A proposal for the construction of three wireless communication towers within Nesquehoning borough limits is moving forward.

On Tuesday, the borough planning commission voted to recommend conditional approval for BET Lehigh Real Estate's proposal of the towers on its property. BET Lehigh purchased the former Lehigh Coal and Navigation mining property in 2010 and have continued operations throughout the area under the name Lehigh Anthracite.Attorney Gretchen Coles Sterns, who was representing BET, explained before the vote that the company was proposing three towers - one near Panther Valley High School, one above Redner's Warehouse Market off Route 209 and one near the Jim Thorpe borough line.The plans do not call for any roads to be constructed, or on-lot water or sewer, only a parking space for when a maintenance person comes to check the towers.Brian Seidel, land use planner for Seidel Planning and Design, who specializes in cell towers, said the towers would be 195 feet tall and include a 4-foot lightning rod, making the total height of each tower 199 feet.He said there are currently no wireless carriers proposed for the towers, but the company is moving forward on the construction because of previous interest in these areas."We're trying to be proactive," he said. "The towers would be available to multiple carriers and would provide a unified development solution for the area."Carriers would rent space out on the towers, but the structures would be maintained by the land owner.The board recommended conditional approval, but noted that certain conditions must be met, including installing beacon and strobe lights to the towers so helicopters are aware of them, update the plan to show utility poles, and if there is space available, allow Nesquehoning Emergency Services room on the tower to provide communications for emergency responders free of charge.