Tower plan draws static in Gurnee

T-Mobile is encountering static for a second time in its quest to build a cellular telephone tower to serve Gurnee's west side.

Several residents living near Woodland Middle School in Gurnee became upset after recently learning of T-Mobile's idea to build a cell tower on the public property.

At a meeting of the Gurnee-based Woodland District 50 board Wednesday night, Feb. 25, a T-Mobile representative presented a concept plan for the 165-foot tower. The board didn't take any action, but officials indicated they didn't embrace the concept because there isn't enough credible research on the effects of radio frequencies on children.

Preliminary figures show Woodland could gain $18,000 to $54,000 annually by allowing the tower on the middle school site. T-Mobile representative Mark Layne said the district would receive more cash if additional wireless carriers used the tower.

But District 50 resident Thom Kapheim, who lives near the middle school, told Woodland officials he was concerned about public land being used to benefit a private business.

John Cerwin, who lives in the Aberdare Estates subdivision bordering the middle school, was among those who e-mailed the Woodland board objecting to the cell tower proposal. He cited the likelihood of the tower causing reduced property values, ending unhindered views of wetlands in the neighborhood and potential health hazards.

"Our respectful decision is that the board look to other sources for revenue in these difficult economic times," Cerwin said, "and avoid the hazards and potential litigation associated with a cell phone tower."

T-Mobile originally wanted to place the tower on unincorporated land bordering the South Ridge and Rolling Ridge subdivisions, near Hunt Club Road and Washington Street. Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik lives in South Ridge.

Residents were concerned about the tower being unsightly and detracting from the area. Kovarik even encouraged Gurnee residents to protest by dropping T-Mobile service when the company didn't want to consider another tower site in December.

On Feb. 9, Gurnee forcibly annexed less than an acre of the unincorporated property off Hunt Club Road that had been pegged for the T-Mobile tower to bring it under village control. The property owner complained his land was forcibly brought into Gurnee just to thwart T-Mobile's cell tower.

Kovarik later met with officials from Woodland and other local governments to see what land they had that could accommodate T-Mobile's tower on Gurnee's west side. Layne said Kovarik asked T-Mobile to consider Woodland Middle School.

T-Mobile ultimately would need Gurnee village board permission to build the tower on Woodland's property.