Cell towers create a stir
By Joann Groff  joann@theacorn.com

A Calabasas resident has filed an appeal with city hall in the hopes of slowing down cellphone tower installation in the city, especially in the Mulwood area where plans are underway to put two towers only hundreds of feet apart.

"They are putting in these towers willy nilly," said Sol Zide, who filed his appeal against the cell towers on Jan. 16. "There doesn't seem to be many restrictions, environmentally," Zide said. "They're putting them in all over the place."

Zide is opposed to the T-Mobile tower proposed for a residential neighborhood at Paul Revere Drive and Bon Homme Road. Sprint has an existing tower on Paul Revere.

"The towers really aren't nice, with the mechanical boxes in the parkways," Zide said. "Some try a little harder, like (one) that looks like a streetlight, but T-Mobile is doing it without even trying. The problem with this is that it's deep in the heart of a residential area."

Calabasas community development officials approved the T-Mobile tower, but the matter must now be reviewed by the city's planning commission following Zide's appeal. No date for the appeal has been set.
"I realized that the possibility of multiple towers being installed with very little thought to the impact on our neighborhood was very real," Zide said. "I don't want my neighborhood looking like the flight towers at LAX."

Zide's appeal asks for a hold on any new cell tower installations until "all concerned parties have had a chance to remedy the problems."

Planning Commissioner Martha Scott Fritz said the commission's powers are limited with regard to cell towers.

"Out of all the issues that come across the planning commission, this issue in particular is one that we don't have a lot of power over," Fritz said. "All phone companies have the right to put up their towers and compete for service. When will it end? There could be no end to it. The FCC has not seen a need to restrict (the towers) if they fall into safety guidelines."

Fritz said the commission was told by experts that people are not affected by proximity to the towers. But Zide said he is concerned about children playing with the cell tower mechanical boxes and other possible safety issues.

Despite lack of control over the number of cell towers and their placement, Fritz said the commission could help with the appearance of the towers.

"If he thinks it needs to be better disguised, that's something he should talk about," Fritz said. "As far as aesthetics, we have plenty of leverage."

Fritz encouraged Zide and other Calabasas residents to voice their concerns.