New Tower Irks Neighbors

Maybe T-Mobile should have used a stealth tree design. If done right it would have been a lot less of an eyesore.

 

That tower is just downright UGLY. However, we have seen it done countless times before, even near me.

 

Here in most of So. Cal the carriers aren't allowed to put up old style monopole towers like this one anymore. Any new tower has to be disguised.

 

There is a poll in the article. I voted 'NO'

 

For those interested, the tower in question is almost certainly FCC ASR # 1275773.
It is located at 41.592416N, -088.005805W. (41-32-45.0 N 088-00-09.7 W)

According to FCC and FAA registration data, the monopole tower is 150-feet tall. Google Earth shows the monopole to be located ~217 feet from the nearest residence, so it seems highly unlikely to me that the tower could someday collapse onto the residence in question.

While I feel for the neighbors, the fact is they don't own the tower property. It appears T-Mobile (and their sponsor SiteSafe) followed all the rules.

As for the dispute regarding the actual tower placement vs. the letter the residents received, I obviously can't speak to the letter (since I haven't seen it). However, this whole tower approval process strikes me as an unexpected example of bureaucratic efficiency!

T-Mobile filed their 7460-1 form at the FAA on 7/15/2010 and got their Determination of No Hazard letter on 8/26/2010 (less than 1 month!). T-Mobile then filed their Form 854 with the FCC on 9/1/2010 (barely 5 days later!), and it looks like the FCC rubber-stamped it the very next business day. T-Mobile then erected the tower sometime over the course of the past 45 days!

On some level, you have to admit that timeline is rather impressive. (Unless of course, you're one of the residents affected.)

 

When T-Mobile wants to put up a tower, they do it, fast. I have seen this process a number of times back in NY. They put those things up before anyone knows what happened.

 

I voted "yes" in the poll. The poll is too generic for one thing - if the cell phone tower were disguised I probably wouldn't have such an issue with it, but the other thing is the question is "....a cell phone tower *in* your neighborhood" - not just within sight of your neighborhood.

I like my cell phones - really I do! And I realize towers are a necessity for having them; but I feel for the people in that neighborhood.

When buying my home, I elected to not purchase in a neighborhood that would have had some decided pros to it as well - just because I didn't want to look at an oil pumping unit and storage tanks (within the neighborhood) as I came and went every day. And I'm from Oklahoma, so I like oil pretty well too!!!

 

I find it funny that everyone wants better coverage, but they don't want towers near them. Can't have one without the other.

 

Yeah I have heard of some similar situations here in So. Cal with T-Mobile.

 

11598 - Google Maps

That is also T-Mobile, which now has MetroPCS, and eventually probably Clearwire on it. I don't ever remember reading an article from people in these houses. I just hope they have T-Mobile or Metro!

Or here, 11598 - Google Maps, where there are actually TWO towers.

Or this incredibly terrible tower, 11598 - Google Maps, where no one seems to care (except maybe the FCC should, that tower is stupid low and close to houses)

 

LOL, I feel the same way. We are going through the same kinda deal here in my town. ATT wants to put up a tower and most people don't care but there is 3 people that don't want it and are being very loud about it. The problem is one of those is on the city council so it has slowed it down. Not sure what's going to happen next... The tower is quarter mile from my house and will be in clear view if I look out my back windows. My first thought was when I heard about it was "great now I will have perfect signal and fast data speeds"