The Village of Massapequa Park this week voted to pull out of a lease agreement that would have allowed a cellular tower to be erected on municipal property near Massapequa High School.

The move was made at a special board meeting called Monday night, after several area parents and other residents expressed opposition to the deal, citing concerns over health issues related to cellular towers. The board passed a resolution terminating the lease agreement with Nassau Towers, Inc. which would have allowed the installation of a Cell Tower Light Pole at village-owned parking lot number three, located at Beverly Avenue and Cartwright Blvd. In passing the resolution, the board cited residents' fears that the lease agreement would endanger their children and generations to come.

"It's over," said Village Administrator Bill Colfer. "There won't be a cell tower in that parking lot."

Colfer noted that federal law bars local municipalities from prohibiting the installation of cellular towers based on health concerns, because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has deemed them safe.

However, in this instance, the village is not prohibiting the installation of a cellular tower, but rather is ending a land-lease agreement. The erection of cell towers is legal under village law, so the company could pursue an agreement with another landowner within Massapequa Park.

-Andrea Morale