Springfield, IL Residents Warm to Tower Relocation Plan

A proposal to relocate and erect a 175-foot tower, 75-feet higher than a nearby tower that it could replace near Iles Park, got a cool reception from Springfield, IL residents on Monday. But once they learned Crown Castle could pay the town $14,500 annually and the proceeds could be used to improve the park, they warmed to the plan. Derek Harms, executive director of the park district, said the proposed location for the cell tower would cause minimal, if any, impact on how people currently use the park or any future development plans, the Springfield Journal-Review reported.
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Desert Town Installs “Shot Clock” To Speed Tower Decision Process

The Barstow, CA City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance that will specify requirements for approving future cell tower proposals, including a so-called shot clock. The ordinance supposedly addresses new California legislation and FCC rules. Barstow, whose main street is part of the original US Route 66, is a transportation hub in the Mojave Desert for railroads and highways, and is expecting future population and tower growth.

According to the Desert Dispatch, the shot clock is the “time from submittal of project to the time the city or county has to approve or deny the project.” Continue Reading

Crane to Train Residents of Indian River Shores on What 135’ Really Is

Standing in the presence of an average NBA player, the typical basketball fan would have a tough time guessing the player’s exact height.  And it’s probably even harder to guess how high a 135-foot tower would be sticking into the sky. But the folks in Indian River Shores, FL will get a better idea around midday today. Town officials say a crane will be extended 135-feet into the air from 12:30-to-2 pm at the electric substation at the west end of Fred Tuerk Drive. The crane then moves to the north side of the Town Hall complex, 6001 State Road A1A, from 2 to 3:30 pm.

“We encourage all interested residents to be sure to view the crane at these locations,” Town Manager Rob Stabe told tcpalm.com. “This will help them gain a reasonably accurate idea of what it would look like if a tower were to be installed." Continue Reading

Tailgating Pot Smoker Suspected Of Tower Battery Thefts

Oh, wow man! This is a case of a buzz gone bust. It started off as a normal traffic stop. Deputies in Carroll County, GA pulled over motorist Dexter Sterling James of Stone Mountain, GA. on January 27 for following too closely. But investigators now believe James, 45, could be connected to a string of thefts at cell towers ranging from Texas to North Carolina.

When a deputy approached the newer model silver Chevrolet Silverado, he smelled marijuana. James, who was wearing a brightly colored safety vest and white construction hat, also had a tower company employee’s lanyard dangling from his neck. (It later turned out the credentials were vintage, tower company officials told authorities James hadn’t worked for the company for at least four years.) With consent, deputies searched the vehicle — which was complete with a yellow strobe siren on the top of the cab — and found a small amount of marijuana and a pair of bolt cutters and other tools. They also found several large cell batteries in the bed of the truck, according to the Times-Georgian newspaper of Carrollton. Continue Reading

Technology Companies Plan for Super Bowl 50

Sunday’s game between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos is sure to be an epic matchup, and preparations are well under way to make sure each gigabit, snapchat, selfie and all-around posts go down without a fumble.

Verizon has been planning for Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium for two years. Verizon engineers will count gigabits during the big game in “a pair of bungalows” south of the Bay Area, FierceWireless reports. Network World reports that about 100 engineers will oversee Verizon’s network “through real-time feeds that indicate the number of phones connected and the total amount of data being used.” Continue Reading

Cobb County, GA Planners Recommend 165’ Monopole on Church Grounds

Despite neighborly opposition, Cobb County, GA.’s five-member Planning Commission on Tuesday voted unanimously to recommend approval of a proposed tower to be constructed on the grounds of Wildwood Baptist Church in Acworth, GA. That’s about 11 miles north of Marietta. Yesterday, MariettaDailyJournalOnline.com reported “the final decision to approve the special land use permit could come at the February 6, Board of Commissioners zoning meeting.” Continue Reading

Florida Town Considers Tower Up to 135’ If Necessary

Indian River Shores on Florida’s East Coast has invested $15,000 in an independent consultant to tell city council members how tall a tower should be to meet the town’s communications needs. Some 3,500 people live in the area and the town was originally prepared to approve a 50-foot tower but council members are now open to permitting construction of a tower up to 135-feet if it is determined there is serious deficiency in cell coverage, reports the TC Palm. Their other concern is building a tower capable of addressing the town’s public safety needs.

“The issue is to get the best possible service,” said Mayor Brian Barefoot. “And we need to build the tower in a location that is the least offensive to the largest number of people.” The council’s action last week Barefoot said, did not approve a specific tower, location or which carriers would provide service, the newspaper reported. Continue Reading