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Politics & Government

Cell Towers Could (One Day) Be Coming to City Property Near You

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Cell towers could eventually appear within the city limits atop public lands, such as at Albany Hill Park, on the Community Center and library, or in the City Hall parking lot.

Depending on the location, it could well mean a change to the city's existing wireless ordinance, which forbids the siting of cell towers in parks. 

The City Council decided Tuesday to request proposals from independent technical consultants who could assess the wireless needs in Albany and suggest a range of spots around town that would offer service improvements.  

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"To me this kind of coverage is just as essential as the water through the pipes," said resident Caryl O'Keefe during the public comment period. "It's just another necessity that ."

Though a number of Albany residents, particularly those with Sprint and Verizon Wireless plans, have reported fine coverage in town, many others, particularly customers with AT&T, have said they're at their wits' end due to dropped calls and nearly-nil reception.

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Whether or not you have cell service also depends on what part of town you live or work in, as various parts of the city rely on a range of nearby towers and networks. 

The staff report for the Jan. 17 meeting indicated that it would cost $500- to $600,000 to built a new wireless facility, and that this cost likely would be paid for by the carrier or developer that wished to construct it. 

The city could also charge $3,000 per month, in conjunction with a 20- to 30-year lease, for allowing a company to use the tower, said Anne Hersch, city planner, on Tuesday. The lease would allow for annual rent increases of 3 to 5 percent.

Council members and residents alike who spoke about the agenda item said it would be important to cast a wide net, and perhaps ask the consultant to assess sites throughout Albany, rather than only properties owned by the city. 

Others said they would want to know if it would be possible to disguise the resulting structures, or ensure that they were aesthetically pleasing. 

Nan Wishner, member of ARROW, a citizens group that describes its goal as the responsible oversight of wireless facilities, said now is the time to act, especially as wireless carriers clamor to build out their facilities and coverage offerings around town.

"I think it's really important for us to get on top of it at this time.... rather than lots of applications coming at us, with neighbors showing up saying they don't want it," Wishner said.

Wishner also suggested that it might be wise for the city to offer AT&T a temporary antenna site, because the company has no existing facilities within the city limits. 

A cell tower on Albany Hill would need to extend above the tree line; would necessitate a change in the city's municipal code; and could require the removal of existing trees on the hill. 

A two-carrier monopole and equipment could require approximately 550 square feet of space, Hersch said.  

Hersch said antennas at this location also would set in motion an environmental review due to the sensitive natural environment on the hill.

A tower on the Community Center would likely need to extend above the BART tracks to be useful, said Hersch. The current zoning of the venue would also need to be changed, because it's currently classed as R-1 (residential), which does not allow for the location of cell towers. 

"Right now, the (community center) tower is 55 feet 6 inches," she said. "We'd be looking in that ballpark (for a wireless antenna)." 

Chamber of Commerce President Tod Abbot said he and other members of the business advocacy group are "very interested in seeing this process expedited." He said he's heard from countless members of the public, at city events such as the Solano Stroll, complain about their inability to make calls, surf the web or find information on their phones while spending time in Albany. 

"Let's make this happen as soon as we can," Abbot said, about the feasibility study by an independent consultant. 

David Sanger, an Albany photographer and resident for many years, also urged the city to investigate its options. He added that he hoped officials wouldn't let what was likely to be a lengthy process derail any existing applications by carriers.

"Frankly I think this is a bit of a pipe dream," he said. "If we think it's going to solve our problem, it probably won't. Still, I think it's worth pursuing." 

City planner Hersch said Wednesday that she hopes to have a draft Request for Proposals before council members for review by the end of February, but cautioned that this estimate was tentative.  

She said the document likely would include a preference for the engineer to study city-owned sites, but that it would also probably be best to keep the request fairly broad.

What do you think about cell towers on city-owned land and facilities? Tell us in the comments. 

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If there's something in this article you think , or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.

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