Golf course community opposed to cell antenna

Some Lake Barrington residents are preparing to tell village officials just how much they don't want a new cellular antenna near their homes at Thursday's plan commission hearing.

The 75-foot T-Mobile antenna would be located on the golf course of Lake Barrington Shores, within sight of 88 of the gated community's homes, resident Ruth Salemi said.

The height of the antenna requires a special-use permit to be built, but there are four taller antennas of about 120 feet each that were built in the village during the late 1980s and early '90s, Village Administrator Christopher Martin said.

However, the village's existing antennas are all in the business park, and the location of the proposed antenna in a residential area may be something that makes the new case unique, Martin added.

Village President Kevin Richardson said he did not want to make any statement that would preclude the recommendation of the plan commission next week.

But he did acknowledge that the village's decision on this proposal was akin to a policy statement about cellular antennas in residential areas.

While T-Mobile has the same rights as anyone to make a proposal to the village, it also bears the burden of making its case for a special-use permit, Richardson said.

"I know there's a lot of concern up there and I share it," Richardson said of Lake Barrington Shores.

Resident Janet Nietvelt said she and her neighbors intend to argue that the antenna would have a negative effect on their property values and ability to sell their homes, based on data from Realtors.

They also plan to present a petition signed by affected residents opposed to the antenna. Though they won't reveal the number of signatures before the hearing, they said it includes more than three-quarters of Lake Barrington Shores' residents.

The plan commission hearing begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9. The village board ultimately will have the final say on the antenna.