Re: Guest column: Why we oppose the Incline Village cell tower (opinion) [telecom]

Moderator Note: Not-in-my-oh-so-perfect-Stepford-clockwork-department ... >

> Incline Village residents are protesting the proposed cell tower on > Village Boulevard. > > Although we're not against enhanced cell coverage, we are against the > eyesore of a 117-foot monopole in the middle of Incline towering 30 or > more feet above surrounding trees and buildings, sitting within a few > hundred feet of high-density residences (including six homeowner > associations), on an 1,800-square-foot cement pad with four large > equipment boxes, a huge propane gas container, and a noisy emergency > generator behind a 6-foot fence, all less than 50 feet from the Tahoe > Regional Planning Agency Class 1 biking/walking path on Village > Boulevard, which is one of Incline's most highly trafficked streets. > > For these reasons - and others having to do with the faulty > application of Incline Partners - we're appealing the April 4 Board of > Adjustment approval of the tower (a 2 to 1 decision), which the Board > of Commissioners will hear in May. >

formatting link

Many towns and cities have zoning ordinances that prohibit high towers in certain sections. When a communication carrier seeks to build a radio tower, they often claim they are federally regulated and as such they can override local rules. That often works (along with a high powered legal team that outguns a small town.)

Personally, it irked me that communications sought to have it both ways. When it favored them, they were a regulated company with powers granted by being regulated. But when it favored them, they were suddenly in a free market and old regulations didn't apply to them.

***** Moderator's Other Note ***** > > No, it doesn't matter if it's in this or that state or even this or > that country. If someone chooses to live in a manufactured version of > the "perfect" little town, then they have to take what comes with it. > > I suppose this is the same thing as the well-tended four-square-feet > patches of grass that adorn city sidewalks, or the pretend fireplaces > some computer users have as screensavers - but it's dangerous. The > "benefits" of one-microscopic-size-fits-all insular developments come > with physical /and/ psychological costs, and we ignore them at our > peril.

I respectfully have to disagree with this. If a town chooses to have restrictive zoning to maintain an attractive character, that is its choice. Generally, that yields nice well maintained buildings, good property values, and a nice community. If someone doesn't like that style, there are plenty of unregulated communities.

I've seen cell phone towers shoved into highly inappropriate places and they look like hell. The support equipment, like generators and service trucks are noisy and a nuisance to nearby residences. In one location, the service trucks illegally park on nearby properties; the carriers don't give a damn and in practice there's little that can be done even if on paper it is illegal.

Reply to
HAncock4
Loading thread data ...

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.