Concerns Still Linger After Dacula Residents Meet With Cell Phone Tower Developer

DACULA, GA — After weeks of waiting, representatives for CitySwitch, the Atlanta-based wireless developer that wants to build a 14-story residential cell phone tower in residential Dacula, met with residents last week.

The Hamilton Mill group attended a private informational meeting Nov. 10, however, online petition organizer and resident, Beverly McLee said the meeting did nothing to reverse her sentiments toward the project.

Read More: Dacula Residents Say No To Proposed Wireless Cell Tower Near Park

When she asked CitySwitch’s attorney, Andy Rotenstreich, for written information to share with residents who couldn’t attend, McLee said she was given nothing.

“When I asked if he could prepare a transcript of the information he planned to share, for us to pass on to those who were interested but not able to attend due to illness or prior commitments, he declined my request,” McLee said.

“I now know why he was reluctant to provide a transcript of the information shared at the meeting, as there was nothing to transcribe,” she said. “No agenda, no plan, no pamphlets, no presentation, no nothing. Just poster-sized visuals of false representations of the proposed tower.”

Rotenstreich didn’t immediately return messages.

McLee said the entire process leading up to the meeting was not without difficulties. At the Gwinnett County public hearing on Oct. 26, the proposal applicant was expected to be in attendance. They weren’t. District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins tabled the proposal because CitySwitch requested additional time, he said at the meeting. This was the developer’s second missed opportunity to meet with the community, Watkins said. They were also invited to his scheduled October town hall, but didn’t attend.

The Hamilton Mills group came to both meetings prepared to ask questions and express their safety concerns with the proposed tower that would be located in Watkins' district near Little Mulberry Park at 3570 Jim Moore Road.

McLee said that after the proposal was tabled by Watkins, she waited two days and heard nothing from CitySwitch about meeting with their community group. She then began to send emails and make calls seeking a confirmed meeting date. When she didn’t hear back from CitySwitch she went ahead and scheduled a group strategy meeting to prepare for the Nov. 16 public hearing. An invitation was extended to CitySwitch, but no response was received, McLee said.

The next day Watkins reached out suggesting she contact the proposal applicant and ask if they would arrange to meet with the community. Before she could, Rotenstreich, an attorney for CitySwitch, told her he had just “‘finalized arrangements’” to meet with them for one hour at the Dacula Park Activity Building.

Watkins wasn’t present that evening. He also hasn’t responded to several messages from Patch requesting an interview.

During his town hall last month he told community members that he couldn't answer their questions yet because they needed to be "vetted" by the county's legal team.

He said this was to make sure they weren't "violating any rules of transparency" and wanted to be fair to the applicant too.

“Mr. Watkins is not on our side,” said resident Brooks Lonergan, who also attended the meeting.

He said he fears the proposal will go through without the commissioner’s support of the community.

“He wasn’t in attendance and he’s done little to nothing to help us, and one could even argue he has seemed to be more on the side of the tower building company rather than ours as he should be in his position,” Lonergan said.

State Rep. Charles “Chuck” P. Efstration, III (R-Dacula), said he’s on the side of his constituents.

“As to the construction of a cell phone tower in this residential area, it's out of place with the zoning around it,” he said. “I'm very concerned that the county commissioner who represents the district failed to attend the meeting last week.

As far as how this proposal was publicly shared with residents, Efstration said it’s his understanding that this is the first permit of its kind to come before the commission this year.

“The community showed up to oppose this proposal in October, and the proponents requested additional time to meet with members of the community,” he said. “The meeting has certainly not resolved this issue.

“I feel like the concerns expressed from the community need to be listened to and I'm hopeful that the county commission will deny the requested permit so that the cellphone tower is not built in this location.”

The next public hearing is 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, in Lawrenceville or people can view the livestream at www.tvgwinnettlive.com and on Gwinnett's Facebook. Here’s the agenda.

Related:

• Dacula Residents Say No To Proposed Wireless Cell Tower Near Park
• Public Hearing In Dacula Tonight: Residents Against Cell Tower
• Commissioner Watkins Tables Controversial Dacula Tower Proposal