Frankenpine approved by APA today

[DougPaul]

I think we should have uncovered areas where no service is available. I'm not sure this is the place for it but I like the idea of places where there is no coverage. As for this tower. It's ugly.

I'm not defending the decision to install the tower--just trying to understand the motivations of the cell phone company. There are a significant number of potential users on the western shore of Lake George.

Doug

 

[Bluethroatedone]

More pictures

http://www.utilitycamo.com/sites.html

 

[beverly]

Frankenpine update

The Lake George Park Commision has given final approval to the construction of the 104 foot cell tower on Pilot Knob. The Adirondack Council says it will sue to prevent construction.
Times Union article
They still haven't decided what the fake tree will be made of.

Nextel and the APA are still discussing how the tower will be disguised, Phillips Murray said. Fake bark will be made of fiberglass, and will be molded and painted with brown latex paint to resemble that of a pine tree. The foliage will be made of plastic and fiberglass, and branches will be constructed using PVC pipe.

Ah, I love the smell of pcv and fiberglass in the morning. It smells like nature! Or maybe they can spray it with pine scent.

 

[beverly]

January 2006 Frankenpine update

The Adirondack Council sued to stop the "frankenpine" cell tower from being built on Lake George and the suit was tossed out on a technicality - they didn't properly serve papers on the owners of the property.

The Adirondack Council is weighing its options.

The Adirondack Council is considering an appeal, spokesman John Sheehan said. "It's disappointing that a case of this importance would be decided on such a seemingly unimportant side issue."
Sheehan said there appears to be some time since the cell company has yet to produce an acceptable tower design. "The entire time this case has been under consideration, they've been trying and failing to produce an acceptable frankenpine for the park agency."

Newsday article

 

[rhihn]

It's a windmill. And very noisy.

There are two towers on Black Mt. One is a windmill, the other communications. I'm not sure why the communications tower (built on top of the firetower) can't serve in place of the proposed one on Buck Mt. I seem to recall that the sign on the fence around the Black Mt. tower says something to the effect that it will come down when some sort of satelite improvement is made (maybe someone can correct or confirm this).

I really don't understand why this tower can't be used instead of the proposed one on Buck.

As for the "aesthetic" factor, can't they employ "Christmas tree" technology? Many of the fake trees look much better than "frankenpine" to me. I suppose cost is a factor.

 

[dr_wu002]

As for the "aesthetic" factor, can't they employ "Christmas tree" technology? Many of the fake trees look much better than "frankenpine" to me. I suppose cost is a factor.

To me, the more realistic it looks the worse it is!! If it's a big tower, then it's a big tower. Then you see those towers with fake looking branches on them -- they look so horrible it's comical. But the towers are big so if you fashioned a 75' tower to look realistic and it's amongst real trees (10-20' high) it's going to look really frightening. Like a big radioactive tree!!

The tower is going to be obvious no matter what so why try to disguise it?

-Dr. Wu

 

[Tim Seaver]

Dr. Wu - The tower is going to be obvious no matter what so why try to disguise it?

Or maybe a different tack. They could disguise them as old fire towers, triggering a wave of nostalgia to "save the towers" before they were even built.

 

[WBB]

According to the sign posted on Black Mt. the equipment up there is for radio communication, I would assume repeaters for DEC, Police/Fire. The tower and the summit seem to be at its max capacity with what was up there now. I don’t know if there would be room on that tower for much more.

 

[lumberzac]

One thing I find nice about the Adirondacks it that most places I'm out of cell phone range. I don't have to worry about my day-to-day life interrupting me when I'm trying to relax. Am I the only one that feels that way?

 

[Pete_Hickey]

One thing I find nice about the Adirondacks it that most places I'm out of cell phone range. I don't have to worry about my day-to-day life interrupting me when I'm trying to relax. Am I the only one that feels that way?

Dunno. I refuse to carry a cell phone.... ever... not an issue.

 

[bruno]

throw yer celly (and yer ipod and yer tv) at yer car.

 

[Nessmuk]

Dunno. I refuse to carry a cell phone.... ever... not an issue.

Same here. But of course any kind of unnatural structure against a previously natural setting IS an issue. My opinion... don't have cell phone coverage?.. get over it.

 

[tonycc]

As president of the local astro society, I've had some recent dealings with a tower owner who wanted to build a new tower near our observatory. It has been quite enlightening to learn a little about this industry. For us, our concerns were with lighting, any tower 200' or taller needs nighttime lighting and appropriate daytime lighting or red/white painting. If a tower is under 200', it needs no lighting and can be painted any color or left bare gray steel. White strobes (which are aesthetically horrendous) are a cost saving measure, and it was fairly easy to get him to spend the extra money to install red filters.

In his case, all he does is own the tower and he rents space to other businesses. It's kind of like owning a communications strip mall. Thus, when asking why an existing tower won't do, this is one factor. It may be that a competing tower owner is looking for increased revenue.

As far as the actual design of the tower, there are many considerations.
- Most radio signals are strictly line of sight, thus taller towers allow a wider coverage area.
- While weight and space is a concern (antennas can be big and heavy), the biggest limiting factor on what can go on a tower is wind loading. This is another reason putting "branches" on towers makes no sense. They reduce the capacity for antennas, and may result in the need for additional towers!

I agree with DrWu, these fake trees are much uglier than basic towers. Simple towers with no lighting look like the best alternative for when a tower needs to be built. Chances are, we are not going to stop development, but we can work with the developers to minimize the impact.

Tony

 

[Dynotrick]

Isn't there already a cell tower on Black mountain?

assuming this is a typo and you mean Buck mountain (the one stated in beverly's original post.)

Not a cell tower
It's a windmill. And very noisy.

Why not but the cell tower equipment on the windmill???

disclaimer: I only know of this particular issue what I read in this thread.

 

[rhihn]

assuming this is a typo and you mean Buck mountain (the one stated in beverly's original post.)

I'm not sure, but I think lumberzac did mean Black Mt., by way of asking if a new one needed on Buck as well, such a short distance away.

 

[Pat T]

cell tower on Black Mt.

In response to Dynotrick's question about a "typo" --

The windmill and the cell tower are definitely on Black Mt. There is currently no tower on Buck.

IMO, this whole situation is really a shame. A "tower" or a "frankenpine" on the flanks of Buck Mt. will be visible from much of Lake George and will be a real eyesore. The tower on Black Mt. is not seen from most of the lake.

Pat T

 

[takeahike46er]

Bigger fish to fry.

I trust that compromises have been made to ensure that it won't be very noticeable. Opposition to the tower seems based on what the tower signifies (encroaching technology) rather than rational concerns relating to environmental impact and aesthetics. Complaining about something that can only be seen with binnoculars is irrational.

A rational concern would be the scale and type of development that has occured on the western shore of Lake George. Its both an eyesore and an ecological nightmare.

 

[adkleaddog]

Maybe someone should take a look at what's going on on top of French Mt while Lake George is in the cross hairs... ....there's now a road going up the mountain, visible from the southbound lane of the n'way, and as of yesterday, an orange excavator could be seen, digging away, right above the west facing rock face.......

Trophy home with a view????

Anybody have an idea of what's up?