October 25, 2022. A sad day. Thrive 2050 and ZTA 22-01 were both passed by the Montgomery County Council. This is not over! We will not stand by and allow cell towers 30 feet from our homes! We won’t stand for gentrification and displacement! “Shame on all of you — we hold you accountable,” yelled a woman in the audience after the vote for ZTA 22-01. WTOP: New Rules Make 5G Expansion Easier in Montgomery County […]
Continue readingTag Archives: ZTA19-07
MoCo Residents have had enough of the false claims by the Telecom industry and their lobbyists AND by Councilmember Hans Riemer
Council’s narratives about residential wireless zoning requirements cannot be squared with what the FCC guidance actually states. THERE IS NO FCC REQUIREMENT! The following is an excerpt of a report by Montgomery County Clear Vistas. Read the entire document here. Background Information: Zoning Text Amendments relating to “small” wireless facilities On July 27, 2021, the Council approved Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-07, which enables deployment of telecommunications towers in County rights-of-way in residential and agricultural […]
Continue readingTakoma Park City Council Sends Letter Opposing the Passage of ZTA 19-07
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 readingFor Immediate Release. Statement by Rick Meyer, Executive Director, Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers (MC4T) –Whoops, PHED Committee Chair Goofs Again; ZTA 19-07 Needs Big Band-Aid
For Immediate Release Statement by: Rick Meyer, Executive Director,Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers (MC4T) Whoops, PHED Committee Chair Goofs Again; ZTA 19-07 Needs Big Band-Aid Councilmember Hans Reimer is fully admitting that he and the wireless industry lobbyists, who last year essentially spoon-fed the Montgomery County Council zoning language for ZTA 19-07, made a Titanic-sized mistake. A mistake so big it requires a “Mulligan ZTA” to repair a giant hole. Today, […]
Continue readingJan. 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 readingAn Unsupported Rationale: The So-Called Legal Case for Montgomery County’s ZTA 19-07 Falls Apart
July 12, 2021 Peter L. Kahn, J.D., Ph.D. Montgomery County Resident Summary The County Council appears poised to adopt ZTA 19-07 in part because some members believe that doing so is legally required. That is simply not the case. Give the Community a Voice: Support A Stakeholder Advisory Group. E-MAIL THE COUNTY COUNCIL TODAY IN LESS THAN A MINUTE! One basis for believing this is the FCC’s Small Cell Orders of 2018, which proposes a […]
Continue readingBreaking News & Action Alert: County Executive Calls For Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Working Group For Cell Towers Siting in Residential Areas
“My staff and I have talked with many residents and industry representatives, and we have found them to be knowledgeable and willing to help improve the process. I would like to propose that we convene a working group comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders, including industry, residents, municipalities and homeowner/tenant associations and/or non-profit organizations. Staff support would be provided by Executive and Council staff. The group would have a limited time – perhaps 75 […]
Continue readingResearch Indicates that Trees are Harmed by Radio Frequency (RF) Radiation: Tell MoCo Leaders to Protect Trees in Our Neighborhoods!
RF Radiation Likely Harms Trees — Take Action to Protect Trees Now! The dense network of small-cell towers on poles in front of our homes that proposed County ZTA 19-07 promotes will require pruning and removal of untold number of trees. (Professional arborists’ rule of thumb is that if more than 25% of a tree canopy is to be pruned at any one time, the whole tree should be cut down. Even worse, research indicates […]
Continue readingUrgent Action: Cell Towers Coming to #MoCo Homes if ZTA 19-07 passes. Please share widely
Dear Mo Co Friends and Neighbors, This is it! The Mo Co Council is set to hold a work session on ZTA 19-07 that, if passed: Allows short “small” cell towers—also called wireless transmission facilities—to be placed as close as 30 feet—or less—from our homes. Our street lights can be replaced with these cell towers. Our utility poles can be replaced with these cell towers. No required notice or public hearing so long as they […]
Continue readingUrgent Action: Cell Towers Coming to #MoCo Homes if ZTA 19-07 passes. Please share widely
Dear Mo Co Friends and Neighbors, This is it! The Mo Co Council is set to hold a work session on ZTA 19-07 that Allows short “small” cell towers—also called wireless transmission facilities—to be placed as close as 30 feet—or less—from our homes. Our street lights can be replaced with these cell towers. Our utility poles can be replaced with these cell towers. No required notice or public hearing so long as they are 30 […]
Continue reading