Plains Twp. man enters guilty pleas on burglaries

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More security measures in store at Luzerne County buildings

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The city zoning board approved construction of a Verizon Wireless communications facility and adjoining 100-foot steel tower on county-owned land next to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility at its monthly hearing Wednesday.</p><p>The board unanimously approved the plan, which was laid out to its members by a four-person team of attorneys, engineers and design technicians assembled by the cellular phone and communications giant.</p><p>Verizon engineer Ken Farrell explained the tower, located on Reichart Street, would be constructed of galvanized steel with no lighting. An unmanned, 30-by-50-foot facility would be adjoined to the site. Farrell said a technician would visit the communications center once every four to six weeks.</p><p>Farrell testified that an enclosed generator, only used in emergencies, would not emit an overpowering sound. Zoning board members were provided data conducted from noise tests for similar equipment.</p><p>The facility will not require sewer or water, he said.</p><p>Design engineer Andrew Petersohn explained that the tower would bolster in-building services to Verizon users in the area and take stress off other surrounding towers.</p><p>Since 2007, Verizon has seen a dramatic spike in cell phone data usage by users in Wilkes-Barre, Petersohn said.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s been exponential growth,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Petersohn testified that signals from the tower wouldn&#8217;t interfere with television, radio, fire or police signals.</p><p>In other business, the board tabled a resident&#8217;s request for an exception to change the use of an auto repair business at 219 Park Ave. to a tire repair business.</p><p>Fernando Ortega, of South Welles Street, was represented by Hourigan, Kluger and Quinn attorney Brian P. Stahl in an attempt to get the exception granted.</p><p>However, residents&#8217; concerns about the building&#8217;s condition, parking and increased traffic in the neighborhood led board members to table the plan.</p><p>Marilyn Falcone, of Park Avenue, said there were already too many similar businesses in the area and the neighborhood didn&#8217;t need another.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re a residential area,&#8221; Falcone said.</p><p>Stahl, who specializes in business litigation with the firm, argued the parcel was zoned for commercial use and operated as such within the past six months.</p><p>Another resident, Denise Thomas of Lehigh Street, said the building was condemned a year ago.</p><p>Bill Harris, city director of planning and zoning, said if the business is unable to be occupied the city&#8217;s building inspection officers won&#8217;t allow it to operate.</p><p>In addition to the buildings condition, Thomas stressed that the neighborhood&#8217;s streets were already &#8220;jammed&#8221; with congestion from school buses, cars and other traffic &#8212; and didn&#8217;t need more.</p><p>&#8220;The complaints go on and on,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We&#8217;re trying to have a nice, quiet neighborhood.&#8221;</p><p>Stahl assured Thomas there would be marked parking spaces in front of the business and that the parking would be enforced.</p><p>But board member Hayden White made a motion to table the exception until a clearer answer to the parking issue was presented.</p><p>The zoning board will next meet at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 in council chambers on the fourth floor of City Hall.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre zoning board grants permission to build cell phone tower next to prison