July 24, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Franklin Lakes Verizon to add antenna to borough monopole by Frank J. McMahon Verizon Wireless has received approval to co-locate its wireless antenna on the monopole behind the Franklin Lakes Police Station on DeKorte Drive and to construct an equipment shelter on that site. In March, the borough council approved a lease to allow Verizon to co-locate its wireless antenna on this mono- pole. At a recent public meeting, the planning board granted its approval for the lease. Richard Schneider, the attorney for Verizon, explained that, in conformance with the bor- ough’s current ordinance, the existing monopole will be extended 10 feet from its existing 138 foot height, and the Verizon antenna will extend to 153 feet while the municipal antenna on this monopole will extend to 164 feet, which is less than allowed by ordinance. The board was advised that Verizon will also locate a 12 foot by 20 foot equipment shelter in a fenced compound at the base of the monopole. The shelter will be 10 feet, six inches high. Testimony about Verizon’s plan was provided by an architect, a radio frequency expert, and an electrical engi- neer prior to the board’s approval. Architect Frank Colasurdo described the equipment shelter as a prefab building that will meet all the building codes, be unmanned, and have no water, sewer, or solid waste services. He said it will not create any traffic other than a visit every four to six weeks by a technician for equipment testing. Colasurdo advised that the equipment will be monitored 24 hours a day seven days a week by a remote Verizon substation and the facility will have a generator with a 210 gallon tank of diesel oil to support the equipment in case of a storm-related power outage. He explained that the noise created by the generator will be well within the state’s noise limits. He said there will be no lighting added to the site other than a downward shielded light over the door to the shelter. The shelter, he added, will have smoke and heat alarms. Information to confirm the structural capability of the monopole to be extended by 10 feet will be provided to the board. Radio frequency expert Jorge Castaneda told the board Register for children’s programs Beginning July 24, the Franklin Lakes Library will hold registration for two August programs for children. Regis- tration may be completed by phone at (201) 891-2224, by visiting the library during regular hours, or online at www. franklinlakeslibrary.org. On Aug. 13, discover what pets are thinking by visiting the Pet Psychic at 2 p.m. Children entering grades three and up are welcome to find out just what is on their pet’s mind by bringing a photo of their pet to the program: One picture per person, please. Summer Reading Club members are invited to celebrate the end of this year’s program on Aug. 14. Mr. Twister will transform ordinary balloons into fantastic sculptures. Two sessions are available. Session 1, which will be held from 2 to 2:45 p.m., is for children who will be entering kinder- garten through second grade. Session 2, which will be held from 3:15 to 4 p.m., is for children in grades three through five. Mr. Twister’s program is sponsored by The Friends of the Library. The library is located at 470 DeKorte Drive. Verizon was relocating its antenna from 706 Franklin Avenue to this location because the height of this monopole will provide an expanded geographical coverage for Veri- zon Wireless customers. Paul Dugan, a wireless consult- ing engineer, explained that the radio frequency emissions from all the antennas on this monopole will be substan- tially below one percent of the federal guideline at any time and distance from the base of the monopole. The monopole behind police headquarters was approved by the borough in 1998 when a contract was awarded to the cellular communications company Sprint Spectrum to allow the installation of the monopole on municipal prop- erty. The 130-foot high monopole, which was constructed by Sprint, was also to contain the borough’s emergency services antenna. In addition, an equipment building was constructed next to the 36-inch base of the monopole. Since that time, the borough has approved the location of wireless antennas by Nextel and Metro PCS New York, LLC, which received approval to add its antennas to the monopole in 2010 after the borough adopted an ordinance that increased the allowable height of monopoles from 130 feet to a maximum of 170 feet, including all antennas.