El Cerrito Hangs Up On AT&T's Plans

While El Cerrito has initially said no to AT&T's proposal for four new cell antennas, the telecommunications giant could soon place some new cellular antennas in Kensington.

El Cerrito's design review board voted 3-0 Wednesday to deny AT&T's plans to install new cell antennas in residential neighborhoods on the grounds that it would be visually unattractive.

The antennas were to be placed on PG&E poles near 202 Seaview Drive, 906 Balra Drive, 762 Colusa Ave. and 7800 Eureka Ave., upsetting several residents in those areas. Residents argued against the need for more antennas and raised concerns about safety, noise and the visual impact.

Plans for another AT&T antenna at 851 Seaview Drive will be heard before the committee at a later date.

The decision could still be appealed to the Planning Commission.

AT&T's plans call for the antennas to stretch about 10 feet above the top of the existing poles. Electrical boxes would be placed lower on the poles, extending about 18 inches outward toward the sidewalk.

AT&T applied to the Kensington Municipal Advisory Council to place six new cellular antennas in the district. Antennas to be placed on utility poles near 121 Windsor and 18 Highgate were tentatively approved at the KMAC meeting on July 30. Proposals for four more antennas at 8 Sunset Drive, 248 Grizzly Peak Boulevard, 4 Stratford and 110 Ardmore were tentatively denied.