Tampa Resident Launches Petition After 5G Cell Tower Built Next To Home

Many Tampa Bay residents are shocked after discovering 5G cell towers are being built right next to their house. 5G cell towers are currently being quietly added to Tampa neighborhoods all over the place. These cell towers are popping up at schools, parks, and right next to houses. This seems to be happening at a quick pace with many residents having no idea one was being built at all. Residents are worried about the potential health risks of these cell towers and the neighborhood aesthetic.

According to Forbes, the assistant professor of radiology Henk De Feyter, Ph.D. from Yale School of Medicine said, "The radiofrequency 5G uses higher than the previous iterations of wireless communication, including 4G and 3G. It works by producing electromagnetic waves for information to be sent and received." These 5G towers transmit electromagnetic radiation which is invisible energy. This energy is either described as ionizing or nonionizing electromagnetic radiation. Nonionizing uses low levels of radiation such as microwaves, cellphones, and powerlines. Ionizing uses much higher levels of radiation like x-ray machines and sunlight. Christopher Collins, Ph.D., a professor of radiology at New York University said, “In human tissues, ionizing radiation at high enough doses is associated with an increase in cancer, most often skin cancer from the ultraviolet energy in sunlight.”

South Tampa resident Morgan Reid Watts was left in complete shock after she found out a 5G tower would be built right next to her house. A longtime resident, Watts discovered the 5G cell tower would sit merely 15 feet away from her child's bedroom. She started doing a lot of research and decided that she wanted to help other residents in a similar situation. Watts just launched her own petition and it's gaining a lot of traction. So far, it's close to surpassing one thousand signatures in just a few days. She wants all of the 5G cell towers removed from Tampa residential neighborhoods.

Meredith from Wild 94.1 talked with Watts and asked her thoughts about her current situation. Watts said, "When I learned a 5G tower would be going in my yard, I started to ask questions. What rights do we have as homeowners? What restrictions does our city have in place? Should we be concerned with our property values, family's health, and neighborhood aesthetic? Why do other municipalities, states and countries have restrictions on this new technology, and we have none?" Many areas around the world including several countries have banned 5G cell towers from being built. One of their biggest concerns besides cyber security was health. According to Forbes, "In 2017, doctors and scientists launched a petition to stop the 5G rollout in the EU, citing cancer risks. One worry is that since 5G is so new, there hasn’t been time to properly test whether it’s safe."

The more Watts read about 5G, the more unanswered questions she got which was upsetting. She learned that many other residents shared her same concerns and wanted to do something about it. Watts said, "We have seen what other places are doing to protect their citizens. We want to know what our elected officials are doing to protect us? Until those questions are answered, homeowners should have the right to know they won’t come home to find a 5G pole in their yard." To read and sign Watt's petition click here for more information. Verizon 5G cell towers have been a big topic of discussion in the Tampa Bay area. To see all 5G cell tower current locations click on this map for all upcoming 5G towers click here.

The first thing that locals will tell you is "Don't" but that's because they want to keep Tampa to themselves. Unfortunately, the reality is people are going to continue to relocate to the Sunshine State. Tampa is a growing market, which means a lot of people are moving to the 813. Although locals wish the growing would stop, it's still exciting to watch for our city. It's always been a hot spot for long-time tourists, aka snowbirds, and people who are here for a short time. A lot of these tourists are becoming "transplants" and turning their vacation into a lifestyle. But we bet they wish they had this realistic advice before moving to Tampa. Thinking of making the move? Check out our pros and cons of living in the Tampa Bay area and scroll down to find out what's really going on here.

We jokingly asked our listeners what advice they would give someone who plans on moving to Tampa. Of course, the comments are flooded with "Don't", "We're full", and "Stay in NY". And while they aren't wrong, it's not really realistic advice for someone to move to Tampa.

Locals and transplants can find common ground on why Tampa is such a great place to live. There are lots of reasons why people save all year just to visit. The year-round warm weather is a big selling point for those relocating from colder states. We have some of the best beaches in the country, a melting pot of foodie culture, some of the most popular theme parks in the country, and championship-winning sports teams. Like every major city, you will run into issues like a growing homeless population, cost of living, HOA's among others.

This is slightly a joke but also kind of serious because it really does take an hour to get anywhere in Tampa. If you plan on moving to Tampa be sure to bring some patience. Trust us, you'll need it for driving on 275 or across the Howard Frankland during rush-hour (or any time of day really).

One of the biggest cons of moving to Florida/Tampa is the insurance rates. You have 10 days to title and register your car, boats, mobile home, etc. You'll have 30 days to obtain a Florida driver license. If you don't, you could see a hefty $500 fine. It's also worth noting the cost of car insurance is 30% higher than the national average.

Also since Florida is constantly threatened by major hurricanes, expect to pay A LOT for home/flood insurance.

It's something that even locals are guilty of doing. If you want to fit right in with the rest of Tampa, be sure to never use your blinker and let other drivers know your next move. Also, instead of making a u-turn, it's Florida policy to cut over 3 lanes of traffic to correct your mistake. (For legal reasons, this is a joke).

If you go anything under the speed limit in the left lane, be prepared to be met with a lot of middle fingers from Tampa locals.

Seriously, you made the move. Now you're a Floridian. We don't care "how you did it in New York". If you liked it so much, you could've stayed. Related note: Once you make the transfer to Tampa, leave behind your old team sports gear. You're a Bucs/Rays/Lightning fan now.

One thing you may not have realized in Florida is the bugs are INTENSE. Mosquitoes, fire ants, and palmetto bugs are extremely common. You also might want to get used to wearing sunscreen daily and have some allergy medication on hand. We have plants that bloom year-round which causes a lot of issues for people with bad allergies. Plus the ocean breeze can move pollen for miles.

If you've visited on vacation you probably experienced this. It's a beautiful sunny day until around 4pm when we get our daily showers. If you're at an amusement park like Busch Gardens, don't worry about gathering your things and leaving (unless otherwise stated by the park). Majority of the time, you can wait out the storm in 30-60 minutes.

Before making the move to Tampa, maybe consider doing a trial run during our "worst" months. It's the hottest in July/August, hurricanes really pick up in September, traffic is TERRIBLE during spring break. If you plan a 2-3 week visit during any of these months, you'll get a real taste of what it's like living in Tampa.