Politics & Government

Verizon Cell Tower Proposed for Encino Creating Stir in Brentwood

Encino family appeals to Board of Public Works to move the proposed cell tower location south of Mulholland Drive into Bel Air Skycrest and Brentwood boundary.

A proposed Verizon cell tower on Mulholland Drive initially on the Encino side now has Brentwood residents asking questions.

Barbara Dohrmann, president of the Bel Air Skycrest Property Owners Association and member of the Brentwood Community Council, said she first heard about Verizon's proposal at 16381 Mulholland Drive last December and reported it to the community council on Feb. 5. It's also come before the Encino Neighborhood Council, she said.

"They've been working on this since 2008," Dohrmann said last Tuesday to Patch about Verizon's plans. She said she went to the Bureau of Engineering on March 15 to review more project details.

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A family living north of Mulholland Drive near the proposed Encino location reportedly appealed with their attorney to the Board of Public Works to move it south of Mulholland Drive into the Brentwood side, suggesting the Brentwood location is "equally effective." Dohrman said the cell tower would be next to a hillside where it's visible to people looking out over the San Fernando Valley.

"Bel Air Knolls would also be affected," she said.

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The Brentwood Community Council responded on Feb. 26 with a letter to the Board of Public Works asking that they carefully review Verizon's plans with Bel Air Skycrest and Bel Air Knolls residents on what can be done to make the cell tower placement acceptable to this stretch of the Mulholland Scenic Corridor.

Nancy Freedman, chairwoman of the community council, suggested in the letter that Fire Station 109 at 165000 Mulholland Drive might be an ideal location for all parties, and there may be other viable options as well.

Dohrmann said the alternative proposed location will get appealed, and noted that Verizon prefers the original Encino location.

"Verizon says the pole must be much taller, fifty-seven feet," Dohrmann said about the Brentwood proposal.

The Encino location is in City Councilman Paul Koretz's fifth district, while the Brentwood location is in City Councilman Bill Rosendahl's 11th district.

Last Wednesday, Rosendahl's Field Deputy Joaquin Macias said CD11 is not taking a position on the cell tower proposal and will let the community vet the discussion on the proposed locations.

The next hearing with the Board of Public Works is April 10.


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