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Cell Phone Tower Antenna Proposal
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Cell Phone Tower Antenna Proposal for Highlands' Telephone Poles *Verizon withdrew application for Lexington Ave. on 1-22-2019*
ZONING HEARING for the 2nd Verizon proposal is: AUGUST 15, 2019 at 10am.
455 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063
Please email your comments, objections now!
Do we want this in our front yards?
LATEST UPDATE: --------------------------------------------------------------------
SMC Staff report with responses to HCA presentation at last Hearing:
https://planning.smcgov.org/events/zoning-hearing-august-15-2019
1/22/2019 It is confirmed that Modus/Verizon WITHDREW application on LEXINGTON AVE for the time being, but continues with PARROTT Dr application.
email from SMC here:
Gmail - Confirmation Lexington application is withdrawn 1_22_19.pdf
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Why is this important to our neighborhood? There are currently no cell phone antenna towers located on telephone poles in the Right of Way of our homes. Currently all equipment is on Co-locations in public locations-water towers, cell phone tower "trees" in public spaces etc. There are existing San Mateo County rules to keep locations of towers in co-locations, but the FCC has recently usurped some of the local authority for installation. If the county planning chooses to approve the current proposal for cell phone towers for Verizon to be placed on any telephone poles, then it opens the flood gates and they MUST allow all the different cell phone companies to ALSO place their cell phone tower equipment on the poles also. That means our homes could have multiple cellphone antennas and equipment "the size of a refrigerator" located just feet from out homes. Obviously that would be extremely detrimental to our property value, as well as dangerous to be so close to constant radiation.
Many Mayors and community leaders of cities in California are currently fighting the same fight against placement of 5G towers. Burlingame, Burlingame Hills, Hillsborough, San Jose and 30+ others. WHY HASN"T SAN MATEO COUNTY PUT A HALT TO INSTALLATION, LIKE OTHER CITYS HAVE?
Local governments can STILL regulate the PLACEMENT and AESTHETICS of an installation within state and federal limits. So please ask to MOVE the placement.
We ask that you please write a letter opposing location. Ask for them to move location to an existing co-location in a public space, such as on a water tower or "tree" or to Tower Road area that is land owned by the county and within a mile of Lexington Ave proposed location.
WE all know that we had 4 fires on telephone poles in the summer of 2018, and Parrott Drive has had their own telephone pole fires too due to PG&E equipment failure on the poles. No proof has been provided that it will be safe to add more equipment onto the poles that can't sustain the current load. The County planning staff report gives all the reasons why it should not be approved, but they claim that FCC rules usurp county rules, so they essentially throw their hands up. That is not good enough. Even with FCC rules, The County Planning and officials are responsible to protect SM County residents from unsafe proposals. There is not any evidence that the proposed cell antenna towers are safe for our neighborhood.
Thank you,
Liesje Nicolas, President, Highlands Community Association
Write your own comments now to :
lrichstone@smcgov.org
be sure to include these in CC:
drobinson@smcgov.org
dpine@smcgov.org
HighlandsCAPresident@gmail.com
Include this in the Subject line of your message:
Zoning permit hearing: PLN 2018-00071 & PLN 2018-00079
You have every right to be concerned about the safety of our neighborhood, and express those concerns to the County officials that vote on this Proposal.
The ZONING HEARING date is now: AUGUST 15, 2019.
Address:
455 County Center
Room 101
Redwood City, CA 94063
Please attend and fill in a SPEAKER form to comment.Here are the documents and history of communications:--------------------------
Verizon (MODUS) proposal to install Cell Phone tower antenna equipment on top of Telephone poles (up to 51 feet high!) in Highlands Neighborhood. Unincorporated CSA1, County Service Area One.
11/2/2018, San Mateo County Notice of hearing, sent ONLY to residents within 300 feet of proposal. County reports to have sent notice 10 days before hearing. No notice was sent to Community Associations. Not HCA, not Baywood Park.
SMC 20181102 telecom install.pdf
HCA request for Continuance of hearing due to lack of info of proposal before hearing. Planning posts Staff report on County website only 2 days before the hearing.
