Grosse Pointe Farms Denies Request for Border Patrol Radar

The Grosse Pointe Farms Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously voted Monday to deny a request from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to install a radar on top of tower located at the Grosse Pointe Club.

The border Patrol was requesting a six-inch variance to place a rotating radar on top of the 70-foot tall tower to provide a greater radar coverage on the southern end of Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River.

Currently there is a Maritime Surveillance Radar on the uninhabited Gull Island in the northern portion of Lake St. Clair, and it has led to arrests of individuals trying to illegally enter the country - including a scuba diver. 

Board member Peter Waldmeir made that motion to deny the motion for reasons including that U.S. Customs and Border Protection failed to establish a "practical difficulty" with the request and the fact the placement of the tower is "not in harmony with the surrounding neighborhood."

Following the vote, which was applauded by residents who filled the council chambers and expressed their concerns about the impact the equipment would have on their health and the aesthetics to the community, a representative for U.S. Customs and Border stated the agency would look toward another site for the radar.

"The chief (Chief Patrol Agent Mario Martinez) is not going to pursue further action at this time," said John Sturgeon, U.S. Border Patrol operations officer, about pursuing the Grosse Pointe Farms further. 

This story was updated at 2:25 p.m. Wednesday.