Lazy Z owner protests cell tower location

The City of Sisters has decided where it wants to put wireless communications towers and at least one local land doesn't like the spot.

The city council has preliminarily approved erecting a Mericom communication tower on the site currently under development to house the city's new sewer treatment facility.

The councilors spent several hours driving to various vantage points to see if a trial blimp flown at various heights was visible and found a suitable height that was not visible.

But David Herman, an attorney whose family earlier this year purchased the 1,300-acre Lazy Z Ranch, is opposing the placement.

On Thursday, November 2, Herman stated his family filed applications with the county for two guest ranches.

"One (application is) for the main facility (on the north side of Highway 20), and another one (is) on the 300-acre parcel on the south side of the highway," Herman said.

The council's plan would place the proposed tower somewhat southwest of his ranch -- and directly between it and the Three Sisters mountains.

Herman argued that the proposed site of the communication tower is misguided.

"I don't like to see the city make a mess in our own nest -- and one that will be there a long time," he said. "I don't think it's representing the public interest to proliferate towers -- lighted or strobe."

The proposed tower would apparently have to have a red light affixed to it to conform with Federal Aviation Administration requirements.

"This area has a dark skies ordinance because people wanted it. This (the tower) will create a different environment with light pollution," Herman said. "You know, people don't visit or buy a house here to look at towers lit with either continuous or strobe lights."

Further, according to Herman, the Section 9 area in question is incorrectly zoned for a tower placement.

"It was zoned Public Facility for the express purpose of building the sewage facility there -- it's wrong now to try to bootstrap a tower in there," he said.

City planner Neil Thompson disagrees. According to Thompson, the city council feels the rural location is the least visually disruptive spot. Regarding the zoning, Thompson said, "there is no specific zoning category for placement of cell towers in Sisters.

"Whether it is going "to be placed on appropriate city property, which is zoned General Commercial, or on land zoned as Public Facility -- it's conditionally allowed on both," Thompson said.

Regarding the issue of the lighting the tower would need, Thompson said "I have spoken with the Federal Aviation Administration and their preliminary answer was that the tower would need a constant red light (not a flashing one)."

Herman said he would visit the city council to voice his opinions in person.

The next city council meeting is 7 p.m. Thursday, November 9, at city hall.