Susan Bell, Director
Community Planning, Housing and Development
2100 Clarendon Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201

Dear Ms. Bell

Tonight the Barcroft School and Civic League heard a presentation from Daniel Lopez on behalf of Cingular on their request to build a monopole on County property near Four Mile Run and Walter Reed Drive. Thank you for referring him to us. His presentation was very informative.

A small but keenly interested group of Barcrofters adopted a BSCL position opposing the placement of the monopole in Barcroft Park. We are concerned about the visual impact of the tower on the park. At 18" or more in diameter and 100 feet in height it will not in any way blend with the light poles of the baseball field, and in fact will loom much higher than even the Virginia Power poles along Four Mile Run Drive.

We suggested to Mr. Lopez that the County property yard at S. Arlington Mill Road and South Taylor Street would be a more appropriate location for the tower. While showing him that site he noted the new buildings going up in Shirlington since the original survey that might also be an option.

We were also concerned that Cingular wants the ownership of the pole to revert to the County when the technology no longer requires a tower there or business changes result in its abandonment. We think that no matter where the pole is located, the cellular company should always have the responsibility for removing it when it is no longer needed.

Our chief concern is that developers often look first at parkland when they want to locate a new facility in our community. A cell tower in the middle of Barcroft Park--even in the vicinity of the baseball diamond--will have a detrimental impact on the atmosphere there, and should not be tolerated.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,


Pat Williamson
BSCL President

Some simulated photos of the tower

From the west

From the east.

This page was revised on: January 6, 2006.