UPDATE Blessed Beginnings Broadcasting, which is trying to revive WFNI-AM, in Indianapolis, IN, lost its battle to convince the Zionsville Zoning Board of Appeals to rezone a 75-acre parcel of land from agricultural to commercial use. BBB President Brian Walsh sought a zoning exemption so the broadcaster could erect a six-tower array on the land in Lebanon, in Perry Township, put WFNI back on the air, and expand its coverage area.
BBB was seeking to build 200-foot towers. Previously, the towers and support building were a few miles away in Whitestown, before they were torn down to make room for more commercial development in the area, reports the Lebanon Reporter. Before going off-air, WFNI-AM broadcast in the Indianapolis market for more than 55 years.
Nelson and Frankenburger attorney Rick Lawrence presented Walsh’s petitions to the Zoning Board of Appeals last Wednesday night. Lawrence described how the AM towers would look and operate. Much of Lawrence’s discussion included rebuttals to concerns local residents had about the project.
Owl Engineering EMC Test Labs Engineer Garrett Lysiak spoke to the board about his experience with AM radio towers. Lysiak explained how the towers operate and the health and safety concerns behind them. He said the radiation diminishes greatly with distance. “Let’s say it’s 10 feet. Well, you go 15 feet and the radiation drops down a third of what it was. So it’s very distance dependent. There’s not going to be a hazard for people walking next to them,” Lysiak said, according to the Lebanon Reporter.
One member of the Zoning Board of Appeals voiced concern, as did multiple people who live close to the site. Kurt Honey, Walsh’s ex-brother-in-law, said he was worried about property values diminishing. Ten neighbors spoke against the petition and were ultimately successful in getting the project stopped.
Zoning Board of Appeals Vice Chair Larry Jones opposed granting the exemptions. “There doesn’t seem to be any benefit to Zionsville, there certainly doesn’t seem to be any benefit to Perry Township,” Jones said. “Regardless [of] the amount of radiation or whatever, it’s common knowledge that AM is truly a bit of a dinosaur. The petitioner has not shown a need other than their own personal want and it hasn’t been accepted by anyone to date.”
BBB also owns stations in Fort Wayne and Warsaw, IN. With the petitions denied, Walsh said he and BBB, “are still evaluating if we want to continue to remain involved in the acquisition of [WFNI] or not. No decision has been made.”
WFNI has been off-air since Emmis Communications sold the land that housed the station’s tower, reports Inside Radio. At the time of the July 2021 sale, Emmis moved “The Fan” sports programming to a pair of Indianapolis-licensed FM translators.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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