Residents of Eagle are urging the community to join them in their fight against a disguised cell phone tower planned for construction on residential property.
"It's just unacceptable that I can stand at my backyard and be able to throw a stone to a cell tower," said Eagle resident, Christie Hodge.
A fate Christie was not willing to accept after an announcement earlier this year revealed the possibility of a commercial cell phone tower, disguised as a pine tree, being built less than 200 feet from her home.
"We're just fighting for our home at this point. Four of the seven homes directly around this property, the families will be relocating and moving," said Hodge.
That is if the cell tower is placed near their homes, and the Saffery family is one of those four, with a daughter in remission from leukemia.
"I will move because of health reasons if this cell tower goes up because the risks of cancer coming back is one of the main reasons for my family," said Eagle resident, Katella Saffery.
But health reasons aren't the only concern for residents, they don't believe Verizon Wireless and local Powder River Development have been transparent with the process, they say residents within impact vicinity were delivered a text message that read, "Reply yes to this text to show your support for improved Verizon Wireless service in Eagle," with limited information specifying placement of the tower, but also a public hearing notice, which was placed hundreds of feet down a private lane informing passersby of the hearing.
The cell tower is proposed to be built on Ada County residentially zoned land, all within City of Eagle property limits. The Mayor of Eagle stating in a letter to Ada County, "The subject property is designated on the city of Eagle comprehensive plan land use map as residential estate. If this property were located within eagle city limits, a cell tower would not be permitted to be constructed in the proposed location.”
"If stuff like this gets approved and Verizon just comes in and does what they want, it opens the door to guess what, it's your home next," said Hodge.
There will be a public hearing on the matter Thursday, October 18th, at 6 p.m.
