Because first responders pushed for it, this is a story about a town that’s not fighting a cell tower siting. The City Council in Agoura Hills, California won’t block a new 70-foot monopole
The pole will be installed on Kimberly Peak west of Grey Rock Road in the Morrison Ranch area of Agoura Hills, reports The Acorn. Members of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) spoke to the Agoura Hills City Council twice in recent months to say the pole was safe and would serve to enhance public safety.
Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station Lt. Judy Anderson said current radio equipment in the city is 30 years old and impedes communication among first responders by adding an extra 10 to 20 minutes to each call. That could mean the difference between life and death during an emergency, Anderson said.
Los Angeles-based Jacobs Engineering is installing the new equipment on Kimberly Peak, which spokesman Chris Odenthal called the “best possible location for the best possible coverage.” The Kimberly location will connect with 59 other county sites, and overall, provide seamless communications, according to The Acorn.
However, some members of the Agoura City Council and residents expressed concerns about RF emission. Odenthal said numerous studies have shown that the emissions from the poles, especially those on top of a hill, are harmless.
The pole will be on a hill and its signal will radiate above the level of homes, Odenthal said. The emissions from the tower meet state safety standards established through the federal Occupational, Safety and Health Administration.
Residents also expressed concern about the aesthetics of a tower. The Morrison Ranch Estates own the land where the pole will be erected. HOA President Jan Gerstel said the association authorized the placement to the LA-RICS and the tower will fill a gap in the emergency responders’ network.
“Without this tower Agoura Hills would likely not be able to get help in an emergency situation,” Gerstel said. “The site is over 1,100 feet away from the nearest home, high on a hill. There is a city communication tower that is less than 1,000 feet [away] that has been there prior to 1989.”
October 19, 2016
Reader Interactions