Summary
This document is a written public comment submitted to the Leelanau Township Board ahead of its December 9, 2025 meeting, concerning a proposed communication tower on Braman Hill. No board decisions or votes are recorded in this document; it consists solely of resident correspondence raising concerns and questions for the Board's consideration.
Public Comments
Phyllis Rebori, a township resident, submitted a written letter dated December 6, 2025, regarding the proposed Pyramid Network Services communication tower on Braman Hill, referencing the proposal included in the November 18, 2025 Board packet. She raised several concerns and questions for the Board, including:
- The proposed tower would stand 195' high plus a 4' lightning rod (199' total), placed atop a hill with an elevation of 760', resulting in a structure effectively nearly 1,000' above flat ground level.
- She opposes any tower exceeding 200' in height, since FAA rules would then require lighting, which she says conflicts with resident support for limiting light pollution.
- She questioned why Vertical Bridge would seek to lease up to a 100'x100' compound instead of the initial 50'x50' fenced area, and how many additional trees would be removed.
- She noted Verizon's stated preference for a 375' tower, and asked whether the township is considering a taller, lit tower requiring a different design (self-support lattice under 250' versus guyed tower over 250', though she noted there may not be room for a guyed tower at this site).
- She questioned generator noise, since the proposal states the tower itself would be silent, drawing a comparison to noise previously caused by a former wind turbine's blades.
- She criticized the proposed maintenance schedule of one visit every 90 days for trash, debris removal, and weed abatement as inadequate.
- She asked whether the Board has sole determination over the site because it is township-owned property, and whether township zoning ordinances and standards would not apply to this site.
She urged the Board to give the proposal deep consideration and not default to siting it on township property simply because it may be the path of least resistance. No response from the Board to these questions is recorded in this document.
Infrastructure Projects
The sole infrastructure matter addressed is the proposed Pyramid Network Services/Vertical Bridge communication tower on Braman Hill, raised via resident public comment as described above. No Board discussion, decision, or vote on the tower is recorded in this document.
Action Items
- The Board is asked to consider and respond to resident Phyllis Rebori's questions regarding tower height/lighting requirements, compound size and tree removal, generator noise levels, maintenance frequency, and the extent of township zoning authority over this township-owned site.