Politics & Government

Tinley Park Trustees Hold Off Vote on Cell Towers on District 140 Property

The cell phone towers won't be going up just yet.

Tinley Park trustees Tuesday tabled an item regarding erecting cell phone towers on Kirby School District 140 property.

The trustees decided to push back the final vote on two, 129-foot cellular towers to be erected at  Christa McAuliffe on 174th Street and Helen Keller School on 163rd Street, after extensive negative feedback from residents. 

Parents have argued that the towers are an eyesore and would cause property values to plummet, in addition to the danger they might pose to children.

"These towers are going to be so close to the kindergarten," Marie Letz told NBC. "I know if my kids were little, I'd be putting my house up on the market."

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Plan commissioners approved the plans in May, but final OK must come from the village board. Mayor Ed Zabrocki told residents officials with work with them to come up with a solution, and that the towers "look like hell." 

The final vote might not take place until July 15.

The towers would mean $1,850 per location per month paid to the Kirby School District, with an annual 3 percent increase. The school board approved the agreement in November. 

AT&T has said the towers are necessary to provide consistent cellular service in the area.

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