Yes, you heard it right. The St. Bethlehem United Methodist Church has decided to turn its head away from the community to make an easy income by leasing part of their lot to Verizon Wireless for a 100-foot Communication Tower in the heart of St. Bethlehem.

Neighbors were unaware of the project that has been in the works for over a year until last week, when the Planning Commission sent a handful of property owners notice of this project. Neighbors immediately contacted the church pastor and head of board Mr. Booth trying to plead for a change of heart. Within days a meeting was held with a room full of neighbors stating their concerns and pleading to the church to stop this tower. The community was told that only the St. Bethlehem United Methodist Church Board could stop this project.

What neighbors did not anticipate was the lack of interest and care from the church and its members about their community and neighbors. As many simply have stated “it is the church’s property and we can do as we please” or “we don’t live in this neighborhood, so if this helps the church…why not?” depicts a pretty clear picture of how this church and its members view the community. These are statements most people wouldn’t expect to hear from parishioners in the heart of a neighborhood.

This 100-foot tower will be across the Historical Country Woman’s Club presenting a threat to the conservation of this building if a storm or accident ever occurred. The Country Women’s Club has been part of the National Register of Historic Places in Montgomery County since July 2006. It is our responsibility to protect this local treasure.

Another major concern in the community is health consequences related to 24-hour exposure to EMF Radiation. Multiple studies overseas show that these towers could increase the chance of leukemia and cancer in children and adults. The State of California has banned cell phone towers within 1,000 feet of school grounds based on the probabilities of this health concern. This community deserves the benefit of the doubt about such grave health consequences.

There is no doubt this 100-foot tower will be an eyesore in the middle of the Rossview/Old Russellville Pike intersection. Property value will plummet for surrounding blocks of this giant tower. Studies have shown that 79% of individuals looking for housing would not purchase or rent a home within view of a cell tower. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines categorize cell towers and antennas with “hazards and nuisances,” and HUD requires its certified appraisers to take the presence of nearby cell towers into consideration when determining the value of single-family residential properties.

Towers require 24-hour, 365 days a year access, which means anyone can climb these towers at any given time and have full view of residences, invading the privacy of neighbors.
We currently have 9 Communication Towers and 87 Cellular antennas within a 3-mile radius of this location. The St. Bethlehem community believes that there are plenty of viable, reasonable options for the location of this tower that would be out of the neighborhood. There are plenty of commercial properties and industrial parks in the area that may not mind this tower and would keep it within reasonable distance from residential homes.
While everyone recognizes that there is a need for better cell coverage, the community is opposed to the inappropriate location of cell sites. It is essential that steps be taken to locate these sites where they would be the least intrusive and have the lowest impact on the daily lives of the people who live, work, study and play in this community.
Bottom line, cell business should not be church business. Churches are supposed to lead communities, not tear them down. The St. Bethlehem community is outraged. THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT THIS TOWER. One thing is for sure; this is a true ethical reflection upon this church. Which is more important, money or the health and wellbeing of the community? My guess is, no member of the church would choose a 100-foot cell tower in his or her backyard for any amount of money.

PLEASE HELP US STOP THIS TOWER. THE CURRENT PLAN NEEDS REVISION BY EITHER GETTING EXCEPTION TO SETBACKS FROM CODES OR REDRAWING PLAN MOVING TOWER JUST A FEW FEET CLOSER TO STREET..BUT THEY ARE NOT PLANNING ON STOPPING THIS. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT.

Regards,
Frances McKillip
St. Bethlehem Resident