Beaumont-Wilshire Residents Challenge City Over Wireless Tower

By JAMES PITKIN

Some Northeast Portland residents are trying to haul the City of Portland in to court for approving a wireless-internet tower in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood.

A petition filed Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court claims the city violated its own rules last year when it approved a tower for wireless internet carrier Clearwire (a two-time Rogue of the Week).

According to the court petition, the city last December gave Clearwire (also known as Clear Wireless) permission to build a tower at 3707 NE Fremont St.

The petition says the tower would violate city rules for two reasons:

1. An existing tower is already available in the vicinity.

2. Another site nearby would take higher priority under city rules.

Beaumont-Wilshire residents Andrew Frazier and Colin O'Neill, along with the nonprofit Respect PDX, are asking the court to review the city's decision. 

"A wireless facility on the Fremont site will be a visual and auditory nuisance," the petition says, "and will reduce the values of [Frazier's and O'Neill's] property."


WWeek 2015

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