Cell Towers (Springfield, Orange, Washington: lease, middle school, clubs)

[statecollege]

I've noticed a recent rush to build cell towers in W. Springfield. I'm not sure if they are for the same providers. Those I'm familiar with are ones just built at the W. Springfield Little League park on Byron Ave. and at the Sydenstricker church at the corner of Sydenstricker and Hooes Rd, and ones pending approval at the Orange Hunt and Cotton Tail Swim Clubs and Washington Irving Middle School. There is an existing tower at a fire station on the parkway not far form the Sydenstricker church. If one were to plot the geograhic center of these locations, all towers built or pending are within a mile of that point. I realize there are coverage gaps for some providers, but this many towers in a small area seems excessive. The concern in impacted communities is the uncertainty of electromagnetic radiation, appearance, and property values. Owners of tower sites stand to collect monthly stipends, so community groups are at odds. Some of the towers are disguised as over-sized flag poles or trees, which minimizes their ugliness. Some of you may have noticed the huge flag pole at the fire station cited above; it's a cell tower. I have heard that some providers lease tower space from other providers. It would seem to me that if local governments forced greater space among towers by requiring all providers to operate from the same poles, more people would be happy. This is a case of we want our modern conveniences, landfills, service stations, treatment plants, and other things that contibute to our way of life as long as they aren't built in our back yards. If anyone is knowledgeable about cell tower distribution and their technological requirements, please chime in.