My neighbor wants to put up a 150' Cingular cell phone tower - Legal recourse to get it stopped? (Chicago: lease, buy)

[mendelman]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

They have a quasi-eminent domain power to incorporate any property within 1.5 miles of its village boundaries that wants to put up a cell tower, in order to prevent the tower from going up. (Proposed cell phone tower is 0.25 miles away from Hawthorn Woods)

I'd an curious about the specifics behind this statement. It doesn't seem to jive with normal annexation laws in Illinois. Please provide the specific municipal code section(s) that support this statement.

I briefly looked through the Village of Hawthorn Woods' municipal code and didn't see anything that explicitly supported your statement.

[css9450]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Everyone wants the modern conveniences but nobody wants to deal with the possible consequences and have a cell tower somewhat near their house.

That's the reason some neighborhoods in Naperville and Schaumburg have poor or non-existant cell phone service - the people who live there fight having towers in their neighborhood.

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by mendelman

I'd an curious about the specifics behind this statement. It doesn't seem to jive with normal annexation laws in Illinois. Please provide the specific municipal code section(s) that support this statement.

I briefly looked through the Village of Hawthorn Woods' municipal code and didn't see anything that explicitly supported your statement.

The statement I got regarding how Hawthorn Woods goes after property owners who put up cell phone towers was a blanket statement form a clerk who works in their building and zoning department. She didn't cite a particular section of municipal code; she did however cite 3 or 4 separate incidents where Hawthorn Woods was successful in stopping cell phone towers the last few years. One time a small, unincorporated farm on Gilmer Rd. was annexed, and another property off of Indian Creek Rd met the same fate. I have to take what she said as the truth, what would be her incentive to lie?

I am happy that I alerted a nearby municipality that actually takes pride in maintaining a standard of rustic splendor in our area, nobody else seemed to care. I guess if you live in the area and use an El Cheapo phone service like Cingular, switch to one that works like Sprint or Verizon.

[susancruzs]

changed my mind about my post!

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by susancruzs

Standard of rustic splendor in Hawthorn Woods, hmmm, interesting thought!

Yes, rustic splendor is alive and well.

[Lookout Kid]

Interesting... Some friends of mine just moved to Hawthorn Woods. I'll have to ask them about their cell reception.

[gardener34]

yeah there are towns that do not allow them, or make it at least very difficult for them to come in. Find out which ones - that would be interesting. I know Wayne has issue with them, and as a result I get dropped calls all through there.

[gardener34]

Just a note, there are two cell towers that were allowed to be put in directly next to a school near here. Right across the street. so if they allow them next to schools, I am thinking they are allowed most anywhere. Again, half the height away from any building.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by gardener34

Just a note, there are two cell towers that were allowed to be put in directly next to a school near here. Right across the street. so if they allow them next to schools, I am thinking they are allowed most anywhere. Again, half the height away from any building.

Here in the city, you will find cell arrays sitting literally on top of apartment buildings. Like, nothing between the tower and the top floor inhabitants except the roof.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Drover

Here in the city, you will find cell arrays sitting literally on top of apartment buildings. Like, nothing between the tower and the top floor inhabitants except the roof.

I'm sure most have noticed that you see this in the burbs too, but not on peoples' houses obviously. I've even seen them on small town public libraries. It must be some sort of tiny revenue stream. Those little antennae are so ubiquitous now that most people hardly notice them. They're like overhead electrical lines--something that was striking to people when they were first installed, but now go largely unnoticed with the rest of the urban clutter.