la Selva Beach residents upset over new Verizon cell tower

“I feel powerless, I have no say about what’s going to happen right in my backyard.,” said Lisa Frost, a La Selva Beach resident

Residents on Elena Road say they do not want to see, hear or feel the impacts of a proposed Verizon Wireless cell tower in La Selva Beach.

“I have two eight-year-old children, I do not want to be living close to something that is questionable like that,” said Frost.

A mock up version has been installed for the nearly 50 foot facility.

County of Santa Cruz assistant planning director Wanda Williams says she approved the cell tower project last Friday because it will improve cell service in the area.

The tower will be disguised as a water tower and go up in a prime location.

“It would not take out of use existing agricultural farmlands which is very important to this county and to this area,” said Williams.

Residents say they’re concerned about the cell tower that will be located about 400 feet away at 105 Alta Drive.

They think it will be an eyesore, possibly noisy with radio frequencies they believe can be harmful.

“People they don’t want to be the guinea pigs to find out 20 years later of yes actually this is a problem,” said Frost.

Residents are also anxious about potential environmental impacts on local species and that their property values will also take a hit.

“It’s going to be made to look like a water tower, it won’t have water in it, it will be a cell tower,” said Elena Road resident David Craig.

Advantage Properties broker and owner Michael Casserd believes the cell tower will actually help property values.

“it’s a plus or an enhancement that we have cell service especially for people that have health needs,” said Casserd.

Residents also feel there was not enough due diligence when it came to notifying them about the project.

“There were some notification inconsistencies,” said Craig. “Instead of on the property the sign was placed across the other way.”

Some neighbors say getting notification just a few days before Christmas is unfair.

The planning department says they sent out multiple forms of notices prior to their decisions.

“If there was a noticing minor error that it did not go to the heart of this application and did not prevent me from making findings that this was the appropriate location for this propsosed cell tower,” said Williams.

There is a 14 calendar day appeal period for the tower.

Resident tell us they have already started the process.