Long Island cell tower on historic land will fix dead zones, but "ruin the view," critics say

A proposed cellular tower on Long Island is pitting history against a modern dilemma. 

The 140-foot tower in Nissequogue would fix dead zones, but critics say it'll also ruin the village's picturesque views and break a century-old promise to preserve them. 

The planned tower would fix dropped calls and spotty cell service around historic Stony Brook Harbor by accommodating four carriers and rising high above the trees. 

Rendering shows cell tower on historic land

L.I. Smart Solutions, the company proposing the tower, provided a rending of it on the grounds of the private Knox School, a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

"I would love to have better cell service, but ... once you start making things look very industrialized, it's going to ruin the whole climate of the village," Judi Harris said. 

"I know it's important to have nice signal, but it's a small place that we should cultivate," Robert Paskucki said. "It has that sense of history." 

A height variance is required for the tower, an issue currently before the Nissequogue Planning Board, which will make a decision at a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. 

"Either way, people will be upset," Mayor Richard B. Smith said. 

The Knox School did not respond to CBS News New York's request for comment, but some parents said they worry students at the school cannot make emergency calls. 

It was not immediately clear how much the school would earn if the tower gets approved. 

"We don't want an intrusive cellphone tower"

Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky is also speaking out against the cell tower. 

"We don't want an intrusive cellphone tower to make the harbor look like some kind of amusement park," Utevsky said. 

A local coastal commission ruled the tower violates its waterfront policy. 

Tower opponents hope an alternate location can be selected to avoid choosing between communal views and communication. 

L.I. Smart Solutions did not respond to CBS News New York's requests for comment.