By Khalida Sarwari
The approval of several new Verizon wireless antennas by Saratoga’s planning commissioners over the past few months has sparked controversy among residents, some of whom have been regularly attending planning commission meetings to express their concerns.
Three of the proposed sites are on Prospect Road, one is on Douglass Lane and a fifth is near the Saratoga Presbyterian Church on Herriman Avenue, not far from Saratoga High School. Verizon representatives say the antennas address a demand for data capacity, but some aren’t buying it.
Residents, many of them parents, have been a regular presence at the planning commission meetings throughout May and June to publicly object to the proposals. Chief among their concerns are health risks associated with the installation of the antennas.
Hao Zheng said he has kids that will be entering high school, and he’s worried they’ll be exposed to radio frequency emissions. It’s a concern the city isn’t taking seriously enough, he said.
“We feel our voices are not being heard,” said Zheng. “All the arguments we brought were ignored because of the way the process is set up.”
Zheng is one of 273 people who signed a petition objecting to the installation of an antenna on Herriman Avenue. He’s also part of a group of residents who filed an appeal of the commission’s rulings on the grounds that they violate municipal code and state and federal regulations.
In an appeal the group planned to file on June 25, they claimed the Verizon antenna does not match the FCC’s definitions of “co-location facility,” violates the federal government’s requirements against substantial physical modifications and impairs the aesthetics of the surrounding area. Co-location is defined as the mounting or installation of an antenna on an existing tower, building or structure for the purpose of transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency signals for communications purposes.
Zheng said he doesn’t agree with the way the city is interpreting the co-location rule.
“It really leaves the door open for primary property owners and Verizon to interpret this very liberally so they can essentially make changes to the current installation and add new cell phone equipment,” he said. “The city tends to be very reluctant to seek advice from other sources to make sure the residents’ interest is properly protected.”
With the appeal, Zheng said he hopes the ordinance can be modified so that residents rights can be protected.
Erwin Ordonez, the city’s community development director, argues that the sites are not considered co-locations; the antennas will be placed on existing utility poles above high voltage wire lines, at least 30 feet in the air, and well disguised.
“Their appeal is filed based on the emissions issue, and it’s stating the city relied on FCC regulations for co-locations,” said Ordonez. “The appellants are claiming the planning commission didn’t correctly rely on those regulations, but the record will show that the commission did not do that; in fact, the commission [approved the applications] based only on the city’s ordinance.”
For its part, the planning commission maintains that it cannot make decisions based on health or safety, only on design and aesthetics. Ordonez said that, furthermore, “the federal government has pre-empted local zoning authority when it comes to reviewing radio frequency emissions.”
As of now, the Douglass Lane antenna installation is moving forward, but the proposed installations on Prospect Road and at the Saratoga Presbyterian Church have been halted until the appeals are reviewed and resolved by the city.
Link: Approval of wireless antennas has residents calling for attention
