Cal Lutheran’s Plan to Build 150-Foot Radio Tower Is OKd : Communications: Thousand Oaks planning commissioners say the benefits of the antenna outweigh the complaints of Mt. Clef neighbors.

The Thousand Oaks Planning Commission has decided to allow Cal-Lutheran University to build a 150-foot-tall radio tower that would be used to broadcast Ventura County’s only locally programmed public radio station.

After an eight-hour public hearing jammed by more than 300 residents, Cal Lutheran students and staff, the commission voted 3 to 1 this week to let the school erect the tower on the Mt. Clef ridge at the northwest end of the city.

Commissioner Marilyn Carpentr abstained because she works for Cal Lutheran.

Commissioners said the benefits of the proposed radio station justify putting a giant tower on a prominent, underdeveloped ridgeline. The station KCLU-FM, will broadcast educational and cultural programs to more than 400,000 residents living as far north as Ventura.

“I feel the benefits of the tower outweigh the costs,” Chairman Mervyn Kopp said. “We live in a beautiful area. What amazes me is that we get so hung up on one antenna.”

But a group of Thousand Oaks and Santa Rosa Valley residents, who have protested for months that the radio tower would destroy their view of Mt. Clef, said they may appeal the commission decision to the City Council, which has already set a May 5 hearing date if an appeal is filed.

Residents agued that the antenna will violate Thousand Oaks’ commitment to preserving prominent ridgelines from development.

But Commissioner Andrew P Fox disagreed.

“We’re not talking about development here,” Fox said, “We’re talking about something you can see through.”

The triangular tower, which will be located near the top of the 180-foot-high-ridge, will have three 18 1/2-inche sides of of criss-crossed steel bars.

Commissioner Irving Wasserman cast the sole vote against the radio tower, agreeing with residents that the structure will violate city policies and ordinances designed to protect scenic views for residents and motorists.

But the university and the residents’ groups came well-armed to the marathon meeting Monday night, bearing photographs, slides and graphics to buttress their respective arguments about the antenna.

The university’s defense of the tower was led by consultant Chuck Cohen, a former Thousand Oaks mayor and city councilman, who said he has represented hundreds of developers before thecommission. In addition, the school brought about a dozen administrators and shuttled more than 100 students by van to the hearing, all wearing yellow-and-red buttons sporting the school’s name.

Cal Lutheran President Jerry Miller told the commission that the new radio station will raise the stature of the private university by offering students who are majoring in communication hands-on broadcasting experience.

Cal Lutheran has a radio station transmitted by cable that can only be received on campus and up to about quarter a mile away.

“What KCLU-FM will do for us is lift us to another level of opportunities for our students,” Miller said.

University officials said they hope that the addition of KCLU-FM should eventually attract more students to the school, boosting enrollment beyond the current 2,911 students.

Freshman Michael Torgenson, who works at the existing radio station , said KCLU will also provide a public service by broadcasting local news and sports events, radio and stage drama, cultural festivals held at the school and various styles of music.

“It’s unmeasurable the opportunity that is offered by this station,” Torgerson said.

But residents protested that they were being asked to pay too high a price for the new station.

“Cultural, community and educational benefits can be achieved through many avenues,” resident Denise Filz said. “But you cannot duplicate the natural environment.”

Santa Rosa Valley resident Ronald Hill said the presence of the radio tower would substantially lower the market value of his house, which is located just west of the antenna site.

“I want your radio station,” Hill announced to university officials at the meeting.” But it’s going to cost me 40,000 to 50,000 bucks for you to have it.”

Many residents, some living as close as 1,000 feet away from the antenna site, said they are concerned that the tower will interfere with their television reception and will transmitdangerous levels of radiation.

But Cal Luteran officials pledged to solve any TV reception problems caused by the antenna. They also provided testimony from a consultant hired by the university who said the radio waves broadcast from the antenna would not pose a health hazard.