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Neighbors in North Ridgeville upset over planned cell phone tower near their homes

Posted at 5:29 PM, Feb 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-22 12:21:13-05

The city of North Ridgeville is planning to allow a several-hundred-foot-tall cell phone tower to be built near homes, and residents there are very unhappy about it.

Joe Kumro, who lives near Jaycox Road, is upset the city would allow the cell tall phone tower to be built right next to his backyard, and close to his neighbor's houses.

"Oh I know all about that, and believe me I'm not happy with that and neither are any of my neighbors," Kumro said.

Because the tower is a public entity would be on public property, it could be just 60 feet from property lines, and just 300 feet from homes.

"I think it's an eyesore. I would like to enjoy nature, not look at a doggone monstrous tower like that," Kumro said.

North Ridgeville Law Director Brian Moriarty said the large cell phone tower would improve service in the city and improve communications for the police department.

Moriarty believes the cell phone tower will blend in with power towers already in the neighborhood.

"It's not like it's in an isolated area. This is on a section of land that's covered with trees that has wire lines going through it already," Moriarty said.

There has been no approve the cell tower at this point.

"I'm sure at the planning commission meeting, we're going to have some people who come with some concerns," Moriarty said.

Kumro has a message for city officials.

"Why don't we put it in their backyard," Kumro said.

The cell phone tower proposal is not on the agenda for the March 13 planning commission meeting, therefore no public comment will be allowed at that particular meeting.

Tower Co., the cell phone builder from North Carolina, did not return phone calls for comment.