by Kim Kilpatrick
October 7, 2010 8:25 AM
Increasingly, as self storage businesses, like other small businesses, adjust to the recession, many are looking at the possibility of leasing space to cell phone companies for placement of a cell tower. The latest self storage company to consider adding a cell tower to its property is Kane Self Storage, of Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Leasing space to a cell phone company to use for a cell tower is one way that self storage owners can leverage their property to bring in more income during a recession. (Another option that many self storage businesses are turning to is installing solar panels on the roofs of self storage units, which often allows facilities to become energy-independent and to sell energy back to the power company.)
Although adding a cell tower to a property is one way to increase business revenue, such a decision inevitably invites community concern. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a cell tower nearby. The tower increases cell phone coverage in the area, but sometimes neighborhood residents find tall towers unsightly. Adding a cell tower to a property usually means having meetings with the local city or town council and zoning commissions, along with dates for public hearings so that residents can speak up about any concerns that they may have, or about reasons why they feel the tower may be beneficial (some towers, for example, are made to be usable by all carriers in case of an emergency power outage).
The cell tower at Kane Self Storage would be run by Verizon Wireless. It has been designed to be in compliance with the local zoning, including meeting setback and height requirements set by the city, Verizon’s attorney, James Valeriani, told The MetroWest Daily News.
“This is not a high, high site to cover a huge distance,” Valeriani commented. He added that from most nearby homes, only the very top of the tower would be visible, and Verizon and Kane Self Storage were discussing the possibility of adding trees to further screen the tower from local view.
Last spring, the city council of Brentwood, California approved the installation of a cell tower in a self storage facility (TownCentre Self Storage) located in a commercial park. In that case, because of community concerns about the unsightliness of a cell tower, the base of the tower was disguised in a self storage unit, and the top was made to look like a pine tree.
Sources used:
Crocetti, Paul. “In Marlborough, Bolton Street site eyed for cell tower.” The MetroWest Daily News. Oct. 6, 2010.
Greenberger, Jeffrey. “Cell tower leases and your self storage facility.” SelfStorageLegal.com.
Hsiu, Winnie. “CA self storage unit used to hide base of cell phone tower.” Self Storage Industry News. April 28, 2010.
Kane Self Storage.
“Kane Self Storage cell tower opposed by residents, debated in committee.” Inside Self-Storage. Oct. 7, 2010.