Marinwood residents worried about talk of cell tower

A group called Families Against Cell Towers is opposed to leasing to T-Mobile a patch of land owned by the Marinwood Community Services District atop a knoll along Lucas Valley Road just south of the fire station at 777 Miller Creek Road.

The terms to build a tower - which could be 40 feet in height - have not yet been spelled out, although it's believed a five-year lease could put at least $2,000 per month into the district's coffers. That area of the county is notorious for poor cell phone service.

Opponents have launched a Web site at www.no-marinwood-tower.com, distributed about 200 fliers, gathered about 65 signatures on an online petition and plan to express their concerns at a meeting Tuesday of the district's Board of Directors.

"We're all working moms who have taken this task on to get people alerted to it," said Erika Lenkerk, 42, a freelance journalist and one of the organizers. She said her group is worried about the possible health effects and decrease in property values of adding a tower so close to homes, the community center, a day-care center and a park.

"I think people who have kids, people who have grown kids, I think a lot of what people appreciate about this community is it's a hamlet - it's a beautiful, natural environment," said Lenkerk, who has a 4-year-old daughter.

"We're not against cell phone towers, per se - whether or not they are safe is another question, but putting a cell phone tower at our community epicenter is really inappropriate."

T-Mobile said it is responding to its customers' needs. Radio frequency emissions are typically lower than the standards set by the Federal Communications Commission, officials said.

"To meet customer demand T-Mobile is constant improving our coverage," said Rod Delarosa, a spokesman for T-Mobile. "That's our job. That's what we do.

"The RF levels used to transmit phones are lower than common wireless devices such as cordless phones and baby monitors," he said.

The board, which does not have a cell tower item on the agenda Tuesday, has requested a draft contract, but has not yet received anything in writing, said Tom Horne, district manager. If the board should agree in the future to move forward with a tower, approval to lease the land for such a purpose must come from county officials, he said.

"There will be actual action items if it goes that far," Horne said.

The homeowners' group, the Marinwood Association, has not taken sides, said Walter Dods, president.

"We don't have an official position," he said. "I think the general community position is opposed. The CSD is currently doing its good-faith examination of both sides of the issue.

"I personally am strongly opposed to it," he added. "I think it's highly inappropriate to give an easement to a commercial venture."

FOR MORE INFO

Concerned residents worried about a possible cell phone tower in the community are expected to turn out to the Marinwood Community Services District Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. at the community center at 775 Miller Creek Road.