Petition No. 741
New Cingular Wireless PCS LLC
Quinnipiac University
Hamden, Connecticut
Staff Report
October 18, 2005

On October 6, 2005, New Cingular Wireless PCS LLC (New Cingular) submitted a petition to the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) for a declaratory ruling that no Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) is required for the replacement of an existing flagpole telecommunications facility with two separate facilities at the Quinnipiac University campus in Hamden, Connecticut. On October 14, 2005, Council member Philip T. Ashton, Council staff member Robert Mercier, New Cingular representatives Lucia Chiocchio, Naish Artaiz, and Steven Schadler, and Quinnipiac University representative Joseph Rubertone met at the site to review this petition.

The Council approved the existing flagpole facility in June 2003 under Petition 629T. The 82-foot flagpole replaced a 76-foot lattice tower mounted on the roof of the Student Center. The University has requested that New Cingular remove the Student Center flagpole facility to improve campus aesthetics. New Cingular proposes to replace the Student Center flagpole facility with a 20-foot flagpole facility mounted on the Ledges dormitory and a 10-foot cupola facility mounted on the Facilities Building. Once the installation of the two facilities is complete, New Cingular would remove the Student Center flagpole facility.

Both replacement facilities are needed to provide the same coverage footprint that currently exists with the Student Center flagpole facility. The proposed facilities would provide coverage to the campus area, Mount Carmel Road, and Route 10 in Hamden.

The 20-foot Ledges dormitory flagpole could accommodate up to six interior flush mounted panel antennas. Radio equipment would be installed in a vacant room above the dormitory elevator shaft.

The cupola facility would be of wood frame construction with RF translucent siding. New Cingular would install six panel antennas on a steel frame within the cupola. Radio equipment would be installed within the building.

The visual impact of the copula is insignificant. Visibility of the 20-foot flagpole would be limited to select areas of campus and from sections of Mount Carmel Road north of the Ledges building.