Save Bellows Park: Stop the Cell Tower 

Updates: There are now two circuit court cases and a new zoning appeal involving the Bellows Park cell tower.

One case challenges the use of gifted public parkland on the shores of Crystal Lake for a commercial cell tower. The other challenges Crystal Lake Township’s zoning actions and the claim that a nearly 200-foot tower was somehow allowed in the middle of R-1 residential lakeshore property and on the Crystal Lake Watershed Overlay, close to nearby homes.

From the beginning, residents have said this is not about opposing cell service or cell towers. It is about putting towers where the law allows, following the zoning rules, giving the public proper notice, and seriously considering less harmful alternative locations before permanently changing a treasured community landscape. As speakers told the ZBA, the issue is the process, the legality, and the location. No public alternative-site analysis was done for a location with less impact on the Crystal Lake shoreline, the residential neighborhood, or the watershed.

This tower was allowed only because officials claimed Frankfort was exempt from all local zoning laws. That claimed governmental zoning exemption was the only reason this tower was permitted in the middle of R-1 residential property and within the Crystal Lake Watershed Overlay. The City of Frankfort then extended its claimed government exemption to a purely private commercial Verizon/APC tower project on gifted public parkland in order to bypass the same zoning rules everyone else must follow.

Imagine waking up to find that an industrial skyscraper of nearly 200-feet was being built in your residential neighborhood block with no public input and no prior notice. And, since no zoning laws were applied, it is too close to homes, too close to streams that feed directly into Crystal lake, was expeted from local environmental laws, and all zoning protections for local residental neighbors. That is what happened here.

Because this deal was approved without public knowledge or input, there was no public alternative-site review, even though a nearby higher-elevation location could have provided better coverage with far less harm to a residential neighborhood. Instead, this 195-foot industrial tower was placed in the middle of a residential district, close to nearby homes, within a sensitive watershed area, and along the Crystal Lake shoreline. It was pushed forward without the public safeguards this kind of project demanded. Twelve (12) cement-truck loads of concrete were poured in this watershed setting without the full public process residents should have received.

This tower was not originally presented as an emergency-services tower. It was presented as a Verizon-driven commercial project to improve wireless coverage, especially during the summer months, while generating lease revenue for the City of Frankfort. Before public outcry, the original stated purpose of the tower by Josh Mills was that APC approached Frankfort on behalf of Verizon because Verizon’s coverage in the area was lacking, especially in the summer. Meanwhile, Benzie County’s actual public-safety communications needs were already being addressed through a separate $2.2 million emergency communications tower project months earlier. Only after public opposition grew did “emergency services” become part of the tower’s public defense. But the public benefit post-narative does not fit the terms of the lease, that gives full control of the site solely to APC Tower IV, LLC, a North Carolina company. 

Frankfort retains no meaningful control over this site per the terms of the lease. Under the lease, APC controls whether the lease continues through automatic renewals that Frankfort cannot stop, extending the arrangement to 48 years. Frankfort cannot simply terminate the deal at will. The lease says Frankfort is in “material breach” if it interferes with the operation - their is no municipal oversight permitted. The lease also allows APC to pursue approvals in Frankfort’s name and assign its rights without Frankfort’s consent. In practical terms, Frankfort placed public land into long-term private commercial control.

Even after local outcry and Crystal Lake Township’s concerns, the mayor confirmed in writing that Frankfort could not simply get out of the lease. In the Mayor's January 27, 2025 letter, the Mayor stated that Frankfort never needed to hold public hearings and that the lease with APC “is binding unless there is a Default.” She also confirmed that the project had already been “approved and proceeding,” even while the City was still working through deed-related questions. In other words, Frankfort moved forward first and said it would be dealing with the continued deed concerns afterward.

Frankfort’s own records show the priority was revenue, not expanded coverage. In a Nov. 30, 2023 email, City Superintendent Joshua Mills said the City’s “greatest concern” in making this deal was protecting the wireless revenue it already received from carriers on its water tower, then asked APC for assurances those carriers would not move to this new tower.

“I want to circle back to the greatest concern that the City has as we move forward [considering the Verizon tower lease]. Currently, we receive a good amount of revenue from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile (Sprint) on our water tower in town.”
— Joshua Mills, City Superintendent Email, Nov. 30, 2023

After the long-term commercial lease, APC now controls its own separate parcel within Bellows Park, creating a new zoning dispute now before the ZBA. Residents argue that this only strengthens the need for full public review and lawful zoning compliance.

Meanwhile, local residents continue carrying the burden of challenging the actions of a well-funded out-of-state tower developer, along with the governmental bodies that approved or defended this project.

This case is about public accountability.
It is about protecting Bellows Park and the public trust attached to dedicated parkland.
It is about making sure Crystal Lake’s shores are not changed forever without lawful process, public notice, and community voice.

Please follow along with the ongoing cases and appeal:
Circuit Court Case 1 (Deed) – link
Circuit Court Case 2 (Zoning) – link
New ZBA Appeal – Submitted 3/25/2026

Our Mission

This 195-foot cell tower was approved to be built on the Crystal Lake Shoreline with no public input and little public information available. We’re dedicated to sharing clear, factual information based on available records and FOIA findings. Our goal is to unite the community in protecting our beloved Crystal Lake. This tower was approved to be built in an area where usually the highest structure permitted is no greater than 28-feet to protect our area's natural beauty, preserve our economic core based on scenic views and tourism, and to protect residents' home values and health. 

How You Can Help

✅ Stay Informed – Follow updates as we uncover new details.
✅ Get Involved – Contact local officials, join meetings, Join Us! Events & Actions.
✅ Spread the Word – Share this site with neighbors, friends, and community members who love Crystal Lake and Bellows Park.

Check back often and refresh for updates.

Disclaimer:
This website a community-led effort to inform residents and advocate for public input on the Bellows Park cell tower. This site is an evolving resource. Views expressed should not be relied upon as fact because little public information currently exists about the decision-making process. Details may change as we continue researching and receive FOIA responses from the City of Frankfort and Crystal Lake Township. Due to the urgency of this issue and the public’s lack of awareness, we are posting updates as quickly as possible—which may lead to occasional errors or imperfect formatting. Thank you for your understanding as we learn in real time alongside the community. See "About this Website's Info" for more details. 

🚧 This site is new (as of Feb 17, 25)! We are actively gathering details on how this tower was approved without public input.