. The commission typically meets on the first Tuesday of the month, however, the May meeting will need to be rescheduled, as Tuesday, May 6, is the date of Annual Town Meeting.

Tarpon Towers and Verizon are seeking a special permit to construct the cell tower, with a 4-foot lightning rod attached, on a lot between 48 and 78 Call Road. Matthew Tilden, a project manager with Dewberry Engineers, said plans include a battery, two storage cabinets for equipment about the size of a large refrigerator, and a 210-gallon diesel generator and tower on a 12-by-20-foot concrete pad, along with construction of a 15-foot-wide gravel access road.

Concerns about the site

Residents asked about the site location and design of the tower, expressing concerns that the steep, windy access road would be impassable for emergency vehicles, and that the tower may disrupt the natural beauty of the forested landscape. They also asked why the town needs another tower, as there is already one on Greenfield Road.

Martin Lavin, senior radio frequency engineer at C Squared Systems, said the proposed tower would address a large gap in cellular coverage along Main Road, and connect coverage spots between the Greenfield Road tower and a nearby tower in Shelburne.

Amy Williams, site acquisition specialist with Tarpon Towers, said the company explored the feasibility of several locations in town, and while some have better access for construction and emergency personnel, they were unsuitable due to the mountainous terrain that cuts the signal. Radio frequency analysis of the region by C Squared Systems showed that moving the tower to a different location would significantly decrease coverage.

“If we were in Kansas, we wouldn’t need the towers to be so close together,” Fenton said.

Tarpon Towers reportedly contacted the Fire Department and was told that a 15-foot-wide road would be adequate for fire truck access, but this claim was disputed at the meeting by Fire Chief Nicholas Anzuoni, who said he had not reviewed the plans. After further discussion, it was determined the company had spoken to a volunteer firefighter and the plans were never given to the chief for review.

“It’s a little bit steep, but as you know, there’s a lot of hilly mountain terrain around here,” Tilden said. “This is the best of what we could do.”

Fenton said Tarpon Towers would work with the Fire Department to address access concerns, and if necessary, change the design for the access road. He added that the design of the access road also could change depending on utility needs.

The power company would not review and approve a plan to install utility poles along the road until after a special permit is issued. The design plan includes seven utility poles with overhead wires zigzagging across the access road to bring electricity to the tower.

Regarding the design, Fenton said that while other towers built in the area had gone for the “monopine” approach of disguising the tower as a tree, Tarpon Towers felt that attempting to disguise the tower would only bring more attention to it. A balloon test on March 22 and simulations of the tower indicated it would be mostly hidden among the trees, particularly during spring and summer. The tower would be most visibly while facing southeast from Main Road.

“We find it to be a well-hidden tower in a heavily forested area,” Fenton said. “We feel the most likely way to have the least visual impact is this stainless steal cylinder.”

Residents also asked about potential environmental impacts, as the tower is being constructed off Call Road, which is next to the North River. Fenton said the tower itself is located far enough away from the river so as to not fall within the Conservation Commission’s jurisdiction, and that planners are not expecting any impacts. However, the access road would be in the commission’s jurisdiction.

Tarpon Towers is having an environmental expert review the proposal and draft a stormwater management plan to address concerns regarding construction and stormwater runoff. Once the management plan is complete, a notice of intent will be filed with the commission for review and approval.

Fenton said Tarpon Towers and Verizon are happy to work with town to address any concerns, and meet all Conservation Commission and state Department of Environmental Protection regulations required to construct the tower and expand service for customers.

“Right now it’s no call road; we’re gonna make it call road,” Fenton said.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.