The South Shore on the East End of St. Croix is known for its scenic beauty. It is also known for its lousy cell service.
The area has only patches of residential development and features views of probably the largest area of agricultural land, traditionally used for grazing livestock and truck farming, in the territory.
It also holds the Boy Scout Camp and offices of the East End Marine Park.
After no opposition was presented at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources public hearing Monday, it appears it could also be home to a new 120-foot cell tower in a 50-foot by 50-foot fenced enclosure that will end dropped calls for those residents heading out to Divi Casino.
The tower will be located specifically at Plot No. 6 Estate Petronella, East End Quarter “B.” The area is more commonly known as Sallys Fancy by Crucians.
The tower will be located on land north of the Boy Scout Camp, an area that has seen so little development that, according to attorney Kevin Rames, who presented the application, only one neighbor had to be legally notified. That neighbor was Caroline Gaspari.
Rames, who represents Blue Sky Towers III, a firm based in Delaware, said that area of St. Croix is “underserved” for mobile phone service and needed “supplementation.” He said this tower would address those needs.
Blue Sky will own the tower and lease use of it to Liberty Mobile. A representative from the firm said there would be room on the tower to also lease to two more customers.
The hearing also covered the erection of a temporary tower that would be 50 feet high and service the area until the permanent tower was operational and working.
Representatives from the companies outlined a plan that would have the permanent tower online within six months of final permit approval.
Files concerning the application are available electronically by sending a request to leia.laplace@dpnr.vi.gov with the subject line “6 Petronella Tower electronic file request.”
Residents who want to make comments on the project should also email Leia LaPlace with those comments by June 22.
