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Crowd protests cell phone tower plan

BY SUSAN WARE

Residents of the Bicentennial Drive neighborhood turned out to hear Omnipoint Communications/T-Mobile explain why their neighborhood is the best place for a cell tower that will rise 395 feet above their homes.

The wireless carrier was before the Hooksett Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday, July 17, seeking variances to allow the tower to be built at 305 Bicentennial Drive, in a medium-density residential district and to forgive rear and side setbacks.

Adam Braillard, an attorney with Prince, Lobel, Glovsky & Tye who is representing the applicant said that   Omnipoint/T-Mobile is certain  that the Bicentennial Drive location was the best option for the wireless carrier.

“Because of the unique topographical characteristics of this site, we feel that we should be granted a variance from the bylaws,” said Braillard.

Board member Ron Savoie questioned whether the wireless carrier had done its homework in regards to suitability of the location and flight patterns.

Chris Pearson, zoning board member,  questioned what effect the cell tower would have  on property values and why all of the photos were taken in the  summer when the trees were full of leaves.

“There are lots of potential sites, much better than this one, that I think you people have missed, and this would be nice to know before you build in a residential area,” said Savoie while the audience clapped in approval.

As part of the variance application, a list of alternative sites was provided and Braillard told the board that the Southern New Hampshire University campus was one, and Livingston Park in Manchester, the other.

Braillard and Sameer Parakkavetty, a wireless engineer, went through the entire variance application with the board, and several times chairman Tracy Murphy Roche told them it was incomplete.

Murphy Roche told the applicant that simply saying a cell tower would not affect property values was not enough, and the board wants an independent study done as part of the application. Also, the board is requiring a complete list of cell towers in New Hampshire, and cell towers within a 2-mile range of the state’s border, complete with exact location, height and design.

The board has scheduled a public site walk for Monday, Aug. 6, at 5:30 p.m., and has requested that the wireless carrier fly a red balloon at the height of the proposed tower during the walk so neighbors can see the actual height.

The site of the proposed tower was owned by Lambros Theodosopoulos, but is now owned by a real estate trust. His son Bill Theodosopoulos is listed on the application as the contact person.

Murphy Roche tabled the application until Sept. 11, when a special meeting will be held.

Published Wednesday, July 18, 2007 4:54 PM by Hooksett Editor

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Robert Riedlinger said:

With all of the peer review scientific studies showing potential adverse effects from EMF near cellphone towers,one would have to be out of their mind to allow just one more to be built..It has been stated in the news that the use of prescription drugs has risen by 70% over a period of aprox.ten years.We see more and more people getting hooked on illegal drugs,cancer is out of control,we see more road rage,chronic fatigue,fibromyalgia,migraine headaches,autism,etc,etc.I believe that Most ,if not all, of the above,are connected to EMF from our new technology.

July 21, 2007 1:24 PM
 

Robert Riedlinger said:

Indept on Sun 080707

http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article2745131.ece

Two in three believe radiation from phones damaged their health

By Geoffrey Lean

Published: 08 July 2007

Two-thirds of Britons believe radiation from mobile phones and their masts has affected their health, a startling official survey shows. And huge majorities are dissatisfied with government assurances about the potential threat.

The survey is the result of a giant European Union exercise that polled more than 27,000 people across the continent, 1,375 of them in Britain. It shows that concern about the radiation is far greater than even the most ardent campaigners had dared to believe, and that official attempts to downplay the issue have backfired.

It also goes some way to explain the overwhelming public response received by The Independent on Sunday since we started raising questions about the effect of the radiation on people and wildlife in April.

This month, two councils - Haringey in London and Carmarthenshire in Wales - will be considering whether to allow Wi-Fi in their schools, after concern expressed by Sir William Stewart, the chairman of the Health Protection Agency. Sir William told the BBC's Panorama, "I believe that there is a need for a review of the Wi-Fi and other areas ... I think it's timely for it to be done now."

The survey, by the EU's Eurobarometer programme, which samples opinion across the continent, found 65 per cent of Britons believed mobile phones affected their health, and 71 per cent thought the masts did.

Across Europe, the figures were 73 and 76 per cent respectively, sharply up from 55 and 58 per cent five years ago.

