Just Say No to Big Brother’s Smart Meters by Orlean Koehle Silva cautioned there will likely be a lesson learned about the difficulty of balancing the


public's hunger for wireless use and fears over cell towers. There's also concern about placing wireless facilities in open space. The wireless ordinance


says antennas shouldn't be placed on prominent ridgelines, but doesn't specify where or what those are.


Linda Judd, Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation president, said there is a discrepancy between the ordinance and the general plan that hasn't been challenged, but it could leave open space vulnerable to new antennas. "We oppose the placement of wireless communication in the open space," she said. Residents also urged the city to do radiation tests on the towers and check on the cell companies' needs for more antennas beyond taking their word for it. There are more than 100 wireless facility sites in Walnut Creek, many of them "co-located,"


multiple antennas sharing one site. Sprint spokeswoman Caroline Semerdjian said her company tries to co-locate on utility poles wherever possible. She was unaware Walnut Creek may be considering a moratorium, and didn't know whether Sprint has any pending applications with the city.


Three employees of wireless companies were at Thursday's meeting, but did not speak publicly. Contact Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617. Follow her at Twitter.com/enardi10.


City Ordinances Against Smart Meters for Watsonville:


Ord No. (CM) 1 Q:\COUNCIL\2010\082410\SmartMeter Moratorium.docx ri 8/19/2010 2:19:23 PM AJS ______ CJP ______ ORDINANCE NO. (CM) AN EMERGENCY INTERIM ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS ON THE INSTALLATION OF SMARTMETERS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE OR IN, ALONG, ACROSS, UPON, UNDER AND OVER THE PUBLIC STREETS AND PLACES WITHIN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE, AND DELCARING THE URGENCY THEREOF WHEREAS, the City of Watsonville (the “City”), through its police powers granted by Article XI of the California Constitution, retains broad discretion to legislate for public purposes and for the general welfare, including but not limited to matters of public health, safety and consumer protection; and WHEREAS, Article XII of the City Charter expressly grants the City authority to regulate public utilities within the City of Watsonville; and WHEREAS, the Council adopted a franchise agreement with PG&E’s predecessor, Coast Counties Gas and Electric Company by Ordinance 435 on or about September 25, 1945; and WHEREAS, in addition, the City retains authority under Article XII, Section 8 of the Constitution to grant franchises for public utilities, and pursuant to California Public Utilities Code section 6203, “may in such a franchise impose such other and additional terms and conditions…, whether governmental or contractual in character, as in the judgment of the legislative body are to the public interest;” and WHEREAS, Public Utilities Code section 2902 reserves the City’s right to supervise and regulate public utilities in matters affecting the health, convenience and safety of the general public, “such as the use and repair of public streets by any public utility, the location of the poles, wires, mains, or conduits of any public utility, on, under, Ord No. (CM) Q:\COUNCIL\2010\082410\SmartMeter Moratorium.docx ri 8/19/2010 2:19:23 PM 2 or above any public streets, and the speed of common carriers operating within the limits of the municipal corporation;” and


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