Cell phone tower raises view concerns

A 100-foot-tall cell phone tower planned for a property east of Sisters has some neighbors concerned about damage to panoramic mountain views.

AT&T Mobility is proposing to place the tower on a 188-acre parcel owned by Chester A. Bradley east of Sisters. A county hearings officer will hear the application on Tuesday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Deschutes Services Center in Bend.

County planning staff has recommended approval pending determination of legal lot of record.

Neighbors Frank and Kathy Deggendorfer say the tower, which will stretch about 40 feet above the tree line west of their property will be an eyesore for them and for everybody who lives and recreates in the area.

For the Deggendorfers, the view of the forests and mountains is a valuable resource that is gradually being squandered in the interest of large corporations. Frank Deggendorfer is unhappy that the county staff report mentions letters received opposing the siting of the tower because of damage to views, but does not address the issue at all.

"They didn't even address that as a subject of interest," he told The Nugget. "The panoramic vistas in Central Oregon are a natural resource for our community. When you're hacking away at our vistas, you're hacking away at our natural resources."

Siting cell phone towers is attractive to property owners because mobile phone technology companies often pay substantial lease fees. Nationally, lease rates run from $1,200 to $2,000 per month. Towers can often be used by more than one company, generating additional fees for the company building the tower.

Chester Bradley declined to comment for this story and it is unknown what fees AT&T may be offering for the siting of this particular tower.

"Chester's a good neighbor," Frank Deggendorfer said. "So it's not a neighbor-against-neighbor type thing, I don't think."

Deggendorfer is, however, dissatisfied that Deschutes County does not do more to protect vistas.

"What price do we pay for progress?" he asked. "When do the rights of our local citizens prevail over the intrusions of national carpetbaggers?"

Cell phone towers are almost always controversial, wherever they are sited in Central Oregon. Residents of Tumalo are currently trying to stop the erection of a 30-foot tower near Highway 20. A never-built tower in the Plainview area generated considerable controversy.

The City of Sisters allowed a tower at its municipal wastewater plant, but it is in the tree line and caused little citizen outcry other than complaints about a red light mandated by the proximity of the Sisters Airport.

There are cell facilities on light stanchions at Sisters High School and committee members seeking ways for the schools to generate more revenue would like to see the school district pursue more such arrangements.

The hearing will be held in the Barnes and Sawyer Rooms of the Deschutes County Service Center, 1300 N.W. Wall St., Bend.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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