Mobile Impact - Would You Want a Cell Tower or Antenna In Your Neighborhood?
Thank you for visiting Mobile Impact! My name is Lisa Hayden, I am a mother of three and live in Pennington, NJ. On October 18th of this year, my family and the surrounding families in my neighborhood of 3,000 people, were hit with fear. I’m going to call this fear “The T-Mobile Impact.” Let me elaborate… I live 180 feet from a water tower. This water tower is not a beautiful statue, but my husband and I decided that it would be alright to live by because in a nutshell “it would never physically do any harm to our family.” Now this harmless structure is going to be turned into a cell tower, thanks to T-Mobile.
The Danger of Cell Towers and Antennas
There is much controversy over the health effects from cell towers. As crazy as this sounds, The Telecommunications Act of 1996, prohibits local towns from not allowing cell companies to provide coverage based on health effects. My community has basically just become a guinea pig study that will take years to find out the possible effects on both our health and our property values.
We only found out about the antenna because T-Mobile had to apply for a variance and neighbors within 200 feet were notified about a hearing where a “preliminary” decision was going to be made about turning the water tower into a cell tower. When we got there we were shocked to find out that it was a done deal. We pleaded for the Hopewell Planning Board to give it time before passing the variance, but they unanimously passed it that night. It was heartbreaking. T-Mobile had lawyers and specialists and 2 years to prepare…. We had 10 days.
Researching Cell Radiation and Alerting Our Community
When we got home we started doing research and alerting the community. The entire community was very upset. Since then we have been in the paper, filled our town hall with over a hundred people, met with T-Mobile executives, etc. The bottom line is they want the antenna in before the end of the year. We pleaded with town officials to help. The mayor has been receptive, as well as the township engineer, but we need a full court press from the township committee. You see, T-Mobile got in because of a flaw or loophole in our ordinance. The ordinance prohibits cell towers in residential neighborhoods, but it has no limitations on pre-existing structures. T-Mobile exploited this loophole…
The kicker is that according to their web site, they do have coverage, but they want to be able to provide coverage in our basements and restaurants. They use 911 as a selling point. My daughter has, or should I say “had”, T-Mobile. She had fine reception in our home…
This is Affecting Our Lives
My neighbors and I are feeling this T-Mobile Impact so strongly. It interferes with every aspect of our lives, because we are afraid of the possible effects on our children. Not being able to protect your child from harm’s way is a very disabling feeling, to say the least.
Time is running out. The variance was memorialized last night, again unanimously. Do we have to sink our life savings into a lawyer? Our committee member David Sandahl says that we will lose again. Why do I have to defend myself and my family from my own elected officials? I believe they can help. One application in our township was pulled back from the township committee. It was near Rush Holt’s home, where T-Mobile has no coverage, go figure!
Another Meeting with T-Mobile…
Today we meet again with T-Mobile, since the township tells us that we have to handle it ourselves. I’m hoping T-Mobile can be patient and make a better business decision for the most densely populated section of our town. There is an elementary school approx. 800 feet from the tower, with over 500 children.
In closing, T-Mobile would do a great service by finding another appropriate location and I think the community would be grateful. Right now I don’t think too many people will ever use their service in our community. As a consumer and a mother, I like to give my business to people who appreciate it, not people whose actions might negatively impact my family’s quality of life.
I will be writing more posts soon. Please check back often or just subscribe to our RSS feed. We appreciate any help you can offer…
Lisa
December 1st, 2007 at 10:19 am
I am so disappointed in the Planning Board - they could have initiated conversations between Brandon Farms and T-Mobile long before it got to this point. The ordinance is being revised so that other Hopewell Township resident don’t end up with a water tower-turned-cell tower next to their homes. But we still may end up with it within 200 feet of our homes - PLEASE Township Committee, help us relocate T-Mobile, they are willing to listen.
