School Board Signals Support for Cell Towers on Campus

In a sign of the tough economic times, the Elk Grove Unified School District board Tuesday authorized staff to start negotiating with cell phone companies who want to locate their towers on school property.

The district could earn about $2,000 per month from each lease, said associate superintendent of facilities Rob Pierce, who added that he had been contacted by several companies interested in different sites around the district.

“These things are here to stay, and if there’s a way for us to enhance our revenue, why not?” board member William Lugg said before the unanimous vote at the board’s regular meeting.

As demand for cell phone service has grown, at locating the towers, which emit low levels of radiation, in areas where children gather.

But the Federal Communications Commission has declared the cell sites to be generally safe and public agencies increasingly see them as a source of revenue.

The Cosumnes Community Services District hosts 11 towers, often disguised as trees or light poles, at its parks and fire stations. Parks and recreation administrator Bob Roessler says they generate over $200,000 each year.

The CSD backed off a plan for a tower near Ellen Feickert Elementary last year, however, after neighbors complained about health concerns and a possible effect on property values.

While Elk Grove Unified has shot down requests from cell service providers in the past, other school districts are earning significant sums from the towers. San Juan Unified started allowing the signal stations on campuses in 2004, said spokesperson Trent Allen, and now pulls in about $400,000 each year from the deals.

“It hasn’t been a huge issue,” said Allen. Popular locations are on existing tall structures like the light poles of football stadiums, or on the corners of campuses, he said. “They’re not necessarily directly adjacent to classrooms. The big concern is more the presentation of it, how it actually looks.”

Other school districts have take a more cautious approach. The Los Angeles Unified School District banned towers on school sites in 2000, citing uncertainty about whether F.C.C. limits on emissions adequately protect kids' health.

Elk Grove Unified would have to get approval from local planning authorities before moving forward with a deal for a cell station, and the F.C.C. requires any tower under 10 meters tall to go through an environmental review. Pierce said the district would also conduct outreach to individual school sites under consideration.

Board members aim to set up a competitive bidding process for the requests that they hope will now come rolling in.

“You could generate more revenue that way and it helps eliminate any favoritism,” board member Al Rowlett said.