Across the Continent:
Two Cell Tower Controversies in Maryland


In Dayton, Maryland, suburban residents are protesting a large T-Mobile tower proposed on a nearby 122-acre farm. The property owner is a farmer. Most of the protesters live in a newer development in the semi-rural area and claim that basic cell reception is fine. Basic roaming phone service is not the company’s focus, however. According to the Baltimore Sun:

Gregory E. Rapisarda, a lawyer representing T-Mobile at the required community information meeting, said the company needs the tower to provide better wireless in-home service for voice, data and streaming visual content to customers.

Also in Maryland, Gazette.net posted this letter representing “more than 200 Walt Whitman neighbors and parents” concerned about a cell tower proposed for that school’s campus. The letter details potential health concerns, poor aesthetics of a 12-story tower in a neighborhood of single-family homes, and inadequacy of lease fees to the school district relative to potential costs. It also cites other school districts and communities that have taken action to prevent installation of cell sites in or near school grounds.