A group of concerned parents at an Oakland elementary school are raising concerns about a possible decision to place nine Verizon cellular antennas across the street from the school and an adjacent park.

In a resolution passed last week, the Board of the North Oakland Community Charter School told the Oakland Planning Commission that it opposes an application by the owner of a nearby building, 1001 42^nd Street, LLC, and Verizon Wireless to establish a new Mini-telecom facility within a few hundred feet from the 10-year old charter school.

The building is located in West Oakland, near the border with Emeryville. In addition to NOCCS, which has 150 students, the cellular towers would be located near single family homes and the Green City Lofts.

According to the NOCCS resolution, parents are primarily concerned with the potential health effects from the Electro Magnetic Frequency that cellular towers emit. Research on laboratory animals has demonstrated cellular degradation and reproductive problems with high frequency EMFs, such as with cellular towers.

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted safety standards for cellular towers. But because exposure is inversely proportional to distance from the towers, NOCCS parents are concerned that the close proximity to young children could put them at risk.

”We don’t want our children to be test cases,” said parent Julene Freitas.

In cases like this, municipalities have surprisingly little authority. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 prohibits municipalities from restricting cellular towers based on health concerns. With this case, the Oakland Planning Commission is being asked to approve the design and development details for a Major Conditional Use Permit.

As a result, school activists are asking the Oakland Planning Commission to direct Verizon Wireless to a more commercial area of Oakland, rather than so close to a residential neighborhood. Anticipating accusations of being NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard), many parents say that while they use cell phones, they believe that Verizon could place towers in a business zone, rather than so close to their children’s school. Oakland's own Planning Code (Chapter 17.128 - Telecommunications Regulations) stipulates that preference for such antennas be in non-residential areas, rather than near homes, schools and parks. Therefore, NOCCS parents are asking the Commission to request an alternative site analysis.

Residents also question how necessary this tower is for the neighborhood’s cell phone usage. According to Ulla-Britt Jonsson of the city’s Commission, a Planner with the City of Oakland Planning and Zoning Division, the city does not have a map or even a list of cellular towers in the city.

NOCCS parents’ opposition to a cellular tower is not unique. School districts across the country, including the influential Los Angeles Unified School District, have restricted cellular towers on or near school property. However, in Europe, where EMF emission standards are much more stringent, the EU Parliament passed a resolution calling for more regulation of cellular towers based on health effects.

The Oakland Planning Commission is meeting Wednesday, February 17th at 6pm at Oakland City Hall, One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room No. 1.