PIEDMONT — The City Council at its lengthy Monday meeting approved all 17 cellular sites being installed by Crown Castle after a tumultuous three-year process.
The council heard nearly three hours of testimony from residents who opposed the project for numerous reasons — aesthetics, a perceived lack of need for the sites and the possibilities of declines in property values, ruined views, noise and health risks.
“I just wish this would go away,” Winsor Avenue resident Karen Featherston said.
Eric Behrens said there were three transmitters planned on his street, Hillside Avenue.
“That’s an overconcentration of sites, too many on our street,” he said.
Other speakers said they felt the council “has already made up its mind, not listening to the will of residents.”
Councilmembers and staff were bombarded with emails and letters opposing the installation of any new cell sites in town, saying current coverage was adequate. Crown Castle earlier countered that technology and expanded coverage and usage were needed due to demand.
At the start of the meeting, City Administrator Sara Lillevand and legal adviser Harriet Steiner explained mandates by the Federal Communications Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission that severely limit local control over cell site installations.
In November, 2016, Crown Castle filed nine applications to install larger wireless communications facilities in city rights of way with underground vaults. The sites were to be located on existing light and utility poles. Opposition exploded over the proposal, and in October 2017, the council denied applications on Highland, Hillside, El Cerrito, Jerome and Winsor avenues. The council approved, with conditions, sites at 799 and 740 Magnolia Ave. and at 340-370 Highland Ave.
Crown Castle sued the city in November 2017 in federal court, and a lengthy, court-supervised settlement resulted in less intrusive designs and equipment. The council approved the settlement in December 2018, which resulted in Crown Castle being allowed to install 17 small wireless facilities.
The hearing was broken into two parts. Lillevand and Councilwomen Teddy King and Betsy Andersen recused themselves from discussing sites 7, 11, 13 and 15 due to the proximity to their homes. Speakers gave testimony on those sites. The three remaining council members then voted 3-0 to approve those sites.
The hearing re-opened for discussion of the remaining 13 sites, with numerous speakers. The sites altogether are at 340-370 Highland; 150 Highland; 338, 740 and 799 Magnolia; 201, 410 and 303 Hillside; 237 and 428 El Cerrito; 355 Jerome; 1166 Winsor; 96 Fairview; 108 MacKinnon; 100 Palm and 185 Wildwood.
Crown Castle agreed to no underground vaults, smaller compact radios and antennas, no noise-generating equipment and shrouds to cover equipment and wires. Steiner explained that were the council to deny the new applications the city would be subject to more litigation with a possible negative outcome. Council members were sympathetic to residents’ concerns, saying their decision to approve all 17 sites was not easy.
“This affects all of us,” Councilwoman Jen Cavenaugh said. “We live here too. But we can’t just say ‘no.’ Technology has greater demands. This is a much better plan. We fought long and hard to achieve this plan.”
King echoed Cavenaugh.
“This has not been a perfect process. I’ve been critical of Crown Castle. I’ve been chewed out by my friends. We are trying our best,” King said.
“We all use a cell phone in town. People are using their phones more and more every day,” Andersen said.
In other business: The council held the first reading of an ordinance to renew the municipal services special tax that will appear on the March 2020 ballot. If approved by a two-thirds vote, it becomes effective July 1, 2021, to run for four years. It is to have no increase beyond the Consumer Price Index. A Piedmont parcel now costs $620 per year, up to $930 per year for a parcel over 20,000 square feet. It will have a second reading at the Dec. 2 meeting.
