ACTION ALERT!
Please help prevent the imminent placement of dangerous 4G & 5G Small Cell Towers on a telephone pole or light pole near you. It only takes a minute.
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
Please email City of Elk Grove Planning Manager Antonio Ablog at aablog@elkgrovecity.org and City Clerk Jason Lindgren (for the City Council) at jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org to stop the placement of dangerous 4G and 5G Small Cell Towers in Elk Grove neighborhoods. Scroll down to “Take action” for a suggested message.
It only takes a minute. Then, please spread the news! Forward this email to all your email contacts in the City of Elk Grove and copy and post this message on Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor and other social media.
SUMMARY:
Elk Grove residents who do not want the assault of 4G and 5G cell antennas on telephone poles and light poles in residential neighborhoods and the impacts of loss of property value, permanent health impacts, and loss of our democracy on telecommunication policy should email the City Clerk, Jason Lindgren, and say, “Please do not allow 4G and 5G cell antennas in residential neighborhoods.” Jason’s email address is jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org.
Elk Grove residents can also attend the city’s community workshop to be held on November 28, 2018. Send your questions to be answered at the workshop to Jason Lindgren. Sample questions are at the bottom of this message.
A group called Keep Cell Antennas Away From Our Elk Grove Homes, which wrote this Action Alert, has an ad on Facebook about it. Please share this ad! The ad can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/KeepCellAntennasAwayFromOurElkGroveHomes/posts/485222368658300
DETAILS follow.
ISSUE:
AT&T has proposed an agreement with the city (August 20, 2017) and applied for a code amendment (January 25, 2018, EG-18-006) that would cut the City Council and Elk Grove residents out of permitting decisions on cell antennas in residential neighborhoods. Permits would be issued by the Department of Public Works, which does not hold public meetings. AT&T could then install these antennas on a light pole or telephone pole near you without your knowledge or consent.
CONSEQUENCES:
Elk Grove does not need these cell antennas. There is already good cell phone coverage in Elk Grove. These “Small Cell” antennas will reduce property values, be an eyesore, and adversely affect our health. 4G microwave radiation is powerful and hazardous. 5G will be even more so.
Every Elk Grove homeowner needs to know that having a powerful, hazardous cell antenna (or Close Proximity Microwave Radiation Antenna (“CPMRA”)) on a pole in front of a home will reduce its value. Home buyers are much more likely to buy a house that does not have a cell antenna in front of it or across the street or next door. The result could be a 20% or greater reduction in real estate value on sale.
- https://www.parealtor.org/justlisted/cell-towers-impact-property-values/
- http://www.emfsa.co.za/news/property-values-desirability-cell-towers/
Health impacts: There have been literally thousands of studies on the health impacts of long term exposure to non-ionizing radiation, the kind cell antennas produce. The World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO – IARC) determined in 2011 that such radiation is a Category 2B possible human carcinogen, in the same category as lead and DDT.
The U.S. National Toxicology Program study published in 2018 found that cell phone radiation caused cancer tumors of the brain and heart in rats.
Over 240 scientists signed the EMF Scientist International Appeal starting in May, 2015. Based on their research, the scientists say that long-term exposure to non-ionizing radiation causes increased risk of cancer, genetic damages, cardiovascular problems, abnormal brain function, impaired fertility, memory deficits, headaches, insomnia, confusion, weakness, and structural and functional changes to the reproductive system.
WHAT IS 5G?
5G is the next generation of wireless technology. It is to be used for streaming and downloading videos at faster speeds. It is not needed for text messages or phone calls.
CELL ANTENNAS AND POWER:
The photographs at the top of this page show actual cell antennas installed by Verizon in Santa Rosa, California in late 2017. The Press Democrat published an article about these in January, 2018.
Other cell antennas are 48” high by 14.6” in diameter. Verizon currently has 10 applications pending in Sonoma, California for antennas this size.