December 1st, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Please stop t-mobile from turning the Brandon Farms water tower in to a T-Mobile cell tower. At the first meeting the Township Council seemed eager to help change the ordinance and relocate t-mobile’s towers. What about the airport, across the street that is being purchased. Why not go to the County and see if it could be placed in the edge of the Rosedale Park. Wouldn’t the county benefit from the the financial commitment as well. Township Commitee work with t-mobile to make a difference in all of our lives for the better.
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 am
Lisa, I first wanted to thank you for leading this effort. Your dedication and hard work truly represent what leadership is all about.
Regarding T-Mobile and the water tower antenna, I couldn’t agree with you more. The fact that T-Mobile is going to place their antenna on a water tower only 800 feet from an elementary school with 500 children speaks volumes for its lack of integrity. I was appalled to find out that this was approved, and even more appalled to once again see profits take priority over doing the right thing. In addition, there are other spots for the antenna, which to me, should make T-Mobile’s decision that much easier. If not, I hope they are prepared to lose business to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.
I’m sending a link to this blog to my coworkers, friends, and family. I think everyone should know about situations like this… It sounds like it can happen to any community.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Thanks, Lisa, for all your hard work and organization in bringing the issue to light. Our neighborhood owes you a debt of gratitude…and T-Mobile owes us a better place for their tower: the vast fields across the street where no people live is ideal. Let’s continue to demand more logic from our Township Committe and T-Mobile. We’re with you all the way!
December 2nd, 2007 at 2:12 pm
From what I understand, T-Mobile is leasing space on the Trenton Water Works tower for their PCS base station. Because Brandon Farms residents don’t appreciate electromagnetic radiation being emitted in such a highly populated area, T-Mobile is willing to consider alternate sites in less populated areas suggested by the Brandon Farms POA. Of course no one wants a tower in their area without some sort of compensation…. is there a plan to compensate the unlucky homeowners who perhaps might find themselves near the PCS base station?
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:59 pm
Towers of this nature do not belong in residential areas. There are many other palces to put them. Thank you to all who are fighting this.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Thanks to Lisa for bringing this to our attention. I just cannot understand that we have spent so many tax dollars in this township to preserve open space and the only place they can find to put a cell tower is in a highly populated neighborhood with an elementary school not too far away! Why did our elected officials say there was nothing they could do. I bet if it was in their neigherhood it would be a different story.
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Thanks for your posts! I have to tell you that I have had a tremendous amount of help from my neighbors and other people in our community. They have spent hours daily with me on this. They are like little angels that are fighting the cause. We have to continue to spread the word and let T-Mobile and our politicians know that we don’t want to be guinea pigs. The open space thing blows my mind too. It is important, but what about the people that live around it? This is something that could have been avoided by a properly written ordinance. Other towns have been able to protect their constituents based on their ordinance. That will be the other part of the battle. Thanks and keep the faith! Hopefully T-Mobile will see that they are working against their business goals by pushing this in our community.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:09 am
I echo everyone’s comments!! This has got to be stopped!! The Township committee has made a seroius error in allowing T-Mobile the opportunity to locate their antennas on the water tower, now we need their help to stop it from actually happening! We do not want our children to discover years down the road that there were serious medical concequences to living near a cell tower! The community must band together and give T-Mobile the message that we don’t want you IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:29 am
Lisa, and everyone else involved, please keep up the hard work. Your passion and perseverance is truly an inspiration.
T-Mobile has to realize that increasing their bottom line doesn’t always come down to tangible items. Better reception won’t do them any good if customers change their service or potential customers chose not to subscribe to T-Mobile. And lets not let our township off the hook either. I’m not sure of the details but I’m sure they are being compensated to lease this space to T-Mobile. Lets not allow this to cloud their judgement.
