Countywide : School Seeks More Time to Build Tower

Cal Lutheran University has asked the Federal Communications Commission for six more months to construct a 150-foot-tall radio tower on a ridge top in Thousand Oaks.

The university last week applied for a six-month extension that would allow the university to pursue building the radio tower on Mt. Clef ridge, said Dennis Gillette, vice president of institutional advancement.

In August, 1990, the commission granted the university its first 18-month permit to establish an FM radio station at the campus. It expired in January, 1992, but officials asked for a six-month extension to secure the necessary permits from the city of Thousand Oaks. That extension was granted and it expires on July 19.

The tower has already been approved by the city’s Planning Commission, but the university ran into trouble after residents near the site of the proposed tower mobilized in opposition.

In a surprise move, the university decided to delay its application for a permit while it explored other sites.

Among the sites being examined is Rasnow Peak, the most prominent ridgeline overlooking the Conejo Valley.

Thousand Oaks and Santa Rosa Valley residents say the tower would be an eyesore. They also contend that the tower would emit radio waves that could be harmful to their health--an argument that has been rejected by consultants hired by the university and by the city.