When Lissette Monzon found a notice about infrastructure updates, she didn't expect a 35-foot 5G tower to appear outside her backyard the next day, igniting protests among Kendall residents concerned about health risks and property values.
Joanne Haner reports for the Miami Herald.
In short:
- Crown Castle installed 5G towers in Kendall with little notice, sparking resident outrage over health risks and property values.
- State law limits local government's ability to regulate tower installation, frustrating residents and officials.
- Commissioner Raquel Regalado is pushing for more transparency and local authority over such projects.
Key quote:
"The neighbors, with good reason, are up in arms about these things just popping up. They’re not in character with the neighborhood, they’re very intrusive, they’re very near homes."
— Raquel Regalado, District 7 Miami-Dade County Commissioner.
Why this matters:
These sleek, futuristic structures promise lightning-fast internet, but the trade-off seems to be a cloud of anxiety hanging over the community. All wireless devices - including cell phones, WiFi routers, and the towers they depend on for service - emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation which a growing body of data suggests may alter cellular molecules. Crown Castle, the company at the center of the Florida controversy is also facing blowback over multiple unapproved sitings in San Mateo, California.
