Commission approves 60-foot “mono eucalyptus” cell tower at South Hills Country Club

The West Covina Planning Commission on April 22 approved a conditional use permit for a 60-foot freestanding wireless telecommunications facility designed to resemble a eucalyptus tree at South Hills Country Club, near East Cameron Avenue and South Barranca Street.

Assistant Planner Amy Davis told the commission the applicant seeks the permit to fill a documented coverage gap and that the proposal meets the city's development rules for telecommunication facilities. "The proposed facility . . . will be located on the easterly portion of the country club," Davis said during her staff report, and she noted the nearest residence is about 136 feet from the proposed site and the nearest existing facility is about 3,500 feet away at Cortez Park.

The staff report said the city—s zoning code allows freestanding wireless facilities in residential zones only with an approved conditional use permit; the proposed design includes a trunk and three branch sections with three horizontal arrays and a total of 12 panel antennas, plus an equipment shelter and generator inside a 30-by-30-foot lease area enclosed by a six-foot block wall. Davis also noted the staff determination that the proposal is categorically exempt from CEQA under the staff-cited provision, and she referenced the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 as limiting local review to aesthetics and siting, not health impacts.

The applicant—s authorized agent for Verizon, identified in the record as a Spectrum Services representative, said he had no prepared statement but was "available to answer any questions of the commission." Commissioners questioned the applicant and members of the public about alternative locations on the country club property, site access and the reasons the selected site was chosen. The applicant—s representative said engineers and the country club general manager reviewed several sites and concluded the chosen location best fills the coverage gap while balancing access and utility needs.

Speakers at public comment were divided. Supporters, including members and officers of South Hills Country Club, said poor reception at the club has affected members and doctors who use the facility and urged approval. Peter Davis and Rod Perryman said they experience dropped calls and limited service at and near the site. Opponents raised concerns about health risks, property values and the tower—s proximity to South Hills High School. Several speakers expressly asked commissioners to seek other locations farther from homes and schools; others argued federal law limits the commission's authority to deny the application based on health concerns.

Commissioners discussed alternative locations at length. Commissioner comments repeatedly referenced the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, with one commissioner noting that federal law prohibits local agencies from basing decisions on radio-frequency emissions or health concerns and limits denials to aesthetic grounds supported by substantial evidence. After discussion the commission moved to adopt Resolution No. 14-5609 approving the conditional use permit; the motion carried (recorded as "Carries 3-0"). The decision is final unless appealed to the City Council within 10 days of the meeting.

The staff report and materials provided to the commission included a petition of more than 100 signatures opposing the proposal and an attorney's submission from Verizon provided to the dais for the record. The project record shows the applicant previously delayed an earlier public hearing in 2013 and that a mono-eucalyptus design has been installed or approved in other nearby locations, according to staff.

Formal action

- Resolution: 14-5609 — approval of Conditional Use Permit to install a 60-foot freestanding wireless telecommunications facility (mono eucalyptus) at South Hills Country Club, 2655 South Citrus Street. - Vote: Carries 3-0 (yes: 3; no: 0; abstain/recused: references to a conflict were made earlier in the hearing and a recusal occurred; mover/second not specified on the record). The decision may be appealed to the City Council within 10 days.

What the decision does and does not address

The commission's approval affirms that the proposed design and siting meet applicable zoning standards cited by staff (setbacks, required separation from other facilities and design standards). The staff and the commission noted explicitly that they are constrained by the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 from considering health and radio-frequency emission concerns in the local land-use decision; such matters are outside the city's review authority according to the staff report.

Next steps

Because the action approved a conditional use permit, implementation will follow standard building-permit and lease-execution processes and is subject to any appeal that the record allows. The staff report lists the project as categorically exempt per the CEQA provision cited in the staff presentation.