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Cell tower protest planned

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By RONNIE BLAIR rblair@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 31, 2009

WESLEY CHAPEL - A group of residents plans to protest in front of Long Middle School on Monday to show their opposition to a cell tower being erected at the school.

Meadow Pointe resident Maria Laidley, whose son attends the school, is one of the parents leading the effort and sent an e-mail Thursday to friends trying to solicit more participants.

"The tower is intended to generate revenue - but instead it's generating controversy and creating a potential health hazard for our children and neighborhood," Laidley wrote.

The protesters plan to gather on Mansfield Boulevard from 8 to 8:30 a.m., during student drop-off time, and from 2:30 to 3 p.m., during pickup time. The goal is to inform parents abut the cell tower.
Laidley is hoping for about 40 demonstrators, maybe more. There is limited sidewalk space, though, and the protesters want to make sure they don't interfere with the flow of traffic, she said.

"It will be a very legal and polite (protest), but certainly a very strong and boisterous one," Laidley said.

The school board approved the cell tower for Long Middle in February 2008, but the construction has just begun.
Assistant Superintendent Dave Scanga said he has fielded about a half-dozen telephone calls and e-mails this week about the tower. One of the questions asked, he said, is why the tower is going up without any discussion.
Scanga said he explains the school board approved the tower in early 2008 and there was discussion then. School district staff members also researched the safety concerns at that time, including reviewing information from the American Cancer Society and the World Health Organization.

"The preponderance of the evidence suggests there is not a health risk to being near a cell tower," Scanga said. "Are there some dissenting opinions? Yes, as there always are in scientific research."
Cell towers at schools became a major issue in Hillsborough County this year after some parents expressed worries. In response, the Hillsborough County Commission changed land-use codes to create tighter restrictions on schools pursuing cell tower leases.

Now a public hearing is required before a tower can go up at a school in Hillsborough.
Cell towers provide extra income for school districts.

Under its contract with the tower builder, Tech Tower Partnership LLC, the school district stands to make $20,000 for each antenna added to the Long Middle tower, as well as rent of $9,000 to $12,000 a year from each tower tenant.

Long Middle won't be the only Pasco school with a cell tower.

One already exists at Fivay High, a school under construction at State Road 52 and Chicago Avenue near Hudson. The tower was on the property when the school district bought it. The Land O' Lakes High campus has had a tower for many years, said Chris Williams, the district's planning director.

Also, a cell tower is on property that the school board plans to buy for a middle school on Meadow Pointe Boulevard south of State Road 54.

In addition, the school board approved a contract for a tower at Seven Oaks Elementary in Wesley Chapel at the same time the Long Middle contract was approved. That tower hasn't moved forward, though, because the company and the school have yet to agree on a location, Williams said.

Meanwhile, two companies have submitted competing proposals to build a tower at Sunlake High in Land O' Lakes, Williams said.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 259-7065.

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