For anyone who’s struggled to make a cellphone call in Fair Oaks Ranch, help is on the way. The east side community of luxury homes is set to get a cellphone tower, which was approved Tuesday by the Santa Clarita Planning Commission with a number of accommodations intended to keep any impact to the area’s aesthetic to a minimum. The applicant, Verizon Wireless, submitted an application for a conditional use permit to install and operate an unmanned wireless cellular facility mounted on a proposed 55-foot “monotree” structure.
The builder is looking to put the tower on a 2,150-square-foot parcel of Fair Oaks Ranch Neighborhood Homeowners Association-owned land east of Heron Lane. A poll conducted by the wireless company at the city’s request indicated that 80% of residents were in favor of the tower and the design, according to city officials. The applicant indicated the wireless provider has worked with the city for approximately two and a half years on the approval to make the project “in the least intrusive way possible.
” Jose Alonso, representing the Fair Oaks Ranch’s homeowners association, also supported approval of the tower, saying it was needed for safety and convenience, as some residents must leave their neighborhood for reliable service..
