Politics & Government

City Council Denies Appeal Of Cell Phone Antenna

Conditions were placed on the installation of the antenna by AT&T Mobility

It appears a cell phone antenna will be built on a telephone pole in a residential area where neighbors don’t want the telecommunications device.

The El Cerrito City Council on Tuesday evening denied an appeal by residents of the Planning Commission’s approval of the wireless communications antenna at 851 Seaview Drive.

The council did impose some conditions on AT&T Mobility before it installs the antenna.

Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Among them are a requirement the company pay for a consultant to confirm there is a cell phone coverage gap that requires the installation of the new antenna.

The council also asked AT&T Mobility to investigate alternative methods for installing the antenna on the pole and do annual inspections for the next five years, according to a story in the Contra Costa Times.

Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The antenna will come back at some point to the Planning Commission for design review.

As currently designed, the 2-foot-high antenna would sit on top of a 7-foot extension added to the telephone pole. Details of the antenna’s design as well as background on the proposal can be found in this city document.

The antenna is one of five approved by the Planning Commission in June. The Seaview Drive location was the only one that was appealed by residents.

The neighbors have a long list of complaints about the antenna. Among them are the device ruins the view of the hills from homes and the antenna will be used to improve cell phone coverage in Kensington, not El Cerrito. The neighbor’s criticisms can be found in the city document as well as this column on El Cerrito Patch.

AT&T Mobility says the East Bay hills present challenges in meeting the growing demand for wireless communications. The company has applications for antennas in Oakland, Berkeley and Kensington.

In El Cerrito, AT&T Mobility currently has antennas at El Cerrito Plaza, a church on Stockton Avenue and the Super 8 Motel on Potrero Avenue.



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