The Neighborhood Files

Medlock Neighbors Speak Up About Cell Tower

The proposed cell tower at the former site of Medlock Elementary has neighbors up in arms.

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Susan Cooper- Medlock Neighbor

"I think that it’s just a bad time for the Board to be considering it when they don’t know what they’re doing with the property yet. It could totally detract other renters of the property from being interested in renting it. It seems like it’s a quick Band-Aid to a long-term problem."

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"We’d be looking right out at it from our window. Nobody wants to buy property next to an ugly cell tower. A cell tower would be visible from their yards and living rooms so it would decrease not only aesthetics but the enjoyment of their homes.

There are also legal issues. We question whether the Board of Education even has jurisdiction when it’s just vacant land now. There’s no school there.

This is clearly a residential neighborhood, and a cell tower is clearly a commercial venture. This doesn’t belong in a residential neighborhood.

Twenty five thousand is just a drop in the bucket when you consider the pluses and minuses. And there are a lot more minuses."

Credit Margarita Delapaz

"They can put it in my yard if they want to. These cell towers are going to be a thing of the past. There is no more school activity in that school so you’re not hurting anybody that’s in it."

Credit Margarita Delapaz

Melissa: "I just don’t feel good about it. We’d prefer to keep that site as amenable as possible to hosting a school."

Patrick: "For me there’s just the issue of perception. If other people are fearful of that [the medical issues thought to be caused by the cell towers], that’s good enough for me because I think if people are fearful of that it could keep people out.
The cell towers are a disappointing idea because we want to keep great users of that building in place. Be it schools or a church, all of those people-oriented ideas I believe are less salient if there are cell towers there."

Credit Provided by Patrick Kelley

"I think that it’s just a bad time for the Board to be considering it when they don’t know what they’re doing with the property yet. It could totally detract other renters of the property from being interested in renting it. It seems like it’s a quick Band-Aid to a long-term problem."

Credit Margarita Delapaz

"My opinion is that I don’t want it because if they allow a cell tower there that will be the final disposition of the property. We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot.

In order to have a good neighborhood, you’ve got to have a good school, good churches and a good shopping center. We don’t want it to be taken apart piece by piece."

Credit Margarita Delapaz

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The proposed cell tower at the recently shuttered Medlock Elementary School has neighbors up in arms. North Druid Hills-Briarcliff Patch asked several residents what they thought about the issue.

What do you think should be done with the former school? Tell us in the comments.

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