To the dismay of some Point Loma residents, T-Mobile is planning to add cell phone antennae to two existing towers at Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU). While the action is legal and meets Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standards, concerns have been raised about the health risks of increasing cell phone reception in the area, as the site in question faces Sunset View Elementary School.
The issue was slated for discussion at the next Peninsula Community Planning Board meeting Thursday, Aug. 17; however, shortly before The Peninsula Beacon went to press, T-Mobile contacted the planning board and requested removal from the August agenda.
Chair Cynthia Conger said that the issue has been tentatively rescheduled for Oct. 18.
T-Mobile first presented its project to the board on July 21, though a vote to either advise for or against its implementation was postponed in favor of hearing from the community on the issue.
The company proposed to add three antennae to two light standards, or towers, in a PLNU parking lot next to Wiley resident hall. The towers currently hold four Nextel antennae, said Tom Harlin, manager of public relations for T-Mobile USA, Inc., in an e-mailed statement.
The option of replacing the light standards, which could include moving the location by 3.5 feet, has also been considered, Harlin continued.
The plans are not out of the ordinary, although the antennae do face Sunset View Elementary School, 4365 Hill St. Anne Beste, a concerned parent who spoke against the additions at the July board meeting, said she worries that there could be unforeseen, long-term health risks.
Beste has three children, including a 6-year-old daughter who attends Sunset View Elementary and a 4-year-old daughter who attends the PLNU Early Childhood Learning Center.
“There aren’t concrete studies on the long-term effects of low-level electromagnetic radio-frequency (RF) waves,” Beste said. “I don’t want them to find out 20 years down the line that, ‘Oh, yeah! It is dangerous.'”
Presently, there is a lot of controversy as to the potential health risks caused by cell phones and their base stations.
“While I believe the majority of all research conducted in this country has found no harmful impact from these towers, there does seem to be research in other countries that has raised concern,” said Gregg Robinson, vice-chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, in an e-mail interview. “I know that Consumer Reports has recommended that young children minimize exposure to this kind of radiation. As a consequence, I would tend to be very hesitant about increasing the exposure of young children or even adolescents to towers that are placed in close proximity to them.”
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Web site, radio frequency exposure on the ground level is much less than exposure very close to the antenna and in the path of the transmitted radio signal. Ground-level exposure from such antennae is typically thousands of times less than the exposure levels recommended as safe by expert organizations.
In order to be exposed to levels at or near the FCC limits for cellular or Personal Communication Service (PCS) frequencies, an individual would essentially have to remain in the main transmitted radio signal (at the height of the antenna) and within a few feet from the antenna, for the length of the transmission.
The same is true for all forms and use of RF energy, including radio and television broadcasting, wireless phones, pagers, cordless phones, police and fire department radios, point-to-point links and satellite communications. RF energy is also used in microwave ovens, radar, industrial heaters and sealers and some medical treatments.
“T-Mobile operates well below the standards set for radio frequency emissions,” Harlin countered, adding that the maximum public RF exposure from this facility was calculated to be less than 6 percent of the public safety standard. “The T-Mobile site will be in full compliance with, and well below, the established FCC RF public safety standards.”
Representatives of PLNU agree with T-Mobile’s findings.
“At this point, our experts have looked at [the cell site], and we do not see any need to be concerned with health risks along the way,” said Joe Watkins, vice president of community development for PLNU.
Those in favor of the new antennae, Watkins included, speak of the improved service in the area that these towers would bring.
“The addition of these antennae panels will improve cell phone service in this area of the peninsula,” Watkins said. “It goes to our ability to provide communication for emergency service needs for the community as well as the campus, as people are increasingly relying on cell phone service.”
The topography of the area has created the problem of bad cell service, he continued.
“We’re trying to care for the needs of both our residential students and the folks in the community, and we have found that people generally do appreciate having the improved cell service as a result of having these facilities on the western ridge of the peninsula,” Watkins said.
In addition to the convenience and health factors associated with new antennae, the planning board will have to consider whether or not the university’s permit allows for such add-ons.
The PLNU campus is currently operating under a conditional use permit, as they are located in a single-family residential zone that would not normally allow for the building of a higher-education school. According to Watkins, the university remains in compliance with their CUP, as the provision stating that all utility wires be underground does not apply to cell phone towers with a greater public benefit.
“I believe that the conditional use permit says that all utilities, including telephone, must be underground,” Beste said. “These towers are obviously not. I also believe that it says that all buildings, temporary structures, parking lots, et cetera, cannot be within 70 feet of the university’s perimeter unless it was built before 1995. The towers are much closer than 70 feet.”
On the 70-foot setback boundary, Watkins maintained that the requirement has been met after looking at the site himself.
The planning board meets every third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Point Loma Library, 3701 Voltaire St. All community members are invited to attend.