Framingham weighs cell tower moratorium

Selectman Ginger Esty said Framingham was notified by a citizen that Ashland was constructing a cell tower near the town’s limits, and had not notified Framingham of the structure.

“We notified Ashland that Framingham falls in the [300 foot radius of notification required] and would appreciate notification of any hearings, and to notify them that we would place a moratorium on new towers until a study could be conducted,” Esty said. “That’s being put forward to the town meeting, but the town meeting is the ultimate authority.”

Esty said the Board of Health has taken an interest into the matter, and will conduct research into the safety of cell towers, which will be presented to the community before any additional towers can be constructed within the town.

“We want to take the time to study and compare, and come up with places where they would have the least effect on the least number of people. “

The board will also hold hearings on zoning warrants on commercial kennels and creating billboard areas along the Mass Pike.

Grande said the standing committee on planning and zoning will bring forth two amendments for discussion to revise the definition of commercial kennels and their zoning laws.

“It’s been an issue of concern, brought before the zoning board and the board of health,” Grande said. “They want to amend the definition of what constitutes a commercial kennel, and where they can be located according to zoning laws.”

Grande said much of the meeting will also deal with sign amendments, the most significant of which would remove old billboards from around Framingham, and establish limited billboard space along the Mass Pike.

“There has been legislation passed at the federal level that allows advertising along the highway,” Grande said. “We’d like to start removing billboards from around the town, that have existed along the state-numbered highways for years. It creates an avenue for limited space around the Pike, and an opportunity to remove old billboards which now are little more than sign-blight.”

A long-gestating amendment to the sign bylaw creating a new appeals process for rejected signs will be presented, Grande said. He said there will be several other technical amendments to sign bylaws, such as exempting signs within Shoppers World, or how the sign face is calculated.

The Framingham Planning Board will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Building at 150 Concord Street.