Residents: Council Should Pressure Cell Carriers to Use "Alternate" Technology

Cell tower talking points again dominated the latest village council meeting, with residents from several affected neighborhoods calling on the council to push telecom companies to install alternate technology, if at all.

Mary Ann Copp–who along with her husband Richard , while also lobbying the council to form an independent body to review applications–said cell companies absolutely can design and implement technology that is less invasive to neighborhoods.

Copp called the recent "land grab" by cell companies the biggest "since the Louisiana Purchase," and again echoed earlier complaints – companies merely prefer towers because they're more cost effective.

Copp's husband Richard told the council DAS networks (distributed antennae systems) are very much possible and have been used to great effect in areas like Mountainview, CA and Scottsdale, AZ. The hope would be it could be used as effectively in Ridgewood, where applications have graced the neighborhoods , , and the Firehouse on East Glen.

The East Glen Avenue resident–who along with other neighbors was weeks prior–lobbied the council to further tighten its ordinances on cell towers.

"The Village Code should be strengthened to insure that a removal bond is required when–not if–a tower is no longer used by a carrier because of mergers or new technology or a lease expiration," he said. "Most cellular tower leases are 25-30 years. With the rate of change in technology, few of them will be in use for even a fraction of the time."

Mayor Keith Killion thanked the pair for "doing their homework," and said the council would be stern in telling cell companies in any future applications that residents do not want towers and the village prefers alternate technology.

He again contended that "no neighborhood" wants cell towers in it.

Beyond voicing their concerns with towers being put in place, residents inquired to the possibility that cell companies provide (out of pocket) an expert consultant, one who is independent and could act as an adviser to the village and its residents.

Matt Rogers, the Village Attorney, said that unless there is a formal application filed, carriers cannot be compelled to provide an expert consultant to the village.

Further, he said, the council would only be involved with applications should the proposed site be on municipal property. Otherwise, the planning and zoning boards are independent and their decisions beyond the council's scope.

While there's been no movement at the firehouse since the RFP was pulled, residents of Barnett Place and Valleau Cemetary could very well see towers in the near future. Both are expected to reconvene this fall after the zoning board urged the applicants to explore alternate sites.