Denver area residents reject DTV tower
By Kevin C. Tofel 
posted September 28th 2005 11:57AM
posted September 28th 2005 11:57AM
Fighting a rezoning plan for a 730-foot tower, area residents are thrilled that the plan was defeated 2-1
on Tuesday in Jefferson County. Four local networks would share the
tower to broadcast their digital signal, but apparently the residents
don't like the plan of replacing four independent towers with one
shared tower.The opposition to the plan is comprised of local homeowners groups and the Canyon Area Residents for the Environment (CARE). Now there are no homes within a "fall zone" of the 730-foot tower, so that can't be an issue for now. Apparently, the resident's concerns circle around radiation effects on health, interference in electronic devices and tower failure.
I don't know all of the facts here, but these reasons sound a little far-fetched to me. What do you think: would you give up all possibilities of receiving OTA digital television and just go with cable or satellite? Or would you instead be for the consolidation of the four towers? I think the residents should touch base with this local network president in Alaska.
Radiation? I'm assuming these people don't use cell phones? Give me a break!
Living in the Denver TV area I've been watching this charade. All of the issues raised had been addressed, and still 2 of the 3 commissioners rejected it. The tower proposal was initially approved years ago, but has continually been challenged by this citizens group. And, the current commissioners campaigned last fall on the promise of voting down the tower. This whole thing stinks!
I'm going to throw out my opinion here. My opinion is simply that the home owners (CARE) on "lookout mountain" where the TV antennas were built back in the 40's & 50's are betting that by successfully fighting new towers, the TV stations will go elsewhere. Then, eventually the current towers will be torn down & they will see Massive Property value increase.
You have to remember, the towers were there first. You have to realize that one of the largest issues addressed by the new tower that the stations wanted to build was that it would focus the broadcast out into the city of Denver. It would be an aimed antenna (somewhat) versus a fully omni-directional antenna. If the stations had been allowed to build the single new better tower, four old existing towers would have been torn down and the land turned over for "open space"
We will know if my opinion is right between now and 2009. In 2009, after the Analog shutdown the stations will try and begin broadcasting a digital signal out of the old towers. If CARE launches a legal campaign to prevent that from happening, you will know that CARE didn't JUST care about the new tower.