STATE COLLEGE — In order to improve lacking coverage, AT&T is hoping to build a cell phone tower in Ferguson Township, but it will need a zoning change to do so.
AT&T representative Chris Schubert presented a proposed ordinance amendment with the goal of providing enhanced wireless services to a highly populated and heavily traveled area of the township, and for emergency first responders, including state-of-the-art locational capabilities, greater capacity and data put-through speeds.
Currently, cell phone towers are not allowed in the Traditional Town Development District, which runs adjacent to the west of Blue Course Drive and is the location of the Heights at State College, 201 Northwick Blvd., and the potential future home of the preliminarily approved Pine Hall Traditional Town Development.
Schubert said the area of principle concern regarding lacking coverage was the area surrounding the Heights at State College. The additional coverage would impact the retirement community of Harmony of State College and the northern and western portions of the township.
The proposed macro-tower would be located at the northern intersection of Havershire Boulevard and Blue Course Drive.
“This would be enhanced in-building coverage and these residential communities would directly benefit from that. So now these residents in these communities would have the ability to make a 911 call in their unit. One of the nice things about E-911 (enhanced) calls, is there is locational capabilities, so that all you have to do is push 911. You don’t have to tell 911 services your location on your call. They will be able to bring that up on a main emergency map that would map your location,” said Schubert.
Schubert said other providers would be able to co-locate on the tower to “minimize the number of these towers that would have to be placed in any area.”
Planning commission members expressed some concerns about the amendment change. They agreed to recommend to the township board of directors to have the staff work with AT&T moving forward on the application.
After staff works through the changes, it is recommended that the changes be brought back to the planning commission again before the board votes on the amendment.
