When Joel and Nicole Donnelly look out at the view from their deck, five 10-foot-tall cellular phone antennas constructed on the roof of the apartment complex next door block what would be a sweeping view of the city.

Soon the Donnelly's could be looking out at 12 more on the same roof.

Verizon Wireless was granted a conditional use permit on June 30 to add eight new antennas to their existing three on the Sound Crest apartments at 6609 S.W. Admiral Way. That decision is being appealed by community members to a hearing examiner on Oct. 28.

"They're a physical blight on the neighborhood," said neighbor Karen Clegg. "They're an eyesore."

The antennas will be blocked off by an eleven foot high fence, but neighbors argue that the barrier violates height restrictions on the building, which have prevented the owner from building up in the past.

According to city code, single-family zones on non-arterial streets are the least preferable areas for cell phone antennas to be installed. Still, families up on the hill of Admiral and 66th Avenue can see five of them through their windows.

But Verizon sees the installation as necessary to keep up with consumer demands.

"People want their cell phones to work everywhere, and to do that requires these (antennas)," said Scott Charlston from Verizon Wireless.

AT&T currently also has two towers on the building and has submitted an application to add four more.

But the cellular company has already demonstrated a disregard for city regulations. On Oct. 9 a stop work order was released after AT&T replaced two of their existing towers without the required permit.

"It just seems that the cell phone companies are doing whatever they want," said neighbor and contractor Joel Donnelly. "You would think they'd have to follow the rules."

Besides obstructing their views residents living near the Sound Crest apartments are frustrated with the noise that is created by equipment cabinets wireless companies construct near the antennas.

Others are concerned about possible health effects that could result from long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation that cell phone towers emit.

While the American Cancer Society states that this cannot cause cancer, they also admit that research has not achieved full knowledge of the health effects. Similar to microwave radiation, electromagnetic radiation can damage human tissue.

Radiation from cell phone towers is strongest at the towers' height, usually limiting exposure to those below the buildings they are constructed on. However, because the Sound Crest apartment building is on the low end of a hill, several neighboring homes are at the roof's level.

"My own gut feeling is that there's a reasonable chance that (electromagnetic radiation) could be the asbestos of the 21st century," said local neighbor and radiologist Jim Borrow. "We just don't know enough about the affects of (electromagnetic radiation) in the atmosphere."

Community members also feel that installing cell phone towers directly adjacent to Bar-S field, where there are two baseball fields that children frequently use, is inappropriate.

Clegg expects that the outcome of the hearing could set a standard for other single family neighbors.

"I think other communities will possibly find themselves in this position and they will look upon what happened here as a precedent," Borrow said.

Rose Egge may be reached at rosee@robinsonnews.com