Sprint was appealing an earlier decision by the planning commission that denied it a permit to erect three wireless antennas at Redeemer Lutheran Church on S. Stelling Road.

"Sprint has shown there is a need at the site," Sprint representative Sandra Steele said at the meeting, while also pointing out that wireless facilities in residential areas are a growing trend. Cupertino currently has four such residential wireless facilities. "The design meets all the criteria," Steele added, noting that the proposed tower met Federal Communication Commission standards, city noise and zoning ordinance requirements and Cupertino's wireless facilities master plan. She also said radio frequency emissions from the proposed tower were far below the amount considered harmful by the federal government.

Even so, residents packed the meeting to voice their discontent.

"The [proposed] structure is ugly, obstructive and against the interests of the whole neighborhood," said Roger Peng in public testimony. Neighborhood resident Rita Love added she opposed Sprint's plan to place the equipment within an existing cross at the top of the church. "I feel it's adding graffiti to a holy structure," she said. And in a statement to the city council, Daniel Lee voiced the concerns of several of his neighbors when he said, "We hope you will consider our well-being more than corporate profit."

In the end, such collective dissent swayed the city council's vote.

"I'm shocked by my own train of thought," Council member Richard Lowenthal said. "I thought I knew how I was going to vote, but I have changed my mind." It's too big and bulky." The addition of the antenna would have raised the height of the church tower to 55 feet.

Vice Mayor Patrick Kwok also changed his mind. "I was leaning towards it," he said, "but after hearing the testimony, I strongly object. It's the wrong place to put an antenna; a cross is a symbol of faith and religion."

The council, however, rejected the appeal based on the project's proposed size. "I'm not in agreement that a 55-foot structure fits in the parameter of this area. It just seems out of place," Council member Dolly Sandoval said.

"We believe our project met all the requirements," said Steele in a later interview. "We were surprised by the city council's decision and certainly disappointed."

Dawn Teuthorn, pastor of the Redeemer Church, said she now feels caught in the middle. "We thought we were helping serve the needs of the community," she said of being first approached by Sprint. "Now we are at the point of letting [the project] go, but that's unofficial. Sprint has to decide what they want to do."

Steele said she couldn't comment on Sprint's future plans but said a meeting had been scheduled with Cupertino's city attorney to discuss options.