Hanover School Committee Votes on Cedar School Cell Tower Article After Member Asks to Wait Until Oct. 28

Parents in Hanover, Massachusetts are watching a local vote that could have big implications for a cell tower sited just steps from an elementary school. On Oct. 7, the Hanover School Committee held a roll-call vote on Article 5 of the Special Town Meeting warrant, which would hand control of a roughly 100-by-100-foot section of the Cedar School property, at 265 Cedar Street, over to the Select Board. That board would then be authorized, though not required, to lease the land for a cell tower for up to 25 years, including extensions.

What makes this vote notable isn't just the tower itself, it's the process. School Committee member Libby Corbo asked the committee to delay its decision until Oct. 28, when a town counsel opinion and more specific details about the tower's setback and location were expected to be available. According to Corbo, the proposed site now appears to be about 200 feet from the school. She argued that voting to endorse the article now, before those details are known, would effectively strip the committee of any future ability to weigh in on the tower's exact placement, setback distance, or lease terms. "By endorsing this article, we hand that over to the town, and there's no way that I can support that," Corbo said, calling the move "completely irresponsible" and an abdication of the committee's authority.

Why Distance and Timing Matter

Superintendent Matthew Ferron told the committee that the vote functioned as an endorsement, with the actual land transfer happening after Town Meeting, but he acknowledged it would be difficult for the committee to object later once it had already signed off. He also noted that setback distances and other site specifics likely won't be finalized by Oct. 28, since the town hasn't selected a wireless provider or gone out to bid yet. Member Ryan Hall said she supports improving cell service but wasn't willing to back the article without knowing which specific parcel of land would be transferred, noting that doing so effectively declares the land isn't needed for school purposes.

For families near the Cedar School, the core issue is straightforward: proximity. While EMF exposure from cell towers generally decreases significantly with distance, the exact setback hasn't yet been determined, which is precisely why Corbo pushed for more information before any vote. Parents who want to better understand their own exposure at home while these decisions play out may want to look into practical steps, like exploring low-EMF air purifiers for kids' bedrooms, swapping to low-EMF hair dryers for daily routines, or researching EMF shielding paint for homes closest to the proposed site.

Hanover's Special Town Meeting will ultimately decide the article's fate, and residents concerned about the tower's location should watch for updates from the Oct. 28 School Committee meeting, where more details are expected.

Originally reported by South Shore News