Everyone (Brandon Farms residents, Mayor Sandom, Committee Members, and T-Mobile) needs to work together to rectify this situation by finding and agreeing to an alternative site to make sure our neighborhood continues to be a first-rate place to live.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Thanks to Lisa and everyone involved for all of your efforts! It amazes me that T-Mobile would try to take advantage of this loop hole. Placing a cell tower in the most densely populated section of the township and within feet of an elementary school is morally irresponsible. T-Mobile is clearly focused on their bottom line! I don’t know if the decision makers at T-Mobile would want their families sleeping right next door to a cell tower, playing kickball right next to a cell tower, and/or going to school every day within feet of a cell tower. There is enough evidence out there to indicate that this cell tower could cause harm to our children in the long term. How could T-Mobile ignore that when they have other options available to them? This is wrong on so many levels.
December 8th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I live in the development of Smith Crossings, so I don’t live inside the tower’s “red zone”. However, I have the same concerns as those who do. They are, (1) long-term safety and (2) the impact on real estate. And I think everyone in this community should be concerned because, numerous studies published on long-term exposure to RF radiation do show significant health effects. On the other hand, there are two massive studies done on long-term exposure showing no health effects. Both of these studies were done by major phone companies - on their employees. That means no children or elderly people were included. And that does bother me. Regarding the impact on real estate, one of the speakers at the township meeting brought up a very good point. The point was: If you had to decide between two comparable houses, one in the vicinity of the cell tower and the other away from it, which one would you choose? I asked this question to many of my colleagues - some of them are potential homebuyers - and not a single person said it didn’t matter. Everyone went for the house away from the cell tower. If that is the impression about RF radiation, then it will not only impact the value of houses nearby but is sure to bring down the real estate value of the whole neighborhood. I don’t think we need a real estate expert to validate that.
It doesn’t make sense to put up a cell tower in the most densely populated part of the township. This is Hopewell, not New York City. I am sure there are several open areas that are suitable for cell towers. I’d strongly urge our representatives to press on for the sake of the whole community. Thanks!
August 16th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
well I dont think its such a bad thing tmobile is doing this. all they want to do is improve the quility of the signal in your neghiborhood and there could be way to many calls going to the nearest tmobile tower and this will in sure that your call will go through, and it is better loking then a mono pole cell tower, but it would also give your town money from the companys. more money to improve and build new things. and plus could you tell me how good of service and where the towers are, plese tell me how good verizon’s service is and where the tower is. AT&T,T-mobile,Sprint PCS,Nextel and other wirless carriers. please try to find out where the towers are and test how good your service is so you can prove that you dont need and cell towers up. please tell me if the tower is Guyed(tall held up by wires),self supported(just a free standing tall tower),and mono pole(looks like a large pole with antennas) thanks Lisa :] Tanner S.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I just saw you on You tube and understand what you are gong through because my community is facing the same situation in Boca Raton, Florida. T-Mobile apparently has the zoning commission in their pocket. There is currently a 25 ft height restriction to which we agree with but T-Mobile wants a variance to build a 68 foot tower. A local shopping center was refused a building permit to remodel because they wanted to exceed the 25 ft. However, it looks like T-Mobile will be allowed to proceed.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I am a Student of Computer Science having a degree of MCS.I am from Pakistaan.There is no role in Pakistan to stop the installation of these Deadly Mobile phone Towers.Two years before A local Mobile phone Company “U-fone” tried to install a mobole tower in our area(in the neighbour’s house).We fight for that using Courts,but no one helped us,infact our neighbour with the help of police,TMA bahawalnagar and court installed that tower(with the Heavy Generator having great Sound),although we fight for two years by spenting a lots of money in the courts.Due to the sound of generator and due to the electromegnetic rays we left our house adjecent to that tower and unfortunately many Such accidents faced by many people of our city as well as by a no of Pakistanies,but nothhing had been happening there for the people like us.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I urge everyone to check out a new nationwide coalition
go to cloutnow.org and sign the petition. Check out the actions recently taken by several cities and LA City School board - all in a span of 2 weeks.
Spread the word. T-Mobile’s assaults on residential areas has finally created a backlash with real momentum.