Fairgrounds neighbors learn about cell tower
JANESVILLE — Neighbors of the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds got some face time Wednesday night with tower designers and local officials to talk about a proposed 100-foot cell phone tower.
Global Tower Partners and Cricket Wireless want to build a tower that looks like a flagpole in the center of the fairgrounds. The pole will be able to support three cell phone companies. U.S. Cellular has expressed an interest in buying tower space alongside Cricket.
Several residents spoke and listened at the Wednesday night meeting of the Rock County Board Agriculture Extension and Education Committee.
Here are some comments and questions directed to designers and officials:
Q: What does it sound like?
A: A Janesville Gazette reporter Wednesday made a trip to the cell tower behind Cork & Bottle Food Shop, 2807 W. Court St., Janesville, to listen to equipment installed by Cricket Wireless last winter.
The monopole tower proposed at the fairgrounds wouldn’t look anything like the one on Court Street, which has dozens of external antennas and cables.
But the cooling unit will be the same. It is the size of a refrigerator, and, when the fan is running, it sounds like a home air-conditioning unit.
A Gazette reporter was easily able to hold a conversation over the sound with Assistant Rock County Administrator Phil Boutwell.
Q: What does it look like?
A: The proposed 100-foot pole will look like a tall flagpole. The county would fly a flag on the pole, although UW Extension Agent Randy Thompson is not sure how often.
The pole would stand in a 25-by-50-foot space, said Global Tower Partners spokesman Michael Long. Workers would build a decorative fence around the base of the pole and landscape on at least two sides of the fence, Long said.
Q: What’s in it for the county?
A: A nice chunk of change, Boutwell said.
Cricket is offering a $24,000 annual payment on top of a one-time $10,000 payment, Boutwell said. The annual payment would be subject to a 3.5 percent annual inflation factor, he said.
The county also would get 20 percent of the revenues from other carriers who buy space on the tower, Boutwell said.
The county gets $18,000 a year from the tower on West Court Street, Boutwell said. That’s closer to the going rate for towers in southern Wisconsin, he said.
If the fairgrounds tower is approved, it will be a county policy decision as to how to spend the money, Boutwell said. But he thinks the intent is to spend the money on maintenance at the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Q: Will the tower emit radiation?
A: The waves are the same as the ones that come from a radio or a baby monitor, Global Tower Partners spokesman Nate Meyer said. The tower’s emissions would be well below Federal Communications Commission limits, he said.
Q: If the fairgrounds moves, will the county be able to break its lease?
A: Yes, that condition would be written into the lease.
WHAT’S NEXT
Residents will have more chances to talk about the cell phone tower proposed for the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The city of Janesville Plan Commission will look at the plan for the first time Monday, July 7, and will host a public hearing Monday, July 21, said Gale Price, building and development services manager. Plan commission meetings are at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St.
If the plan is approved, it would go to the county board, which would have to approve a contract with the companies.
RESIDENTS COMMENT
Among the comments at the Wednesday night meeting of the Rock County Board Agriculture Extension and Education Committee about a proposal to put a 100-foot cell phone tower on Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds:
“The money generated by this could very well keep the buildings up … I’m always out looking for somebody to donate money to upkeep the fairgrounds. It’s hard, and it’s getting harder with the economy.”—Dick Zanzinger, Rock County 4-H Fair Board member
“Were not against what you people are doing; we’re not against towers. But they don’t belong in residential neighborhoods.
“We don’t have enough room on this fairgrounds right now; all this tower does is just move us in a little bit and a little bit. And, once this tower goes in, where will the next tower go in?”—Mel Sargent, neighbor of the fairgrounds
“I own property adjacent to the grounds on Milwaukee Street. There’s been a lot of talk about a new fairgrounds; I see that happening more later than sooner. I feel this looks like an opportunity to me. I would be in favor of such a proposal provided the revenue generated would be spent on improvements to the fairgrounds.”—Steve Doll, neighbor of the fairgrounds
Jun 29, 2008 at 9:43 p.m.
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"I'm against technology it's just the way we use it/abuse it and the fact that no one has taken the time to really test it out that there may be health consequences."
