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Published on 05/08/1996 All articles from this issue

GTE cellular tower to go before planning commission

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Town Crier Staff Report

After approximately two years of talks, the Los Altos PlanningCommission will consider at Thursday's meeting approval of an89-foot GTE Mobilenet tower to improve cellular phone communicationsin central Los Altos.

The joint, public-private cellular communications "facility"would fill a gap in cellular coverage, as well as benefit policedepartment communications, said Capt. Cliff Balch, who has beenworking on the project with GTE Mobilenet, Inc. officials.

The proposal involves removal of the city's existing roof-mountedantenna tower atop police headquarters and replacing it with anew monopole, behind the police department building, that wouldsupport both the police and GTE antennas.

"The benefits to the citizens are tremendous," saidDerek Empey of Matthews Land Company in Scotts Valley, representingthe GTE project. "The facility is designed to stay on-linein the event of commercial power failure." The tower is constructedto withstand earthquakes and high winds.

Empey pointed out that during the January 1994 Northridge earthquakein Southern California, the cellular phone network was the onlyoperating mode of communication for a considerable period of time.That possibility exists here that the tower could come in handyfor emergency communications, he said.

Despite the noted benefits, GTE officials have proceeded slowlyon the proposal. "They've been sensitive to concerns of thepublic in general," Balch said. "They know how thesethings generate controversy."

Resident concerns include the EMF radiation factor attributedto such towers and the visibility problem. Balch said tests haveshown radiation levels far below federal standards. However, heacknowledged the eyesore factor remains for some residents. Theonly barrier between some nearby residents and the proposed towerwould be a strip of orchard and an 8-foot fence. "Most residentswould be shielded (by trees)," Balch said.

The city's Architectural and Site Control Committee forwardedthe project to the planning commission after discussion at itsApril 24 meeting. Pending commission approval, the proposed toweris scheduled to go before the Los Altos City Council May 14. Theplanning commission meeting is set to begin 7:30 p.m. at Los AltosCity Hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road.

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