Cellphone Tower Called Unsuitable

The East Hampton Town Planning Board looked askance at a site plan application for a 50-foot tall tower at St. Peter’s Episcopal Chapel on Old Stone Highway in Springs at its meeting Tuesday night. The tower, to be constructed by AT&T, would be built next to the chapel and would hold cellphone antennas and accompanying equipment. 

“There were comments that it looked like a rocket ship,” John Huber, the phone giant’s representative, acknowledged at the meeting. Peter Gumpel, an artist who lives in Springs, presented the board with watercolors he had done depicting the proposed structure. Mr. Huber said the images resembled the Piaza di San Marco in Venice. Mr. Gumpel is vice chairman of the town’s architectural review board, but was acting on his own.

Job Potter was the first member of the board to speak, calling the tower “not suitable.” He understood the need for cell towers, he said, but noted that the chapel is really small. “You mentioned Venice but it looks to me like Southern California. This tower would really be out of keeping.” 

Diana Weir called it “massive” and another member of the panel, Nancy Keeshan, said, “This is smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood.” 

Although other members voiced support, the votes were not there to support it. Mr. Huber said the proposal would be redrawn.

Another site plan application taken up that night also appears to be in troubled waters. It involves a Stephen Hand’s Path property that belongs to Personalized Pools. It will be covered next week.