Wake County school board to vote on cell tower at Brassfield Elementary

Parents in North Raleigh are watching closely this week as the Wake County Board of Education prepares to vote on a proposal to place a 180-foot cell tower on the grounds of Brassfield Road Elementary School. The structure, designed to resemble a pine tree, would be built and operated by APC-EDGE, a partnership involving Raleigh-based APC Towers. The company originally proposed a 195-foot tower but reduced the height to 180 feet after discussions with school board members.

For the district, the appeal is financial. The proposed lease would bring in $30,000 in rent during the first year, with 3% annual increases, and the agreement could total an estimated $1.5 million over its full term if renewed through 25 years. But for families who live nearby — especially in the Forest Brook neighborhood — the math looks different. Residents have raised concerns about radiofrequency radiation exposure so close to where young children spend their school day, as well as worries about how a tower of this size could affect home values and neighborhood character.

What We Actually Know About Health Risks

It's worth noting that the American Cancer Society says current research does not support a link between cell towers and cancer. That's an important data point, and it's one school board members have had to weigh. At the same time, residents like Janine Janicelli, a nearby resident and cancer survivor, have asked the board to do more research before moving forward — a reminder that "no proven link yet" isn't the same as "zero legitimate concern" for many families making decisions about where their kids go to school or where they buy a home.

Board members reportedly pressed company representatives during an Oct. 13 facilities committee meeting on the tower's height, technology, revenue potential, and health implications — suggesting these aren't settled questions even among decision-makers.

What Concerned Families Can Do

If you're a parent or homebuyer who takes EMF exposure seriously, stories like this are a good prompt to think about what's within your control. Distance matters — RF exposure drops off significantly the farther you are from a source, which is part of why tower placement decisions matter so much to nearby residents. At home, you can also take a layered approach to reducing everyday EMF and air quality concerns, from choosing a low-EMF air purifier that won't add unnecessary electromagnetic output to your child's bedroom, to swapping in a low-EMF hair dryer for daily routines. Some households also look into EMF shielding paint as a way to reduce ambient exposure in rooms closest to outdoor sources like towers or utility lines.

For now, the decision rests with the Wake County school board, whose vote this week will determine whether the Brassfield Elementary project moves forward — and how much weight unresolved health questions carry against the promise of new revenue.

Originally reported by WRAL