A better name for them is Close Proximity Microwave Radiation Antenna – Wireless Telecommunication Facilities (CPMRA-WTFs).
According to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam a 5G cell antenna has a range of 2,000’. Yet AT&T has proposed an agreement with the City that would allow it to install these antennas on light poles and utility poles in the public right of way, right outside of our homes. Actual electromagnetic fields from these antennas are tens of thousands of times higher than the signal strength necessary for phone calls.
TAKE ACTION:
PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING:
- Email City leaders
Email these City of Elk Grove officials: aablog@elkgrovecity.org, skyles@elkgrovecity.org, jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org
aablog@elkgrovecity.org; Planning Manager Antonio Ablog.
skyles@elkgrovecity.org; Planning Commissioner staff Sandy Kyles.
jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org; City Clerk Jason Lindgren.
You can send a letter to any of them at 8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758.
Suggested Message: (Feel free to personalize your message, which will make it even better.)
“Dear Mr Ablog, Planning Commissioners and City Council members,
We are very concerned about the serious adverse impacts caused by the 24 hour a day microwave radiation from 4G and 5G cell antennas in residential neighborhoods, which will come right through the walls of our homes. There will be impacts on property values, appearance, the environment and our health.
AT&T has proposed an agreement and a code amendment that would spread these hazardous cell antennas throughout residential neighborhoods by enabling cell antenna permitting decisions to be made behind the backs of Elk Grove residents and the City Council. Elk Grove should not sell out to AT&T to feed corporate profits.
We do not want these cell antennas outside our bedroom windows! What will happen to children exposed to this radiation 24/7 for their entire lives?!
Elk Grove must protect its interests and our residents’ interests and health. Elk Grove should pass an ordinance amending its Municipal Code to set strict limits and requirements for permitting of these cell antennas and towers, only permitting cell antennas in commercial or industrial zones. The cities of Petaluma and Mill Valley have recently done this. Other cities in Northern California are in the process.
Please put this topic on your agenda and prevent the installation of these dangerous antennas in the City of Elk Grove.
Ms. Kyles, please forward this message to all of the Planning Commissioners.
Mr. Lindgren, please forward this message to all of the City Council members.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Your name and address”
- Attend a meeting of the Elk Grove City Council
http://elkgrovecity.org/city_hall/city_government/city_council/council_meetings
WHAT: We are not on the agenda, but please turn in a blue speaker card at the back of the room to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes during public comments which happen near the beginning of the meeting.
WHEN: the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Council Chambers located at Elk Grove City Hall, 8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758.
- Attend a meeting of the Elk Grove Planning Commission
http://elkgrovecity.org/city_hall/city_government/commission_and_committees/planning_commission
WHAT: The Planning Commission and City Council have the same procedures for public comments, but Planning Commission meetings more often begin on time. Please turn in a blue speaker card to speak.
WHEN: the first and third Thursday of every month at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Same place as the City Council meetings, in the Council Chambers, 8400 Laguna Palms Way
- Spread the news – Forward this email to all your email contacts in the City of Elk Grove and copy and post this message on Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor and other social media.
- Stay informed – For more information & updates, join Keep Cell Antennas Away from Our Elk Grove Homes on Facebook or e-mail info5G@keepcellantennasawayfromourelkgrovehomes.org to be added to our 5G activist mailing list. Learn more at
www.keepcellantennasawayfromourelkgrovehomes.org/
See what other Northern California cities are doing on this issue at http://mystreetmychoice.com/
It is vitally important that as many Elk Grove residents as possible email Planning Commission and City Council members – and attend Planning Commission and City Council meetings – to oppose these 4G and 5G cell antennas.
Thank you in advance for taking action. Together we are stronger. Together, we can make a difference and protect our communities.
Best wishes,
Mark Graham, Sharon Lynes and Teresa Hansen
of Keep Cell Antennas Away From Our Elk Grove Homes