URGENT UPDATE: Verizon has just announced a proposal to enhance cellphone service for commuters along Highway 101 near the Marin-Sonoma border. The telecom giant aims to replace two existing cell towers with new, taller 21-foot towers on a hillside in unincorporated Novato. This plan could significantly improve connectivity for thousands of drivers and residents in the area.
The proposed site is situated on a 465-acre property owned by the Corda ranching family. According to county documents, the project will also include the installation of six new antennas and upgrades to existing concrete foundations and equipment. “We really don’t call it a tower,” said Chris Durand, a contractor for Verizon. “We call it a popsicle stick or a mast.”
The current towers, first approved in 1997, are visible from the highway, just north of the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center. “The project is to improve service,” explained Kristin Drumm, a county planner. The new towers will replace the existing structures while maintaining coverage for the critical stretch of Highway 101.
Durand emphasized the need for enhanced service along this busy corridor, stating that the cell towers function like a network of honeycombs, providing coverage that ranges from 2 to 5 miles, depending on various factors. He noted that the site, described as “a little postage stamp” in a vast area of ranch land, is far from residential zones, minimizing potential disruption to local communities.
Concerns regarding safety were addressed in a recent report which indicated that the exposure levels to radio frequency electromagnetic fields would be below the Federal Communications Commission’s maximum permissible exposure limits for the general population. “The antennas are mounted on tall poles and therefore not accessible by the general public,” the report clarified.
Currently, the Marin County Community Development Agency is reviewing the application, and Drumm stated that a decision must be made within 150 days, unless additional information is requested. A public hearing has not yet been scheduled, but Drumm anticipates that the project could receive approval as early as March 2024.
As this proposal unfolds, local commuters and residents are hopeful for improved cellphone service that could enhance connectivity in this critical region. Stay tuned for more updates as the situation develops.
