'Grossly out of scale': Proposed tree-like cell phone tower draws criticism in Cambria
A 78.5-foot-tall monopine telecommunications tower that Sprint Corp. wants to install at Sheffield Street and Hartford Drive in Cambria has drawn sharp protests from neighbors and the attention of the North Coast Advisory Council.
The council will consider the proposal at its Wednesday meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Rabobank community room, 1070 Main St.
The council’s Land Use Committee unanimously recommended denial of the proposed tower, disguised to look like a tree, saying the project is incompatible and “grossly out of scale” with the surrounding single-family homes, would be “highly visible” from Main Street and affect views from Highway 1.
The structure would be placed on a steep downslope, set back from the street by only 5 feet, rather than the 20 feet that the residential zoning requires, and be visible from Main Street in the West Village, according to the report by committee co-chair Don Sather.
San Luis Obispo County will ultimately rule on the proposal.
Concerned citizens have objected strongly in feedback to the council, finding issue with the proposed tower’s placement on a hairpin corner at 812 Hartford St., along with the project’s size, appearance, location in a wind “funnel,” impact on views and property values and perceived health hazards.
The 256-square-foot installation would be on property owned by Molnar Properties of Cayucos, and sits behind a brewery and restaurant, according to NCAC Chairwoman Susan McDonald.
“The monopine structure will carry 7-foot-tall panel antennas, and the project will include an 8-foot-tall equipment enclosure topped by a chain-link fence,” she said.
The elected council advises District 2 Supervisor Bruce Gibson, the county Department of Building and Planning and other county departments.
This story was originally published June 16, 2018 at 10:58 AM with the headline "'Grossly out of scale': Proposed tree-like cell phone tower draws criticism in Cambria."