by Laura Garber
Another battle has begun for concerned residents regarding the installation of a Verizon cell tower at 725 5th Street, where Verizon Wireless is seeking a conditional use permit to build an unmanned wireless telecommunications facility to reach 35-feet on the roof of a commercial building one block west of Pacific Coast Highway.
It is not the first time Hermosa Beach residents have fought such proposals. Plans for two AT&T cell towers next to the Kiwanis building in Valley Park were struck down in 2015, and despite neighboring complaints, a cell tower was placed on Quality Cleaners, a dry-cleaning facility at Manhattan Avenue and Greenwich Village, commonly known as Five Corners, within an 11-foot box in 2023.
The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission voted unanimously March 17 to continue a decision on the latest proposal, directing Verizon to explore alternative placement on the property before returning in May. The building currently houses an auto repair shop, offices and a CrossFit gym.
Verizon representative Tom Johnson said the facility is designed to close a significant coverage gap running roughly from 1st to 14th Street along PCH. He said five properties were evaluated, but four were ruled out because property owners declined to lease space.
“There’s a lot of dead zones, poor coverage in the area, and in essence, for Verizon, this is what they’re trying to fix,” Johnson said.
Residents at the March 17 meeting cited concerns of radiation, visual impact and inadequate review. Adjacent property owner Liz Brubaker argued the commission was being asked to accept the coverage gap “based solely on the applicant’s own materials,” with no independent engineering verification. Her husband Robert questioned whether smaller, less intrusive alternatives like small cells had been seriously considered.
Resident Mike Nichol, who said he spent 25 years working for Frontier and Verizon, suggested alternatives within the City.
“Besides obstructing my view, which we pay a lot of money for, I think there’s better alternatives, as the city maintenance yard is one block over,” Nichols told the commissioners. “That seems like a better option, along with the central office on 1st and PCH.” He also suggested the former Von’s, now Pavillions, where Nichols says his cell reception is the worst.
Commissioners shared neighbors’ concerns about the facility’s placement in the building’s northwest corner, directly adjacent to residential properties. Commissioner Peter Hoffman acknowledged the city’s hands are partly tied under federal telecommunications law but said placement and aesthetics remain within the commission’s purview. But he also recognized a deeper residential issue.
“If it doesn’t go here, it’s going to go somewhere,” Hoffman said. “It’s going to be a different audience of 20 people who now have a cell tower in their backyard.”
The item was continued to May 19, with Chair Stephan Izant directing Verizon and staff to explore moving the facility to the northeast corner of the building, over the CrossFit studio. ER
