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Applicant pulls plans for cellular tower in N. Babylon Residents in North Babylon say that even though the same application for a cell tower that they opposed has come up twice, and then been withdrawn, they remain concerned that the proposal has not died. Two civic associations and more than 600 residents were opposed to the application that proposed building a cell phone tower disguised as a flag pole on Deer Park Avenue and August Road near the Southern State Parkway entrance in North Babylon, just several feet away from residential properties. "According to the ordinance, cell towers cannot be built within 100 feet of residences," said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, spokesperson from the Town of Babylon, who verified that the application was withdrawn and is not likely to come up before the town again. The applicant, the Crescent Organization, Inc. of East Islip, was asking the Town of Babylon Zoning Board to approve their application to construct a 125-foot tall pole with six antennas on a 59-foot wide by 265-foot long property, which is zoned residential. "After an outcry from residents, the same application was withdrawn in mid-September and then it came up again," said Alice Roncs whose backyard faces the site. Opponents, such as the Sunset City Civic Association and the Parkdale Civic Association, said that the tower would sit too close to residential homes at the proposed 28-feet from property lines, pose a health and safety problem and reduce property values. Some residents said they were also concerned that the site was chosen because it is owned by Mooney who would stand to make a considerable amount of money on the tower's rental. Ed Mooney, the owner of the Crescent Organization who has installed cell phone towers elsewhere on Long Island, did not return several calls to his office for comment. The plan would also have required constructing four sheds on the property to monitor the tower and generator pad and residents said they would have been situated too close to nearby homes. "We're just happy it's done with, and we just hope they won't put the application up again for that spot," said Roncs. Vincent Sciacca, who has been president of the Sunset City civic for 30 years, and lives about five blocks away from the site, said the application was most likely withdrawn again after the applicants spoke at one of his meetings over the summer and faced angry, widespread opposition.
After the initial Town Zoning Board hearing for the cell phone tower application in August, the civics asked for a postponement until September. The hearing was adjourned. In November the application came before the Town again and was postponed until January. It too, was subsequently withdrawn.
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