Opponents of 5G wireless towers at Cliffridge Park: ‘Stop the Build’

Last Updated on May 1, 2025

Another project for 5G wireless equipment in La Jolla draws opposition and community backlash via a petition and more.

Just after a similar project was withdrawn, opposition to another proposed 5G project is gaining momentum.

Dish Wireless has applied for approval of two 30-foot 5G towers, each of which will contain three antennas, on the La Jolla Youth Baseball League fields at 8311 Cliffridge Ave.

The two towers would replace existing, decommissioned towers already on the field which each stand at 20 feet tall.

The proposed new towers alarm many in the community who are concerned about the effects of electromagnetic radiation exposure.

Similar projects had received similar opposition; AT&T recently withdrew an application for a 30-foot, standalone wireless communication facility with ancillary equipment to be placed on the La Jolla Bike Path after a Feb 13 community forum brought in expert testimony about the dangers of radiation.

During that forum, Kent Chamberlin, professor and chair emeritus in electrical and computer engineering at the University of New Hampshire, shared 2020 New Hampshire State Commission on 5G Health and Environment findings that recommended cell towers have a 1,640-foot setback, as wireless radiation leads to oxidative stress, which causes chronic inflammation, leading to a host of serious diseases and conditions.

From left, Patti Garay and Gregory DeNies help Kerri DeNies present to La Jolla Town Council.

A month later, Kerri DeNies, whose son attends Torrey Pines Elementary School adjacent to the baseball fields, reiterated Chamberlin’s findings when expressing opposition to the Cliffridge Dish project.

“Let’s find a more appropriate place away from our children’s baseball field and schools,” she said at the March 13 La Jolla Town Council meeting, noting one Dish tower is set to be installed 64 feet from TPES and the other 267 feet from the Dan McKinney Family YMCA.

And, with an existing and active AT&T tower and equipment enclosure already on the baseball field, there would be three active towers, which DeNies said is too many, especially since TPES students spend 30 to 45 hours a week on campus, while baseball players and YMCA preschool attendees are also within range for dozens of hours a week.

Representatives for Dish Wireless did not respond to a request for comment.

DeNies urged community members to sign a “Stop the Build” petition and attend one of three community meetings: 9 am, Monday, March 25 at the YMCA; 5:30 pm Thursday, March 27 at the YMCA; and 3 pm Friday, April 11 at the Pony field at Cliffridge Park.

DeNies and others have also begun fundraising for legal assistance in fighting the Dish project.

“Our children’s safety is not for sale,” she said.

Email kerridenies@gmail.com for more information.