Ho-Ho-Kus November 7, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 5 Anova seeks location on borough’s cell tower by Jennifer Crusco Anova Technologies, LLC, a specialized network provider and optical engineering firm, is planning to co-locate its equipment on the existing Ho-Ho-Kus cellular tower, and has received permission from the borough council to conduct viability and feasibility testing. At a recent council session, Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Attorney David Bole indicated that Anova was seeking an entry and testing agreement to help the company determine if the Hollywood Avenue site would be an appropriate location. Bole reported that, if the site is deemed viable, Anova and the borough could consider a five-year lease with payments of approximately $800 to $1,000 per month to the borough. If Anova’s testing is successful, the company would place equipment on the existing tower and install a related equipment cabinet on the property. The 115-foot high cellular monopole is located at the Ho-Ho-Kus Department of Public Works property at 28 Hollywood Avenue. The site is owned by the borough and is located in a residential zone. The Ho-Ho-Kus Zoning Board of Adjustment approved the installation of the cell tower in July of 2001. The 5-2 vote in favor of the application by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless followed a seven-year battle waged by opponents who resided in Ho-Ho-Kus and across the border in Ridgewood. Neighbors in Ho-Ho-Kus and Ridgewood expressed concerns that the tower would negatively impact property values and area aesthetics. A previous application for a 127-foot monopole at the DPW site, which included the two successful applicants and Nextel Communications, was denied by a 4-3 vote in 1997. The zoning board’s denial was upheld in federal court, but the Third Circuit Court of Appeals remanded the issue to the local board, entreating the board to determine whether The Ho-Ho-Kus Garden Club will meet at 7:30 on Monday, Nov. 12 at the Community Church of Ho-Ho-Kus, 400 Warren Avenue. Magda Salvesen will present “Exploring Gardens and Green Spaces: From Connecticut to the Delaware Valley.” Garden historian to address club a “significant gap” in cellular communication existed in Ho-Ho-Kus and, if so, whether the proposed tower would be the least intrusive means of correcting that gap. In July 2001, the board found that a “significant gap” existed in the borough, and agreed that the monopole would be the least intrusive remedy. Several times during the 90minute deliberation session, Zoning Board Attorney David Rutherford pointed out that, if the board made both of these determinations, a subsequent denial of the application would constitute a prohibition of service and a violation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. He stressed that the review court, the U.S. District Court for the State of New (continued on page 6) An art and garden historian, Salvesen has taught at the New York Botanical Garden and at The New School. She is currently an instructor of garden history at New York University. This program is open to the public.