To the editor:
I have concerns about the 115-foot cell tower that is being constructed at 877 South Street. In reality, the tower is located at the end of Alma Street, in a residential neighborhood, close to families on Ora, Elmer, Stanton, Fairhaven, Plumb, Atmer, Oliver, Lori and Holmes Road.
I would like to know how they got a permit to build a 115-foot tower in an area restricted to structures 35 feet or less. My understanding is that 16 people listed as abutters on the notification list never received a single notification about the project. Did Ward 4 Councilor Chris Connell and Mayor Tyer know of this project? If so, why didn’t they alert abutters? Studies have shown that our neighborhood is close enough to the tower for it to be a hazard to our health.
The tower would be detrimental to the wildlife, which includes fox, deer, bear, owls, red tail hawks, and many more. Research has shown bees are also disrupted by the EMF emissions from cell towers. Our neighborhood is known for its history of victory gardens, and anyone with a garden will tell you there are not enough bees now. As someone who grows a majority of food for my family here on my land, the tower would just make that worse.
The studies and anecdotal evidence from people living near cell towers is frightening. Headaches, memory loss, seizures, dizziness, cardiovascular effects, tumors, birth defects and cancer have been associated with living in proximity to a cell tower. I believe that when I came home from Vietnam and was honorably discharged from the Army that my life was no longer going to be put in danger. That will not be true for myself, my wife and my family if the tower is constructed. I do not want to live in fear.
Residents of Pittsfield, if this tower is constructed in our neighborhood, yours could be next. Please email Mayor Tyer mayor@cityofpittsfield.org, and cc pittsfieldcitizens@gmail.com and tell her “No” to the cell tower at 877 South Street, “No to cell towers so close to residential neighborhoods and “No” to towers being constructed without proper abutter and community notification.
Charlie Herzig,
Pittsfield
Published in Berkshire Eagle
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/letter-cell-tower-wrong-for-neighborhood,603326?