The Adirondack Council is vehemently opposing camouflaged faux fir cell towers in their forests, which they’ve dubbed “Frankenpines,” reported the Times-Union. The Council is reminding New York’s Upstate Cellular Coverage Task Force, which works on pending recommendations for improving coverage in remote areas, that cell towers should be “substantially invisible,” per Adirondack Park Agency guidelines.
The Upstate Cellular Coverage Task Force is administered by the Empire State Development agency, appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Its first meeting was in September, and members are responsible for promoting economic growth. However, getting more coverage deep in the Forest Preserve is a continued challenge, per the Times-Union.
In a letter to the task force, John Sheehan, the Adirondack Council’s director of communications wrote, “The Park Agency has done an excellent job of ensuring that new towers fit into the surrounding landscape by requiring that all tall structures be ‘substantially invisible’ when viewed from public places.”
Sheehan added, “While developing tall towers – well above the tree line – may be appropriate in some portions of the state, it is inappropriate in the Adirondack Park.” He also remarked that addressing coverage challenges will require “creative solutions,” since existing rules regarding towers should stay in place to preserve the “scenic beauty and local economies of the Park.”
November 15, 2019
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