The county put plans for an emergency-communication tower on hold after a contingent of Saugus residents sounded off to the Santa Clarita City Council about the placement of the 70-foot structure at Fire Station 108.
The 70-foot tower, a component of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communication System, is exempt from the environmental review process, officials said.
That review process, as well as homeowner notification, is generally a standard part of the outreach process for such construction, especially in a residential area.
However, residents began to notice the initial signs of construction last week and became alarmed. The homeowners association was unaware, neighbors said.
And due to the fact that it’s a Los Angeles County project taking place on county land as part of the county’s Consolidated Fire Protection District, the city had no ability to opt out, according to Darren Hernandez, assistant city manager.
County Supervisor Michael Antonovich had construction halted immediately, after his office was made aware of the dearth of outreach, said Anna Mouradian, public safety deputy for Antonovich.
“We did not have advanced notification of this construction site starting,” she said. “The supervisor’s position is that there should be outreach, and the construction was immediately halted as soon as the the supervisor’s office was notified.”
Whether anything can be done to stop it, in light of all this, is expected to be a part of the meeting Monday 6 p.m. at the Valencia library to discuss questions regarding the proposed construction site.
In a letter to Mayor Marsha McLean, Antonovich said construction was stopped at his request, and “will not resume until the community is fully advised of the project and satisfied with the answers to their questions.”
LA RICS is comprised of two distinct, but compatible projects: a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) communications system and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) broadband communications system, according to the system’s website. It was approved as a contract for Motorola in March.
The system is intended to provide improved radio and broadband communication for the public safety providers of the greater Los Angeles region.
A county fire official from the area, as well as a union representative for firefighters, in addition to about a half-dozen residents, spoke about concerns over the towers usefulness and safety.
[Click here] for the frequently asked questions page on the LA RICS network.
County officials plan to address those issues Monday.
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19 Comments
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No big deal, intill loud-mouthed entitled Homeowners Association Baby-Boomers are bored, and notice a communication tower of no real consequence.
These towers will be at most Fire Stations in Santa Clarita not just Station 108!!:(!
There are cell phone towers all over the city. What’s one more.
Oh my god you would have thought that it cause cancer not save lives and help the emergency systems communicate better now that that that’s horrible absolutely unconscionable and elitist can’t wait for one of them to actually need the fire department.
The towers are extremely necessary. You’ll thank the county when we have a natural disaster and the FD is still able to get to you when power lines go out. They’ll still have the ability to have contact with others outside the station.
The Towers maybe toxic to your health. Please read up https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Toxic-Cell-Towers/1494917134062305
The Towers maybe toxic to your health. Please read up https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Toxic-Cell-Towers/1494917134062305
Already installed throughout fire stations in the Antelope Valley. Where was BOS to represent this area?
You people are so misinformed. The firefighters, police and paramedics are completely against this tower going up where they sleep and spend 1/3 of their lives. There has never been one dropped call at this station.
Ummm. So you don’t want better emergency communications? SMH
I don’t agree with the way these towers are going in without any notice to homeowners. There are enough powerlines going through this area, we don’t need a monotower to boot.
Yeah….because who needs power? Smh. The only notice needed would be if it inconveniences neighbors during the install.
Nooooo. Please no more unsightly towers next to unsightly power lines. Lol. To think that first responders would have the audacity to increase communication capabilities for natural disasters and county emergencies is just crazy. I OBJECT! Now if you’ll excuse me, my short bus just pulled up.
What? It’ll mess up the view of the unsightly power lines?
Some of the people in this town, truly blow me away. Honestly who cares if a communication tower goes up at a fire station? I am continually amazed at the tiny issues that the bored people of SCV have time to worry about. I feel sorry for the person who had to listen to these people complain. To the people who are referring to cell towers causing cancer. Do you own a cell phone that requires service? By the way this is not a sprint, att, Tmobile tower, it is a communication tower that will improve communication for emergency services. Personally I feel that every single station should have one.
Seriously, come on people, get a life. It’s a frigN tower
Linda, your an idiot…… Think outside the box for god sake
Just send up smoke signals from your burning house if you want the FD to respond