Company Eases Concerns About Cellular-Phone Tower

A recent meeting between AT&T officials and residents of a North Side neighborhood helped dispel myths about a proposed 100-foot tower for cellular telephone signals, one neighborhood leader says.

Sandy Smith organized the meeting after approval for the 100-foot tower at 6405 N. Addison was considered by the city hearing examiner. The company wants to place the tower on land owned by Tidyman’s.

“I understand the need for cellular telephones and the good service they provide. That wasn’t our concern,” said Smith. “Our concern was to provide information to the neighborhood.”

Smith said residents now feel better about the site but still would like to see landscaping to buffer the tower, fence and maintenance cubicle from the street. Health and safety issues were largely satisfied, she said.

“The first thing we envisioned was a monstrous radio tower,” she said. “But it’s really like a slim light pole. They provided a lot of information and some pictures.”

Smith said as more such facilities get placed in neighborhoods, good relations between the telecommunications companies and their neighbors become more important.

City Hearing Examiner Greg Smith has postponed a decision on the AT&T tower until the Nevada-Lidgerwood Steering Committee considers the issue. The deadline for comments is Monday.

A second hearing on another proposal for a cellular pole near Albi Stadium is set for 9 a.m. May 21. That proposal is by US West New Vector Group and proposed for the southeast corner of Fairmount Memorial Park at 5000 W. Wellesley.

The tower would be 125 feet tall. Testimony is set for 9 a.m. in the second-floor conference room at Spokane City Hall.

COPS West club

A COPS West volunteer is planning to start a summer recreation club for neighborhood kids.

Louise Stamper said the club’s activities will be held at the police substation, 1901 W. Boone, and begin in the late afternoon when other programs are ending. Different sessions will be set for younger kids, and activities for older teens may run until 10 p.m.

Stamper, a mother of two and parent volunteer at Holmes Elementary School, said she is busy lining up art teachers, storytellers and volunteers for the sessions.

COPS West, a volunteer organization serving the West Central neighborhood, was the first police substation to open in Spokane. Recently, volunteers have dwindled, and the organization is having a hard time keeping the substation staffed.

But Stamper is not deterred.

“It seems like there’s interest in working with kids rather than just sitting at a desk,” she said.

The youth programs would run June 20 through the end of August. Those interested are asked to call Stamper at 327-1316.

G-Prep parking

Residents living around Gonzaga Prep, 1224 E. Euclid, are invited to a meeting with school officials to discuss an improvement plan.

The Jesuit high school is planning to update its campus plan by replacing buildings and adding parking.

The parking issue has been important to the neighborhood. where residents have complained about G-Prep students parking improperly on adjacent streets.

The school now hopes its planned parking lot in a vacant field east of Hurley Hall will solve most of the neighborhood issues.

“We’re hoping to take the cars out of the neighborhood and into a parking lot,” said Ann Winkler, a planner with Inland Pacific Engineering working on the new campus plan.

The community meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. next Thursday at Gonzaga Prep.

COPS North Central

The Emerson-Garfield neighborhood finally has a building in which to house its community policing operation and now wants to more people to know about it.

The building at Shannon and Wall is set to be remodeled this summer, and volunteers want to put together a history. It formerly housed a carpet warehouse and once was used to manufacture bakery equipment.

If you know anything about the building, call North Central COPS at 325-1423.

Emerson Garfield also is gearing up for the third annual soap box derby, set for June 8 on the Post Street hill.

May 24 is the last day to order a car kit.

For more information, call Dave Shaw at 327-1127.

, DataTimes