As the demand for data grows, in the Bay Area, some cities like Danville are trying to balance the need for strong cell phone signals verses the concerns of their residents about small cell towers popping up on city light poles and power poles.
Danville, like most Bay Area cities, is growing quickly.
The demand on the cell phone networks is being pushed.
The cell phone network providers want to add these micro towers called small cells to existing city infrastructure to boost cell signals.
These are typically added to the tops of light poles or power poles.
Danville is one of many East Bay cities that some of the carriers want to place these small cells throughout the downtown area and neighborhoods.
They may be small, but they are still a cell tower, and that has some people worried what they will look like, aesthetically or radiation concerns.
A flyer is circulating on social media calling for Danville residents to show up to a City Council meeting on Tuesday night and oppose an ordinance the council is voting on that may make it easier for the carriers to add these small cells.
“There is little a city can do with cell tower regulation,” said Tai Williams, Danville Assistant Town Manager.
Williams says the FCC handles cell phone tower regulation.
The only thing a city can do through their ordinance is enforce some minor cosmetic rules.
“It can only be this high, hide it as best you can, etc.” Williams said.
Williams says a few residents have contacted the city expressing radiation concerns over these small cell towers.
She says there is nothing the city can do about that.
They can’t deny the towers over those concerns.
“The federal government won’t let us deny over health issues,” she said.