HCA Objection to Verizon 5G proposal and continuance of hearing.pdf
San Mateo County Zoning Hearing Continuance:
SAN MATEO COUNTY LETTER OF CONTINUANCE.pdf
11_15_18 Request for Continuance.pdf
Verizon/MODUS proposal on County website: Link: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/EgOGJ8Ez4q
PDFs of documents are here:
LEXINGTON PROPOSALpln2018-00071.pdf
PARROTT DR PROPOSALpln2018-00079.pdf
San Mateo County Planning Dept Staff Report Recommending Approval of Permit:
https://planning.smcgov.org/sites/planning.smcgov.org/files/events/PLNs2018.00071.FINAL__0.pdf
11/2018- 1/2019, At&T installs Fiber network in Highlands.
12/3/2018, HCA & CSA1 Letter to Supervisor Pine requesting help, (Letter expresses our safety concerns) here:
and Supervisor Pine's response, here:
Please read Supervisor Pine's letter to FCC opposing FCC proposal for cell phone towers. (good info in here!) here:
Supervisor Pine Opposition letter to FCC proposal for Cell phone towers.pdf
1/22/2019 It is confirmed, Modus/Verizon WITHDREW application on Lexington for the time being, but continues with PARROTT Dr application.
email here:
Gmail - Confirmation Lexington application is withdrawn 1_22_19.pdf
A hearing about proposal on Parrott Dr. was held May 15, 2019
HCA requests the hearing be continued, and asks Supervisor Pine to help:
HCA Requests Continuance PLN 2018 00079 Hearing May 15 2019.pdf
HCA Objection at Verizon Hearing 5 16 2019.pdf
DL.CONT.5.16.6.pdf Hearing was continued, here is doc.
Verizon representative refused to consider moving the location to an existing co-location water tower on Tournament, less than 500 feet away. Verizon's response was that they only want to be in the Right-of-Way. Which proves that this issue is really not about "adding coverage to service", but is about grabbing up the right of way. Verizon made it very clear that this is not a proposal for 5G, but for 4G installation. ?? Why install such old equipment?
County Zoning officer, Lisa Grote, continued the hearing until Aug 15. The SM County planner, Laura Richstone, supports this proposal to be approved, to follow the FCC ruling that 5G small cell antenna equipment can go in the Right-of-way. BUT WAIT, Verizon is proposing to install 4G??? SO why is SM County using the FCC rules as reason to approve the permit?
Aug 8, 2019: Here is the MOST RECENT Staff report, with responses to HCA objections :
https://planning.smcgov.org/events/zoning-hearing-august-15-2019
FCC ruling that San Mateo County gives as the reason to approve:
San Mateo County's current regulations on Cell phone antenna installations:
wireless reg San Mateo County - Zoning Regulations.pdf
Chapter24_WirelessSMC_Zoning_Regulations.pdf
Verizon permit application-latest version:
PLN 2018-00079 https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/ya899YqnSi
SMCounty Staff Report recommending Approval of Permit:
https://planning.smcgov.org/events/zoning-hearing-august-15-2019
https://planning.smcgov.org/sites/planning.smcgov.org/files/events/PLNs2018.00071.FINAL__0.pdf
Revised RF Report:
Highlands Baywood Park 005_Revised RF Report_5.22.19 (1).pdf
Reference DOCS:
Overview of Legal Challenges to the FCC’s 5G Order on Small Cell Siting.pdf
Hillsborough wireless Aesthetics Safety Regulations.pdf
https://www.nocelltowersnearhomes.com/
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Details of the addresses:
Laura Richstone, SMC Planner in charge of this proposal: lrichstone@smcgov.org
CC.
Debra Robertson, SMC Zoning hearing Secretary: drobinson@smcgov.org
Supervisor Dave Pine: dpine@smcgov.org
HighlandsCAPresident@gmail.com
(Please cc the HCA at this address, so we can track how many comments came in, and forward to all SMC Supervisors at later date if needed)