Nocatee Says NO! Risky Cell Tower Threatens Health, Safety, and Environment
Nocatee Says NO! Risky Cell Tower Threatens Health, Safety, and Environment
The Issue
We're on the news:
nocatee-neighbors-fear-cell-tower-proposal-creates-concerning-precedent-future-development
https://jaxtoday.org/2024/08/19/nocatee-residents-beg-jacksonville-to-kill-cell-tower-plan/
6/20 planning commission meeting resulted in a tie vote 3-3. Following the Town Hall on 7/10, Councilman Arias requested the hearing schedule to be pushed out further to 8/22. The 8/22 meeting has been deferred again! Updated date below!
Project Deferred to below date:
PUBLIC HEARING September 19th at 1 PM - 214 N. Hogan Street (Ed Ball Building), 1st Floor Hearing Room 1002
Please come together to remind the City of Jacksonville that setbacks are crucial for our community’s well-being, and that the developers have other options, whereas we do not! We need a huge turnout to make an impact.
City of Jacksonville City Council District 11 - Raul Arias (904) 255-5211 or AriasR@coj.net
St. John's County Commissioner District 4 - Krista Joseph (904) 209-0304 or bcc4kjoseph@sjcfl.us
NOTE: You do not need to donate to sign. Funds contributed go directly to Change.org for the promotion of the petition to others who are likely to sign. A go fund me has been set up for donations for legal representation: https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-nocatee-wetland-and-stop-rezoning-for-cell-tower
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Petition for Denial of Rezoning Property at 0 Coastal Ridge Boulevard (Parcel No. 168149 9900)
We, the undersigned residents of Nocatee and concerned citizens, petition the City of Jacksonville to deny CTW-24-02 (previously Ordinance #2024-0415), which proposes to rezone the property located at 0 Coastal Ridge Boulevard (Coastal Ridge PUD) and grant a variance to the current City wireless communication tower setback requirements and requirement that the tower must be located outside of the urban/surban area where people live.
We strongly oppose the rezoning and variance for the following reasons:
Resiliency Disruption:
o Two high-voltage 138 kV power lines serving a large portion of Duval County and northern St. Johns County are located within 170 feet of the proposed tower. A fallen tower or related equipment could cause outages for over 35,000 residents (per Beaches Energy website).
o Valley Ridge Boulevard, the main access road for several Nocatee communities with over 3,000 homes, would be significantly impacted by a fallen tower or equipment, disrupting emergency services and daily commutes. Artisan Lakes, a 55+ community and the other communities near the parcel location would rely on emergency vehicles diverting an extra 2 miles to reach their homes.
Safety Issues:
o Nocatee is a family-oriented community with many residents using Valley Ridge Boulevard for walking, biking, and golf carting to their homes and to access the northern entrance of the Nocatee greenway trail. The proposed variance to the setback would place the cell tower dangerously close to Valley Ridge Boulevard and puts pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at risk of serious injury or death in the event of a tower failure.
Community Impact:
o Studies by reputable organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) raise concerns about the potential health effects of long-term exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) emitted by cell towers, especially for developing children.
o In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields (from cell towers) as a 2B possible carcinogen (see reference section below). This classification, based on evidence suggesting an increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, raises significant public health concerns, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and elderly.
o The proposed tower is situated within concerning distances of schools, residential areas, and a senior community:
- 730 feet of Saint John Paul II Early Learning Center
- 240 feet of Kelly Pointe neighborhood
- 624 feet of Saint John Paul II Catholic Church
- 555 feet of The Palms neighborhood
- 1,000 feet of Artisan Lakes (55+) community
Decreased Property Values:
o Studies indicate a potential decrease in property values near cell towers due to aesthetics and health concerns. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers cell towers as “Hazards and Nuisances”. Studies indicate a decrease of up to 20% in property values near cell towers.
Environmental Impact:
o Tree removal and impacts during construction may adversely affect potential threatened plant and animal species, destroying critical habitat. The reduction of the minimum setback requirement from 340’ to 54’ would have permanent effect on the wetland habitat.
o The electric easement directly east of the proposed site contains suitable gopher tortoise habitat. This area is known to be abundant with protected gopher tortoises and burrows. Reduction of setbacks allows encroachment into their habit endangering this state-listed threatened species.
City of Jacksonville Risk:
o The City of Jacksonville has a responsibility to prioritize the health and safety of its community. The recommendation of the Planning and Development Department was to deny the application for rezoning on the basis that this project fails to comply with the setback requirements of the City of Jacksonville Zoning Code for transportation view corridors, residential dwellings, and wetlands. Granting a variance for this tower exposes the City to potential liability concerning public health, especially near schools and vulnerable populations.
Based on the aforementioned concerns, including the IARC classification of RF-EMFs as possibly carcinogenic (Group 2B), potential disruption of critical infrastructure, safety risks for residents, negative impact on community health, property values, and the environment, we strongly urge the City of Jacksonville to deny Ordinance #2024-0415 and protect the health and well-being of our community.
