The red arrow and balloon depict where a proposed U.S. Cellular communications tower would be seen in Otisfield. Photo by Lindsey Montana Buy this Photo

OTISFIELD — Otisfield’s Planning Board unanimously voted to accept Verizon Wireless’ application to construct a communications tower on property at 264 Bell Hill Road.

Attorney Scott Anderson of Verrill Dana in Portland was on hand as Verizon’s representative to answer questions as board members reviewed the application.

There were several items that the board approved conditionally. Among them was clarification on Verizon’s analysis of alternative sites for the tower.

During the public comment period, Otisfield resident Virginia Arsenault presented the board with a lease she had signed with Verizon in 2014 for a communications tower to be constructed on her property at 19 East Swampville Road. She requested that an independent review be done on both properties to determine which would be the best site, providing the broadest coverage for Otisfield.

After Planning Board Chair Karen Turino explained to Arsenault that the Planning Board could only address the application that was before them, Anderson offered background on the property leases.

Researching sites and signing lease agreements is an early phase of the overall tower process. Several sites might be identified as appropriate locations and one generally emerges as more appropriate than the others. In this case, Bell Hill was chosen as having better reception and would require a tower half of the height as one located on East Swampville Road.

“Initially one of the ‘siting people’ identified Ms. Arsenault’s property as a possible site that might work,” Anderson said. “But then this [Bell Hill] area was chosen as the location to build on. The way the leases are structured, they don’t actually kick in until Verizon goes in and gets all the permits. After a town grants approval, the lease will be enacted.”

Planning board member Otis Brown pointed out that as the ordinance requires that applicants demonstrate that there are no other towers that could be joined or appropriate to build within a five-mile radius, that Verizon put their decision in writing so there would be a record of it. He also requested that Anderson provide an additional map of the whole town showing where the weaker areas are, and that the application be amended to include a written description of the geography of the Bell Hill Road site.

Another adjustment made by the planning board be that once construction is started no disturbance to trees and nesting areas of the northern long-eared bat happen during its mating season between Jun. 1 and Jul 31. The area around Bell Hill Road is an established bat nesting area.

Otisfield officials indicated they would be interested in tapping into the tower and compound for local services. Anderson replied that Verizon is not authorized under the terms of the lease to sublet space for antennas, buildings or power sources, but that the town could negotiate those rights with the landowner. He said that Verizon makes the service reception available to other carriers and that they provide public and emergency communications service at no charge as a policy.

After the application requirements were approved and the submission accepted, Turino stated that abutting landowners be notified and a public hearing be scheduled. After that the Board would move on the next phase of the process, which will be a review of the performance standards for the construction and operation of the tower.

The public hearing will be held on Mar. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Otisfield Community Hall, with the regular Planning Board meeting to follow.