T-Mobile Northeast LLC v. Borough of Leonia Zoning Board of Adjustment

942 F. Supp. 2d 474, 2013 WL 144269, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4924
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Jersey
DecidedJanuary 10, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 11-2341 (SDW)(MCA)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 942 F. Supp. 2d 474 (T-Mobile Northeast LLC v. Borough of Leonia Zoning Board of Adjustment) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
T-Mobile Northeast LLC v. Borough of Leonia Zoning Board of Adjustment, 942 F. Supp. 2d 474, 2013 WL 144269, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4924 (D.N.J. 2013).

Opinion

OPINION

WIGENTON, District Judge.

Before the Court is plaintiff T-Mobile Northeast LLC’s (“T-Mobile” or “Plain[477]*477tiff”) Motion for Summary Judgment, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c) (“Motion”), in this matter, versus defendant Borough of Leonia Zoning Board of Adjustment (“Board,” “Borough,” or “Defendant”).

This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a). Venue is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391. This matter is decided without oral argument pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 78.

For the reasons stated below, this Court grants Plaintiffs Motion.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

T-Mobile is a wireless telecommunications service provider licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). (PL Statement of Material Facts (“SOF”)1 at ¶ 1.) In order to provide wireless service, T-Mobile creates and maintains a network of digital “cell sites.” (SOF at ¶ 2.) The cell site signal coverage overlaps in a grid pattern, maximizing cell phone service areas for consumers. (Id.) In geographic locations where there are no cell sites, there is no T-Mobile service for users. (Id.)

T-Mobile has developed a signal “network design standard” identifying the level of radio frequency, and the necessary signal capacity, to serve their users. (SOF at ¶¶ 3, 6.) T-Mobile used computer modeling, a cell signal propagation study and field testing to determine that they had a significant gap in service in the Borough of Leonia. (See SOF at ¶¶ 10-11, 26-28.) T-Mobile’s expert, Richard Conroy (“Conroy”), determined that the gap in coverage “[ejxtends approximately 0.36 mile east, 0.37 mile southeast, 0.2 mile south, 0.24 mile southwest, 0.27 mile west and 0.36 mile northwest” of T-Mobile’s proposed site for antenna installation, 222 Christie Street, Leonia, New Jersey (the “Building”). (Pl. Ex. A, Conroy Report ¶ 3.) Plaintiff asserts that the coverage gap “is more than a mere few blocks and larger than a few dead spots,” and, if addressed, Plaintiff could service approximately 2,009 additional residents, as well as vehicular traffic in the area. (SOF at ¶¶ 17-21.)

On or about March 5, 2009, T-Mobile submitted an application to the Defendant for a use variance, and for approval to collocate antennas and equipment at the apartment Building located at 222 Christie Street in Leonia (the “Building”). (See SOF at ¶¶ 12-13.) The Building is the tallest building in Leonia. (Pl. Ex. A, Avin Report, 5.) It is located in the “B MultiFamily Dwelling” zone. (See PL Ex. L, Borough of Leonia Zoning Board of Adjustment Resolution, (“Resolution”) ¶ 4.)

Specifically, T-Mobile sought to collocate eight antennas directly to the exterior of the Building and install three equipment cabinets in the Building’s courtyard (collectively, the “Proposed Facilities”). (See SOF at ¶ 13.) The use variance is required because the Building is in a “B Multi-Family Zone,” and the height of the Proposed Facilities would exceed that allowed by the zoning ordinance, Borough of Leonia, N.J., Code §§ 102-9, 290-82(D). (SOF at ¶¶ 56-57.) The Proposed Facilities would be mounted directly onto the Building, and the three cabinets would be located on the ground in the Building’s courtyard and would be hidden from public view. (SOF at ¶¶ 13, 52-54.)

T-Mobile’s wireless communications competitor, Sprint, has placed antennas and other equipment on top of the Building where the Proposed Facilities would be located. (SOF at ¶ 118-19.) In 2003, the Borough denied Sprint’s application to place antennas and other facilities on the Building. (SOF at ¶ 120.) After Sprint [478]*478sought judicial review of the denial, a ruling by the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, in Sprint Spectrum, L.P. v. Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Borough of Leonia, 360 N.J.Super. 373, 823 A.2d 87 (2003), permitted Sprint to locate its antennas on the Building. (SOF at ¶ 120-21.) Sprint currently has several antennas mounted on the Building exterior in the same way T-Mobile intends to install its own facilities. (See SOF at ¶¶ 122-25.) Sprint’s antennas and equipment cabinets extend above the roofline of the Building. (See SOF at ¶ 124-26.) Sprint’s wireless equipment extends higher above the roofline than T-Mobile’s Proposed Facilities will. (See SOF at ¶ 126.)

At T-Mobile’s application hearing, the Borough’s consultant, Bernard Nelson (“Nelson”), acknowledged the existence of a gap in T-Mobile’s coverage, but disagreed about the size of the gap. (See SOF at ¶37; PI. Ex. I at 1.) According to Nelson, T-Mobile’s opinion about the size of its gap is based on its expert’s map of a lack of stronger-than-needed signal strength that sufficiently serves more of Leonia than Plaintiff claims. (See PI. Ex. I at 1.) James Bach (“Bach”), who was Chairman of the Board at the time of the application hearing, acknowledged that there was a need for T-Mobile’s gap in coverage to be filled and that no permitted sites satisfied the need. (See SOF at ¶ 38.) However, Defendant’s expert, Nelson, opined that locating the Proposed Facilities at the Building would only remedy approximately 60% of the gap and additional sites would be needed for the other 40%. (See PL Ex. I at 2.)

In satisfaction of the applicable zoning ordinance requirements, T-Mobile conducted an investigation of alternate cell site locations. (SOF at ¶¶ 39-41.) T-Mobile did not consider the three alternate locations investigated to be appropriate alternatives because each required that new structures be built, or the potential wireless signal would not adequately cover the gap.2 (See SOF at ¶¶ 42-48.)3 T-Mobile further determined that there were no appropriate pre-existing structures that were at least 300 feet from a school, no sites outside of the Borough that would cover the coverage gap, and no alternate available sites that are zoned to permit cell towers. (See SOF at ¶¶ 49-51.)

The Board held eight public hearings from April 27, 2009, to December 16, 2010, concerning T-Mobile’s application. (See SOF at ¶ 59.) At the April 22, 2010 hearing, Plaintiffs expert,' William Masters (“Masters”), testified that T-Mobile’s proposed use satisfies the criteria of New Jersey’s zoning laws. (See generally, Pl. Ex. E.) At the Board’s November 18, 2010 hearing, the Board’s planning expert, Christine Cofone (“Cofone”), testified regarding the Proposed Facilities and the Building. (Id.)

On March 24, 2011, the Board passed a Resolution denying T-Mobile’s application. (See Resolution; PL Ex. L.) The Resolution listed the non-conforming conditions and provided that T-Mobile’s application was denied because:

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942 F. Supp. 2d 474, 2013 WL 144269, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4924, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/t-mobile-northeast-llc-v-borough-of-leonia-zoning-board-of-adjustment-njd-2013.