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• a piece of affected equipment Ls still in warranty, ■ There is no conclusive evidence that cellular the manufacturer will sometimes provide a base stations significantly impact property remedial filter. values.There are studies which have shown ■ Electromagnetic interference can affect medical no negative property value impact from base electronics.There have been a number of stations.Broad anecdotal evidence from real reported incidents of interference in susceptible estate specialists and municipal tax assessors also indicate no evidence of a decline in prop- electronic patient monitors involving the nearby use of security guards'walkie-talkies or visitors' erry values due to the presence of base stations. There portable cellular telephones.However,there is also positive evidence that the presence apparently have not been incidents involving . of even extensive and visually obvious antenna sites does not effect the desirability of the cellular base stations,because of the low power immediate area for residential use.This includes levels they typically employ.One reported inti- the development of land at the base of an dent involved a 150-watt paging transmitter existing 400 foot television transmission tower, mounted on the roof of a hospital.Activation of which served as a platform for cellular trans- the transmitter caused a slight fluctuation in the reading of a patient's blood pressure.The use of mission and other special purpose antennas,for inexpensive filtering and shielding components new houses with prices starting at$700,000. can often readily resolve such interference,as is ■ State and local zoning codes govern base station the case for interference CO stereo equipment. construction.Zoning codes usually govern both ■ The food and drug administration has an the permitted type of construction (residential, electromagnetic interference immunity guide- commercial etc.)in each regulated zone as well line for medical equipment.The FDA requires as the maximum permissible height of structure that medical electronic devices be able to within the zone.Because cellular base station o rate unim towers often are higher than otherwise permis- pe peded in a strong ambient radio sible and may not be aspecificallypermitted frequency field of 3 volts per meter.Powered • wheelchairs must be able to operate without land use,they usually require a zoning variance interference in an even stronger, 20 volt-per- or waiver from the local zoning authority meter field.Fields generated by cellular base ■ Base stations are"inherently beneficial." stations in areas frequented by the public are Public utilities and other necessary infrastruc- usually much,much weaker than values of ture are often granted more lenient treatment concern CO the FDA. under state and local regulations for obtaining variances.The legal term for this type of socially D. Lessons Learned Cellular Base important infiasm,cture is"inherently beneficial" Stations and Land-Use Issues The Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court,as well as other courts,ruled that cellular ■ There is no known case of a cellular base station base stations are inherently beneficiaL tower falling.Base stations facilities are required, by ANSI standards,to be built to with-stand a S0-year storm event and are typically over built by 50%.Cellular towers have even been known to survive unscathed extreme storms that destroyed structures on surrounding properties. ■ Base stations are usually no more and often less visually intrusive than other commonly accepted infrastructure.Base stations,particu- larly in suburban and rural areas,are distinctly visible. When possible,cellular base stations often attempt to use existing structure such as water towers and office buildings.When a new structure must be erected,care should be taken minimize the visual impact CO the extent prac- ticable.Careful site selection—consistent with network needs—visual impact studies and 4111 remediation of appearance through camouflage can be used to render the facility as unobtru- sive as possible.