Existing Structures at Huntington Middle School, SMHS Not Properly Permitted; Could Pose A Danger to Students
If the dreams of some community members become a reality, the unpermitted cell towers currently located on the campuses of Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School will be moved to another location.
With options dwindling, some see San Marino City Hall as the most feasible alternative.
“This location has been thrown out there several times,” said Aldo Cervantes, the city’s director of planning and building. “According to the representative from the tower company, this is still a possibility. This would have to be approved by the city.”
The cell towers, owned by a company called American Tower, were not properly permitted when installed on the two campuses in 2004 and 2006. Believing the towers to be a safety hazard to students, a citizen advisory group is lobbying for their removal. Negotiations to relocate the towers to commercial properties has been unsuccessful.
The tower at San Marino High School is located on an active earthquake fault and the HMS tower has a fall radius that could be dangerous to students.
Cervantes said that American Tower is currently conducting a radio frequency test to determine if a tower at city hall would satisfy coverage requirements for San Marino.
Though both existing cell towers were approved by the Department of the State Architect, neither were permitted by the city or installed under a proper conditional use permit, according to Cervantes. To be properly certified, the towers would have required a public hearing before the San Marino Planning Commission, which did not happen.
Meetings between the city, school district and American Tower are expected to take place in the upcoming weeks.
