Politics & Government
Lafayette Residents Appeal Cell Steeple/Tower Approval
The City of Lafayette has already greenlighted a plan to raise the shake-shingled steeple at St. Anselm's Church in order to accommodate a new cell phone tower - and the church is fine with it - but several of the neighbors aren't so sure.
It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a done deal but a plan to raise a is getting even more resistance from neighbors - and an area realtor - who say the move will hurt property values - and possibly their health.
A petition of more than 40 residents was appended to an appeal submitted to the city June 29. In it, homeowners and realtor Alan Marks challenge assertions from both T-Mobile and the city, saying that both brushed aside their questions about the impact on health a tower might present, as well as the "visual blight" an altered church tower brings to the neighborhood.
"... as a real estate broker practicing in this community for over 20 years it is my professional opinion that permitting T-Mobile to add to this tower will have a negative impact on property values and on the welfare of the residents," Marks wrote in a letter accompanying the appeal.
Find out what's happening in Lamorindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Marks and others challenged installation of the tower antenna and ancillary equipment at St. Anselms, calling the Planning Department's approval of the project "overreaching" and asking that the decision be overturned.
"We believe this decision was made without adequate and proper input and based on incomplete information," the homeowners wrote in a collective letter also accompanying their appeal.
Find out what's happening in Lamorindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Neighbor Anglea Lucas said the group was asked to pay $2,275 to appeal the Planning Department decision, and that the city's effort to inform residents potentially impacted by construction of the tower fell short.
"We believe many more homes should have been notified, throughout the neighborhood, as the decision affects much of Burton Valley," she wrote in a letter co-signed by neighbors. "We also believe the decision was unduly influenced by 'outsiders' (a foreign corporation and St. Anselm parishioners that do not live in our neighborhood.)"
The neighbors will get their chance to air their grievances during a public hearing before the Lafayette City Council.
Date: Monday, August 8, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Topic: Public Hearing - City Council Agenda – L01-11 Appeal Discussion T-Mobile to add a cell tower at St. Anselm's Protestant Episcopal Church - Lafayette California. APPEAL
Place: Lafayette Library and Learning Center - Community Hall
(3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette)
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
