Glendale City Council Has Agreed To Hear The Appeal From AT&T

AT&T had announced their plans to build a facility and a 60-foot-tall cell phone tower in Dunsmore Park a few months ago. However, the leading telecom company was forced to put their plans on hold as the Planning Commission decided to reject this proposal. However, AT&T will get another chance to go with this plan, as the Glendale City Council has agreed to hear the appeal from the Telco next month.

AT&T claimed that the planning commission “lacked substantial evidence” to discard the application submitted by the company. AT&T is planning to install a wireless facility, which will be disguised as a pine tree outside the diamond in Dunsmore Park.

The proposal from AT&T was turned down by four members of Planning Commission by citing the proposed facilities’ “incompatibility” with the present uses of the area. During the hearing, Commissioner Stephanie Landgren said, “Having a cell tower adjacent to an active recreation area is blatantly in opposition to what the North Glendale Vision Plan has stated.”

AT&T has fought two claims raised by the Planning Commission in their latest appeal. One of the claims raised by the members of the Commission was that the proposed tower might interfere with Dunsmore Park’s recreational use. The second claim was that the construction of this tower would bring seriously impact the roots of the protected Sycamore trees in the park.

AT&T also accused the Planning Commission for unreasonably discriminating the company. Officials from AT&T said that the proposed facility is exactly similar to the wireless facilities, which were formerly approved by the city. Reports say that the Telco has heavily leaned on the recommendation made by the city staff, which stated that the proposed facility is compatible to the society, and the alternative configurations are not “reasonably feasible” and it would “not increase community compatibility.”

According to the appeal, “AT&T’s proposed design is fully consistent with the city’s land-use regulations, and the proposed facility is the least intrusive means by which AT&T can fill the significant service coverage gap in the area.” AT&T’s plans to construct similar facilities in St. James Catholic Church, Valley View Elementary School, Clark Magnet High School, and at the Crescenta Valley Water District’s water tank on Cloud Avenue were also rejected, as they were not feasible or due to a lack of interest.