West Tower Communications, contractor for T-Mobile, left vague notices on four or five doorsteps the Monday before Veterans’ Day, notifying residents near the 500 block of Cumberland Road that a construction project would begin November 17 and last through mid-December. The notice offered no information about what was being constructed, or who to call for information.
Two homeowners whose parkway perimeters were directly affected contacted the city of Glendale and discovered that a T-Mobile cellular antenna was scheduled to be installed right in front of their homes.
The city council didn’t accommodate their immediate request to put the matter on its next meeting agenda. Quickly mobilizing neighbors, several residents went to the November 12 council meeting anyway, and spoke out during the oral communication portion. Result: the city decided to “postpone” construction and hold a meeting with concerned residents.
The date of this meeting, as well as its purpose (the city refused to call it a “hearing”), are not yet known (but will be posted here as soon as they are!).
What is known?
The city council told residents it has no jurisdiction in this matter as telecommunications activities are overseen by the federal government.
This is not strictly true; the city does have some jurisdiction and can tell companies where they can and cannot place new telecommunications equipment.
Federal law does not allow opposition to transmission towers on the basis of possible health hazards (When I obtain the background information on this, I’ll post it, because it sounds like the telecommunications companies wrote this directly into a bill.)
Residents in some cities and neighborhoods have prevailed against cellular antenna construction on the basis of its negative effect on property values or on the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
Another proposed antenna will be built shortly afterward near the corner of Glenwood Road and Pacific Avenue.
Instead of smaller range antennas, each serving one carrier, telecommunications companies can work together to construct “monopoles” with greater ranges that can host several signals. Poles like this could be built outside of residential areas, although probably at greater cost and inconvenience to the telecommunications firms.
Neighbors in Northwest Glendale just met to oppose construction of the Cumberland/Pacific antenna, which is probably the first of many in the immediate neighborhood. A call to other Glendale residents: if any of you have received notices or learned of cellular antenna construction in your neighborhood, send along a comment and let us know.