Data-hungry T-Mobile cell phone users should soon get a boost.

The placement of cell-phone antennas atop a building on The Swain School campus, 1100 S. 24th St., Salisbury Township, has been approved by the Salisbury Township Zoning Hearing Board.

Zoners voted 5-0 on a motion by zoner Ronald Evans and seconded by Todd Laudenschlager at the May 2 hearing to approve the Use Variance appeal to Zoning Section 306 Table of Permitted Uses by T-Mobile Northeast, LLC.

Concerns about possible radiation from the antennas were raised by one township resident among the approximate 27 persons attending the hearing in the township municipal building meeting room.

The approval included consideration of Section 307 of the zoning ordinance relative to the height of the antennas. There would be associated improvements to the roof of the building.

The application of antennas that includes communications towers are to be placed on the top of a building in the R-2 Zoning District is not permitted by right in the R-2 Low Density Residential District.

In testimony, representatives of T-Mobile said 12 antennas, or clusters of three antennas units, each with four antennas, are approximately eight-foot-tall and one-foot-wide.

The antennas would not be bolted onto the roof, but held down by concrete ballast. Two cabinets approximately the size of a refrigerator, would house equipment on the roof. The antennas would be powered by approximately 100 amps, or 48 volts DC, through Swain’s existing electrical system.

The building elevation is about 28.4 feet above grade level. The antennas would be within a height range already at 38.2 feet, as measured by a lightning rod on a chimney of the building.

The three groups of four antennas would be pointed in three different directions and placed on the most western building located at Swain. The highest point of any of the antennas will be 37.5 feet.

A technician would inspect the antennas and equipment every four to six weeks.

During testimony, it was stated that, pursuant to the 2004 federal Telecommunications Act, it is not within the authority of a local zoning board to deny a communication tower because height restrictions do not apply to communication towers.

The testimony during the one-hour portion of the zoning hearing included that from Archibald Dickson, radio frequency engineer, T-Mobile, and Petros Tsoukalas, a civil engineer and master consultant. They were questioned by Atty. Debra A. Shulski, Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco Attorneys At Law, Exton, Chester County.

It was pointed out the description of the antenna is that of a “co-location” and the township zoning ordinance does not address the co-location of antennas.

Asked Zoner Edward Hare, “So, the lingo would be that this is not a tower in the ground but an antenna?” The response was “Yes.”

T-Mobile would lease the antenna location from Swain. It was stated the Swain site is “the best candidate.”

Dickson said cell phone firms prefer using existing structures for antennas placement.

“Building a new cell phone tower is a last resort. It’s more difficult to convince the residents,” Dickson said.

Asked Zoning Hearing Board Chair James A. Kelley, “Is this filling a hole in the T-Mobile grid?”

“Because of all the data that everyone wants to use, there are capacity issues,” Shulski said.

Dickson testified the FCC license mandates “reasonable coverage” for mobile phone subscribers.

“In the vicinity of Swain School, we have a high volume of users,” Dickson said.

“Even though the customer may see a full bar, he may not be able to make a call,” Dickson said, describing it as “a service deficiency.”

Atty. David Melman, a Salisbury Township resident who has a law office in Allentown, asked, “Have studies been done on the effects of radiation on children?”

“Studies have been done, showing no harm,” Dickson testified.

“Can you report to this board that there will be zero radiation coming off of it [the antennas]?” Melman asked.

“With modern cell phone towers, the phone uses minimal power. I used a cell phone next to my face. There is no danger,” Dickson replied.

“The only way to be harmed is to go up to the antenna and hug it,” Dickson said.