Cellular talk comes down to the wire

A debate concerning island-wide cellular service will continue to ring through Longboat Key Town Hall, but it’s probably on hold for a while.

Jim Eatrides, owner of Alpha Omega Communications Inc., wants 30 minutes to appear before the Longboat Key Town Commission with business partner Kevin Barile, of Ridan Industries II, and a Verizon representative to refute certain conclusions in TE Connectivity Network’s island-wide study of wireless communications.

That’s unlikely to happen before September, when the commission returns from its two-month summer hiatus, which begins after its July 2 regular meeting.

The commission wants policy recommendations from town staff using information from the TE Connectivity report before it hears Eatrides’ response; according to Town Planner Steve Schield, the report will be completed in the fall.

Not surprisingly, Eatrides disagrees with TE Connectivity Networks Inc.’s conclusions in its wireless-communications study that a Distributed Antenna Solutions (DAS) network would better serve the north end than a cellular tower and that a tower on the town’s public works compound would be better than a Longboat Island Chapel tower, although he agrees with the report’s conclusions about the island’s coverage gaps.

Cell-tower opponents have argued that a DAS network, which would involve the installation of multiple hub stations on FPL lines, sending signals through fiber-optic cables, would be less intrusive than a tower. Equipment would be placed approximately 38 feet high on telephone polls; Eatrides and Barile, however, have said that a DAS network isn’t economically viable for the Key.

Eatrides told the Longboat Observer that he has requested a “laundry list” of information about the study that he hasn’t received yet, including cluster data information, propagation software models and specifics on equipment used.

Although town staff agreed to meet Friday, June 15, with Eatrides, Barile and a Verizon representative, Eatrides has canceled the meeting, saying it would be “unproductive” without having the information he requested.

Juan Florensa, director of the Public Works Department, which oversaw the study, said that Eatrides would be provided with the information he is seeking, however, Florensa didn’t receive the request until late last week.

According to Florensa, developing policy recommendations will require significant input for the Planning Zoning & Building Department staff.

“A lot of the issues have to do with what the code allows and what the code does not allow,” he said.

The cell-tower application has not yet been completed, according to Schield.

Eatrides said that he and Barile chose to temporarily hold off on moving forward with the application until the wireless study and possibly related Comprehensive Plan amendments were completed.