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GROUP AIMS TO BLOCK ANTENNAS
By Christina Pazzanese, Globe Correspondent
Boston Globe, MA
Dec 8 2006
Neighbors fight plan for 12 more
A proposal to erect a dozen cellular antennas atop an office building
in Watertown's Coolidge Square has prompted neighbors to say enough
is enough.
Resident Norman Adler objected to a plan by Sprint Nextel to put
antennas on the 80 Bigelow Ave. office building at a Zoning Board
of Appeals hearing last week . Adler filed a petition signed by 125
residents. Council president Clyde Younger and councilors Angeline
Kounelis and Marilyn Petitto Devaney spoke in support of the neighbors.
Adler, who lives nearby in the Coolidge Village Condominiums complex,
said neighbors, including a large number of seniors, oppose the
antennas on the grounds that they would decrease property values,
block views, and be aesthetically "discordant" with the surroundings.
"Something is wrong here," said Adler. "We shouldn't be exposing kids
to this."
The neighborhood includes five schools, a public park, several multi
family residences, and four churches. Adler noted that other cities,
including New York City, have limited cellular antennas so close
to schools.
The zoning board, which has been considering the plan since October,
is scheduled to resume hearing the matter Jan. 3.
Alegria Caragay, who also lives in the Village condos, said the
application should be denied because the town already has more than 100
antennas, 59 of which are within a half-mile radius of Coolidge Square.
Caragay said the company's contention that it needs antennas to fill
a service gap is unfounded.
She recently surveyed 25 people at the Arsenal Mall, a local Shaw's
supermarket, and around the Hosmer School to ask about their cellular
service. A dozen people told her they used Sprint or Nextel , and of
those, only one reported trouble with reception , said Caragay, adding
she believes the company wants to fill gaps in Cambridge and Belmont.
Mark Elliott, a spokesman for Sprint, said the antennas were necessary
but declined to say how many customers would be affected or quantify
how much better their cellular reception will be if the antennas go up.
Local zoning ordinances cannot be used by the board to deny such
applications, said Harry Vlachos, the zoning board chairman. "We have
to look at them case by case, and they have to show there is a need."
The US Telecom Act of 1996 prohibits zoning officials from basing
a denial on the grounds that cellular antennas may harm residents'
health, he said.
Vlachos said he was concerned about the affect on the skyline of
adding the antennas. "That building is already higher than what's
normally allowed," he said.
The four-story building, which is owned by the Armenian Cultural
Society , houses the Armenian National Committee of America (Eastern
Region) , the Armenian Youth Federation , and the Hairenik Association
Bookstore . It is nearly 40 feet tall, putting it 10 feet above the
town's 30-foot limit for a neighborhood business zone, said Nancy
Scott, zoning enforcement officer. The antennas would add another 15
feet above the maximum allowed under zoning rules, she said .
Zoning board members have also raised concerns about the placement
of a ground-level electronic cabinet. Originally, the cabinet was to
take up a parking space, but officials pointed out that the building
already lacks the minimum 15 spaces -- another issue that will have
to be addressed.
Sprint Nextel attorney Ricardo Sousa could not be reached for
comment. But Watertown attorney Ara H. Margosian, who represents the
building owner, said he was only hired to protect the rights of the
property owner, not push the zoning board for a permit. "You won't
be able to see antennas on top of the roof," he said.
Despite Adler's perception that the town has been "very permissive"
in giving out permits to cellular providers, Vlachos said that's
simply not the case. "I don't think anyone's coming to Watertown to
put up antennas," he said.
"We're encouraged the thing has not gone through at this point,"
said Adler .
In 2003, Sprint sued the town after the zoning board denied its
application to put six antennas at the former Rosary Academy . The
company was eventually allowed to install one antenna, said Scott.
The board denied T-Mobile's request to erect a 120-foot antenna tower
atop the Oakley Country Club in 2004. The company filed suit but
dropped it after the town allowed four antennas elsewhere, said Scott.
