After three hours of heated discussion and comments from residents, the Board of Supervisors for Nevada County, CA voted to approve the construction of a 130-foot tower on Burning Bush Road to improve broadband access and cell phone coverage, according to The Union. In the extended discussion, board members heard from residents who supported the proposal and several residents who dissented, including Johanna Finney, who argued that AT&T made inaccurate statements in the application for the tower and did not address line-of-site or coverage area issues.
David Adams, another Nevada County resident who spoke up during the board meeting, warned of a domino effect of property owners making private deals that impact the neighborhood, according to The Union. “This is something that could happen to any one of us at any time,” Adams said. Resident Louise Jones asked the board why AT&T chose the Burning Bush Road location when there were sites nearby with higher elevation and access to electricity.
Pamela Swartz, the owner of the property on Burning Bush Road where the tower will be erected, said that the tower will serve a vital purpose in enhancing and stabilizing Nevada County’s emergency network, according to The Union. Swartz, who has had to contact emergency responders twice in the last several years after spotting fires from her home, said, “It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when we’ll have a fire in our community.” Swartz’s presumption was reiterated by David Hanson, a board member of the Nevada County Consolidated Fire District Board, who also supports the proposal.
March 19, 2018
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