CC 2024-07-23 Items Rec'd at Mtg. 1- mg
9.iia 12D24
COMMENTS TO THE ARROYO GRANDE CITY COUNCIL, JULY 23, 2024
By Garry Schmidt for the Sunrise Terrace Anti Cell Tower Taskforce
We are here calling attention to Verizon's lack of urgency to submit an application
for a new cell tower site. Federal law obligates cities to act with due diligence
when processing applications. There is no such obligation for Verizon when it
comes to their appeal. While the City met the 150-day shot clock deadline,
Verizon requested and received two shot clock pauses totaling 252 days. This
concession by the City was based on Verizon's expressed desire to study and
process an application for a more suitable site. So far it has taken Verizon four ,
months to send a contract offer to St. John's church, and that for a lease amount
well below what is typically agreed to. The contract must be negotiated before
the architects can begin work. Last time it took two and a half months to submit
an application after the architects began their work on the required maps.
I'm no expert on how this all works out, but it's reasonable to project that there
won't be a new application before the end of September at the soonest. If
received on Sept. 30, it leaves only 43 days for the City to process the application.
All this is to say that it looks very probable that Verizon will be asking for another
pause in the shot clock to keep their first project in play.
Verizon's foot dragging reflects their lack of concern for the stress and anxiety this
is causing those who would live under the shadow of their proposed tower. We
are here to ask the City of Arroyo Grande to bring this to closure. You could call
Verizon's contractors to remind them of this time crunch. If they are unable to
submit a new application in time to process before Nov. 15, we ask that you
inform them that a further pause in the shot clock will not be granted. In view of
their apparent lack of effort they could withdraw their appeal and accept that the
denial was based on valid points. If they insist on keeping it in play, we ask that
you schedule the hearing soon. This will relieve us from further stress. We have
provided you with ample Federal Court recognized "substantial evidence" upon
which you can base a decision to uphold the denial by the Planning Commission.
Hopefully you and your attorney will study this and act accordingly.
When the'Verizon reps visited the St. John's site the day after the four-hour long
meeting that led to the denial almost six months ago, they commented to the
hosts, "Verizon is not evil, it's just greedy". Now is the time for the City of Arroyo
Grande to stand up to this greed and remind Verizon that the City has a Federally
mandated say and interest in where cell towers are located. THANK YOU.