Be Proactive! Help Stop the AT&T Wireless Facility at Stevens Field/Lincoln Elementary, Olympia, WA

This petition is intended to send a clear and unambiguous message to AT&T, the City of Olympia, the Olympia School Board, and others with an interest in this project that we are completely and unwaveringly opposed to siting new wireless communication facilities at Stevens Field.  

Why you should sign:   AT&T has identified the water tower in Stevens Field Park as its preferred location for new wireless communications facilities (WCF) including an antennae array and a base station.  This location is on Olympia School District property and directly connected to Lincoln Elementary School Grounds. This property is also located in a Registered Historical Neighborhood. The City’s current WCF ordinance prohibits the installation of a wireless facility on this property. However, AT&T has submitted an official application to amend the City municipal code to allow them to site WCF facilities on the Stevens Field water tower and to make it easier for them to site new wireless facilities in residential neighborhoods across the City.

Representatives from Lincoln school and neighborhood representatives have been working with AT&T to identify alternative sites. However, at this point, AT&T has told us the Stevens Field water tower is the only location they’ve been able to find that will close the coverage gaps they’ve identified along the 1-5 corridor and in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Although we recognize that demand for wireless services is growing and that new facilities will need to be built to meet that demand, we have two primary objections to the Stevens Field site.

1. Health effects on children

We are opposed to siting new WCF facilities within such close proximity to the hundreds of young children that attend Lincoln School and who use the school grounds and Stevens Field every day. Although emerging research about possible negative health risks from electromagnetic radiation from cell towers has not been accepted by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and cannot be used as a reason to block cell tower siting, Many research studies show that children are more susceptible to environmental pollutants including electromagnetic frequencies. For this reason, we strongly believe the precautionary principal should be applied to this project. This principle states that “when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically

1. Historic preservation and property values

This property is located in the South Capitol Neighborhood, the first neighborhood in the State of WA to be put on the national historic register. The WA State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation did a study that showed that homes in historic neighborhoods sell for prices that are approximately 10% higher than comparable homes in other neighborhoods. People purchased properties in the South Capitol neighborhood with the understanding that certain types of development were prohibited including the construction of wireless communication facilities. Many City ordinances including the WCF ordinance were adopted to protect the character of historic neighborhoods. If the WCF ordinance is amended, the historic character of the neighborhood will be diminished and property owners may see their property values decline.

When signing this petition please indicate in the “Notes” if you are a Lincoln Family, South Capital Neighborhood Resident, Wildwood Resident or an AT&T customer.

Please remember to forward this petition to your community. Together we can make a difference. Thank you!