South Plymouth Residents Don't Want Cell Tower

SOUTH PLYMOUTH (CBS) -- Does South Plymouth need another cell phone tower? Residents along Center Hill Road say no.

"We already have a high density of towers," says Sharla Heller, "and there's no evidence that another one would increase reception."

WBZ-TV's Bill Shields reports.

But Industrial Communications of Marshfield is going ahead with plans to put a 180-foot tower on five acres of land along Center Hill Road.

"We mean no offense to the people of Plymouth, but we're serving a public need," says Mike Umano, "and right now, we have a coverage gap there for several wireless companies."

And the homeowners might be fighting an uphill battle, because the federal Telecommunications Act allows the towers to go up wherever there is a coverage gap. "In that case," says town manager Mark Stankiewicz, "we'll be looking at height restrictions, and also the number of receivers on the tower, to make sure it complies."

The site in question also borders the 78-acre Center Hill Preservation Woods, which is near Melissa Colangelo's secluded home.

"I would see it from my backyard," she says," and we moved here because we loved being near the preservation."