Butler Eagle photo

Plans for a new cellphone tower in MIddlesex Township have hit a road block.

In a meeting that packed the municipal building on Thursday night, Feb. 27, the three-person Middlesex Township Zoning Hearing Board denied a variance request from Vertical Bridge and Towers LLC, which would have allowed them to construct a Verizon cellphone tower on a plot of land near Route 8.

“They had to get a number of permits and approvals from the township if they would have gotten the variance request approved, but it was denied,” said township Supervisor Jeffrey Winkle. “So it’s pretty much a dead issue at this point.”

The plot of land in question is owned by Don Marshall, one of the township supervisors, and is along Route 8, directly in front of the Lighthouse Foundation building on Browns Hill Road. Marshall is not part of the zoning board.

During the meeting, township residents expressed concerns about what the proposed tower would bring to the area, including possible adverse effects on health and property values.

Winkle estimated that between 70 and 80 residents showed up for the meeting on Thursday night. However, despite the packed meeting hall, Winkle characterized the meeting as “civil.”

“It was a very civilized, very well-run meeting,” Winkle said. “There was a very professional vibe, from the applicant to the residents.”

According to Winkle, the applicants have 30 days to appeal the township’s decision to Butler County Common Pleas Court if they so choose.

“I don't know if they'll take that route, or if they'll just try to find a different site,” Winkle said.