Cell Phone Tower on Everett Street?
I received an email from a resident of Forbes Road and have heard from several others reporting that T-Mobile has leased a portion of some property on Everett St in Norwood to construct a 100-foot cell phone tower. The tower would technically be in Norwood but would be visible from Westwood. At a public hearing earlier this week, Sprint applied for a zoning variance...the application process will continue at future hearings--in Norwood.
Nobody like cell towers in their backyards. I found similar stories about opposed towers in Methuen/Lawrence and Weymouth but no information on the Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals website (last update: 2008) or in other local press. Those who know more specifics...please comment here...
Comments
Health hazards from cell towers?
Anyone know of the health hazards from cell towers?
Federal Standards set by the FCC
The radio frequency emission standards are set by the Federal Communications Commission and are set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations. The federal statute partially quoted below indicates that a local board cannot deny a cell tower siting based upon environmental standards because of federal preemption.
Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub. LA. No. 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996)SEC. 704. FACILITIES SITING; RADIO FREQUENCY EMISSION STANDARDS.(a) NATIONAL WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SITING POLICY- Section 332(c) (47 U.S.C. 332(c)`...
(iv) No State or local government or instrumentality thereof may regulate the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities on the basis of the environmental effects of radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the Commission's regulations concerning such emissions.
So, while some may have an issue with the federal standards that have been established, they have not been overturned and have been the subject of public comment and consideration by the FCC under the rulemaking procedures of the Administrative Procedures Act, just like all other federal standards and regulations set by any federal agency.
Considering the fact that these standards have not been overturned by lawsuits in any of the 50 states in the hundreds (or thousands?) of cell towers installed since the Telecomunications Act was enacted in 1996, the opponents of the tower had better try another tact. The Norwood ZBA cannot deny the application the issue of radio frequency emissions.
I have no connection with T-Mobile or any other cell company, but I am an attorney who has worked in communications and electronics for over 30 years and I have been an FCC-licensed amateur radio operator for over 40 years. I live on Everett Street, across the street from Eric Lin who is on Forbes Road. I have no problem with this proposed cell tower.
Don't allow this tower
I attended a Board of Appeal of the Town of Norwood Public Hearing February 23 in regard to a variance request by T-Mobile, the Applicant. The long and the short of the request:
T-Mobile has leased a small parcel of land on the front lawn of Carl Hultman’s property on Everett to construct a giant 100 feet tower to install cell phone transmitters. The structure measures about 38 inches at the base and at 100’ tall it will tower over surrounding low rise structures like UPS and Walker. T-Mobile plans eventually to rent space on this tower to other cell service provider to co-locate their transmitters, so over time this tower will have many transmitters sending out a lot of Electromagnetic Radiation.
At 100 feet tall, some homes on the Forbes and Everett neighborhood as well as the Downey neighborhood may just stare straight at this monolith and the imbedded transmitters. If any of you have friends over at the Downey neighborhood, you may also want to alert them of this development.
I took the opportunity to express my views at the hearing to argue against the variance:
1) The Applicant should use one of the other locations already zoned for the purpose, and avoid huge cell phone towers from potentially sprouting up all over Norwood.
There are areas around already zoned for cell phone towers and transmitters, so the petitioner should perform upgrades and make it work at one of the existing sites.
2) There are residences in the proposed vicinity and an elementary school close by on Downey Street. With the long term health effect of electro magnetic radiation by no means certain, it is prudent to avoid close proximity and high concentration.
While there is no conclusive evidence of long term health risks in close proximity of cell phone towers, such health impact studies usually take tens of years of monitoring and analyses. And when they do come out, often every one regrets but no one knew better.
3) A 100 feet transmitter tower is a tall and huge structure. With this up on a hill (with surrounding low single storey buildings) it would stand out like a sore thumb that can be seen from great distance.
The immediate vicinity has only low single storey structures including plenty of single family houses just over the Norwood Westwood town line.
4) Finally, while T-Mobile claims signal coverage at Forbes and Everett is almost non-existent and this addition would fill the gap, I am currently on T-Mobile service and have no problem albeit not full bars so I can forego the improvement.
The Norwood Board of Appeal was not receptive to the applicant’s request for variance but the Applicant threatened that the Federal Telecommunications Act supersedes and they could always file with FCC to override Norwood’s objection. But I imagine in so doing the Applicant could open the hearing to a much broader and potentially more negative audience.
The hearing will resume on March 16 at the Norwood Town Hall if any one is interested.
Proposed Phone Tower/Westwood Property Values-surrounding area
Health Concerns aside...The bigger issue is the potential impact on property values in the Forbes/Downey/Everett neighborhoods.
This proposed tower at 100 feet high-much higher than the natural tree line/buidings in the immediate area. The site already is an eyesore...common sense dictates that this cell tower would certainly be a negative factor for most looking to buy a single family property in the 500 to 1 million K range with that in plain sight.
Meeting Date Change -Everett Street Proposed Cell Tower
Hi All,
Just called Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals. Apparently, the meeting date has moved. The next hearing will take place on Tuesday, April 6 (not March 16).
Place: Norwood Town Hall (Ground Floor)
Time: 8:00 pm
BOS Agenda tonight
This item in on the BOS agenda for this evening under New Business. Their meeting starts at 6:30pm in the faculty room of the High School.
BOS reaction to Norwood cell tower
Anyone attend the BOS meeting on March 8 to hear what they had to say about the cell tower on Everett Street?