PC 111313 - Laserfiche WebLink

home - buying public should ask if there are cell phone towers near the home being purchased. She stated that she would not necessarily trust a real estate person to tell her, and this would bring people into City Hall to find out the answers to that question. She inquired if there have been any studies to see what the antennas do to the water when they are attached to the water tank. She further inquired if it has been proven that radio frequency emissions that are in a concealed location emit lower radio frequency emissions. She indicated that she likes the fact that property owners within 300 feet will be notified of personal wireless service facilities applications. She noted that someone within 300 feet may not care while she, being within 600 feet away, may care. She then asked if the underlined texts in the staff report are what are being added to the Ordinance and if the strike - through are those being eliminated. With respect to noise, she indicated that she has been driving by a cell phone service facilities and has not noticed the noise because of the traffic noise and car noise, and she wondered what amount of noise a facility makes. Radha Sharma stated that she was a Site Acquisition and Zoning Specialist and works on behalf of the carriers to submit applications for proposed wireless facilities. She indicated that on behalf of her company, FMHC, she is speaking in support of the revised Ordinance as the current Ordinance does present difficulty in finding cell sites and finding property owners who would be willing to lease to wireless carriers. She stated that she is available for any questions regarding how they come about with determining where these cell sites are proposed and their applications. Barbara Leslie stated that she is the Director of External Affairs for AT &T so, obviously, her comments are somewhat guided to AT &T as a carrier, but obviously, to the industry in general. She thanked staff for looking at this issue. Ms. Leslie stated that as a carrier, AT &T is dealing across the country with tremendous demands on coverage and creating many coverage gaps because of the explosion of cellular technology everywhere. She indicated that one of the things that AT &T is doing to address the voice and data demands is to try and build facilities or modify or upgrade existing facilities. She noted that, as expressed by a previous speaker, the demands are getting greater, and cities like Pleasanton have many residents who probably have a tablet, a smart phone, or computers that are wireless, all of which are creating a lot of demand. She added that the way people living and work now is very different from what it used to be: they have a combined life where they are wanting to work at home, in different environments, and are also wanting to contact family members and do things sort of on the go and at all times; and that is what these devices are designed for. She noted that AT &T, as the industry, does not make these devices but are trying to speak to and provide the bandwidth for these devices. Ms. Leslie stated that Pleasanton has been a somewhat challenging city for AT &T in the past, and so it is very interested in these modifications. She indicated that she thinks Commissioner Ritter made a very good point and that these proposals do address many of the issues that AT &T currently has. She added that the sort of arbitrariness of the 300 feet versus the aesthetic control and discretion that the Commission has as a body is really PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 13, 2013 Page 45 of 50