Proposed cell tower sparks debate in Lewisboro

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - The Lewisboro Town Board faced a packed agenda at its Oct. 26 meeting, with more than half the meeting devoted to the ongoing discussion of a new cellular tower proposed for the town's salt dome site. The meeting also provided a forum for about a dozen South Salem residents who remain firmly opposed to the tower.

Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves noted that the cellular tower at the salt dome was first proposed in 2019 and that, based on numerous coverage analyses, the town needs improved service to meet the needs of both residents and emergency responders.

“Since then, Westchester County paid for an independent study,” he said. “The bottom line with that report is that Lewisboro needs more towers - and not just one more, but probably three or four to fill in the gaps.

“There was also an option to potentially place the tower … infrastructure in the church steeple at South Salem Presbyterian Church,” he continued. “That was reviewed and looked at including by Verizon engineers. Verizon would be the anchor tenant on this tower. That [the church location] didn't work out.”

“What we're looking for at this stage is merely to see if the town is interested in leasing the property,” said Robert Gaudioso, a partner at Snyder & Snyder, a law firm specializing in telecommunications that represents Verizon and Homeland Towers Inc. “Obviously, any lease would be subject to a full permitting process and a and an additional SEQRA process.”

SEQRA refers to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. Gaudioso noted that his clients had already completed much of the work required under the law.

Gaudioso said the lease agreement would be virtually identical to the existing agreement covering the tower at Lewisboro Town Park in Cross River. An analysis also found that approximately 675 homes would benefit from a cell tower at the salt dome site.

He proposed conducting a “balloon test” to simulate the approximate height of the tower and gauge its visibility from surrounding areas.

Consultant Andrew Peterson of DBM Engineering, based in Fairview Village, Pennsylvania, presented a coverage map with colored overlays illustrating gaps in cellular service throughout Lewisboro.

The coverage gap generally followed a north-south pattern, showing that while towers on the west side of town at Lewisboro Town Park and on the east side at the Leon Levy Preserve provide service, the central portion of Lewisboro lacks robust coverage.

Gonçalves said residents have experienced the consequences of those gaps.

“We had an incident where a resident of Lake Truesdale had a heart attack and our ambulance corps could not transmit the EKG to the hospital,” because of poor service, he said.

Peterson pointed out that Route 35 is particularly heavily traveled, with approximately 10,000 vehicles per day.

“So, you have you have a potential emergency services situation there,” he said.

Gaudioso also noted that younger consumers increasingly forgo wired services, including internet and television, in favor of wireless alternatives. Those options often require more robust 5G cellular service, which depends on strong signal coverage.

No action was taken on the proposal during the meeting.

The tower continues to face strong public opposition, particularly among South Salem residents. About a dozen residents spoke against the proposal, including Valerie Lischnoff, who moved to the area last year.

“My husband and I moved to South Salem with our two daughters last year, drawn by the beautiful setting in the wonderful community,” Lischnoff said. “Imagine our shock and disappointment when we heard of the possibility of a cell tower going up essentially in our backyard. We can see the salt dome from our street year ‘round. We also have concerns about the health and safety of our family and our community.”

Resident and real estate agent Jana Peterson acknowledged the need for improved service but questioned whether the salt dome was the appropriate location.

“I think we all agree that reliable cell phone service is a legitimate public safety concern,” Peterson said. “We support the efforts to improve it. But evidence that a problem exists is not evidence that a cell tower at the salt dome is the right solution. And as a local real estate professional, I see firsthand how buyers eliminate properties near cell towers, power lines, and utility infrastructure. Research also reinforces these concerns. A study cited by the National Association of Realtors estimated an average property value reduction of 3 percent associated with proximity to wireless towers, rising as high as 9.8 percent for properties within a visible range.”

Carol Cernak also raised concerns about the tower's visual impact.

“From Farview Farm, we are visually in sight of three towers,” she said. “Now you're going to put a fourth in our front yard. This is a 13-story building you're talking about putting in at the salt dome.”

Verizon customer Matthew Tynan argued that existing technology can help address gaps in cellular coverage.

“Verizon currently provides that coverage through their satellite backup system,” he said. “Every time I lose coverage on my Verizon wireless phone in this area, I receive a satellite icon [which] allows on Verizon Wireless two-way text message communication, location sharing, and emergency calling from 911. So, in my eyes, that is a disingenuous representation of the danger of that coverage gap.”

Library Budget Discussed

The Town Board later turned its attention to the Lewisboro Library's proposed 2027 budget.

Maggie Liegey, president of the library's Board of Trustees, reported that the library hosted 545 programs this year, drawing nearly 6,500 participants, a 41% increase over 2025.

“A little more than half of overall program participation can be attributed to our children's and teen services, demonstrating just how important the library is for the next generation,” Liegey said. “We have more than 5,000 active card holders, and that number continues to climb each year.”

Liegey noted that the library's requested $85,000 increase in town funding had been reduced to $24,000. Meanwhile, the library faced rising health insurance costs and a $42,000 payroll increase.

“The gap became an operating loss this year, which is approaching $100,000,” Liegey said, explaining that the shortfall had forced the library to delay repairs, maintenance and capital spending.

“That doesn’t save money… It moves the bill to a later year and usually makes it larger,” she said.

Fundraising efforts have since reduced the operating loss to approximately $70,000.

“We're proposing an increase from the town of $89,000 or less than $10 per resident,” Liegey said. “We’re committed to increasing our own fundraising by about $75,000 this year, double the growth from last year. That's roughly a dollar raised privately for every $2 the town contributes.”

Other Business

In other business, the Town Board approved signs prohibiting parking along a section of Mount Holly Road. The vote followed a brief public hearing during which one resident spoke in favor of the measure.

The board also approved an agreement allowing reciprocal use of pickleball and beach volleyball facilities between the town and Prodigy Athletic Center in Somers.