The Kampner Hebrew Academy (left) sits right next to the Bureau of Jewish Education
on the 600 block of 14th Avenue
The rift between two neighboring organizations grows deeper this week, as they face off over a proposed antenna installation at the Bureau of Jewish Education, located at 639 14th Avenue. I learned today that both are having separate neighborhood meetings, one day apart, to address the issue.
But first, some background on the issue…
The Bureau of Jewish Education has already signed an agreement with AT&T to upgrade an existing, unmanned AT&T Mobility wireless telecommunication facility currently located on the corner of their building. According to a recent Examiner article, the Bureau has hosted antennas on their building since 1997.
The upgrade would involve removing the existing facility and installing six panel antennas on the roof of the Bureau. The associated equipment cabinets would be located in the Bureau’s basement.
AT&T, as well as other wireless carriers, often host antennas on private buildings to help boost cell phone reception in neighborhoods where coverage is spotty.
Despite having held a public meeting about the new installation in April of this year, the Bureau’s neighbor, the Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy located next door at 645 14th Avenue, has sounded the alarm about the potential harm the antennas could pose to their students.
“We are alarmed at the potential danger these antennas may pose to our children, who range in age as young as 3 years old, to say nothing of the danger to the immediate neighborhood generally. We are therefore issuing a call to action to the entire neighborhood to protest the installation of the antennas,” wrote Mimi Real of the Academy in an email to community members last week.
But rather than hold ONE public meeting about the issue, each organization is holding their own, separate community meeting.
First up is the meeting being hosted by the Bureau of Jewish Education (pro-antenna) which takes place on Tuesday night at 7pm at the Bureau (639 14th Avenue).
Present at the Bureau meeting will be representatives from the BJE, along with Marc Blakeman, Regional Vice President for AT&T, Bill Hammett, Principal Engineer for Hammett & Edison who specializes in broadcast and wireless engineering, as well as Amy Million of KDI Consulting, who specializes in urban planning services.
“All three bring different expertise to the table, and all three will be available to answer your questions and address any concerns,” wrote Allison Brown, Associate Director at the BJE who is organizing the meeting.
On Wednesday night at 7:30pm, at the Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy next door (645 14th Avenue), the anti-antenna group will meet to discuss the issue. Present at the Hebrew Academy meeting will be a representative of San Francisco Neighborhood Antenna-Free Union, who Real writes “is an expert on the antenna question and can clarify technical questions you may have.”
The Academy is also claiming that they were never notified of the proposed installation, and only learned of it “when the sign announcing the Planning Commission hearing was posted in front of the Bureau.”
All of this is leading up to a showdown at City Hall, when the Planning Commission will hear the issue, scheduled for Thursday, November 3.
So, whichever side of the issue you come down on, there is a meeting for you to attend this week. The question is, which one will you attend, if at all? Leave a comment to let us know.
Sarah B.
I shan’t attend either, but SNAFU should attend Tuesday and Blackman attend Wednesday. That way they won’t be talking to their own choir.
What “potential danger” do these antennae pose? There is already an antenna facility there; what harm has it caused? Without evidence, it’s hard to see this as anything more than uninformed parents and neighborhood busybodies shamelessly pushing the what-about-the-children ploy to support their unfounded, imagined fear of new technology. SNAFU, please do some research and don’t let your overactive imagination hamstring OUR infrastructure.
I assume the SNAFU people and the Hebrew Academy people do not use mobile phones.
Just wait until they find out that fluoridating water turns kids into zombies and drives the elderly into reckless acts of sexual abandon. Oh my..Oh my.
If I see one more news article or blog post about people afraid of cell phone antennae/towers and/or smart meters, I am going to lose it. I’d be more worried about the overhead power lines right outside my living room window. (Which on an unrelated note are SO ugly. What do I do to get those moved underground??)
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/cell-phone-towers-brain-cancer-risk-kids/story?id=10990659
Plain and simple, people are idiots. First, the towers have been there since 1997. Second, there is no evidence that cell towers cause harm to anyone. It’s like the unfounded fears of high tension power lines causing leukemia. The guy doing that “research” admitted he faked the entire study and is now not doing any research since his reputation was ruined. Yet people still think high tension power lines cause damage for some reason.
People ..wake up..We are talking about school and CHILDREN ..what evidence do you need…did you ask about lead in the paint 30 years ago or asbestos 40 years ago..did you require evidence? Or you want to have this evidence now after so many children got harmed..NOBODY is against new technology, just it should be installed in the right place and the right time..Answer on your comments about previously installed antennas:NOBODY asked for any permission or even informed school or neighbors about. Even those antennas were going to be installed in conspiracy without properly notifying public…6 ANTENNAS 60 feet away from school..do you want 6 antennas to be installed 60 feet from your bedroom?..Think , before you answer this..children are staying in school 8-9 hours.
Gene, there was clear evidence that lead and asbestos posed very real dangers.
But there is no evidence that these transmitters are dangerous. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to show that they are very safe. The evidence I need is… anything. What have you got?
NOBODY needs to ask permission because there’s no reason to.
Who knew about danger in the asbestos or lead in the paint 40 years ago?.. Nobody..
FDA than like FCC now stated it is safe. Opinions now are 50/50 ..the only differ. is there is a lot of money involved No one can provide 100% confidence about this. I can give you 100 docs for No as same as you can give me 100 docs for Yes..
They have to ask your permission otherwise they will step on you next time..
I’ll repeat it again, people are idiots. I can also show 100 documents for and against global warming. It depends on how well researched and written those papers are. The overwhelming evidence suggests that global warming is real. The overwhelming evidence suggests that there is no health affect from being near a cell phone tower. I would be more concerned about giving my kids the processed foods that parents give them than a few cell towers.
Paul, this is very hard to be selective for which problem there is priority to protect the children…. I think there is only one option, you either care for their health or you don’t. Once again, don’t believe the docs that protect government side .They are always not on your side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo
Gene, while you don’t believe in actual research the rest of us do so your argument on what is a priority to “protect” children is moot in this situation. Worry about something else.
I have a biochemistry degree and am very analytical, I don’t believe what’s thrown at me. I guess you’re on the complete opposite side that whatever answers are provided by any governmental studies you are a disbeliever.
Kayvaan, that’s the best comment on here. It’s like Chicken Little around here.