Resident raises health, property and wildlife concerns over proposed telecom pole on Boyscott Road

Charles Knapp, a Lawrence resident, used the public comment period at the March 3 Lawrence City Common Council meeting to describe preliminary outreach he said he received about a proposed communications pole on Boyscott Road and to raise concerns about potential effects on neighbors and wildlife.

Knapp said he spoke by phone with a person he identified as “Dave” in a permitting area for the company handling the project. “They’re planning on replacing that light pole, the 23 and a half foot light pole, with one that will end up being 43 foot tall, and with a little bit of equipment on top and then putting a new light back on it,” Knapp told the council. He said the caller indicated only preliminary permitting discussions had occurred.

Knapp told the council he had asked about a magnetic resonance report and said the company representative planned to follow up. He also said he and neighbors have measured current electromagnetic levels near their homes and intend to take more measurements if the pole is installed. Knapp said he was concerned about property values and asked whether other locations, such as poles along 50 Sixth Street or Fall Creek, might be used instead.

The remarks were made during the citizens’ comments portion of the meeting; no council action or formal presentation about the project was on the agenda. Knapp said he would contact Renee in the city permitting office to confirm whether preliminary discussions with the city had occurred and whether a permit had been filed.

The council did not respond with details about the project during the meeting. No permit filings, application numbers, company legal name, or engineering reports were presented to the council at the March 3 meeting.