References:
IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf
Powerlines and Cell Antennas Lower Property Values (https://ehtrust.org/cell-phone-towers-lower-property-values-documentation-research/
1,568
The Issue
We're on the news:
nocatee-neighbors-fear-cell-tower-proposal-creates-concerning-precedent-future-development
https://jaxtoday.org/2024/08/19/nocatee-residents-beg-jacksonville-to-kill-cell-tower-plan/
6/20 planning commission meeting resulted in a tie vote 3-3. Following the Town Hall on 7/10, Councilman Arias requested the hearing schedule to be pushed out further to 8/22. The 8/22 meeting has been deferred again! Updated date below!
Project Deferred to below date:
PUBLIC HEARING September 19th at 1 PM - 214 N. Hogan Street (Ed Ball Building), 1st Floor Hearing Room 1002
Please come together to remind the City of Jacksonville that setbacks are crucial for our community’s well-being, and that the developers have other options, whereas we do not! We need a huge turnout to make an impact.
City of Jacksonville City Council District 11 - Raul Arias (904) 255-5211 or AriasR@coj.net
St. John's County Commissioner District 4 - Krista Joseph (904) 209-0304 or bcc4kjoseph@sjcfl.us
NOTE: You do not need to donate to sign. Funds contributed go directly to Change.org for the promotion of the petition to others who are likely to sign. A go fund me has been set up for donations for legal representation: https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-nocatee-wetland-and-stop-rezoning-for-cell-tower
----------------------------------------
Petition for Denial of Rezoning Property at 0 Coastal Ridge Boulevard (Parcel No. 168149 9900)
We, the undersigned residents of Nocatee and concerned citizens, petition the City of Jacksonville to deny CTW-24-02 (previously Ordinance #2024-0415), which proposes to rezone the property located at 0 Coastal Ridge Boulevard (Coastal Ridge PUD) and grant a variance to the current City wireless communication tower setback requirements and requirement that the tower must be located outside of the urban/surban area where people live.
We strongly oppose the rezoning and variance for the following reasons:
Resiliency Disruption:
o Two high-voltage 138 kV power lines serving a large portion of Duval County and northern St. Johns County are located within 170 feet of the proposed tower. A fallen tower or related equipment could cause outages for over 35,000 residents (per Beaches Energy website).
o Valley Ridge Boulevard, the main access road for several Nocatee communities with over 3,000 homes, would be significantly impacted by a fallen tower or equipment, disrupting emergency services and daily commutes. Artisan Lakes, a 55+ community and the other communities near the parcel location would rely on emergency vehicles diverting an extra 2 miles to reach their homes.
Safety Issues:
o Nocatee is a family-oriented community with many residents using Valley Ridge Boulevard for walking, biking, and golf carting to their homes and to access the northern entrance of the Nocatee greenway trail. The proposed variance to the setback would place the cell tower dangerously close to Valley Ridge Boulevard and puts pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at risk of serious injury or death in the event of a tower failure.
Community Impact:
o Studies by reputable organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) raise concerns about the potential health effects of long-term exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) emitted by cell towers, especially for developing children.
o In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields (from cell towers) as a 2B possible carcinogen (see reference section below). This classification, based on evidence suggesting an increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, raises significant public health concerns, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and elderly.
o The proposed tower is situated within concerning distances of schools, residential areas, and a senior community:
- 730 feet of Saint John Paul II Early Learning Center
- 240 feet of Kelly Pointe neighborhood
- 624 feet of Saint John Paul II Catholic Church
- 555 feet of The Palms neighborhood
- 1,000 feet of Artisan Lakes (55+) community
Decreased Property Values:
o Studies indicate a potential decrease in property values near cell towers due to aesthetics and health concerns. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers cell towers as “Hazards and Nuisances”. Studies indicate a decrease of up to 20% in property values near cell towers.
Environmental Impact:
o Tree removal and impacts during construction may adversely affect potential threatened plant and animal species, destroying critical habitat. The reduction of the minimum setback requirement from 340’ to 54’ would have permanent effect on the wetland habitat.
o The electric easement directly east of the proposed site contains suitable gopher tortoise habitat. This area is known to be abundant with protected gopher tortoises and burrows. Reduction of setbacks allows encroachment into their habit endangering this state-listed threatened species.
City of Jacksonville Risk:
o The City of Jacksonville has a responsibility to prioritize the health and safety of its community. The recommendation of the Planning and Development Department was to deny the application for rezoning on the basis that this project fails to comply with the setback requirements of the City of Jacksonville Zoning Code for transportation view corridors, residential dwellings, and wetlands. Granting a variance for this tower exposes the City to potential liability concerning public health, especially near schools and vulnerable populations.
Based on the aforementioned concerns, including the IARC classification of RF-EMFs as possibly carcinogenic (Group 2B), potential disruption of critical infrastructure, safety risks for residents, negative impact on community health, property values, and the environment, we strongly urge the City of Jacksonville to deny Ordinance #2024-0415 and protect the health and well-being of our community.
References:
IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf
Powerlines and Cell Antennas Lower Property Values (https://ehtrust.org/cell-phone-towers-lower-property-values-documentation-research/
1,568
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Petition created on June 15, 2024