Cell tower at Vanderbilt site questioned

A Suffolk environmental council temporarily put aside a proposal for a 140-foot cell tower at the struggling Vanderbilt Museum after the plan came under attack by Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone.

Members of the Council on Environmental Quality also raised concerns about legal issues and the visual impact of a cell tower at the historic site in Centerport.

Council chairman Lawrence Swanson said a full environmental impact statement would likely be needed, delaying the cell tower project. The proposal was tabled Wednesday.

"It is my hope that the county will be able to find other opportunities for generating revenue for the museum and the installation of a cell tower will not move forward," said Petrone in a letter to Suffolk's council.

Noel Gish, the Vanderbilt board chairman, said museum officials wanted the cell tower both to provide a "passive revenue" stream and provide improved cellular communications for local fire, police and museum officials.