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11. PUBLIC HEARINGS <br /> Is 11.1 Status of Wireless Communications Infrastructure Planning and <br /> Improvements <br /> Carl Cahill introduced this item to Council. He provided an overview of the efforts of <br /> Council and staff to improve cell hone coverage for the Town. Cahill commented that <br /> p p g <br /> everyone was in general agreement that wireless coverage needed improvement, but the <br /> subject was controversial with aesthetic and public health issues often sited. Cahill <br /> presented a map developed by the Engineering Department that identified the Town's <br /> current existing wireless communications facilities, town owned properties, other public <br /> or quasi-public facilities and residential properties of more than ten acres. Most of the <br /> existing cell facilities were along the I-280 corridor. Cahill reported that the Town had <br /> recently received several new proposals from vendors for sites away from I-280 including <br /> the Westwind Barn application that would be considered by Council subsequent to this <br /> hearing. <br /> Cahill reviewed the Town's recently updated Wireless Communications Policy with <br /> Council and referenced their direction to mail a town-wide notice to residents inviting <br /> them to attend the hearing and share.their comments with the City Council on this <br /> important issue. Numerous emails on the subject had been received at Town Hall. <br /> Cahill noted that representatives from Cingular, Verizon and T-Mobile were present and <br /> available to answer questions. <br /> • Cahill displayed several slides that were representative of the types of wireless facilities <br /> that were being used in other jurisdictions, including: the tree pole at the Palo Alto <br /> Mayfield Fire Station, tree pole at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple and the tree pole <br /> at the Achievekids School in Palo Alto. <br /> Cahill introduced Bill Hammet, Professional Engineer, to address radiation exposure <br /> issues. Hammet advised that his firm regularly calculated and measured RF (radio <br /> frequency) exposure conditions for radio and television stations, wireless carriers, <br /> municipalities and landlords. He explained that as engineers, their role was to assess the <br /> exposure conditions and how they compared to the standards. Hammet reviewed the <br /> process that was used to review a proposal similar to those that would be submitted to <br /> Los Altos Hills and extrapolate the potential exposure. A similar process could be used <br /> on existing sites to determine the actual exposure. Hammet noted that the FCC standards <br /> were very prudent. <br /> Mayor Pro Tem Warshawsky asked if there was any concrete evidence that cell towers <br /> were harmful and the cause of specific health issues. <br /> Hammet offered that there were many people researching and investigating this issue. He <br /> deemed most studies were speculative. Findings would required replication to support <br /> scientific validity. To date, there had been no verifiable reports of injury to humans from <br /> exposure levels equal to the standard or below. <br /> 10 <br /> City Council Meeting Minutes <br /> November 3,2005 <br />