Planning Board Approves Cell Tower Under Federal Law

Planning Board · Meeting of August 10, 2026

NORTHBOROUGH — The Northborough Planning Board voted 3-1 to approve a cell tower special permit for 409 Green Street under federal telecommunications law, reversing an earlier 1-3 local-bylaw vote that rejected the same application. Chair Amy Persky, member Bill Pierce and member Anthony Zayton approved the 110-foot monopole with a five-foot lightning rod; member Millie Milton dissented, saying Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless had not proven it lacked feasible alternatives. The board separately approved, 4-0, setback waivers allowing the pole near the landowner's own house.

Conditions require Verizon to relocate Boylston's public safety equipment and Davidian Farm's equipment off two existing 75-foot poles at 351 Ball Street within 90 days of a certificate of completion, post a $40,000 removal bond, and cap the tower permanently at 130 feet plus a five-foot lightning rod under the federal "Spectrum Act." Resident Sharon Berube called the arrangement "automatically granted after the fact."

In the full story:

• Background: A Continued Hearing Against a Shot Clock
• The Question Before the Board
• Due Diligence and the Alternate Site Analysis
• Height, Placement and the Scenic Road Debate
• Public Comment: Aesthetics, Property Values and Due Process
• RF Coverage and the Significant-Gap Finding
• Boylston's Equipment and the 351 Ball Street Poles
• The Spectrum Act Height Lock
• Conditions of Approval
• Procedural Steps and the Votes
• Implications and What Is Next
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,303 words

Source: the Planning Board meeting of August 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.