On Sept. 28, the planning commission reviewed an application by AT&T/Cingular Wireless Service for a conditional use permit to install antennas on a PG&E tower on Cox Avenue and build a small unmanned telecommunications building nearby.

The PG&E tower is located near the railroad tracks east of Garnett Court. Another wireless carrier, Nextel, already has antennas on the tower.

The planning commission passed a motion for a continuance pending further information on the proposed antennas and telecommunications facility, with Commissioners Linda Rodgers, Susie Nagpal and Michael Schallop opposing the motion and finding no reason to deny the permit.

At a meeting on Aug. 24, organized opposition by neighbors convinced the planning commission to postpone review of an application by Nextel for a "monopine" wireless tower at the Church of the Ascension at 19550 Prospect Ave. Neighbors of the antenna site on Cox Avenue did not appear to oppose the wireless antennas and telecommunications building at the Sept. 28 meeting. But with wireless companies making a constant effort to provide seamless coverage to their customers by having towers in strategic locations, Commissioners Mike Uhl and Robert Kundtz expressed a desire to know the long-term plans of wireless companies for Saratoga.

At the Sept. 28 meeting, the commissioners peppered a representative from AT&T/Cingular with questions about the antennas and the telecommunications building proposed for Cox Avenue, but many of the questions were outside her area of expertise.

"It's hard to make a decision [with only one representative present]," Planning Commissioner Manny Cappello said.

Cappello asked about an existing wireless tower at nearby Congress Springs Park but the representative was not able to provide a satisfactory answer of why that tower could not provide the wireless coverage needed. Uhl said that because of restructuring during a recent merger between Cingular and AT&T, the two companies had possibly not yet coordinated resources.

The continuance on the application will allow AT&T/Cingular to present additional information to the commission at a future meeting.

In other business, an application by Bryan and Katrina Rosevear to construct a two-story residence at 20295 La Paloma Ave. was approved on the condition that privacy concerns of neighbors Ken and Barbara Bond be addressed.

The Bonds were concerned that the bedroom windows of the new residence would look directly down into their master bedroom. Frosted glass or a change in the placement of the windows were offered as possible solutions. The planning commission decided to allow the parties to attempt to amicably resolve the privacy concerns; if a solution could not be reached, the commission would make a decision at a later date.

In the design review report, the city arborist recommended that a tree between the sidewalk and street in front of the property be removed. Commissioner Jill Hunter objected to the removal of the tree and Bryan Rosevear said that he would attempt to preserve it.