Milton cell tower construction to begin in July

Verizon is anticipated to begin construction on a long-delayed 140-foot cell tower in Milton in July.

Town Project Coordinator Tom Quass said Verizon has a building permit and is planning to begin construction this summer. 

Christopher Serico, spokesman for Verizon, said construction is slated to last through the end of the year. 

“We know Delaware relies on Verizon. While working with local leaders to help deliver the network performance our customers expect and deserve, our expansion in Milton will greatly improve customers' network experience,” he said. 

Anyone who has been through downtown Milton can attest that cell service can be lacking. To rectify that, Verizon first proposed building the tower back in March 2019, and in December of that year, town council approved a land-lease agreement with the company that would allow it to build a new tower at the town’s public works yard at 210 Front St. 

The justification from Verizon has always been that a freestanding tower is the best way to provide improved coverage in the Milton area. Plans for the tower immediately became controversial, with citizens saying a tower would be an eyesore in what the comprehensive plan calls a gateway to the town, and because the tower would reside in a flood zone.

Those concerns led to a lengthy battle over the tower after a special-use permit was granted in March 2021. That permit was appealed by resident Barry Goodinson a month later. Council affirmed the permit in August 2021. 

Preliminary site plans were approved by the planning and zoning commission in November 2021. That approval was also appealed, this time by resident Allan Benson. Town council again ruled in Verizon’s favor. Council approved final site plans for the tower in March 2023. Milton resident Steve Crawford appealed final site-plan approval to Delaware Superior Court in April 2023, and the case was dismissed in January 2024.

Verizon has had since then to apply for a building permit and begin construction. A permit was granted in September and at that time, Quass thought Verizon would begin building toward the end of 2024, but that did not happen.