Opinion

On March 24, 2003, Tower Ventures II, LLC applied to the Connecticut Siting Council (Council) for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a wireless telecommunications facility at the Town of Andover Transfer Station located at 155 Shoddy Mill Road in Andover, or at the Bunce property off of Route 6 in Andover, Connecticut.  Tower Ventures withdrew the Town Transfer Station site from consideration on May 30, 2003 after determining site access would have a detrimental impact on wetlands. 

The public need for wireless telephone facilities has been determined both by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 which has declared a general public need for wireless service, established a market structure for system development, and developed technical standards that have restricted the design of facilities. These pre-emptive determinations by the FCC have resulted in a system of numerous wireless telecommunications facilities in nearly all areas of the country.  Connecticut State law directs the Council to balance the need for development of proposed cellular telecommunications facilities with the need to protect the environment, including public health and safety.

The primary purpose of the proposed Bunce Site facility is to provide wireless telecommunications coverage to an existing coverage gap identified by Omnipoint Holdings, Inc. d/b/a T-Mobile (T-Mobile) on Route 6 in Andover.  AT&T Wireless PCS LLC d/b/a AT&T Wireless (AT&T) has also identified a coverage need in this specific area and has filed an application with the Council (Docket 242) to construct a tower facility at one of two locations at the Andover Sportsmen Club, a property abutting the Bunce property to the west, to service this gap. 

The Council recognizes a need for a facility in this area.  Consequently, on October 14, 2003, the Council, after careful review of the record in both proceedings, granted a Certificate to AT&T for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a wireless telecommunications facility at Site A presented in Docket 242.  The Council finds that the proposed Bunce Site facility would be a redundant facility, contrary to the Council’s mandate of preventing the proliferation of redundant towers within the state.  Therefore, the Council will deny Certification for a telecommunications facility at the proposed Bunce Site at the Bunce property off of Route 6 in Andover, Connecticut.