By Christina Pazzanese, Globe Correspondent
Boston Globe, MA
Dec 8 2006
Neighbors fight plan for 12 more
A proposal to erect a dozen cellular antennas atop an office building
in Watertown's Coolidge Square has prompted neighbors to say enough
is enough.
Resident Norman Adler objected to a plan by Sprint Nextel to put
antennas on the 80 Bigelow Ave. office building at a Zoning Board
of Appeals hearing last week . Adler filed a petition signed by 125
residents. Council president Clyde Younger and councilors Angeline
Kounelis and Marilyn Petitto Devaney spoke in support of the neighbors.
Adler, who lives nearby in the Coolidge Village Condominiums complex,
said neighbors, including a large number of seniors, oppose the
antennas on the grounds that they would decrease property values,
block views, and be aesthetically "discordant" with the surroundings.
"Something is wrong here," said Adler. "We shouldn't be exposing kids
to this."
The neighborhood includes five schools, a public park, several multi
family residences, and four churches. Adler noted that other cities,
including New York City, have limited cellular antennas so close
to schools.
The zoning board, which has been considering the plan since October,
is scheduled to resume hearing the matter Jan. 3.
Alegria Caragay, who also lives in the Village condos, said the
application should be denied because the town already has more than 100
antennas, 59 of which are within a half-mile radius of Coolidge Square.
Caragay said the company's contention that it needs antennas to fill
a service gap is unfounded.
She recently surveyed 25 people at the Arsenal Mall, a local Shaw's
supermarket, and around the Hosmer School to ask about their cellular
service. A dozen people told her they used Sprint or Nextel , and of
those, only one reported trouble with reception , said Caragay, adding
she believes the company wants to fill gaps in Cambridge and Belmont.
Mark Elliott, a spokesman for Sprint, said the antennas were necessary
but declined to say how many customers would be affected or quantify
how much better their cellular reception will be if the antennas go up.
Local zoning ordinances cannot be used by the board to deny such
applications, said Harry Vlachos, the zoning board chairman. "We have
to look at them case by case, and they have to show there is a need."
The US Telecom Act of 1996 prohibits zoning officials from basing
a denial on the grounds that cellular antennas may harm residents'
health, he said.
Vlachos said he was concerned about the affect on the skyline of
adding the antennas. "That building is already higher than what's
normally allowed," he said.
The four-story building, which is owned by the Armenian Cultural
Society , houses the Armenian National Committee of America (Eastern
Region) , the Armenian Youth Federation , and the Hairenik Association
Bookstore . It is nearly 40 feet tall, putting it 10 feet above the
town's 30-foot limit for a neighborhood business zone, said Nancy
Scott, zoning enforcement officer. The antennas would add another 15
feet above the maximum allowed under zoning rules, she said .
Zoning board members have also raised concerns about the placement
of a ground-level electronic cabinet. Originally, the cabinet was to
take up a parking space, but officials pointed out that the building
already lacks the minimum 15 spaces -- another issue that will have
to be addressed.
Sprint Nextel attorney Ricardo Sousa could not be reached for
comment. But Watertown attorney Ara H. Margosian, who represents the
building owner, said he was only hired to protect the rights of the
property owner, not push the zoning board for a permit. "You won't
be able to see antennas on top of the roof," he said.
Despite Adler's perception that the town has been "very permissive"
in giving out permits to cellular providers, Vlachos said that's
simply not the case. "I don't think anyone's coming to Watertown to
put up antennas," he said.
"We're encouraged the thing has not gone through at this point,"
said Adler .
In 2003, Sprint sued the town after the zoning board denied its
application to put six antennas at the former Rosary Academy . The
company was eventually allowed to install one antenna, said Scott.
The board denied T-Mobile's request to erect a 120-foot antenna tower
atop the Oakley Country Club in 2004. The company filed suit but
dropped it after the town allowed four antennas elsewhere, said Scott.