Tower power

By Tania Martin
A MOUNT Evelyn environmentalist is calling on the Shire of Yarra Ranges to admit its mistake over a telecommunications tower.
Franc Smith fears the tower poses a serious threat to the town’s endangered Powerful Owl population.
The Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association president said the council had failed to advise Telstra properly on the consultation process.
In June, Mr Smith accused the telco of trying to fly under the radar to push the tower through.
The project was approved by shire officers without going before council.
At the time, the council’s planning department defended the move, saying Telstra was relying on compliance under the state rules, which didn’t require a planning permit.
The proposal was to replace an existing structure on the roof of a school building at Pembroke College, Old Hereford Road.
Mr Smith raised concerns over radiation from the tower as it could pose a significant health risk to students in the area.
He now fears it could be the end of the Powerful Owl.
“The radiation won’t kill them but they will perceive it as a low hum and they won’t go anywhere near strange noises…it will frighten them away,” he said.
Mr Smith said the tower would have a similar effect to electronic bird scaring devices.
He said Mount Evelyn is home to the only owl land sanctuary for the Powerful Owls in the world.
“We have only found one successful pair so far this year, and this tower is going to drive them away,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said MEEPA should have been consulted over the proposal but wasn’t.
“I don’t care what the shire says – we’ve got an executive management arrangement over the owl land and they have broken that by not consulting us,” he said.
Mr Smith is calling on the council to admit it had made a mistake and not consulted the community properly.
He said a shire officer had not informed Telstra on who needed to be consulted.
Billanook Ward councillor Tim Heenan admitted the shire should have made sure the telco took a broader approach to the consultation process.
“Under the Australian Communication Industry Forum (ACIF) code there are 17 different ways they could have consulted with the community and they didn’t do any,” he said
Cr Heenan called for further community consultation in June but still hasn’t received a response from Telstra.
“We want council to say they were wrong…they made a mistake and should be big enough to admit it, but I doubt it because they can’t afford to be seen to be wrong,” Mr Smith said.
But shire spokesman James Martin said under Federal legislation towers regarded as low impact like this one, a permit was not required.
He said while the council appreciates Mr Smith’s views, it was incorrect to criticise the council over something it was powerless to influence.
“The council has requested that Telstra undertake wider consultation with the community,” Mr Martin said.
“But there are, however, no statutory provisions that empower the council to require this to occur.”