No one likes to see telecommunication towers in the neighborhood due to the fear of radiation. Several times in the past telecommunication companies have faced opposition from nearby residents and had a difficult time erecting towers, but this might no longer be the case since companies have figured out the art of camouflage.
Telecommunication towers can be anywhere these days. One might be hidden inside a tree, a cactus plant, or even in the Statue of Liberty. We're just joking about Ms. Liberty, but there's some truth to it. For example, there's a tower in the shape of a stop sign, one is placed inside a water tower and a pine tree.
We also understand a church in the state of Iowa wants to build a telecommunication tower in the shape of a cross. Why is the church doing this? Money, of course,
The church will work closely with Verizon Wireless to erect this tower in the form of an 11-story cross. This deal includes yearly compensation to the church, though it is not certain how much money Verizon is willing to part with. The city zoning board is considering the application.
"Like a lot of churches, we have to keep each year finding ways to pay our bills," pastor Ken Stubert said. "It's an unusual church that doesn't have to worry about something like that."
"Each community and each neighborhood can be different, so we really have to work on a case-by-case basis with each city and with each zoning authority," said Karen Smith, a spokeswoman for Verizon.
Some neighborhood residents have complained about the proposed tower and are concerned whether its height and color will fit in visually, and they oppose it being built. "We pay some pretty high property taxes. We feel very strongly that it's going to be a detriment to the value of our homes," according to Suzette Jensen, adding that neighbors are considering legal action.
Towers that don't look like a cell phone tower are known as "stealth towers," and they have been around for more than two decades. Apparently, they are growing in popularity, and more of these stealth towers will be erected around the United States in the coming years.
Since many times these stealth towers still come off strongly as a telecommunication tower, and not a natural element, Scenic America, a company that helps to preserve natural scenery, is working with companies such as Verizon Wireless on better designs. The nonprofit company claims that some disguised towers do nothing to calm public fears, as they are a dead giveaway.
Stealth Concealment Solutions Inc., a company that is based in South Carolina, erects stealth towers for telecommunication companies across the nation. The company claims it works on more than 800 projects per year, which is likely due to the high-demand from mobile Internet customers.
