----- Original Message -----
From: "Community Vision for Takoma" <tjcommunityvision@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2021 12:39:35 PM
Subject: URGENT: Tell MoCo Council to Revise Bad Cell-Tower Bill, Vote AFTER
Court Decides on FCC Rules
URGENT: Tell MoCo Council to Revise Bad Cell-Tower Zoning Bill, Vote AFTER
Court Decides on FCC Rules
On Tuesday, July 20th, the County Council plans to race through straw votes on
a slew of proposed new amendments to Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-07.
That’s the radical zoning proposal to routinely install cell towers just 30
feet from homes, with no notice to residents and no hearing, as a gift to the
wireless industry. Some of the new amendments would make it even worse. Others
– from County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Tom Hucker, and
Councilmember Sidney Katz – would add important protections for residents,
including somewhat more protective setbacks from homes.
Right now, the Council plans a final vote for July 27 th , the Council’s last
meeting before its August recess.
Here’s why that’s a bad idea – and why we urge you to use our 1-Minute Action
Tool to urge all Councilmembers to schedule a final vote after their recess
instead :
• Terrible timing. A major court decision is due by the end of August in the
most promising challenge ever to the FCC’s 25-year-old rules related to
exposure limits for radio-frequency radiation. (Mayor Kate Stewart and most of
the Takoma Park Council are signed onto an NRDC amicus brief supporting this
challenge, EHT et al. v. the FCC ).
Only the wireless industry wins if the Council passes this bad zoning change
now, before the court decides. Urge the MoCo Council not to lock the County
into permissive new rules just days before the supposed excuse for them is
likely to crumble.
• Way too many complicated new amendments to digest by Tuesday’s session
(tomorrow!). There’s no way the Council can seriously review the large set of
new amendments that have been suddenly proposed. The Council’s own legislative
staff, for example, indicated that some of Councilmember Katz’s proposals –
which strengthen residents’ rights – are so extensive that staff needs more
time to review them.
• The Council still needs a full review of the ZTA’s racial equity and social
justice impacts . ZTA 19-07 raises disturbing equity issues that show the need
for a related impact statement. The Council’s legislative staff unintentionally
demonstrated, in rejecting most of the resident-friendly new amendments, just
why such a review is essential. The County Executive has proposed requiring
that ALL nearby residents – including those who rent their homes, not just
those who own – be notified if industry applies for a special permit. If the
Council is serious about equity, this rule is necessary. But the legislative
staff argued against it. They noted that industry might fight it as being too
expensive, and then gratuitously added this outrageous statement: “Tenants are
not permanent, whereas the pole would be.”
• The Council also needs a full evaluation for a climate-impact statement .
More than a dozen local environmental groups have called for such a review,
noting the huge increase in energy consumption that a shift to 5G
infrastructure and 5G devices is expected to generate.
Use this 1-Minute Action Tool to send letters to each Councilmember.
Ask them to:
Schedule the final vote on this ZTA after their August recess -- and after
the court issues its decision in the case against the FCC’s outdated rules.
Focus now on making major revisions in this ZTA to finally prioritize the
public interests at stake.
Support the County Executive’s proposal for a multi-stakeholder advisory
group to make recommendations. The Council briefly considered and rejected
the idea. But that approach is so promising it deserves a second chance!
