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Planning Commission approves AT&T rooftop antennas at 901 Cole after neighborhood objections
Summary
The Planning Commission unanimously approved AT&T's conditional use permit to install up to nine rooftop panel antennas at 901 Cole Street after public health and siting objections from Cole Valley residents; AT&T and consultants said alternate sites were exhausted and offered post-installation RF testing.
The San Francisco Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a conditional use authorization allowing AT&T to place up to nine directional panel antennas and associated ground-level equipment at 901 Cole Street.
Planning staff presented the project as a preference-6 location that required an alternatives analysis and a third-party radio-frequency (RF) review. AT&T's presentation said it examined 17 alternative sites in the service area and submitted a third-party analysis to verify coverage and predicted impacts. AT&T's representative told commissioners the installation is needed to close a coverage gap near UCSF and local transit hubs and that the sponsor would offer RF measurements for concerned residents once the site is operational.
Several Cole Valley residents and community members urged denial, citing the site's proximity to families, a neighborhood elementary school and a densely populated intersection; some speakers presented petitions and asked for independent measurement options. Amy Hartley of Cole Valley told the commission, "I want to strongly urge the Planning Commission to reject the Conditional Use Permit application by AT and T for the proposed 9 cell antenna macro site facility at 901 Cole." Other speakers cited broader concerns about long-term health effects and referenced studies and World Health Organization findings in the public record.
AT&T and its consulting engineer described the proposed antennas as directional and explained that the older omni-directional antenna on some nearby sites would be removed in the replacement process; the sponsor said vertical and horizontal radiation patterns were modeled and that the proposed equipment complies with federal exposure guidelines. Consultant Dane Erickson, a registered professional engineer, described the vertical and horizontal antenna patterns and the methodologies used to confirm compliance.
Commissioners asked how residents could obtain post-installation readings; AT&T said it would perform on-site measurements for anyone within 25 feet of the facility and that the Department of Public Health also has the ability to take readings. Commissioner Antonini moved approval with conditions; the motion carried unanimously.
The commission approved the CUP with conditions, and staff will work with the sponsor to ensure the required post-installation measurements and compliance documentation are available to the public.
