The City Council has sent a letter to the Montgomery County Council opposing the passage of Zoning Text Amendment 19-07 (Telecommunications Towers – Limited Use) as currently drafted. “The City of Takoma Park wants every resident of Montgomery County to have equitable access to affordable broadband internet. However, everyone should have a voice in the planning process. This ZTA, as currently drafted, would cut municipalities and residents out of the planning and siting process for […]
Continue readingTag Archives: Administrative Review
Jan. 18th, 2022 Testimony for Montgomery County Council Hearings on Resolutions to Implement Rules and Fees Related to ZTA 19-07
Jan. 18th , 2022 Testimony for Montgomery County Council Hearings on Resolutions to Implement Rules and Fees Related to ZTA 19-07 Colleen Cordes, Takoma Park. Please reject both proposals to implement ZTA 19-07. Instead, immediately rescind ZTA 19-07. Don’t implement it while the FCC is in the midst of responding to its new court mandate to come up with a well-reasoned explanation for whatever exposure limits for wireless radiation it endorses. This should require the […]
Continue readingMark Your Calendar: Webinar Information Session: Cell Towers Coming to Residential Neighborhoods in Montgomery County Rick Meyer Presents on Montgomery County’s Broken Process for the Review and Oversight of Cell Towers and What You Need to Know About the 5G Cell Tower ZTA 19-07
Archived Community Submission 2021 This document was originally published in 2021 during public discussions regarding small cells, zoning amendment, problems with Montgomery County processes for cell tower siting. It is preserved here as part of the public record documenting resident engagement and expert commentary during that period. Watch Now! Montgomery County’s Broken Process for Review and Oversight of Cell Towers and What You Need to Know About ZTA 19-07 with Rick Meyer of the Montgomery […]
Continue readingWhat Do “Small” Cell Towers Look Like?
Photos of “small” cell towers and other wireless transmission facilities Junkyard right outside your home Here is what a cell tower looks like to a Montgomery Co. family that got a 68′ cell tower in their front yard because of a mistake. Eleven years later it’s still there despite her and her neighbors’ attempts at seeking remedy and testifying before the Montgomery County Council. Watch Vicki Huo’s 2021 Testimony on YouTube. Watch Vicki Huo’s 2019 […]
Continue readingTell the MoCo Council to First Fix Process for Reviewing and Approving Cell Poles — A MoCo Resident’s Plea
Archived Advocacy Post (February 2021) This post was originally published during discussions about antenna tower regulations in Montgomery County. It reflects concerns raised by residents regarding implementation and procedural issues at that time. Rick Meyer, President of Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers, describes issues with the cell tower permitting process and mistakes made. Watch Rick Meyer’s Testimony on YouTube. Montgomery Co. family got a 68′ cell tower in their front yard […]
Continue readingTell MoCo Council: Don’t Weaken Cell-Tower Rules — Especially Not While Major Cases Challenging the FCC’s Outdated Safety Standards are Being Litigated
Why would the County rush to allow tens of thousands of new residential cell towers under the FCC’s lax safety standards from 1996— BEFORE a court decision in a promising legal challenge to get the FCC to finally update them? Don’t MoCo residents deserve up-to-date protections? The case — Environmental Health Trust et al v. FCC — would push the FCC to finally re-align its exposure limits for radio-frequency radiation from cell towers, cellphones, and […]
Continue readingOpinion: Montgomery Council Must Act Now to Protect Residents From 5G Radiation (Maryland Matters)
Archived Opinion (2020) This opinion piece was published in March 2020 during early 5G small cell deployment debates in Montgomery County. It reflects concerns raised at the time regarding regulatory oversight and potential public health implications. In 2020, as small cell deployments expanded under state and federal regulatory frameworks, some residents and experts urged the Montgomery County Council to reassess oversight mechanisms and consider precautionary measures. Maryland Matters – March 6, 2020 “The next generation […]
Continue readingPublic Hearing on Front-Yard Cell Tower Placement (November 2019)
Archived Community Advocacy (November 2019) This post was originally published in advance of a November 2019 public hearing concerning proposed changes to cell tower siting rules in Montgomery County. It reflects concerns raised by residents regarding front-yard placement and setback standards at that time. The content is preserved here as part of the legislative history of ZTA-related proceedings. Let’s Pack the County Council Hearing to Oppose Cell Towers as Close as 30 Feet from Our […]
Continue readingCell Wireless Facility Application Spotlight: Utility Poles on Merrimac Drive Improperly Expanded BEFORE Tower Committee Decision on Proposed Wireless Facility – Takoma Park Should Deny Permit for Attachment
Archived News and Action alert (2019) This post is preserved as part of the public record and historical documentation of community engagement at that time. For broader regulatory and governance context, see: Prepared by Rick Meyer (mc4t.org) March 8, 2019 Takoma Park should reject application for permit to install wireless facility that may be requested by PEPCO on behalf of Crown Castle for attachment to utility pole located in front of 902 Merrimac Drive. The […]
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