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Little Falls will fight Omnipoint ruling
(by Tom Boud - October 07, 2008)
A county court verdict enabling Omnipoint of Parsippany to erect cell phone towers at Great Notch Fire House and the Little Falls Laundry has sparked a call to action.
At Monday’s meeting, Council President Paul Huggins said Little Falls wants the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ assistance in appealing last week’s ruling. Superior Court Judge Anthony Graziano held that Little Falls’ telecommunications ordinance, which pertains to wireless antennae, is actually a zoning law. The judge said the ordinance was not formed according to proper zoning law procedure.
The telecommunications measure required cell phone companies to first look at municipal land, before private sites. With the ordinance found unsound, Omnipoint is free to pursue its original Great Notch Fire Station and Little Falls Laundry plans.
Huggins said he intends to enlist other cities’ aid in fighting the decision.
"I am going to ask the town to send a resolution out to the League of Municipalities to help appeal this, because the town does not have the funds to appeal it own our own."
He later said the Graziano’s finding is more than a Little Falls concern.
"This is a case that has ramifications across our state. It sets a precedent, not a good precedent."
Councilman William Liess seconded that.
"It may be this a test case, but this is an issue way beyond Little Falls, and we should be able to do that," he said, about contesting the matter with League of Municipalities help.
The court case was also discussed that evening in a lengthy executive session. The closed-door council conference also covered four other topics: township master plan, Rose Street rezoning, the Woods Road housing application, and flood grant parameters.
Clove Road
In other news, Huggins said the Oct. 20 town hall meeting with Passaic County Engineer Steve Edmond is still tentatively on the calendar. The session is about the proposed Clove/Long Hill Road intersection reworking. Huggins said is he awaiting final confirmation from Edmond.
The forum follows up an afternoon Sept. 16 presentation at the Township Civic Center. The forthcoming occasion will allow September meeting missing Clove/Long Hill residents to ask questions and give feedback.
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