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Commission recommends approval of proposed Verizon cell tower at Antelope park site despite resident RF concerns
Summary
The commission recommended approval of a 50-foot telecom tower at 5127 Heartland Drive (Sunrise Recreation Park District property) after hearing public concern about radiofrequency exposure; the applicant said reuse of an existing T‑Mobile tower was rejected and submitted coverage and RF maps.
The Sacramento County Planning Commission recommended approval of a special development permit and design review for a proposed wireless telecommunications facility at 5127 Heartland Drive in the Antelope community.
Justin Gervendyk, representing Sequoia Deployment Services and Verizon, said the proposal would install a new tower at a park site after the applicant and park staff explored but were unable to reuse a nearby T‑Mobile tower. Gervendyk told the commission that reusing the existing tower would have required a 35-foot addition and the park declined that option; the applicant therefore proposed a standalone structure. Gervendyk said coverage maps show existing indoor coverage is lacking and that the new tower “would bring indoor network to the area” as shown in the application’s coverage exhibits.
A member of the public, Livingston Graves, testified he lives near T. Totem Park and raised concerns about RF and EMF exposure in a densely populated residential area. Graves asked whether the existing tower near the site was T‑Mobile and whether the new tower was necessary given the existing equipment. He said duration of exposure was his concern for nearby residents.
In rebuttal, the applicant confirmed the nearby tower is a T‑Mobile facility and said the project’s RF report includes exposure maps showing that public areas such as the tennis courts are within conservative exposure limits while nearby residences are not within the highest modeled exposure contours. Gervendyk referred commissioners to the applicant’s coverage maps and the RF report submitted with the application.
Vice Chair Borja noted the county’s standard height limit for towers is about 55 feet and said the proposed structure would be roughly 50 feet. He also said county staff and applicants are required to consider Federal Communications Commission guidelines for RF exposure when reviewing wireless proposals.
Borja moved to adopt staff recommendations; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote (Member Borja: yes; Chair Conklin: yes; Member Corona Savignano: yes; Member Verga: yes). Staff materials identify the Sunrise Recreation and Park District as the property owner and note that any required agreements with the park district are separate from the commission’s land-use action.
The record includes coverage maps and an RF report prepared for the project; the planning packet notes the environmental document for this item is a mitigated negative declaration.
