Demand West Hollywood Deny Verizon Wireless Permission to Erect Cell Towers at St. Ambrose Church

PETITION IN OPPOSITION TO INSTALLATION OF A VERIZON CELL PHONE TOWER IN THE BELL TOWER AT THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ST. AMBROSE CHURCH LOCATED AT 1271 N. FAIRFAX AVE. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA
We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and community members strongly object to the placement of a 62-foot 6 inch tall cell phone tower placed within the bell tower of the St. Ambrose Church located in an R-4 zone of West Hollywood. We, the undersigned residents, business owners, and community members OPPOSE St. Ambrose Church’s and Verizon’s application for this cell phone tower for reasons including, but not limited, to the following:
1. DESTROYS THE AESTHETIC INTEGRITY OF THE ST. AMBROSE PROPERTY: St. Ambrose is a Catholic church designed by noted church architect Ross Montgomery in 1924. Ross Montgomery also designed such significant properties as St. Andrews Church in Pasadena, the St. Cecelia Catholic Church in Los Angeles, as well as helping to re-design the Mission Santa Barbara after an earthquake in 1925, designing the stucco mausoleum of the Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, and contributing to the Our Lady of Carmel Catholic Church in Montecito (with William Mullay). The nine eight foot antennas to be erected within the bell tower of St. Ambrose threaten to destroy the architectural intent of the designer. The bell tower employs clear modern lines to set off and frame the striking blue vista of sky contained within its rectangular frame, over which a cross is placed. The proposed nine antennas enclosed within the bell tower change the nature of the structure. To add nine antennas in to the middle of the clean blank space would destroy this visual statement of a cross reigning above beautifully framed heavens.

2. DESTROYS VIEWS, USE & ENJOYMENT: The Los Angeles County’s General Plan states that one of its primary goals and objectives is to “maintain and enhance the quality of existing residential neighborhoods.” The nine antennas contained in the bell tower will, as mentioned, change the nature of the church’s architecture. The church is in close proximity to residential homes and businesses, and it directly impacts the residents’ views, use and enjoyment of their properties.

3. LOWERS PROPERTY VALUES: The proposed 62-foot 6 inch cell phone tower would impact neighboring businesses such as Whole Foods, Just Food For Dogs, and Yogaworks. These are all businesses who depend on holistic health-conscious customers who could potentially shop elsewhere if they learn there is a cell tower near them. For residents, property tax assessments would also decrease. Many industry publications support the finding that residential properties located near cell phone towers lose significant value.

4. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY MENACE: The proposed 62 foot 6 foot cell phone tower would be built in close proximity to residential properties and a charter school, Larchmont Charter School, Fairfax Campus, which shares building structures and a parking lot with St. Ambrose Church. The cell tower constitutes a public health and safety menace. Cell phone towers are prone to collapse due to fire, fatigue, bad construction, and weather. A recent Wall Street Journal article found that as many as one out of ten cell towers are out of compliance with basic FCC safety rules (“Cell Phone Boom Spurs Antenna-Safety Worries,” WSJ, 10/2/2014). A faulty cell tower would put approximately 200 children, faculty, and staff at Larchmont Charter School, as well as countless neighbors in a densely populated area, at risk.

5. SETS A BAD PRECEDENT: The proposed 62-foot six inch cell phone tower, if constructed, sets a precedent for wireless carriers to build additional cell-phone towers on this property. The approval of this application will make it easier for other wireless carriers to install their cell phone towers in our communities near our schools. West Hollywood deserves the opportunity to set community standards regarding the new construction of cell phone towers, just like other cities within Los Angeles County have done (for example, the City of Glendale in 2010).

6. RESPECT FOR WEST HOLLYWOOD ZONING ORDINANCES: The proposed 62 foot 6 inch-foot cell-phone tower requires a variance (Variance VAR 15-0004) to lower the tower by seventeen and a half feet in lieu of the usual 80 foot height minimum requirement for antennas in the R4 Zoning District. The decreased height would lower the antenna, putting residents, school children, business owners, and customers in to closer proximity of its path in event of tower collapse or failure. These West Hollywood residents, school children, business owners, and customers would be adversely affected if the St. Ambrose Church and Verizon Wireless’ application is granted.
THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST that the West Hollywood Planning Commission revoke their authorization to allow Verizon Wireless to seek permits to build a cell phone tower in our neighborhood near residents, schools, and businesses.
WE FURTHER RESPECTFULLY REQUEST that the West Hollywood Planning Commission and the West Hollywood City Council join the residents, business owners, and community members below in OPPOSING St. Ambrose Church and Verizon Wireless’ application for a Conditional Use Permit and to recommend to the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning (DRP) that the application should be DENIED.
FINALLY, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST that the DRP DENY St. Ambrose Church and Verizon Wireless’ application for a conditional use permit.

-The Concerned Citizens of West Hollywood



















PETITION IN OPPOSITION TO INSTALLATION OF A VERIZON CELL PHONE TOWER IN THE BELL TOWER AT THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ST. AMBROSE CHURCH LOCATED AT 1271 N. FAIRFAX AVE. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA