Lewisboro officials review plan for new cell tower in South Salem

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - At its Nov. 24 meeting, the Lewisboro Town Board heard a detailed presentation on a proposal to construct a new cellular tower aimed at improving chronically poor service in the town, particularly in the hamlet of South Salem.

Supporters of the plan said the tower would significantly reduce dropped calls and unreliable coverage that residents have long accepted as part of living in a semi-rural community.

The town’s Antenna Advisory Board has spent several years studying four potential sites for a future cell-service tower, with a focus on filling coverage gaps in South Salem. The board evaluated each location for technical feasibility, community impact, and regulatory considerations. Advisory Board Chair Joseph Neu said Lewisboro in general, and South Salem in particular, have suffered from inadequate cellular service for decades, making improved coverage a top priority.

“After five years of rigorous work, engineering analysis, carrier consultation, site walks, a comprehensive study with modeling reviews, and repeated community outreach, the facts all lead to one conclusion: that the salt dome is the only site available that meets the technical, geographic, and operational requirements to close South Salem's wireless coverage gap,” Neu said.

Neu emphasized that poor connectivity affects more than convenience.

“During storms and power outages, households in weak signal areas lose all means of communication,” he said. “Similarly, first responders can lose critical communications when service goes down. So it’s not merely an inconvenience, but a public safety issue.”

The proposed salt-dome site, located on Spring Street in South Salem, has been identified by both Verizon and AT&T as a priority area for improved service. The location sits roughly midway between an existing tower in Cross River and another at the Leon Levy Preserve in South Salem. Neu noted that the Cross River facility, constructed in 2018, was the most recent tower built in Lewisboro.

Advisory Board member Rob Cummings outlined why other potential sites were rejected. He said Verizon withdrew support for a site at the town recycling center following community opposition. A town-owned site near the South Salem Animal Hospital was proposed in 2020 but was ultimately ruled out due to wetland concerns and its proximity to the existing Leon Levy tower. Another option, the steeple of the Presbyterian Church, was deemed too short to adequately transmit a cellular signal.

A detailed briefing document outlining the technical analysis of all four sites has been posted with the Nov. 24 meeting agenda on the town’s website.

Cummings also noted that while many residents rely on Wi-Fi at home, cell service becomes critical during power outages. “When the power goes out, everyone’s on the cell phone networks and they get overloaded,” he said. “In the case of a power emergency or a medical emergency, that’s when you need the service the most—and that’s when it hasn’t worked.”

He recounted a personal emergency in which poor cellular coverage prevented an ambulance from communicating with a hospital. “We’re an hour north of New York City,” Cummings said. “How do we not have cell service?”

Councilman Rich Sklarin asked what measurable improvement in coverage a tower at the proposed site would provide. Cummings responded that South Salem is one of the more densely populated areas of the town. “It’s quarter-acre, half-acre, two-acre zoning,” he said. “So there are a lot of houses.”

Public comment at the meeting reflected differing views. Attorney Adam Stolorow, speaking on behalf of residents opposed to the salt-dome location, cautioned that forcing an unpopular site could lead to prolonged litigation. Stolorow, of the New York City law firm Sive, Paget & Riesel, said that while residents want better cell service, the siting process must be handled carefully.

Stolorow also suggested that a county survey had found the church steeple site to be superior to the salt dome and argued that the other rejected sites offered positive attributes as well.

South Salem resident Lisa Travalino urged the town to proceed cautiously, noting that cell towers can require more land than anticipated. “Once you give it up, it is given up to the carriers,” she said, adding that control over the property can be difficult to retain without careful agreements.

Others spoke in favor of the salt-dome proposal. Cindy Rubino, director of the Lewisboro Library, said improved cellular service would benefit both staff and residents, particularly during emergencies. “We do sometimes serve as an emergency center,” Rubino said, “and I think that having the cell tower would benefit people that come to the library to take shelter.”