Letter to the Editor: AT&T Should Not Be Allowed to Put Antennas on Gramatan Tower
To the Editor:
Mar. 6, 2019: As a (nearly) lifelong resident of Bronxville, I am writing to express my concern about the cell phone antennas that AT&T/Cingular proposes to construct on top of the elevator tower at 7 Pondfield Road. My wife and I along with our three young sons live very close to this tower – a mere 100 feet from the proposed antennas.
AT&T’s original submission on Radio Frequency (RF) states: “Using upper limit assumptions for AT&T equipment configurations the cumulative radio-frequency exposure levels would be less than 1% of the applicable FCC standards at all locations of public access.” A subsequent submission states that one location is above the 1% mark. That’s where I live and it’s 7.9%.
The FCC says cell phone antennas are safe, but all of the documentation I’ve read in the AT&T proposal is based on radiation that reaches someone on the ground. My family and I live much closer than these presumed pedestrians and we live here all the time.
Is microwave radiation really safe? Noted scientists and doctors from around the world do not think so. In fact, a number of our government departments have expressed concerns with the FCC, which is clearly industry-influenced.
Aside from safety concerns, I also take issue with the aesthetic impact the proposed cell tower raises. We live in a beautiful village with amazing architecture. AT&T’s plans call for a significant change in the size of the tower top along with some change in the roofline that is not entirely clear. This is something that needs further review to ensure that we don’t mar the skyline of downtown Bronxville.
Finally, my neighbors and I are concerned about protecting the value of our homes. What prospective buyer would want to live this close to a cell phone tower? If the cell phone maps are correct, I can’t find any towers that are located within residential areas in Bronxville. If this was proposed for the top of Crow’s Nest would it have even made it this far in the process?
To sum up, I believe that AT&T should find a solution that doesn’t have antennas bombarding our homes with RF. Surely there are more suitable locations. I find it interesting that multiple co-ops in Bronxville have already turned them down. Could the village not put up a dedicated cell phone tower at village hall and collect the fees to support our local government instead of enriching commercial property owners to the detriment of our health and property values?
Robert W. Deichert Jr.
Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.
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Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
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