During the past several months I have had to travel the southern states, Florida to Texas. An observation was the abundance of cell towers. A more obvious observation was their locations. The cell towers were all erected on either public/municipal property or commercial acreage that in turn was intended for commercial or industrial use. Neither location or option was within miles of residential parcels.

That’s quite different from our Damascus Township supervisors’ policies regarding cell towers and their locations. Apparently the representatives governing the people of the southern counties respect the citizens and their personal properties and homes.

Not so with Mr. Dexter’s mock approval hearing that casually approved Dr. Barbe’s business venture by placing the tower immediately adjacent to the residential properties of Atco.

There is no justification for the board endorsing a 200-foot cell tower being erected immediately adjacent to residential properties; particularly when it necessitated a “conditional use” permit. There exist scores of commercial sites, or for that matter, locations on Mr. Barbe’s 107 acres, that wouldn’t infringe on adjacent property owners rights while adversely affecting property values.

There is much for Mr. Dexter and the Damascus Board to be learned from the local southern municipalities and townships.

If only they cared.

Harold “Hal” Wilson

Beach Lake, PA