This Saturday, AT&T will fly a balloon to the proposed site of a cell phone tower so that residents can visualize where and how tall the tower will be if it is built.
The Feb. 2 “balloon fly” will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the grounds of the Parklawn Recreation Association, where AT&T is proposing to build a 183-foot monopole cell phone tower.
The Parklawn Recreation Association is located at 6011 Crater Pl., just south of Lillian Carey Park and less than a mile due west of John Adams Elementary School. The site is in Fairfax County.
The “monopole” would be a cell phone tower designed like a tree with a three-foot tree canopy on top. A large chain-link fence would surround the area.
The Parklawn Civic Association has decided to not take an official position on the cell phone tower, according to Parklawn Civic Association President Mollie Loeffler.
In late 2012, the Parklawn Civic Association conducted a survey of residents about the tower. According to the results, 69 percent of surveyed residents in the Parklawn subdivision do not support the placement of a cell tower on PRA land.
“When including the responses of residents of Lincolnia Heights, Barcroft Terrace and Barcroft Forest (subdivisions eligible for PCA membership) with the Parklawn subdivision responses, 61.2 percent of the residents of all these areas are opposed to the tower,” according to the Parklawn Civic Association’s survey results. Residents in the Lincolnia Heights/Heywood Glen neighborhoods seem to support the tower.
For more information about tower, AT&T and some residents’ opposition to the monopole, see “Neighbors Protest Proposed Cell Tower in Parklawn Community” here.
In case of inclement weather, Feb. 9 is the alternate date for the balloon fly.
-----
Note: AT&T officials will present an amended plan at the February Mason District Land Use Committee Meeting. That meeting is at at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Mason District Government Center.
To keep up with Alexandria news, sign up for the Patch email newsletter. For additional info, like West End Alexandria Patch on Facebook!
