64-Foot Telecommunications Pole May Go Up on St. Francis

A major cell phone company is seeking permission to build a 64-foot telecommunications pole near the intersection of St. Francis Drive and Alameda Street.

AT&T’s proposed design calls for a thick pole with several antennas splayed out at the uppermost tip. The corporation has signed a lease with TKJ, Inc. of Albuquerque to lease land at the Burger King at 100 North St. Francis Drive, next to Gonzales Elementary School.

AT&T has looked at other sites in the immediate area, including the Solana Center and Alto Park. The former was nixed after some nearby residents objected while city officials rejected the latter proposal.

Part of the Burger King property, including the section where the pole would be located, is in a city-designated historic district, so the design will need approval from Santa Fe’s Historic Design Review Board. AT&T is also asking the city to grant a setback waiver.

Attorney Peter Dwyer, acting as AT&T’s local representative, said the site’s underlying C-2 zoning allows for poles of up to 100 feet.

The height of the tower, he said, is “what delivers the service people request.”

“We’re open to any kinds of communication and suggestions people may have but if the solution is ‘Don’t ever build anything,’ people aren’t really considering the demand and the market,” Dwyer said.

Some Santa Feans who have previously expressed concerns about the alleged health effects of telecommunications facilities are trying to mobilize residents against the proposal. A flyer provided to the Journal by the founder of Doctors W.A.R.N. (Wireless and Radiation Network) cites concerns about the aesthetics of a tower at Burger King and says cell phone coverage is already adequate in Santa Fe.

ENN materials submitted to the city by AT&T say city code “encourages locating (these) facilities in commercial areas” and “the existing site is a fast food restaurant and gas station and suitable for the use.”

“The current site is located within a (commercial) C-2 zone and on a busy commercial corridor and does not abut residential property,” the documents said.

An early neighborhood notification meeting to discuss the proposed pole is scheduled for May 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Warehouse 21.

Santa Fe will benefit by having more and better telecommunications facilities, and reliable high-speed internet is a “necessity” for any community that wants to keep pace with the modern economy, according to AT&T.

“At present AT&T has poor coverage in Santa Fe generally and many people find that they must use a single provider to get good service. Competitive service by AT&T will give Santa Fe consumers more viable options,” the ENN documents said.

Dwyer said there are some options for making the pole more aesthetically pleasing, including masking it as a fake tree or some sort of artwork – pencils and cacti are among the designs used in other cities.

However, he noted, AT&T representatives have discussed plans with city of Santa Fe staff and the State Historic Preservation Office, and government officials have indicated they think a plain pole is the best choice.

“If people want an alternative design, we certainly are open to that. But what people think is good is extremely subjective,” Dwyer said.