South Lake Tahoe family fights planned cell tower next to their home

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - "This is a nightmare," says life-long South Lake Tahoe resident Monica Eisenstecken.

Her summer has been filled with preparing to fight the South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission's decision in June to allow Verizon to place a 112’ monopine cell tower next door to the home her dad built (it could go as high as 123' with a ten percent change allowed).

Her father, George Eisenstecken, has lived in South Lake Tahoe for 52 years and Monica was born and raised in town. George is from Austria and has spent much of his time in Tahoe being a contractor building homes and schools throughout the area. When he bought a piece of land on Needle Peak Road and built his home on it in 2005, his panoramic views and location were a dream come true.

He has also taught skiing at nearby Heavenly Mountain Resort for the last 36 years.

Monica and her family live with George in the home which is located next door to Hansen's Resort, a sledding hill on the corner of Ski Run Boulevard and Needle Peak Road. Hanson's is where the Planning Commission approved the placement of the monopine cell tower

Verizon is planning to lease a 24’ x 26’ area on the Hansen's property for the tower with an equipment shed on the north side of the property with a standby generator behind it.

George will be able to see the proposed tower from his favorite spot at the dining room table. He sits there and reads his mail each day so was very surprised to learn about the Planning Commission's decision without being told about the meeting. As is required, everyone living within 300 feet of the project needs to be notified by mail about a vote. The City of South Lake Tahoe has a list of the properties notified but Monica says none of the people they have talked to received a letter.

What they did receive was a letter from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) alerting them to the plan and to expect a letter from the City "in the future." When they didn't get anything from the City Monica called, only to find out the decision was made the prior day.

Worried about the proximity of the monopine to where her kids sleep and family lives, Monica filed an appeal with the $325 charge and hired a lawyer. They will be before the City Council on Tuesday, August 6, 2019. Comment from other residents and Verizon has been provided to the City Council in their agenda packets. Verizon said they will be present as will the Eisensteckens.

"Not only do you pay bills you have to pay to protect your home and have peace," said Monica.

She said she was told the trees surrounding the planned tower are about 67 feet tall though photos provided by Verizon show the tower well below the treetops. AT&T had applied for a permit to put a cell tower at the same location in 2013. A photo on file with TRPA shows their planned tower above the treetops.

AT&T abandoned its plans for the Hansen location and the exact reason is unknown at this time though TRPA had asked the tower to be lowered to 70 feet, said Monica, something AT&T said wouldn't work for adequate cell phone coverage. An argument Verison used at the June commission meeting was that AT&T was already approved in the same spot.

The Eisensteckens say they are concerned about several things surrounding the project:

- If the 112' tower were to fall it would fall on existing homes
- Unknown dangers about 4G and 5G if living near a cell tower
- Lower property values on the home with a cell tower next door
- The monopine "leaves" pose a fire risk when they drop off. They also fade with time.

Monica is not the first resident to question Verizon towers being placed in South Lake Tahoe. Sherry Hawks has spent months researching the dangers of the small cell towers being placed on power poles throughout town. One is being built right in front of her home with a power supply cabinet and equipment on the ground in her yard.

Hawks took her case to the Planning Commission and City Council, urging them both to follow what many other cities have done - put a hold on approving them until more facts are known about dangers in neighborhoods.

This story has been updated - homes are notified within 300 feet.