Meeting last Thursday evening, the Pacific Palisades Community Council voted to oppose T-Mobile's plan to install a 45-ft.-high cell tower in the form of a 'mono-palm' on Charmel Place's cul-de-sac in Marquez Knolls.
That motion gave a boost to Charmel residents who have strongly objected to the tower. They fear that the 'camouflaged, concrete tree,' which would stand 16 feet away from a neighbor's house, would be a safety hazard and would potentially reduce the resale value of their homes.
'It would have to be disclosed to any realtor that there's a metal tree next door,' said Peter Zomber to nods of approval from fellow Charmel residents during the council's meeting. 'None of you would want this on your cul-de-sac!'
If the City Planning Department grants the telecommunications giant a conditional use permit, the tower would be built next to a water tower on Department of Water and Power land. A T-Mobile representative told council members that the tower's emissions at the nearest property line from the tower would be 91 percent less than what federal regulations allow.
At an October 18 hearing, a city zoning administrator delayed making a decision for 30 days, allowing the public to comment on the pending application. The Community Council is sending its opposition to the administrator, and L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl plans to support 'the community's position against the tower,' Andrea Epstein, deputy to the councilman, told the Palisadian-Post.
But federal and state laws have weakened the ability of Los Angeles and other cities to reject cell-tower applications, so it is unclear what direct benefit the support of the council (a nonprofit organization) or the councilman will provide.
Despite widespread opposition by the proposed tower's Charmel neighbors, T-Mobile will continue pushing the city for permission to build the tower, Senior Development Manager Clark Harris told the Post.
'The community at large does request the coverage,' he said. 'In today's wireless age, 33 percent of residential calls are from cell phones.'
If the tower is not approved, five smaller towers'or more'would have to be built to provide equivalent coverage, T-Mobile representatives told the council.
The text of the council's resolution borrowed heavily from objections by residents:
'The PPCC opposes the proposed 45-[ft.] high T-Mobile cell-phone tower because (1) aesthetically it is not in keeping with the rest of the neighborhood, where the homes are restricted to a height limit of 35 feet and there are no above-ground utilities; (2) it could cause an adverse effect in the neighborhood by further commercializing an area that is primarily residential; and (3) the setback does not meet the City of L.A.'s safety requirements and there is a potential safety hazard if the tower was to fall due to an earthquake.'
T-Mobile representatives dismissed residents' fears of a negative effect on their property values and the possibility of the tower falling.
'[There's] no proven effect on property values,' said Brian Stotelmeyer of T-Mobile.
'I'm not aware of any of these poles falling down or hurting anyone,' said John Crosse of T-Mobile subcontractor Sure-Site Consulting Group. 'I don't know how it would fall. I'm not an expert. They're designed not to fall.'
The council's vote was a turn of fortune for Charmel residents, whose previous request for help ahead of its October 18 hearing was denied. The council voted not to take a position at its October 11 meeting.
The council's change of opinion was, in no small part, due to the revelation that T-Mobile had provided the council inaccurate information before its vote. At that October 11 meeting, company representatives reassured council members that the tower would be 35 feet tall'the same level as the community's height limit.
By the time the company notified council members of its 10-foot mistake, it was too late for the council to change its vote before the city hearing.
At the council's following meeting on October 25, members were incensed by the company's error and they voted to reconsider their neutrality on the tower.
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Council Votes Against T-Mobile Tower
Source: Palisadian Post
Date: 11/21/2007
