Westmore residents seek court reargument on cell tower

A proposed 160-foot cell tower in Hartland, Vermont, is running into serious local resistance — and it's a good reminder for health-conscious families to pay attention to what's happening in their own backyards. According to the Valley News, the Hartland Planning Commission indicated at a recent meeting that it would formally oppose the project, which is slated for a site off Town Farm Hill Road near Hartland Four Corners.

The land in question is designated "rural area" under the town plan, which restricts development to mostly low-density residential use. Planning Commission Chairman David Dukeshire put it plainly: "Our job is to defend the town plan, and the town plan says you don't build on rural land." The town plan also specifically states that on previously undeveloped hilltops, "no structures may break the natural tree canopy or disturb the silhouette of high points of land" — language that seems to directly conflict with a tower designed to reach roughly 15 stories high.

What's actually being proposed

The project, backed by Massachusetts-based Industrial Wireless Technologies, Inc., would include an 80-foot by 80-foot compound surrounded by an 8-foot chain-link fence, with five antennas — four of them reaching 173 feet above ground. Notably, no wireless carriers have yet committed to using the tower; the company says it hopes to attract carriers later to improve cell coverage for residents and visitors. The site itself includes an existing single-family residence on 146 acres.

Why this matters if you're weighing a home purchase

For parents and homebuyers who factor EMF exposure into their decisions, stories like this highlight how easily cell infrastructure can appear near residential and rural properties — sometimes before any carrier has even signed on. If you're evaluating a property near a proposed or existing tower, it's worth digging into local planning board minutes and utility commission filings the way Hartland residents are doing now, since these projects can move through regulatory channels with limited public visibility until neighbors organize.

Whether or not this specific tower gets built, it's a useful nudge to think generally about EMF exposure at home. Simple household choices — like switching to a low-EMF air purifier or a low-EMF hair dryer — can reduce everyday exposure from devices you control directly, even as larger questions about outdoor infrastructure play out through local zoning and utility processes. Some homeowners concerned about nearby towers also look into options like EMF shielding paint as an added layer of peace of mind.

For now, the Hartland case remains in flux, with the Planning Commission's opposition setting up a likely fight before the Public Utilities Commission, which reviewed a related matter back in 2023.

Originally reported by Valley News