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Richter Park Authority reaches tentative agreement for cell tower

The Richter Park Authority in Danbury has reached a tentative agreement to place a communications tower on the 180-acre property.  The Richter Park Authority is looking to have Bay Communications place a 150-foot cell tower near the golf course to improve service in case of emergency, and to generate revenue to fund items in the Master Plan. 

 

The Master Plan calls for improving hiking trails and tennis facilities and to reconfigure the golf course to make room for a driving range.  Richter House also needs a new roof and other maintenance work.  The City has helped with weather-tightening on the house, but more work is needed. 

 

The proposed lease is for 30 years--a 10 year license with options to renew.  A committee of the City Council will consider the tentative agreement. 

 

In making the case for approval, Mayor Mark Boughton previously noted that the Richter Park Authority has done the responsible thing and tried several ways to generate revenue for upkeep instead of asking city taxpayers for funding. He noted that they no longer give unlimited passes to seniors for golf and offer afternoon specials to bring in out of town revenue.  But he says there are less golfers, fewer people have five hours during the day to take off from work to golf.

 

Boughton said there aren't enough golf revenues to improve the park, and they don't want to raise fees because that would chase more people away leaving the Authority with less money. 

 

The granddaughter of the woman who donated the land to the City in 1968 has granted a partial waiver on the deed restrictions imposed on the City to allow for construction of a cell tower.  The deed restricted use of the property to recreational purposes only.

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Dave Rinelli

Local Headlines