Cellular towers become talk of towns

By Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Updated: 02/23/2009 11:42:41 PM PST


The only notice Glendale resident John McMahon got that T-Mobile USA planned to erect a 34-foot tall cellular telephone tower in front of his home was a slip of paper that looked like a flier advertizing pizza.

It said the company planned to construct the tower on a right-of-way strip of grass between the road and the sidewalk in front of his house. When McMahon realized what was about to happen, he and several of his neighbors contacted the city to complain.

"I was horrified," said McMahon, 38. "Aside from the health risks ... it could affect my ability to sell my house."

The Glendale City Council in January placed a moratorium on the construction of cell phone towers while city officials studied the issue. About two

weeks ago, T-Mobile withdrew its application to build the tower in front of McMahon's home.

The incident is just the latest in a growing national fight to restrict the proliferation of towers near homes, schools, churches and other locations. Alarmed by the spread of the towers in hundreds of locations throughout Los Angeles County, a coalition of grass-roots groups - Residents Engaged Against Cell Towers (REACT) - are pushing for a moratorium on new construction in the county.

Activists say the towers - often disguised as trees - are a neighborhood blight, reduce property values and place residents at undue health risk.

A number of them spoke last week in opposition to a T-Mobile application to build a cell tower on the roof of a CVS Pharmacy in Windsor Hills. The Regional Planning Commission denied the conditional use permit.

"We've joined forces with people who have spearheaded efforts in their own communities because we've found countless other areas are fighting T-Mobile too," said Sally Hampton, a Windsor Hills resident and founding member of REACT.

Residents from Glendale, Escondido, San Diego, Mission Viejo, Burbank and beyond attended the meeting.

In a prepared statement, T-Mobile spokesman Steven Caplan said the company plans to appeal the planning commisions' denial to the Board of Supervisors.

Caplan noted that nearly 20 percent of homes only have wireless phones and nearly half of the 911 calls made in the United States come from cell phones.

"T-Mobile and the rest of America's wireless industry are working to respond to an unprecedented demand for mobile services in their homes," Caplan said. He added that locating towers is a rigorous process based on scientific analysis and modeling and customer input.

"Commercial, industrial and non-residential areas are considered first, but because our customers are increasingly using their wireless devices at home, it's also necessary for us to place wireless facilities in and around residential neighborhoods."

While many are concerned that cell phone radiation may cause cancer or other health problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems.

The Federal Communications Commission regulates cell phone base stations, which operate at higher power than cell phones. The radio frequency exposures people experience from base stations are typically much lower than from cell phones because the antennas are mounted on towers and buildings and are further away from people, according to the FDA.

Still, in response to growing consumer concerns, Dan Rosenfeld, senior deputy for economic development for county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, said the supervisor's office is working with the Department of Public Works and County Counsel's Office to craft a policy to address the height, appearance, number, location and the approval process for cell towers.

"It only makes sense that any neighborhood would be concerned about what gets built there," Rosenfeld said. "These towers can be large, can have a visual impact as well as potentially an economic impact on property values."