'We Don't Want It' Says Dacula Residents Against Proposed Cell Tower Near Park

DACULA — Some residents of Dacula are against a proposed wireless cell tower that’s planned for the community. The tower site would be located near Little Mulberry Park in a residential area at 3570 Jim Moore Road.

An online petition was launched to stop any future plans for the 14-story tower that was proposed by Atlanta-based wireless developer CitySwitch and Ignite Wireless. As of Friday morning, 670 signatures have been collected.

“The proposed site is literally in our back and front yards,” wrote organizer Beverly McLee. “We don’t want it and we don’t need it!”

“Cell towers near residential areas decrease property values,” she wrote, adding that they also “degrade the character of existing single-family neighborhoods, and devalue nearby land that’s currently under development.”

There’s a public hearing set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, at the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, in Lawrenceville. Those against the tower are asked to wear red.

McLee cites potential safety concerns as well, stating that debris can fall from the top of the tower causing injury or death.

“There are reports of high towers catching on fire,” McLess wrote, “winds creating vortex shedding which compromises structure integrity, and catastrophic tower collapses, which could seriously injure/kill people, and damage property in the underlying vicinity - like those traveling on Jim Moore Road, the road itself, and the homes, fences, and backyards of my neighbors.”

Other neighbors share her sentiment.

David Thiessen posted Monday that his home is located in the “red zone” surrounding the proposed tower. It’s in the center of Hamilton Mill.

“It would lower home values, it would destroy the atmosphere and aesthetic of the area, it would be hazardous to the health of residents, and to the array of wildlife in the area,” Thiessen said.

AT&T said in a statement:

This site is part of our ongoing investment to improve service and coverage for our Dacula customers. When selecting a new cell site, we work with local officials to find the location that balances the needs of our business with the concerns of the community.

The site is located in District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins’ district. He didn’t immediately respond. Messages were also left with CitySwitch.