Mobile Impact : Stop Cell Towers and Antennas in Residential Neighborhoods

Over the past few months, I’ve been asked dozens of times about our fight to keep T-Mobile and other cell providers out of our community. Well, we’ve now captured our story on video so anyone visiting our blog can learn about our unfortunate situation in only 5:23. :)

For those of you new to our blog, don’t let this happen in your community. Please watch our video, learn how to protect your family, and support our cause by posting a comment.

Thank you for your support!

Lisa

Even if you aren’t concerned about the amount of money spent by lobbyists during the time the Federal Communications Act was written and passed (more on that subject in a coming blog). Even if you believe that the government is on top of the safety issues related to radiation (anyone remember Thalidomide? Cigarettes? Lead based paint? Vioxx?, this list could go on and on), there is an unresolved issue related to the water tower / cell tower that will affect many people in Brandon Farms and in the wider Hopewell region.

The Impact on Real Estate
Let me pose a question that I asked the Hopewell Township Committee Members that were present, along with several hundred residents, at the township meeting on November 13, 2007. Let’s assume you were in the market for a new house. You look at two houses that are identical in every way – go to the same schools, have the same size property, the same layout and amenities, both are listed for the same price and pay the same tax rate, etc. However, one house is within 200 feet of a cell tower antenna array. Does anyone purchase the house near the antenna? At a minimum, even if you aren’t concerned about potential health issues with the radiation, don’t you try to at least deal for a lower price than the house without the antenna?

There are many people in our township that don’t realize that this is their issue, possibly because they can’t see the tower from their house. As best as I can figure, the water tower is visible from the “belly” up to most of the Mershon Chase and Four Seasons sections of the neighborhood. In addition the water tower is visible to sizeable portions of the Smiths Crossing and Twin Pines sections of the neighborhood. It is also highly visible from Lawrenceville-Pennington Road and the entrances to Mershon Chase, Four Seasons and Smiths Crossing. Doing a quick mental count and putting a conservative estimate together, I’d say that more than 300 households in these parts of the Brandon Farms neighborhood have a direct view of the top of the tower. That makes 300 households that are affected to one degree or another by an unsightly water tower wrapped in the various styles, sizes and types of antennas used by the cellular corporations.

Others Will Join the Cell Tower Party…
Make no mistake about it, if T-Mobile is allowed to install antennas on the water tower, other companies will too, regardless of whether or not the ordinances are changed to make it more difficult. I can see the arguments now – we know from the original meetings that there is at least one other provider interested in the site. Will that additional provider give up when they find out that the ordinance has been changed, but T-Mobile was allowed to install on the tower? Of course not! They can argue that they are being targeted and not allowed to compete fairly.

The Federal Communications Act limits the power output of any given cell antenna site to between roughly 1000 and 2000 Watts, depending on the type of communications. Given what we know about T-Mobile’s application, if we assume that other companies are similar in type of transmitter and power output, we can expect an additional 3 to 6 carriers might install equipment on the water tower.

I am not a real estate agent. It seems like common sense that the houses within site of a 120 foot water tower bristling with antennas will sell for lower prices than comparable houses in similar areas without that type of structure.

One of the ways to determine the value of a property is through the Sales Comparison Approach. This method of real estate appraisal compares a house’s characteristics with those of similar properties that have recently sold. The Sales Comparison Approach helps appraisers to adjust the price of a property based on the presence, absence or degree of characteristics which influence value.

Comps Affect the Price of Your Home
Most of us have heard or maybe even used the shortened name for this appraisal method, “Comps”. A savvy home buyer (and I think we can assume that anyone who can afford a house and the taxes in Hopewell is a savvy buyer) will go through the bid and negotiation process with data on “comps” that increase their chances to buy at a lower price.

So maybe you know someone who isn’t concerned about T-Mobile installing antennas on the water tower. They don’t think it will affect them in any way, they can’t see the tower from where they live. Maybe they live in Brandon Farms. Maybe they live somewhere else in Hopewell.

The Big Picture
Maybe they haven‘t thought about the fact that more than 300 homes, approximately 25% of the residences in Brandon Farms have a direct view of the tower. Will 25% of the homes in Brandon Farms have an effect on area “comps”? I think so. Actually, I think that it could have an effect on a much wider area of Hopewell than just Brandon Farms. I know that I would use the data to try to negotiate a lower price on any house in this neighborhood. Would you?

Lisa

As I lay awake another night at 2 a.m. with Christmas around the corner, my children fighting a brutal stomach virus, what do you think is on my mind? T-Mobile! How can I stop them from putting a cell tower only 180 feet from my family? This is the overriding thought that has been in my head since October 18th when my Hopewell Township Committee granted T-Mobile a variance and permission to transform a harmless, non-radiating water tower into a cell tower. It has consumed me and many of my neighbors too. This is the “T-Mobile Impact” and it affects me on a daily basis.

Loopholes We Shouldn’t Have to Live With
I cannot fathom that due to an ordinance with a loophole encouraging cell providers to co-locate on existing structures (no matter where or how close they are located to human beings) that soon our community will be living under constant radiation. Yes, it may be at a low level, but it’s constant. Can anyone guarantee that there is no chance of our families being physically, mentally and emotionally affected by this? No! So what percent are we willing to live with 10%, 8%, 5%, 3%? What percent will give us peace of mind? Right now the water tower gives 0% chance of harm to our community, and that’s what we deserve.

Patrick Lamb from T-Mobile
Who can help us rectify this situation? We have met with Patrick Lamb of T-Mobile, he listens very well, gives little rays of hope and then takes them away in the same breath. Why can’t he realize that a community of potential customers would be so much more grateful to a business that sometimes cares more about people the bottom line.

Trenton Water Works Failed
How about Trenton Water works? We are their customers too. Is it worth giving so many people access to our water supply? What kind of background checks are being done on people who would have access to the tower? Is the $24,000 a year worth crushing property values of their customers? Putting customers at potential risk? Could they possibly have a heart? American Water, who is buying the property, frowns on attaching cell equipment to their structures. They don’t want to upset their customers! Wow, what a novel concept!

Our Hopewell Township Committee
Lastly, how about our Hopewell Township Committee!? The mayor and township engineer have been working with us tirelessly, but we need more. We need the rest of the committee to step up, bring their A game. Amend the ordinance to protect us. They represent us!

The one glimmer of hope or goodness in this whole mess is the unbelievable backing of our community. We filled the town hall with families to let T-Mobile and the township committee know that we need help and that we don’t want our community to be part of an involuntary health and real estate study!

So, can this happen in your community…you better check your ordinance! I think you will be surprised!

I still have hope that T-Mobile will do the right thing! They should take their time find a spot that meets their goals and is not in the most densely populated part of Hopewell. I’d love to see how many cell towers or antennas are in Mr. Lamb’s neighborhood…

Lisa

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