Fund An Alternate Site For Cell Tower

To the Editor:

A 150-foot cellphone microwave tower at 24 Dinglebrook Lane? Find an alternative site. AT&T is in the process of obtaining an “Application for a Certificate of Environmental Impact and Public Need to build and maintain a telecommunication facility” at 24 Dinglebrook Lane in a wooded area in the middle of a mostly working class neighborhood of over 120 homes which stretches from Lake Road, Hanover Road to Lake Lillinonah, scenic View Drive into Brookfield, up to Lillinonah Heights. Location, location, and location was what our real estate agent stressed when she showed us our dream home on 20 Dinglebrook Lane in 1998. We thought our land was safe, but we were wrong.

If this 150-foot cellphone tower is built, it will be several hundred feet away from our house, extending 80 feet above the forest canopy. Our already decreasing home values will fall even further while our taxes will continue to rise. Both our town and state officials were contacted by AT&T, and no one had suggested an alternative site. While the town fathers were notified that they would receive free space on the tower for expansion of its emergency services network, do we have to ruin a neighborhood to do it?

Given the choice, would you buy a home near a tower?

This sets a dangerous precedent. Is Equestrian Ridge next? If it happens to us, it could happen to you! We ask for your support. Who will speak for us? Please write your comments to: The Connecticut Siting Council, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain CT 06051. Homepage: www.ct.gov/csc. Pending proceeding docket 376.

Thank you,

Rufus Ayers

20 Dinglebrook Lane, Newtown                                   March 17, 2009