Mililani Mauka residents opposed to the construction of a "stealth" Wi-Fi antenna in their neighborhood are not ready to give up their fight, despite indications that their community association is moving forward with the project.

On Tuesday a Mililani Town Association committee voted 3-1 to recommend approval of the project, which would result in an 80-foot tree-shaped antenna being erected between Mililani Iki Elementary School and the community’s Recreation Center VII.

MTA’s full board is expected to decide whether to accept Clearwire’s request to build the antenna on the property at its next meeting on Wednesday.

MTA President Will Kane could not be reached for comment.

"More than likely, (the board) will give their approval," said resident Shelly Nakasone, who is leading community opposition to the project. "We’re not opposed to the technology, but we don’t think this is the right place to put an antenna."

In an informational briefing posted last month on the Mililani Town Association website, the association noted that eight existing cellular antenna easement agreements generate nearly $170,000 in revenue each year, equivalent to about $11 in maintenance assessment fees for each of the association’s 15,831 members.

At Tuesday’s meeting a dozen Mililani Mauka residents said they object to the antenna. Two others said they support the proposal because they hoped it would eventually lead to better cell phone service in the upper areas of the neighborhood.

Nakasone said she and other residents would support the construction of an antenna at a property owned by Castle & Cooke located above the tree line of the neighborhood or at any other site that does not negatively affect residents.

In addition to the aesthetic impact of the antenna — the proposed location is relatively flat and has not yet been landscaped to include trees that would help mask the antenna — Nakasone said residents are concerned about being disturbed by the hum generated by such an antenna.

While Nakasone expects the MTA to accept the Clearwire request to build, she said she and other residents will continue to gather signatures for a petition and, if necessary, lobby the city Department of Planning and Permitting, which would still have to approve the project.

The Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board voted unanimously to oppose the project.

"We may have lost the battle, but we have not lost the war," Nakasone said. "We will continue to fight until there are no more options. Right now we still have options."

Nakasone is asking those opposed to the project to call 284-3878 and to join the Mililani Mauka Community Action group on Facebook.