Wisconsin Community Against Verizon Wireless Cell Tower

Members of a Wisconsin community are opposed to the plans regarding an 130-foot cell phone tower that Verizon Wireless plans to build in Brookfield. Many of the families in Brookfield believe that this cell tower will be an eyesore as well as decrease their property value. However, cell phone towers actually bring extra tax revenue, greater cell reception, and security to a city or town so would this 130-foot tower really drag down the homeowner’s property values?

According to a report by Sandy Bond, PhD, and Ko-Kang Wang, “When asked in what way the CPBS [cellular phone base station] impacts the enjoyment of living in their home, 37% responded that its impact was related to health concerns, 21% said it impacted neighborhood aesthetics, 20% said it impacted property value, and 12% said it impacted the view from their property.”

The perception that cell towers effect property values hasn’t been definitively proven through research yet. People in communities oppose the construction of cell towers for visual reasons and potential health risks. Although there is no proof that the radio frequency energy emitted from cell towers adversely affects the health of those who live near it.

As a way to stop the tower from being constructed in Wisconsin, the members of the community filed a $20 million notice-of-claim against the city. This is the first step when going about suing a government entity. According to Rick Barrett of the JournalSentinel, “It could be months before the dispute is resolved, but under changes in state regulations it's now easier for wireless providers to get tower permits over the objections of residents and local officials. With the new regulations, signed into law as part of the state budget, local governments can no longer deny wireless tower permits solely for aesthetic reasons, limit the height of towers to under 200 feet, or require that antennas and structures such as water towers be placed on public property.”