Mazzei Hosts Meeting for Cell Tower Discrepancies

A meeting was held last week at Brookhaven Town Hall regarding the controversial proposed on behalf of provider T-Mobile, which is to be located in a Ronkonkoma neighborhood on a near the intersection of Bay Avenue and 11th Street.

Brookhaven Town Councilman , Eric Engen, T-Mobile senior development manager for Long Island, Vanessa Baird-Streeter, executive director of communications for the Long Island Power Authority and residents of the Ronkonkoma neighborhood all met to try to come to a compromise regarding the contentious matter.

Engen proposed adjustments to try to address the concerns raised regarding the site construction activities. Changes included: The temporary installation of a six foot tall chain link fence, with a privacy screen enclosure. All equipment will be contained within the fenced area, subject to LIPA approval and any special requirements from the Town. 

A T-Mobile project manager will be on-site all day, every day during the erection of the pole. In addition, the nearby school bus stop will be clear of construction activity and equipment at all times.  Working hours for the project will be limited to 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

were present at the recent open forum, and have been among the most vocal protestors of the antenna, because their home is located right next to the transmission tower.

"This is all right on top of me ... It's been a mess since day one, since you guys arrived.  It's like 52 feet from my house, and you're going to make it bigger," said Kurt.

Engen assured that T-Mobile is looking to find the "least intrusive means of providing coverage."

Residents expressed anger that the cell antenna is being put in Brookhaven — presumably after it was denied a permit in the Town of Islip — but will be providing coverage for Islip Town.

"This is not acceptable to me at all," said Mazzei.  "Had I known this before the planning department, I would've nipped it in the bud.  All they needed was an okay from the planning department. Once that took place it was received by some guy in the planning department. They had no choice but to issue a permit. By the time I got involved it was already issued."

Mazzei recently passed a resolution which will require the planning department in Brookhaven to, in a similar instance, notify the councilperson in the district the cell tower is located, so that the councilperson can then reach out to the community.

"I would have heard the complaints, and put the kybosh on it," insisted Mazzei who said he found out about T-Mobile's plans in an email from the Johnsons.

"The good news is I don't think [T-Mobile and LIPA] are going to do anything without asking the neighbors, 'Is this ok?'", said Mazzei. "The good news is it's not going to happen again.  I can tell you that."