Muttontown residents resist cell tower

At a public discussion Tuesday, Muttontown Mayor Julianne Beckerman continued to challenge a Nassau County plan to install a cell pole in a nearby park.

County officials said an additional tower would provide emergency cellular coverage in the Muttontown Preserve in the event of an emergency or storm. Along with Green Towers Group, they presented a series of photos, maps and details about the project.

“If someone gets hurt in the park they have to walk out to get help,” said Thomas Krumpter, deputy commissioner of the Nassau Police Department. “It doesn’t make sense to have people put at risk.”

The 550-acre property includes trails, fields and three estates.

Village residents questioned the need for an additional cell tower in what they said was a well-covered wireless zone. Beckerman said the details presented by the county and Green Towers did not adequately show the visibility of the pole for homeowners, or prove the need for more network coverage.

“It begs to be asked if other sites have been contemplated,” she said.

The county has not yet submitted an application for the project.