HILLSDALE—Officials representing Verizon Communications told a packed council chamber March 10 that a proposed 120-foot cell tower at Stonybrook Swim Club — reduced from an earlier 150-foot proposal — would provide the best option for improving Verizon cellular service in Hillsdale’s eastern section.
No action was taken by the council following the more than three-hour meeting. It was unclear what the next steps might be, though the governing body may soon vote on whether to authorize Mayor Michael Sheinfield to sign a lease with Verizon for the site. The council meets next on Tuesday, March 17, at 7 p.m.
During the meeting, council members heard from Verizon officials, a telecommunications consultant hired by the borough to assess local cell coverage gaps, and more than a dozen residents who strongly opposed the proposed tower. A video of the meeting is available on the borough website.
On Dec. 9, 2025, the council authorized the mayor to sign a lease with Verizon for the swim club site, contingent on several conditions — including holding a town hall meeting with Verizon representatives and considering public input. (See “Council approves cell tower lease; residents air concerns,” Pascack Press, Dec. 13, 2025.)
Verizon Wireless was the only telecommunications carrier to bid on the site lease at Stonybrook Swim Club, offering $48,012 for the first year of a five-year lease, with four additional five-year renewal options.
Council members have discussed poor cell service in the borough’s eastern quadrant for years. Residents have frequently cited dropped calls and limited service — including concerns about emergency calls and communication with first responders.
After the meeting, Sheinfield told Pascack Press he planned to allow additional time for public input.
“I’m willing to give it another couple of weeks to settle. I don’t want to ram this process down anyone’s throat,” he said. “We’re doing this in a methodical process and taking into account all the residents’ concerns.”
He said testimony from Verizon officials and the borough’s consultant suggested that smaller “micro-towers,” roughly 40 feet tall and placed in multiple locations, would likely not solve the broader coverage gaps Verizon is experiencing in the area. Another concern, he said, is that smaller towers may not function during power outages, when reliable service can be most critical.
“This is about cell service, not a cell tower,” Sheinfield said. “How we get there is potentially a cell tower. I wish there was a magic way to wave a wand and give cell service to everybody, but there isn’t.”
He added that the decision to authorize the lease ultimately rests with the council.
Residents can access the consultant’s report by clicking “What’s Happening in Hillsdale” on the borough website and selecting “Analysis of Existing Cellular Networks in the Borough of Hillsdale.”
Three other cell towers currently operate in Hillsdale: one at the Department of Public Works facility, one near the fire department across from Borough Hall, and another in the Garden State Parkway median near the Hillsdale Avenue–Werimus Road overpass, officials said. The towers at the DPW and fire department sites are borough-owned.
Timothy Kronk, planner with T.K. Design Associates representing Verizon, said current zoning at the swim club site allows a tower up to 130 feet tall.
The proposed structure would stand 120 feet high, reaching approximately 125 feet including antennas, plus a four-foot lightning rod.
Andrew Peterson, a radio-frequency design engineer with dBm Engineering, said the tower’s height was selected to balance coverage needs with minimizing the structure’s footprint.
“We want to build the most modest site that addresses our needs without overbuilding,” Peterson said.
Peterson, who evaluated potential electromagnetic exposure from the tower, said expected emissions would measure less than 1% of federal FCC limits.
“There is no cause for concern from an electromagnetic exposure standpoint,” he said, adding the tower “really fills in nicely” the existing coverage gaps.
Glenn Pierson of Pier Four Enterprises, the telecommunications consultant hired by the borough, presented a 13-page analysis highlighting Verizon’s weaker service in the eastern portion of town. He said local topography appears to play a major role in disrupting signals, particularly for lower- and mid-range transmission bands.
Pierson concluded the proposed tower would provide the most effective improvement in coverage for that area.
Several council members noted that the study was conducted during winter months and suggested that foliage could further interfere with signals during the summer.
However, Sheinfield said the analysis represents a best-case scenario, identifying coverage gaps without environmental interference.
When asked why AT&T and T-Mobile users often report better service in the same area, Pierson said each carrier positions antennas differently depending on tower location and network priorities.
Some residents said their service with those providers was generally reliable, while others reported similar dropped calls.
Verizon officials said the company could not rely on coordination with other carriers’ infrastructure to address its coverage issues.
Public comments
Residents raised a range of concerns, including the tower’s potential visual impact and safety risks.
Some questioned whether towers could collapse or fail. Verizon representatives said the structure would be built to all state and federal standards and noted that tower failures are rare.
Others asked whether advances in technology might render the tower obsolete before the end of a potential 30-year lease. Verizon officials said that scenario appeared unlikely and had not occurred with similar installations.
Several residents also raised questions about potential health effects from radio-frequency emissions. Verizon representatives reiterated that projected emissions would be far below federal safety thresholds.
Some residents suggested locating a tower near Pascack Valley High School on Piermont Avenue, which sits at a higher elevation.
Officials said most nearby land is either county-owned or protected through the state Green Acres program, limiting potential development.
Sheinfield added that the borough has no control over the high school property.
During the public comment period, Robert J. Berg, an attorney from Mamaroneck, N.Y., representing the Stony Brook Condominium Association, spent roughly 30 minutes questioning Pierson and Verizon representatives about potential health effects and the accuracy of Verizon’s coverage claims.
At several points, borough attorney Mark Madaio asked Berg to simplify his questions to allow officials to respond more quickly.
Berg also questioned whether building a 120-foot tower near a “heavily used” swim club parking lot approximately 30 feet away raised safety concerns, including potential hazards from falling ice or snow.
Verizon representatives said the tower would comply with all applicable state engineering standards and advised Berg to consult state regulators if he had additional safety concerns.