Oak Park nixes cell tower
By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

After hearing from concerned residents, the Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council agreed unanimously not to support a proposed 80-foot communications tower with 12 T-Mobile cellular antennas at Fire Station 36 on Deerhill Road.

As a result, T-Mobile is exploring other nearby potential sites including the water tower above the Regency Hills neighborhood and a hill adjacent to the Shadow Ridge condominium complex.

The alternatives were suggested by residents, according to Abbe Berns, assistant director of fire services for the Ventura County Fire District, based in Camarillo, and Frank Koppala of SureSite Consulting Group, based in Ohio, which is representing T-Mobile.

The owner of the shopping center located on the north side of Kanan and Lindero Canyon roads has also offered to allow the tower to be built there, said Kristina Roodsari of the Ventura County Planning Division, which is reviewing the project.

Although T-Mobile will consider the other sites, the fire station is still a possibility, Koppala said. The fire district prefers that the tower be built at the station to maximize communication transmission, especially in the event of an emergency, Berns said.

The Ventura County Fire District is replacing communications facilities for all of its 31 fire stations at a cost of up to $50,000 each. Ten have been completed so far, paid for by the fire district.

Oak Park's station would be the first to have a communications tower built by an outside company and the first to include cellular equipment, according to Berns.

The district would receive a lease fee of about $24,000 a year from T-Mobile for its antennas.

Firefighters have informed the fire district and the county that they are not in support of wireless antennas on the communications tower due to health concerns.

"At the end of the day, it's not our decision," Koppala said. "It's the planning department and the fire district's decision."

Residents expressed concern about the project's proximity to homes, Medea Creek Middle School and Oak Park High School; about the aesthetics of a red-and-white-painted 80-foot tower visible from surrounding streets including Kanan and Deerhill roads; and about potential associated health risks from radio waves emitted by wireless antennas.

"I have the same concerns you have but you have to understand that antennas have to go up, sometimes in the viewshed," said Kevin Nestor, Ventura County deputy fire chief.

The mountainous topography in Ventura County makes communications a challenge, Nestor added.

"We do have antennas on mountaintops, water tanks and other places," Nestor said. "Having the tower on our property (at the fire station) provides less opportunity for failure."

MAC Chair Todd Haines said that he would consider a T-Mobile facility in a different location.

"I think the thing's a monstrosity. I wouldn't want to live next door to this," Haines said. "But I don't have a problem with T-Mobile having an antenna."

T-Mobile's position that the company lacks coverage in Oak Park did not seem accurate, said MAC member Jay Kapitz, but as if the company was "trying to get a marketing edge."

"We all have coverage," Kapitz said. "I'm just not satisfied that there's a need for more."

The county planning director will make the final decision, Roodsari said. Residents' comments will be taken into consideration, added MAC member Mike Paule.

"I think it's important that the sentiment of the community gets to the planner," Paule said. "They need to know what the community wants."

For more information, call Roodsari at (805) 654-2467 or visit the website Kristina.Roodsari@ventura.org . 

 

Be involved

The Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at
7 p.m. in the Oak Park High School presentation room (G-9) at 899 Kanan Road.

MAC minutes and agendas can be found at www.countyofventura.org/ bos/dist2.asp.