Today the Newport News Planning Commission will discuss placing a tower at Nelson Elementary.
By SABINE HIRSCHAUER | 247-4536
July 16, 2008

NEWPORT NEWS - — They can look like tall flagpoles. Or oversized trees. Or monstrous cactuses out West.

But no matter how they're disguised, they're still cell towers.

And as they increasingly dot the landscape, the towers face growing opposition from critics who say they're ugly and unesthetic misfits that drive down property values and may be harmful to one's health.

While there are dozens of towers on and around the Peninsula, the Newport News City Council recently denied a request from nTelos to wedge a 131-foot tall cell tower between a pool and playground at Magruder Elementary School in southeast Newport News.

"Schools are inappropriate places for cell towers until they are proven to be safe," Johnson said.

There is no conclusive evidence that low radio frequency transmissions from cell towers harm people at the levels that are allowed by the Federal Communications Commission, which also has to approve the towers.

But Johnson finds himself among a growing number of people and groups nationwide who are worried about what effect the towers might have on people. In 2000, the Los Angeles Unified School District banned cell towers on school properties because "there continues to be considerable debate and uncertainty within the scientific community as to the potential health effects to individuals, especially children, from exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic and radio frequency radiation", according to the board's resolution.

Since 2004, the International Association of Fire Fighters has prohibited cell towers on fire department facilities for the same reason.

And the American Cancer Society states "we do not have full information on health effects..... in particular, not enough time has elapsed to permit epidemiological studies."

While Johnson may have won a battle, it's too soon to say whether he and others will win the war against cell towers too close to home. Today, the Newport News Planning Commission will discuss an application from T-Mobile to put a 135-foot tower on the Nelson Elementary School property in northern Newport News.

Another T-Mobile application for another tower — a brown "slick-stick," which means all antennas will be located inside — awaits more information. It would be located on the grounds of Sanford Elementary School in central Newport News.

Peninsula residents usually don't rally against cell towers unless they end up in their backyards, planners in Hampton, York and James City counties said.

In April, the York County Board of Supervisors denied T-Mobile's request for permission to construct a 180-foot tower near the intersection of Dare Road and Railway Road after residents packed county meetings, worried the tower would push property values into the ground in the Lakes of Dare subdivision.

But with more and more people dropping their land lines and switching to cell phones to save money, officials in Poquoson said providing sufficient cell phone coverage, not health and aesthetics, drove their recent cell tower discussions.

"We wanted to make sure people can call 911 (with cell phones) and get the help they need," said Poquoson Mayor Gordon C. Helsel Jr. Poquoson recently approved its second cell tower.

Newport News' policy has been not to recommend towers on elementary school sites because they are usually in residential neighborhoods, said City Manager Randy Hildebrandt. Elementary school sites are also usually two to three times smaller than high schools.

In May the City's Planning Commission voted against the Magruder application because of the concerns of area residents and the proposed tower's proximity to the elementary school's pool and a playground, said Planning Commissioner Victor Albea.

Representatives of nTelos did not return calls to comment.

So far, the city has three towers at schools with two of those sitting on high school property and one between the former Briarfield Elementary School and Heritage High School.

Installed from 2002 through May 2006, the towers are being used by several cell phone companies and fetched upfront lease payments to the schools of $9,000 to $120,000. As part of the agreements, the payments grow annually from $10,350 in the first five years to as much as $47,223.24 in coming decades.

"It's not worth the money if it hurts our kids," said new City Councilwoman Pat Woodbury, a former School Board member.

During her tenure on the Newport News School Board, Woodbury emerged as the sole dissenting vote against cell towers on school property.

"I voted against them every time," she said. "And I will vote against them on City Council."

Related links
 FCC-approved cell towers in Hampton Roads Graphic Woodbury said she had researched in particular the health effects of cell towers and worried how radiation from the cell towers affect children.

If the city gives the go-ahead for the Nelson Elementary School cell tower, T-Mobile would pay Newport News Public School System $24,000 up front to lease the land, followed by $27,600 for every year of the first five years.

The School Board has already approved towers at Sanford and Nelson elementary schools.

"Do you put a monetary value on the health of our kids," Johnson said. "I don't think so. It's an outrage."

Why are cell towers controversial?

• Often considered eyesores

• Residents fear they'll cause drops in property values

• Health effects such as brain tumors are feared, but studies remain inconclusive about cell tower radiation.

Some school cell towers and money paid by service providers
Menchville High School ( Verizon): $9,000 initially; $10,350 to $15,741.06 to lease land

Denbigh High School (Verizon): $24,000 initially; $27,600 to $41,976.15

Briarfield/ Heritage High School (Alltell): $27,000 initial payment; $31,050 to $47,223.24

Menchville High School (SunCom): $120,000 initial payment; then $27,600 annually for the next five years, with a 15 percent increase annually for an additionalfive years

Denbigh High School (SunCom):

$120,000 initial payment; then $27,600 annually for five years, with a 15 percent increase annually for the next five years

Source: Newport News Public Schools