IN THE PIPELINE:

The first In The Pipeline column more than two years ago involved a tower controversy, remember?

In 1969, it was a tower that Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. wanted to erect at Springdale Street and Edinger Avenue — but residents shouted the idea down and today a marker commemorating the controversy sits where the tower would have been. Well, it might be time for a new marker a short distance away because now, 30 years later, another tower will not be going up as a result of public outcry (and some good common sense).

Last Thursday, an e-mail alerted me that there was a situation brewing next to the Harbour View Elementary School on Pickwick Circle in Huntington Harbour.

I took a ride over and found 10 or so parents milling around a giant hole in the ground, adjacent to the fence that separates school property (the hole, while not on school property per se, was in a field that is still used by the kids as it is part of a park that the school uses).

My son and I had noticed the hole being dug several days before while we played tennis on the courts there. I thought it was a plumbing project of some sort, but by Thursday a giant crane had joined the heavy haulers and a cell-phone tower was now parked on a flatbed out on the Saybrook side of the school.

As some of the parents explained to me, T-Mobile was about to drop the tower into the hole, as part of a recently struck deal with the city.

The issue that brought the parents out (and soon more parents, and the school board head, and the principal, and the mayor) was that nobody in the area had been notified that this was going up — not neighbors or even anyone at the school.

Anger seemed to vent in two directions: that people were not made aware of the tower, and that there might be harmful radioactive effects their kids would be exposed to.

Harbour View Principal Cindy Osterhout told me, “I’m angry and frustrated at the lack of the city’s ability to inform the district and our community about what’s happening so people could at least have their say. The kids have also now heard about it and are concerned, and this could all been handled in a much better way. To have to be reactive is just not right, and I think we deserve better than this.”

Then there was Alan Rasmussen, superintendent of the Ocean View school district: “A decision will be successful based on the process it follows — it’s hard to sell something after the fact and clearly a ball was dropped here.”

Mayor Keith Bohr arrived on the scene and was accosted by a handful of the parents as to why they knew nothing of the project, and he told me, “We’re still gathering facts but I can tell you from 20/20 hindsight clearly maybe we should have had a public hearing or thought about that — but at this moment we’re trying to figure everything out. I came over as soon as I heard there was an issue here, and by the meeting tonight, hopefully, we’ll be able to clarify things with more information.”

And there was Gracie Vandermark, a local mom. “I have two boys here at Harbour View. I’m out here because this is not safe for the kids — having a cell phone tower here is not safe because of the radiation. There are no studies that can show it’s safe and my kids have no choice — they have to be here. Before they can put it up they should have to prove to us that it’s safe.”

John Morrison, another local, was also there and he began to lead the most vocal charge against Bohr and a rep from T-Mobile, who also showed up to try to quell the fast-rising public anger.

That night at a quickly organized public hearing of sorts at the school, about 200 concerned parents voiced their concerns.

It was a raucous, at times chaotic session, with catcalls and jeering interrupting both the mayor and the gentleman from T-Mobile, who had joined other local officials to explain what had happened.

But in the end, what had happened seemed to be a gross miscalculation in what parents will tolerate near a school.

Bohr somehow managed to calm the boisterous crowd (which also featured a lawyer brought in by Morrison) and promised an impromptu Monday night session at City Hall to reconsider the deal.

And Monday night, before public comments were even heard in standing-room-only chambers, Bohr announced that the City Council had voted 7 to 0 to pull the deal and start over (money will need to be paid to T-Mobile to achieve this break).

Folks still got up to voice their concerns, but it was civil, and everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. I was also pleased to see many high school students attending, my son included, who appreciated this crash course in civics and local government.

We met Sean Guiney, Mike Moore and Ally Granados, all Edison High seniors who attended as reporters. What a great thing it was to meet potential journalists.

So the people spoke, the local government listened and a lesson was learned — decisions that involve the people should include the people — so kudos to the mayor and city government for recognizing this and giving the people a chance to effect change.

Regardless of what you think about their decision, most of us can probably agree that public hearings on decisions such as this can be helpful.

Also, it will no doubt change the way cellular towers are erected in the future here in town, and who knows, maybe someday someone will place a marker at the site to commemorate another tower that was not meant to be.

One thing that leaves me wondering — since last Thursday I heard many speeches and saw lots of evidence presented by parents on the evils of not just cell phone towers, but of the dangers of electromagnetic radiation in general.

So I’m wondering, does this mean parents will be upset if schools install wireless Internet? Or will parents even allow wireless Internet in their own homes?

Will they be putting down those cell phones (especially on school property, near kids) and never allow their kids to use cell phones, period?

Just how much will the anger encompass?

Do the advocates realize the can of worms that’s been opened here, beyond just the ill-fated tower?

CHRIS EPTING is the author of 14 books, including the new “Huntington Beach Then & Now.” You can write him at chris@chrisepting.com.