URGENT UPDATE: Verizon has just announced plans to enhance cellphone service along Highway 101 near the Marin-Sonoma border by replacing two existing cell towers with taller, 21-foot towers. Marin County planners are currently reviewing this proposal, which aims to significantly improve connectivity for commuters in the area.
The proposed site is situated on a 465-acre property owned by the Corda ranching family in unincorporated Novato. Plans include not only the installation of the new steel towers but also the replacement of six antennas and two concrete foundations, along with additional equipment to bolster service quality.
Kristin Drumm, a county planner overseeing the application, confirmed that the wireless facility was initially approved back in 1997. “The project is to improve service,” Drumm stated, highlighting its visibility from the highway north of the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center, as well as its proximity to San Antonio Creek.
Chris Durand, a contractor for Verizon, referred to the towers as “popsicle sticks” or masts, emphasizing that they are not near residential areas. “The site is a little postage stamp amid hundreds of acres of land,” he said. The towers are designed to enhance signal coverage along Highway 101, which Durand noted works like a network of honeycombs, providing coverage that can extend between 2 to 5 miles depending on various factors.
Concerns about safety have been addressed in a recent report prepared for Verizon, which indicates that while unsafe exposure levels may occur within 76 feet of the antennas, the general public is expected to be safe beyond that distance. The report reassures that the antennas are mounted on tall poles, inaccessible to the public, with precautions in place for Verizon employees and contractors.
As the review process continues, Drumm indicated that the county must issue a decision on the permit application within 150 days unless further information is requested. Currently, there is no scheduled hearing for the proposal, but Drumm anticipates that the project could receive approval as early as March 2024.
Verizon’s initiative is critical for enhancing mobile connectivity for many commuters who rely on their devices during travel. As the application progresses, many in the community are hopeful for a swift resolution that will bring improved service to the area.
Stay tuned for updates as this story develops.