Recent years have seen increasing evidence of risks from the phones. Scandinavian studies have suggested that people who have used them for more than 10 years are much more likely to get brain tumours, and that the radiation kills brain cells, which could lead to today's young people being senile from their forties.

There is much less evidence on effects from the masts, but studies have revealed a worrying incidence of symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, nausea and memory problems. Campaigners also claim they may cause cancers.

The survey shows that more than half of Britons are "very" or "fairly" concerned about such potential health effects, despite efforts at reassurance by ministers, officials and some scientists. Moreover, it reveals great dissatisfaction with the information they are given.

Nearly three-quarters of Britons say they are "not very well" or "not at all" informed about the official "protection framework" against the "potential health risks" from the radiation.

July 21, 2007 1:55 PM
 

Dr Grahame Blackwell said:

Four weeks ago the world-class consultancy group Frost & Sullivan published an 'Insight' entitled 'Wireless Technologies - A Blessing or a Health Hazard'.  It costs $6,000.00. (source: http://www.the-infoshop.com/study/fs53088-wireless-tech.html)

The fact that F&S have felt moved to produce an Insight on this subject indicates that there are things corporate big business really ought to know about it.  Uninformed policy moves, for example WiFi throughout all their offices or cell-towers on their office blocks, might in time lead to lawsuits from employees and/or local residents that could severely affect profit margins.

Let's look at what the Abstract for this Insight has to say:

"This Insight discusses several potential issues related to wireless technologies including: the connection between brain damage and several types of cancer and mobile phones, health hazards caused by transmitters, health hazards caused by WiFi technologies, extreme sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, and interference between wireless devices and medical equipment. Although the Insight does not provide a final confirmation or denial of the claim that there exist potential hazards caused by the use of wireless technologies, it does refer to several studies that provide some evidence on this subject matter."

Pretty uncompromising stuff.

(F&S website: www.frost.com - search on 'Wireless Technologies Health Hazard')

The document is listed by F&S as 'Deliverable type: Market Engineering Research

If Frost & Sullivan are flagging a possible risk for big business, isn't a possible risk for large numbers of local residents worth a few moments' contemplation?

July 21, 2007 7:43 PM
 

Les Buckle said:

A tower was built in my area 10 years ago and I have had health problems ever since ,Stomach problems, Headaches, Sleep disturbance, Lack of concentration,

Memory loss,  Everything possible should be done to stop the instalation of these towers for they interfere with pace makers ,hearing aids and instruments in hospitals , Doctors offices, The city gets a payment but not for the citizens for the installation of protection for themselfs, It has cot me so far $7000 and still I suffer

Leslie T. Buckle

8268 Wharton Pl

      Mission B.C

            Canada V2V7A4

July 21, 2007 8:00 PM
 

Les Buckle said:

A tower was built in my area 10 years ago and I have had health problems ever since ,Stomach problems, Headaches, Sleep disturbance, Lack of concentration,

Memory loss,  Everything possible should be done to stop the instalation of these towers for they interfere with pace makers ,hearing aids and instruments in hospitals , Doctors offices, The city gets a payment but not for the citizens for the installation of protection for themselfs, It has cot me so far $7000 and still I suffer

July 21, 2007 8:01 PM
 

Michael Thompson said:

Almost every thoughtful human being instinctively senses that humankind's RAPIDLY escalating health and behavioral problems are OBVIOUSLY connected with massive pollution of OUR environment. As always, those NOT blinded by insatiable (and insensitive) greed for more and more excess money, that is: more and more excess sensory enjoyments, must STAND UP and RESIST the HYPE, for the sake of the not-yet-aware, the duped, the innocent - children and animals, the not-yet-born, for the sake of ourselves. Hatred, in any form, always has a reason...and the reason's always a lie. Love - doesn't need one. Love yourselves, love your children, love your neighbors, love your planet... Tell 'em, "NO, thank-you!"

July 26, 2007 12:18 PM
 

RobertS said:

We are currently trying to prevent a cellular subscriber from installing a cell tower on the roof of our condominium building in New York. Can anyone point us to a report that we can use as a reference that a cell tower reduces property value nearby. In addition, can anyone recommend a resource that can generate such a report or potentially speak at a hearing. I'm not sure if this resource needs to be an expert in cellular technology or in real estate.
October 18, 2007 10:41 AM

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