Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting - December 14, 2023

On December 14, 2023, the Santa Rosa Planning Commission held a regular meeting. The primary action was postponing the public hearing for a proposed Verizon wireless telecommunication tower at 244 Colgan Avenue to January 11, 2024, at the applicant's request. The commission heard extensive public testimony opposing the project before the postponement. The meeting also included a brief department report on staffing changes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carmen Gonzalez thanked the applicant for extending the hearing to January 11 and requested a similar postponement for a December 21 Design Review Board meeting.
• Richard Boyd (retired physics professor) opposed the Colgan Avenue location, criticizing FCC radio frequency radiation limits as inadequate for long-term exposure and citing potential health risks. He urged the commission to return the proposal without suggestion.
• Paul Andre Shabrak cited a zoning ordinance prohibiting commercial telecommunications facilities in high-density residential zones and raised safety concerns about fall zones, electrical code compliance, and FHA loan restrictions. He argued that a service coverage gap had not been properly demonstrated.
• Michelle Messino de Luca (Vintage Park resident) noted the tower would be less than 500 feet from her 120-unit senior apartment complex, expressing concern for vulnerable residents with health conditions. She stated four other neighbors had COVID and could not attend.
• Melody Stewart (urban planning master's degree, resident across from the site) opposed the location, stating that Verizon coverage already exists and that the process lacked adequate public notification. She noted the property owner was unaware of the tower's impact.
• Kim Schroeder (Santa Rosa native) argued that Verizon has not proven a coverage gap, presented evidence of health risks from wireless radiation, and cited a 2021 DC Circuit Court ruling that FCC safety limits are outdated. She urged the commission to demand a service gap demonstration.
• Unidentified speaker noted the proposed tower lies within a cluster of four other cells, questioned the need, and raised concerns about emissions exceeding safe standards, noise from a 30 kW generator, and inappropriate height (69 feet) and design. He criticized the notification timing (during Thanksgiving week) as cynical.
• Sydney Cox (co-director of EMF Safety Network, Safe Tech for Santa Rosa) submitted an eight-page report citing personal harm from RFR, microplastic toxins from fake pine needles, and RFR levels exceeding permissible exposure even with mitigation. She noted no detailed fire safety report and potential for future co-location. She argued Verizon has 40 telecom sites in Santa Rosa, so a coverage gap is unlikely.
• Jennifer Laporta (retired registered environmental health specialist, Safe Tech for Santa Rosa) stated there is no gap in service for Verizon and that the towers are for streaming, not essential services. She claimed firefighters are exempt from having towers at stations due to cognitive impairment risks. She compared the issue to tobacco and called EMFs a pollution.
• Marty Granucci (Vintage Park senior apartment resident) strongly objected to the tower location, noting it is about 50 feet from the apartment complex and would affect thousands. He referenced advertising for 10G and cited potential harm from complex RF radiation.
• Ed Nessinger (property owner at 244 Colgan Avenue) defended the project, questioning the public's willingness to give up modern conveniences like cell phones, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. He challenged opponents to turn off their phones, but his comments were cut short by the chair.

Discussion Items

• Postponement Request: Chair Weeks announced that the applicant requested postponement of Item 9.1 (Verizon tower) to January 11, 2024. Staff clarified that the Design Review Board meeting on December 21 would similarly be continued to January 18, 2024, with opportunity for public comment on non-agenda items.
• Commissioner Reports: No reports.
• Department Report: Planning Director Ms. Jones noted the December 28 meeting is canceled. She announced recent staff departures: Amy Lyle, Beatrice Guerrero, and Sherry Meads, with a recruitment for a planner upcoming.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to Continue: Commissioner Duggan moved to continue Item 9.1 (Verizon wireless telecommunication tower conditional use permit) to a date certain of January 11, 2024. Commissioner Sisko seconded. The motion passed unanimously (6-0, with Commissioner Peterson absent).
• Next Steps: The public hearing on the tower will occur on January 11, 2024. The Design Review Board item is continued to January 18, 2024. No additional notices will be sent because continuances are to date certain.