Isn't there a Amish community you can go join or something? The mere fact that you are trumpeting your opinion on the internet shoots more holes in your statement than swiss cheese...
Jun 29, 2008 at 9:25 p.m.
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Long_Time_Gone - When did I ever mention that I actually ATE at the fair?
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Patriot - Excellent points. Good luck getting anyone in Janesville to listen to you. Thay don thank uh hole lot hare.
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:47 p.m.
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allwayright- again what is with you picking on me. I didnt even post a comment here~!!!!
And no I dont like to be high. If you have read my posts yould know that!!!
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:38 a.m.
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Rock County owns the fairgrounds, according to the history the Gazette posted in an earlier story:
http://gazettextra.com/news/2008/mar/24/...
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In 2007, the Fair Board declined an offer from the County to buy the fairgrounds for $1. This leaves the County free to decide what to do with the land. (Assuming the fair moves, the city would likely prefer that it remain at least in part public.)
Jun 26, 2008 at 7:02 p.m.
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newsread5, I don't think it's likely that the fairgrounds would turn to residential. I'm not up on the details, but as I understand it the fairgrounds were donated to the city with the perpetual requirement that it be for fair use only. Now, considering that the original owners are probably long dead, I'm sure some expensive lawyers could wiggle out of the contract, but generally speaking, the city can't just decide to move the fair and turn it into homes. They could always move the fair and let the old grounds sit idle, but then that would just be prime real estate wasted.
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:53 p.m.
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Guess ignorance is bliss in this case. There have been many studies that validate the concern. Everything from cancer to behavioral problems. Like we don't have enough of both of those in today's society. Children are more susceptible than adults because their bones are not as hardened but there have been studies on humans and animals and there is proof. I would research it out nonetheless. Guess if you are the typical person in today's society you wouldn't even think twice. That's why some of us have to bring this information to the public's attention to get people thinking. I don't own a cell phone, I hate it when I see people talking on them instead of paying attention while their driving and I would never give my child a cell phone to talk on all the time like most kids have nowadays. We all got along fine without them growing up and today's kids should be able to do the same. It's not that I'm against technology it's just the way we use it/abuse it and the fact that no one has taken the time to really test it out that there may be health consequences. To me, use your own cell phone that's your own free will but don't take the rights of the people who live in the neighborhood away. How do you like it when someone else tells you what to do or what you have to live with. Do you like other people making choices for you?
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:42 p.m.
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Why would the county even consider leasing an area for a tower on the current site if the long term objective is to move? The property is most likely to redevelop into residential and a tower smack dab in the middle would make it far less valuable to potential purchasers. Duh!
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:24 p.m.
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Health effects? From a cell tower?
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You have caramel apples and cotton candy served by transient men who rarely bath, served to people who just petted a dairy cow and are tracking pig sheet thru food tents....
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Oh, yea, must be a problem with invisible radio signals.....
Jun 26, 2008 at 12:53 p.m.
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fgb, if you don't mind the possible health effects, I don't think you should mind at all. Do you honestly think the city and government officials are going to tell you the truth about this?
Jun 26, 2008 at 12:26 p.m.
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great money source i live by the fair grounds they can lease from me, i`ll have another income for the rest of my life
Jun 26, 2008 at 11:10 a.m.
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Why do any of the neighbors care? I live right next to the fairgrounds and can't understand why a "flag pole" is going to bother any of us. If it benefits our county as well as cell phone reception, then why not be all for it? It isn't going to be an eye sore. Radiation is not an issue.
It isn't as though they are asking to put it in anyone's backyard. They are trying to put it in an already public area, the fairgrounds. There are several huge cable antennas in a lot of the backyards around here. They are taller than some homes. There is a lot of mature trees as well. It isn't like this tower is going to stick out in our neighborhood. I believe it will blend in, as well as you can expect a tower to do so.
I believe some people just wish to complain about anything that resembles change. There are many elderly in this neighborhood and I believe they are the ones who are having the hardest time with this. These are the same people who complain about parking during the fair and noise from concerts. YOU LIVE NEXT TO A FAIRGROUND. Get over it!
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