A partially-built cell phone tower is raising alarm bells in an Ancaster residential community.

Construction of a 39-metre Rogers cell phone tower at the Fiddler's Green Road and Highway 403 interchange began on Feb. 20.

Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson said city officials revoked a building permit for the tower on Feb. 25 because the lattice-style unit did not conform with the company's latest approved site plan.

Neighbouring resident Linda Daniel-Smith said she's disappointed the tower construction began without public consultation. She caught an up-close look of workers installing the structure last week through her bedroom window.

Ms. Daniel-Smith said the tower creates an unsightly view from her backyard and could negatively impact property values.

Failure in process

"I think there was a failure in the process," Ms. Daniel-Smith said. "Being in a centralized residential area is not the best place. I'm not saying get rid of cell phone towers because I'm a cell phone user."

Ms. Daniel-Smith points out she has no concerns with two existing cell towers on Shaver Road, just a few hundred metres from her home, because the units have appropriate buffers with neighbouring homes.

Mr. Ferguson said his office has been flooded with questions and concerns from residents since construction of the tower commenced last week. He said the company began the project without public consultation.

"I think Rogers Communications has done a poor job at this location," Mr. Ferguson said in a prepared statement. "Since they have let the community down, they should look for a new location outside of the residential area - for example the (Ancaster) industrial park."

Odette Coleman, a Rogers Wireless spokesperson, confirmed on Tuesday that construction of the tower was stopped. She was not certain whether company officials were planning to submit a revised site plan to proceed with the project.

Ms. Coleman said Hamilton planning staff was aware of the cell tower application as early as February, 2007. She said staff and Councillor Ferguson declined an opportunity to hold a public meeting for neighbouring residents.

Ms. Coleman explained Rogers submitted a full site selection report including a description of the area, specifications of height and design and a minor site plan application with corresponding fees.

In August, 2007, Rogers received a notice from Hamilton planning staff that Mr. Ferguson may choose to hold a public meeting on the proposed tower on Sept. 10, 2007, Ms. Coleman said.

Ms. Coleman said Rogers was notified by city planning staff on Sept. 5, 2007, that Councillor Ferguson's office "has decided to not hold a public meeting on the application after all, and decided to drop this matter."

In an interview, Mr. Ferguson said he was informed about the tower proposal last fall in an e-mail from city planning staff.

But Mr. Ferguson said he was never given an opportunity to hold a public meeting on the issue.

"It was designed to be a sleek, flag pole structure, not a lattice tower," Mr. Ferguson said. "That's the issue. That's all we have control over."

The tower project was not presented to city councillors because it is not subject to municipal bylaws, except for site plan approval. The tower is located on provincial land that is part of the ministry of transportation road allowance.

On Feb. 25, Hamilton's board of health passed a motion asking the city's medical officer of health to report on the potential health effects of cell phone towers. The towers emit electromagnetic radiation.

David Marett is owner and founder of Heliognosis, an Oakville company that has developed hand-held electromagnetic detection devices.

Information on his firm's Web site explains cell tower antennas are directional and aimed so that their maximum power density will hit the ground usually several hundred yards from the base.

"Studies indicate long-term exposure may be dangerous," Mr. Marett said. "A lot of people are concerned about electromagnetic radiation."

According to Mr. Marett's Web site, electromagnetic radiation is "very intense" in the immediate vicinity of the tower and peaks again almost 800 yards south of the tower.

Health Canada sets emission limits for cell phone towers at 1,000 microwatts per square centimetre. Many European jurisdictions set lower standards, including Saltzburg, Austria, where the limit is just 0.1 microwatts per square centimetre.

Public consultation is now mandatory for all proposed cell phone towers as of Jan. 1 of this year. The consultation process is mandated by the federal government through Industry Canada.

"The changes to procedures include clearer consultation processes, added community involvement, and increased efforts to improve the sharing of existing antenna structures," said Industry Canada spokesperson Annie Trepanier.

Under the new legislation, firms are requested to investigate sharing or using existing infrastructure before proposing new antenna-supporting structures.

Firms are also required to contact the local land use authority to determine local requirements for antenna systems.