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Residents on controversial cell tower bordering Irving
A Dallas City Council decision is pending on a proposed 200-foot cell tower on Dallas property, facing opposition from nearby Irving residents who argue it is too close to their homes and violates separation standards.
IRVING, Texas - Some people in Irving are concerned about a cell phone tower being proposed close to their homes. While their homes are in Irving, the proposed tower is on property in Dallas.
About 30 Irving residents spoke to Dallas City Council members for about an hour this afternoon. Now Dallas City Council members are debating what to do.
Local perspective:
Irving residents whose homes border Dallas showed FOX 4 their concerns. They say a 200-foot tower planted 400 feet from their homes would be an eyesore to the neighborhood and nearby playground.
The neighbors say Oncor has already removed trees that provided a buffer for their homes. Now they say the new tower would further erode their property values.
What they're saying:
"We used to have a greenbelt here with big oak trees. We thought it was a greenbelt, they sold us the lots, all removed by Oncor," said homeowner, Ashok Tiriveevhi.
"My house is 350 feet from Oncor property. We have 90+ families in that range, 200 residents, more than 50% impacted," said nearby homeowner, Rathna Vuppala.
Dig deeper:
The City of Irving requires cell phone towers to be separated from homes by a distance of three times their height. But again, the plan is to build the tower on the Dallas side of Oncor's property.
If they were in Irving, like the affected homes, the tower would need to be built 600 feet away instead of the proposed 400 feet.
"Oncor has 88 acres of land here, preserving the land for future use. They should install towers somewhere far from residential communities close to backyards," said Pavan Kumar Bikki, a nearby homeowner.
Oncor told FOX 4 that due to the plans to expand its substation, the proposed location is the only one possible.
"No where else for it to go and be safe," said an Oncor spokesperson.
What's next:
Oncor says the substation expansion will help support service reliability and continued growth in the area.
A spokeswoman said they will have a meeting with the homeowners association tomorrow to talk about fencing and beautification with plants that they can provide.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4's Lori Brown.