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Residents praise centennial gala and raise concerns about trash service, possible developer ties and nearby cell towers
Summary
Multiple residents praised the city’s centennial gala and recent street work but raised separate concerns during public comment: a resident questioned whether missed trash-service days should lead to bill adjustments, another alleged potential developer ties influencing hotel approvals, and a parent asked about health risks from cell towers near schools.
Several residents addressed the Placentia City Council on Feb. 3, offering praise and raising questions ranging from contractor safety to possible conflicts of interest and health concerns about cell towers near schools.
John Beltran, a resident of the South Ponderosa neighborhood, praised recent repaving work and ADA curb upgrades on Brookhaven, said the project came in under budget and thanked staff and contractors for their engagement with the community.
"The contractors that were executing the work did a great job. They were polite, professional," Beltran said, adding he appreciated the ADA improvements for children walking to school.
Jeff Buchanan raised multiple concerns. He asked whether the city, when negotiating with a trash hauler that misses service, could secure a reduction in residents’ bills. Buchanan also alleged that a council member might have a financial relationship with a developer that affected hotel approvals, saying the council declined a hotel at one site but later approved a different hotel where he believed the council member had ties. "I wonder if there's some financial gain," Buchanan said during public comment; that allegation was not directly addressed by a council member in the meeting record.
Andrea Coleman said she is concerned about a cell tower near her children's school at Coach Park and cited mixed studies about long-term health effects. "I have one child that went through Golden, I have one that's there now... I'm concerned about the safety of the cell towers," she said, and said the FCC directed her to file a complaint and provided consultant referrals. Mayor Ivanka replied that the city’s authority to control cell tower placement is limited but that staff would reach out to Coleman.
Craig Green, a longtime resident, offered a positive note, congratulating staff (naming Lehi Getfel) on a successful centennial gala.
No formal action was taken on the allegations or some of the safety concerns at the meeting; the mayor said staff would follow up separately on the cell-tower inquiry and the city continues to enforce traffic and contractor safety rules.
