Public TestimonyEd Klopfenstein
1786 W. Santa Clara Dr.
Meridian, ID 83642
To the Meridian Planning Commission:
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Thank you very much for letting me submit this information. A "yes" vote on the cell tower
project at Meridian High School has a high chance to harm the surrounding community
by lowering area home prices and harming citizen health. Since citizens have not seen
an economic impact study rom the applicant, I wanted to share real concerns that the
negative financial impact will outweigh any short term benefit provided to the school district.
The most commonly cited studies about the impact of cell phone towers to existing home prices
are the Christchurch, New Zealand, studies of 2003 and the Florida studies of 2004.. These
show that existing homes within a range of up to 700 feet (within eyesight) suffer an average of
a 15% drop in home value because of the proximity of the tower. Prices fall steeper on negative
news on cell phone radiation effects. This means that your project has the potential to harm
home values specifically to the 120 or so homes of the Vineyard subdivision, which lies just
north of Meridian High School.
Current home prices in that subdivision have already been depressed by as much as 30 percent
from their highs in 2007 by the current recession. Many homes are now at or near their 2000
values, meaning that an increasing number of home owners with outstanding loans can or will
be upside down on their mortgages. This follows average home prices in Meridian, falling from
$250k in 2008 to a current average of $168k.z
Should Meridian home prices fall further, your project may burden the Vineyard Subdivision with
an additional 15% loss of home value that will further harm home owners. If Meridian begins to
recover from falling home prices, it will be the Vineyards that recover slowest because of this
project.
The confusing part is why site a new tower in Meridian at all. According to the FCC, there are
already 10 cell phone towers operating in the Meridian city limits.> Three of those are within
three miles of Meridian High School.
The obvious answer is tighter competition among cell providers who are willing to pay money for
lease rates. However, there are hidden costs.
By depressing area home prices, the school district is basically creating a disincentive zone for
high income families that would otherwise send their children to Meridian High School. Studies
~http~//sites google com/site/nomarinwoodtower/study-re-property-value-decreases-related-to-
cell-tower-placement
zhttp~//www zillow com/local-info/ID-Meridian-home-value/r 46508/
shttp~//www city-data.com/towers/cell-Meridian-Idaho.html
show that higher family income nets higher SAT scores, so by depressing home values in the
surrounding neighborhood, you're basically harming the school's future test scores and ability to
attract federal and state funding.a
Crime is also a concern, as depressed home values bring greater problems to a community and
the school inherits those problems. The school already has one of the lowest rankings among
high schools in Meridians and is well known among students and parents as having significant
problems concerning drug use. Having the tower will only make it worse.
And then there's the potential for litigation. While I'm mostly focused on economics, more
recent health studies are increasingly finding links to cell phone radiation and cancer. The
health effects of low level microwave radiation are still unknown and many European countries
and larger American cities are starting to legislate against cell devices to limit their legal
exposure now. Should health effects be definitely linked or should the tower's impact on
surrounding home prices become realized, the Meridian School District and the city would be
seriously exposed to legal costs that would far outstrip any income potential from the tower.
Alternatives to the project could include:
1. Siting the tower in a safer environment, like the school district office where there is
plenty of open space away from homes and children.
2. Using 15% to 20% of the funds gained through the project to fund neighborhood
improvement projects that protect area home values
3. Working with the county to create a special tax zone around the high school
to drop taxes by 15% to 20% as a way to offset the impact of the tower.
I realize that budgets are tight, but is that really an excuse to turn property gifted by the
community solely for education into an tool for cell phone providers who could care less for our
children or our community. For your neighbors and for the children that you say you support,
I ask that you vote against this proposal or at least table the proposal until its true economic
impact can be understood and mitigated.
ahttp~//economix blogs nytimes com/2009/08/27/sat-scores-and-family-income/
shttp://www.greatschools.org/school/parentReviews.page?id=421 &state=lD
~http://www.gq.com/cars-gear/gear-and-gadgets/201002/warning-cell-phone-radiation