DOCKET NO. 243 - Omnipoint Facilities Network 2, L.L.C., a subsidiary of T-Mobile, USA, Inc. application for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the construction, maintenance and operation of a wireless telecommunications facility at 270 Valley Road, New Canaan, Connecticut

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Connecticut

Siting

Council

October 26, 2004

Decision and Order

Pursuant to the foregoing Findings of Fact and Opinion, the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) finds that the effects associated with the construction, operation, and maintenance of a telecommunications facility including effects on the natural environment; ecological integrity and balance; public health and safety; scenic, historic, and recreational values; forests and parks; air and water purity; and fish and wildlife are not disproportionate either alone or cumulatively with other effects when compared to need, are not in conflict with the policies of the State concerning such effects, and are not sufficient reason to deny the application and therefore directs that a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need, as provided by General Statutes § 16-50k, be issued to Omnipoint Facilities Network 2, L.L.C., a subsidiary of T-Mobile, USA, Inc. (T-Mobile), hereinafter reffered to as the Certificate Holder, located at 208 Valley Road, New Canaan, Connecticut.   

The facility shall be constructed, operated, and maintained substantially as specified in the Council’s record in this matter, and subject to the following conditions:

1.       The tower shall be constructed as a silhouette pole, no taller than necessary to provide the proposed telecommunications services, sufficient to accommodate the antennas of T-Mobile and other entities, both public and private, but such tower shall not exceed a height of 120 feet above ground level, including appurtenances.    

2.   The Certificate Holder shall prepare a Development and Management (D&M) Plan for this site in compliance with Sections 16-50j-75 through 16-50j-77 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.  The D&M Plan shall be served on the Town of New Canaan, for comment, and all parties and intervenors as listed in the service list and submitted to and approved by the Council prior to the commencement of facility construction and shall include:

a)      a final site plan(s) of site development to include specifications for the tower, tower foundation, antennas, equipment building, access road, utility line, and landscaping;

b)      provisions for the construction of a retaining wall to minimize vegetative clearing; and

c)      construction plans for site clearing, water drainage, and erosion and sedimentation control consistent with the 2002 Connecticut Guidelines for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, as amended.

3.       The Certificate Holder shall, prior to the commencement of operation, provide the Council worst-case

modeling of electromagnetic radio frequency power density of all proposed entities’ antennas at the closest point of uncontrolled access to the tower base, consistent with Federal Communications Commission, Office of Engineering and Technology, Bulletin No. 65, August 1997.  The Certificate Holder shall ensure a recalculated report of electromagnetic radio frequency power density is submitted to the Council if and when circumstances in operation cause a change in power density above the levels calculated and provided pursuant to this Decision and Order.

4.       Upon the establishment of any new State or federal radio frequency standards applicable to frequencies of this facility, the facility granted herein shall be brought into compliance with such standards.

5.       The Certificate Holder shall permit public or private entities to share space on the proposed tower for fair consideration, or shall provide any requesting entity with specific legal, technical, environmental, or economic reasons precluding such tower sharing. 

6.       The Certificate Holder shall provide reasonable space on the tower for no compensation for any municipal antennas, provided such antennas are compatible with the structural integrity of the tower.

7.       If the facility does not initially provide wireless services within one year of completion of construction or ceases to provide wireless services for a period of one year, this Decision and Order shall be void, and the Certificate Holder shall dismantle the tower and remove all associated equipment or reapply for any continued or new use to the Council before any such use is made.

8.       Any antenna that becomes obsolete and ceases to function shall be removed within 60 days after such antennas become obsolete and cease to function.

9.       Unless otherwise approved by the Council, this Decision and Order shall be void if the facility authorized herein is not operational within one year of the effective date of this Decision and Order or within one year after all appeals to this Decision and Order have been resolved.  Any request for extension of this period shall be filed with the Council not later than sixty days prior to the expiration date of this Certificate and shall be served on all parties and intervenors and the Town of New Canaan, as listed in the service list.  Any proposed modifications to this Decision and Order shall likewise be so served.

Pursuant to General Statutes § 16-50p, the Council hereby directs that a copy of the Findings of Fact, Opinion, and Decision and Order be served on each person listed below, and notice of issuance shall be published in the Hartford Courant, the Stamford Advocate, and The New Canaan Advertiser .

By this Decision and Order, the Council disposes of the legal rights, duties, and privileges of each party named or admitted to the proceeding in accordance with Section 16-50j-17 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

The parties and intervenors to this proceeding are:

Applicant                                                         Its Representative

Omnipoint Facilities Network 2, LLC                Stephen J. Humes, Esq.

            A subsidiary of T-Mobile, USA, Inc.                 McCarter & English, LLP

CityPlace I

185 Asylum Street

Hartford, CT  06103

            Intervenor                                                      Its Representative

            AT&T Wireless PCS, LLC                              Christopher B. Fisher, Esq.

            d/b/a AT&T Wireless                                       Cuddy & Feder LLP

90 Maple Avenue

                                                                                    White Plains, NY  10601-5196

            Party                                          

            Iona C. Hubbard

17 Wardwell Drive

            New Canaan, CT  06840

            Party                                                                Its Representative

            Marie Louise Brown                                         Mark R. Carta, Esq.

                                                                                    Christoffel Krediet, Esq.

                                                                                    Rucci, Burnham, Carta & Edelberg, LLP

30 Old King's Highway South

P.O. Box 1107

                                                                                    Darien, CT  06820

            Party                                                                Its Representative

            The Citizens for Responsible Cellular                 The Citizens for Responsible Cellular Planning

Planning                                                            c/o Ms. Diane Baldwin, Co-Chairperson

22 Wardwell Drive

                                                                                    New Canaan, CT  06840

            Intervenor                                                     

            Diane M. Baldwin

22 Wardwell Drive

            New Canaan, CT  06840

            Party                                                                Its Representative

            Dayton Odgen, Jr.                                             Mark R. Carta, Esq.

            Margaret R. Ogden                                           Christoffel Krediet, Esq.

                                                                                    Rucci, Burnham, Carta & Edelberg, LLP

30 Old King's Highway South

P.O. Box 1107

                                                                                    Darien, CT  06820

            Intervenor                                                     

            John D. Hough, Trustee

            Sally N. Hough, Trustee

            310 Valley Road

            New Canaan, CT  06840

            Intervenor                                                     

            Janet Z. Congdon

            34 Wardwell Drive

            New Canaan, CT  06840

            Party                                                                Its Representative

            The Town of New Canaan                                John W. Cannavino, Esq.

                                                                                    M. Juliet Bonazzoli, Esq.

                                                                                    Cummings & Lockwood

                                                                                    Four Stamford Plaza, P.O. Box 120

                                                                                    Stamford, CT  06904-0120

            Intervenor                                                      Its Representative

            The First Taxing District of                                Anthony M. Macleod

the City of Norwalk                                           Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

100 Field Point Road

                                                                                    Greenwich, Connecticut 06830