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A no-vegetation plan? · Jun 8, 09:50 AM

Looking up on the utility run Cell phone antennas View from above An annotated picture of the antenna site

In the part of California where I live, we have very strict guidelines for any type of developement, especially on the coast, which is within the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission. Endangered species, the environment and protecting the “viewshed” play a large part in decisions about any sort of construction.

Are the requirements imposed always sensible and based on best practices? Whose idea are they anyway?

I received a copy of the following letter that a resident sent to the local county planning department. The family has farmed and grazed this land since the 1880s. A few years ago when a wireless telecommunications company approached them about locating a cell phone antenna on the property, the family agreed that this would be in keeping with current and future use of the land: grazing and farming.

I was so concerned when I read the letter that I asked if I could print it and I took pictures for illustration. If you click on them, the thumbnail images will open in a popup for better viewing.

The letter follows:

Thomas H Armstrong
Removed for privacy
Removed for privacy

Planning Commission Staff
County of San Mateo
Redwood City, CA 94061

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Dear Planning Staff,

RE: County File Number PLN-2003-00487; Cingular Wireless Application

As a family member who has been in charge of agricultural operations on the Armstrong Ranch for 35 years I would like to reply to some comments.

Lennie Roberts commented that : a large swath of the coastal scrub vegitation on the hillside was removed during a prior installation of the Sprint Cell site and that revegetation efforts have so far been unsuccessful.
Looking up toward cell tower
I would like to correct the false impression that this comment leaves. As a requirement for Sprint to get their job finaled, they were asked to spread redwood mulch on the disturbed earth. I don’t know who came up with this idea, but it was the wrong thing to do. This was not Sprint’s idea it came from the county, I believe in response to some of Ms Roberts comments at the time.

The redwood mulch killed all the vegetation and has not allowed anything to grow there.
Close up of the mulched area Bracken fern in mulch path except bracken fern—ed.

When the (Sprint) job was nearing completion, I called in a consultant from the Resource Conservation District to advise the contractor on reseeding efforts and erosion control. The expert advised seeding oats or barley as a cover crop for the first year and said the land would revegetate naturally by the second year.

The contractor was not real cooperative, but I bought some oats and seeded it myself as I have done many times in the past when farming that hill. The redwood mulch was applied in the spring effectivly killing all the oats and grasses that had come up. As proof I invite you to come and look at the portion that was cleared for the utility lines from the site down to Stage Rd. The utility run is much longer than the “swath” under comment.
A closer view of the utilty run Another grassy field The redwood mulch was not required there because it is not visible from the highway. This portion naturalized beautifully the first year and has been providing forage for the cattle ever since.

The “coastal scrub” coyote brush; Baccharis pilularis, is not a desirable plant here on the ranch. My family has been fighting it for over 100 years. At this time grassland forage for the cattle is the desired crop. It is in our plans to remove much of that brush in the future. At the same time, we understand the need to reduce the visual impact of the cell site antennas. We are willing to leave some brush in that vicinity for that purpose. I have personally planted many Cypress trees to replace the ones that Sprint planted and others besides, Many of these are growing nicely.

Before anyone gets too carried away on a revegetation plan, I hope you will talk to the Resource Conservation people. They are the real experts on this and their services are free. We are trying to manage our cattle organically and hope that no foreign materials are brought in again.

Sincerely,

Thomas H. Armstrong
Fourth Generation
Armstrong Ranch Family Farm

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