LAGUNA BEACH : 45-Foot Antenna in State Park Sought
A telecommunications firm has proposed building a 45-foot-high antenna tower in Crystal Cove State Park to improve cellular phone reception along the hilly coastline north of Laguna Beach.
L.A. Cellular’s wooden post topped by an antenna, as well as a 10-foot-high equipment shelter, would be located next to the Laguna Beach County Water District’s reservoir on the inland side of the state park.
“We asked that they paint it to blend in with the natural background,” said Crystal Cove State Park Ranger Michael Eaton. “That area is full of trees, so if you are hiking into the hills, you’ll hardly even see it. It will be barely noticeable.”
The company must first receive permission from the California Coastal Commission, which will take up the issue at its Jan. 13 meeting in Santa Monica.
The park is considered the best location for the tower to improve cellular phone communication in the hilly area between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. Eaton said the tower and shelter will not damage any sensitive resources in the popular park, which is home to some rare and endangered species.
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