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Several residents have voiced concerns over proposed wireless facilities whose applications have been approved or are currently under review.
Roni Ben-David, a resident who has been in contact with city officials about the issue, said the city’s utilities subcommittee heard from several residents during a March meeting. However, she said the response did not adequately address their concerns.
During the meeting, Director of Engineering and Transportation Tanisha Werner said Federal Communications Commission regulations do not allow the city to prohibit small wireless facilities or deny applications. However, Werner noted that the city of San Mateo implemented tighter restrictions in response to similar concerns.
Several other residents also submitted written comments expressing apprehension during the meeting.
“There has been a complete lack of transparency and we feel blindsided by the city,” resident Jana Jacobs wrote. “We urge the city to pause its project until residents can be consulted.”
Council member Diane Howard, who sits on the subcommittee, acknowledged the health-related concerns.
“I’d rather hear if it has been studied and if it has been shown that there are no health issues or consequences due to these small cell wireless facilities,” Howard said during the meeting.
City officials have rejected the idea that they have power over the issue.
“We don’t actually manage the infrastructure associated with telecommunications,” said City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz. “That is held at the federal government level.”
However, not all residents are convinced that the City lacks any power to challenge the permits.
“San Mateo recently adopted new building codes to protect residential neighborhoods from telecommunication companies eager to place 5G towers directly adjacent to homes and schools,” said Martin Elliot, a resident who opposes these new permits.
“Despite my attempts to contact Council Member Howard and Mayor (Elmer Martínez) Saballos, I have yet to hear back on whether Redwood City intends to learn from San Mateo’s experience and adopt similar restrictions.”
At the time of publication, efforts to reach out to Martínez Saballos were unsuccessful.
Joel D. Moskowitz, director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health and a vocal critic of federal safety standards, explained the concerns.
“A substantial body of peer-reviewed research has found adverse health effects from exposure to the radio frequency radiation emitted by cell towers,” said Moskowitz.
Studies compiled by Moskowitz suggest that living near cell towers may increase the risk of headaches, sleep disturbances, memory problems, and even cancer, even when radiation levels fall below current federal safety limits.
The FCC says radiofrequency exposure limits are in place to mitigate risks.
A public records request revealed that Verizon and Crown Castle submitted 73 applications for wireless facilities between September 2023 and July 2024. Thirteen were approved, while the remaining 60 are under review.
While the city’s power is limited, “aesthetic standards” can be taken into consideration.
In response to similar concerns, the city of San Mateo updated its ordinance at the beginning of this year to provide timely notice to residents and allow appeals by those within 500 feet of the proposed wireless facilities.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows cities to regulate cell tower placement. However, if companies comply with FCC regulations, they can file a complaint if a permit is denied.
Residents said that they were alerted to the recent plans last summer via letters in the mail.
“We’re asking, ‘What’s the plan? Why are (the towers) being put there?’” said Ben-David. “They’re coming in quick.”
She added that there are fears of lowered property values if the remaining cell tower applications are approved without more discussion.
