oregoncoastblog

Approximately 2 weeks ago we received a notification that a 60ft cell tower was going to be constructed 240ft from my property line. As I stood in the post office opening my mail I mentioned this to a friend, a fellow small business owner in the area. I looked at Steve and said, what great reception we will get, he nodded in agreement. father presented their objectionsLittle did either of us know how bitter sweet this really was. As I drove home I looked to the clear cut hills behind the beach and wondered why this tall tower wasn’t going to be constructed there far away from people. I also thought of my husband at home and what he would say. Only the week before he had pulled up several articles about cell phones causing cancer. We had already switched to phones with a speakerphone feature which we started using all of the time. He did, and does not want family members holding the phone close  to our bodies. When we complained about the lack of privacy he says, “too  bad, do you want a brain tumor? Needless to say he was extremely upset to find out that the tower was going in only across the highway. He was also very concerned because the area is highly populated with families and small children who’s brains are still developing.

At that point he and my Dad joined forces to fight this thing. We found out very quickly that the land where the proposed tower was to be placed is zoned open space. In addition, there was a previous zoning rule passed that said “Cell phone towers could not be zoned out in the future due to environmental reasons”.  My Dad, Edward Johnson, a long time resident, and distinguished member of many Cannon Beach volunteer programs over the years: Haystack Rock, Water Shed Committee, Parks and Recreation, skate park renovation committee, SOLVE program, and many others saw no real way out of this. First of all there was already a small tower in that area zoned open spaces, that I had no idea about. He thought we might have had a chance if we had said something prior to that tower going in but at this point cell towers are  already established in the downtown area which is heavily populated. He thought that we couldn’t stop this tower, but because we are Cannon Beach residents we might have a chance in changing the Open Spaces clause as to what they can do with the land to perhaps more prudent for such a heavily populated area.

My husband and father circulated a petition at the new Cannon Beach Oregon Farmers Market. With a somewhat late start both collected around thirty something signatures, mine included. Many people refused to sign as they considered these possible health risks where just hype keeping them from that perfect complete bar signal.  The two waited for the meeting, and did attend. Very few were there. One local resident living in a close proximity presented her case. She said she knew a doctor who had lived close to a cell tower. He claimed that there was objective data that cell towers, with their every moving traffice of signals could cause cancer. Apparently not too many years later he died of lymphoma, a form of cancer.

My husband and , those due to zoning, and health risk. A couple of days ago my husband and father both received notification that if they wanted to object then they would have to pay for it with attorneys etc…

Simotaneously, cell phones and their signals are being called poison. Yahoo had it on their front page, “Cell Phones are Poison”, Larry King Live, and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Well, the tower is going in. Cannon Beach will surely get their cash for leasing the property, and in no time calls will be going through our property and us. So when I am sitting in my living room with a perfect connection, no dropped calls, as my time clock ticks towards cancer I’m sure that great signal will be bittersweet as I look towards future.

Trackback URI |