Officials: Cellphone equipment illegally installed in Huntington

Huntington officials say cellphone equipment was installed throughout the community without the town's knowledge or approval. Councilman Mark Cuthbertson says about 30-36 pieces of equipment were installed

News 12 Staff

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Sep 16, 2014, 1:50 AM

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Updated 3,942 days ago

Huntington officials say cellphone equipment was installed throughout the community without the town's knowledge or approval.

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson says about 30-36 pieces of equipment were installed around town without permits.

"They just popped up and residents were kind enough to bring to our attention," he says.

Cuthbertson says legislation was passed back in December requiring any company to go through a permit process to install equipment like this on town property. The town believes the apparatus has been up longer than the legislation has been on the books, but Cuthbertson says that doesn't matter.

"If you put things up illegally in or on our property, you're not grandfathered," he says. "In order to be grandfathered, you have to avail yourself to a process that was legal. In this case, they did not."

A spokesperson for Crown Castle NG East LLC says they believe they got the proper permits several years ago when the equipment was installed. They say they will work with the town to resolve the matter.