WESTMORE- Opponents of a plan to locate a communication tower on property owned by Peter Hyslop on Frog Hollow Lane in Westmore have asked for a hearing. The tower can be seen from the Lake Willoughby view shed, prompting opponents to request an evidentiary hearing by the Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC). The hearing is granted and is scheduled for May 14th at 9:30 a.m.
In February, 2024, a hearing was scheduled. Kevin Delaney, the site acquisition and development manager at Industrial Tower and Wireless (ITW) in Connecticut, presented an outline of the project to the selectboard. The telecommunication tower must receive a Certificate of Public Good from the PUC.
Hyslop owns a 69 acre parcel of heavily forested land. The proposal is for ITW to lease a 25 foot wide access to a 100 square foot site. The tower will be located on a 50 square foot compound within an eight foot high chain link fence. There will be a transmitter building within the compound. Fiber optic cables will be buried.
On May 26, 2024 two balloons were elevated to 150 feet above ground level between 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. This allowed the town residents and other parties of interest an opportunity to judge the impact a tower would have on the view shed. The weather cooperated with blue skies and no wind. The balloons weren’t visible from North Beach and the surrounding area off Penne Hill Road.
From a higher elevation vantage point on Route 5A the balloons were visible above the treeline, by perhaps 20 feet.
Lake Willoughby is in the Town of Westmore. The lake was formed around 10,000 years ago by retreating glaciers. The lake stretches for more than 5 miles and reaches depths of over 330 feet, making it the deepest lake in Vermont. It has long been a popular spot for fishing, swimming, and boating, with visitors coming from all over to experience its serene beauty. The lake is more than 1,600 acres in size.
