HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3.3 SupplementalRECEIVED
Planning Director SEP 0 12008
Planning Commission
Town of Los Altos Hills TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS August 30, 2008
Cc: Mayor and all Town Council Members
Subject: Application by A T & T for a wireless telecommunications facility at
26410 Duval Way
Dear Ms. Pedro,
I am writing once again on behalf of the residents of Duval Way to plead with the
Planning Commission and the Town Council to reject an application for yet
another "cell" tower on Duval Way!
Let me begin with a brief history of our lack of success at having any influence
whatsoever on the Towns approval of previous cell towers/antennas affecting the
environment of, and potentially, the value of our homes, property and continued
defacement of a historical building (pictures to be provided).
• Beginning in 2001 we protested the expansion of use of a large, ugly tower,
which had been erected in 1993 with, apparently no permits of any kind on
the campus of Foothill College. We followed up with Santa Clara County,
the Trustees of the Foothill/ De Anza College Board, The State of California
through Chancellor Harris's office and determined that local municipalities
were the permitting authority for any permits of construction. We lost.
• Next, we protested the installation of antennas in the steeple of the church at
26410 Duval Way. We lost.
• In spite of the Towns assurances that approval of the steeple antenna would
not set a precedence for future antennas on the site and that "Duval Way has
enough", an application for another antenna (a very bulky flagpole which,
irregularly flies a flag) was approved on the church property closest to Duval
Way. We opposed that application. Acain• We lost
• We were again assured that the flagpole would be the last. Now we are
faced with the new, subject application by A T & T for a 65 -foot tall fake
tree carrying six antennae near the comer of Duval Way and Robleda Rd. In
addition, the A T & T drawings indicate the provision for "future carrier
antennas".
It appears that unless something more formal is done, the Town's assurances have
little or no value. Should we resort to legal action to gain the Town's attention?
Consider the following:
*The church is a Town Historical feature. A 65 -foot fake tree on such a small cul
de sac is a major addition to the current eye sore beside this Church facing Duval
Way. This site affects every neighbor. We will bring pictures to show the council
if the hearing is rescheduled and we have the needed time to process the pictures.
*No one resides on the property so the parishioners are essentially unaffected.
*While the church presumably receives income from each of the antenna
companies, it is a tax-exempt organization (as is Foothill College) so who benefits?
Finally, Notice of the public hearing by the Planning Commission, dated August
22nd was received by residents on Duval Way on the 251° or 260' of August,
advising us of a meeting date of September 4, 2008, giving us a little more than a
week to prepare. This, for a project which has been underway since at least the
beginning of April 2009, according to drawings supplied to residents by A T & T.
Our first request, therefore, is that Agenda Item 3.3 of the Planning Commission
Public Hearing of September 4 be rescheduled to a later date to allow the residents
of Duval Way time to review the implications of the application, our possible
options and to prepare presentation(s) for the Commission and Councils
consideration.
Respectfully,
Al & Mary Jackson (et al)
Fritz & Cathy Mueller
Los Altos Hills
RECEIVED
Planning Commission, Town of Los Altos Hills TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS
9/1/06
Dear Members of the Planning Commission:
We are writing to urge the Planning Commission to reject the site development
permit for the proposed cell phone antenna at 26410 Duval Way. Our reason for
objecting to this permit is that Duval Way already has 4 cell phone antenna
installed on 3 poles. The close proximity of all these antenna to our property is
detrimental to property values. It is an accepted fact that everyone wants cell
phone coverage from their house but we would contend that nobody wants to live
next to the maximum number of antenna possible. In the rase of Duval Way, we
are unfairly burdened by these antennas. The following points summarize my
reasons:
• The residents of Duval Way don't benefit from more antenna, we already
have 4 other cellular services to choose from and don't need a fifth next to our
house.
• Anyone within range of Duval Way also has the same 4 cellular services to
choose from.
• We learned at a recent planning commission meeting that once an antenna is
installed H remains FOREVER and there is nothing the residents or town can
do unless the phone company wants to remove the antenna. This was the
position presented by the town staff. This means that any decision made on
this issue must be considered as permanent, not subject to the time limits of
the permit
• This antenna is intended for the benefit of the phone company first and
foremost. If the residents interests were important then the phone company
would accept moving the antenna to another location that might be less
optimal but still provides coverage without further burdening Duval Way.
• The church site is a single lot surrounded by residential lots. It is being turned
into an industrial facility that I don't think is consistent with its surroundings.
Unfortunately this is not a win-win situation. The first one or two antennas in our
neighborhood could be considered win-win because the phone companies got
the location they wanted and the residents got excellent cell phone coverage
from their home. Now that we are looking at a fifth and possibly sixth antenna
(the AT&T proposal has a provision for an additional carrier) it has become a win -
lose scenario. You are being asked to choose between fellow residents and the
phone company and I urge you to side with the residents and ask the phone
company to find a different location away from Duval Way. If you would not want
to live in a house surround by five or six antenna then we ask that you not force
that on us.
Fr`�dz & C� Mue