Mulwood cell tower receives final okay

After months of ups and downs, the cellphone tower project at Bon Homme Road and Paul Revere Drive has officially been approved.

The application was scheduled to be approved in March despite some complaints from residents, but was declined at the last minute due to what city officials called a contract technical issue. After changes were made to the T-Mobile tower plan, another meeting was held late last month.

According to Maureen Tamuri, Calabasas' community development director, four residents showed up for the latest hearing; two were given appeal papers and advised on the process. By last Monday's deadline, no appeals had been filed, rendering the application officially completed.

"The community is generally concerned that this will be a floodgate to more and more and more," Tamuri said. The "staff doesn't believe that to be the case. We see most providers staying away from residential areas.

"But the fact is," she said, "that we live in a hilly city. There is growing pressure as competition arises to reach all areas. We think this provider did a very good job and put in the extra effort to provide sensitive installation."