AT&T Wants to Build Cell Tower on Preston Lane

Representatives for AT&T recently addressed Upper Saucon Township supervisors about their desire to build a cell tower on township-owned land at 3274 Preston Lane.

The land, which is adjacent to the Southern Lehigh Public Library and across the street from Upper Saucon Township Community Park, was formerly a school bus depot.

Upper Saucon Township Manager Thomas Beil explained that the monopole tower AT&T is proposing would be 150-feet tall, and built on a leased section of the property that measures 50 feet by 50 feet.

"There are concerns with (the tower) being so close to the park," he acknowledged.

One of the AT&T representatives, however, told supervisors that residents of the area want better cell phone coverage.

If a tower is built on Preston Lane, other cell phone carriers have expressed an interest in improving their service to local residents by "co-locating" with AT&T on the tower, he added.

Allowing co-location could increase the amount of revenue the township would receive.

However, supervisors expressed some hesitancy about the proposal—and in particular the effect a tall tower could have on the aesthetics of the Preston Lane corridor.

"I’d like to see more," supervisor Jack DeMatos said. "I’m not convinced, let’s just say."

Supervisors requested that AT&T consider building the tower on other nearby township-owned lands, and scaling back its proposed height to 125 feet.

Camouflaging the tower was discussed, but supervisor Dennis Benner was critical of that idea.

"Some of these (towers disguised to look like) fake trees are just ridiculous," he said. "(Some of them) look worse than what it is."