Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers (MC4T)

https://techwisemocomd.org/2022/09/30/mark-your-calendar-oct-4th-rally-to-stop-cell-towers-30-feet-from-homes-meet-at-1130-am-tuesday-oct-4th/

For Immediate Release Statement by: Rick Meyer, Executive Director, Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers  (MC4T) Whoops, PHED Committee Chair Goofs Again;  ZTA 19-07 Needs Big Band-Aid Councilmember Hans Reimer is fully admitting that he and the wireless industry lobbyists, who last year essentially spoon-fed the Montgomery County Council zoning language for ZTA 19-07,  made a Titanic-sized mistake.   A mistake so big it requires a “Mulligan ZTA” to repair a giant hole. Today, Mr. Riemer introduced ZTA 2022-01 ,  which is “fix-it” legislation to specifically include utility poles. Turns out that utility poles  are separately defined under County wireless zoning code and not subject to ZTA 19-07. To fix the hole requires a ZTA 2022-01 patch job. Which means Mr. Reimer is also effectively conceding that when recommending ZTA 19-07 to the full Council, the PHED Committee that he chairs (including Councilmembers Andrew Friedson and Will Jawando),  inexplicably manage...

Sweeping amendments have drastically altered the scope and legislative intent of the original ZTA To: ALL MEMBERS OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL The County Council worked very hard during the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on transparency and communication to protect the health and safety of residents in ALL County neighborhoods. Now, as we emerge from this Pandemic, we urge the entire Council to continue that spirit of leadership, communication, and transparency by conducting a new public hearing before the Council takes up formal consideration of ZTA 19-07, Telecommunications Towers ― Limited Use . The first hearing was more than 20 months ago. Changes m ade by the PHED Committee in 2021 have drastically altered the scope and legislative intent of the original ZTA , and if enacted, those sweeping amendments will eviscerate resident and neighborhood zoning protections that the sponsors already seek to substantially diminish through the ZTA itself. The 2021 changes that were mad...

  The Montgomery County Council is considering a bill that would cut crucial safeguards against 50 foot tall cell towers and allow them to be installed 30 feet from our homes with no notice to the public. A key Council committee has decided to move this bill, Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-07, even though cell tower radiation safety standards were created 25 years ago, long before anyone thought these cell tower antennas could be installed next to bedroom windows. [1] This huge giveaway to Big Wireless will also hurt local property values. All of this is occurring as ATT, Verizon, and T Mobile show no coverage gaps for 4G and 5g service. [2] That’s why we’re counting on concerned Montgomery County residents like you to reach out to the Montgomery County Council to say NO on ZTA 19-07 . We can do better! We can’t let the Council rush through this ordinance — but we can stop it if Council members hear directly from voters. Send a message to your Montgomery County Council members tod...