History of Lookout Mountain Antenna Tower Land

Issues and Petitions 1997 & 1998

Bear Creek Development Hosts a Community Meeting

On May 15, 1997, Bear Creek Development hosted a community meeting for a “special use revision” of their
two Mt. Morrison towers (holding 50 RF devices) to a total of three towers.

CARE discovers that the real estate property tax paid for 14 residential Lookout parcels used for antenna
towers totals $31,504 and the surrounding 350 families within one mile pay over $1 million to live legally
on “residential” zoned land.

• June 14, 1997: CARE petitions the JeffCo Commissioners for a
  comprehensive evaluation and future plan for TelCom land use. On
  July 28, On August 20, CARE again requests a tower “moratorium,”
  an educational symposium, adoption of mandatory RF registration
  and radiation measurements, completion of a comprehensive
  environmental assessment, and plans for the industry’s future
  needs for multiple tower sites. The citizens are ignored.
• July, 1997: Without any permission from Jefferson County,
  McGraw -Hill’s KMGH-TV7 “exchanges” an analog antenna for one
  that measures seven feet higher on a non-conforming tower on Cedar
  Lake Road. “Expansion” is not allowed, but JeffCo did nothing to stop
  it.
• While Bear Creek Development hearings for Mt. Morrison occurred
  in 1997, JeffCo planner Doug Reed “republished” the
  Telecommunications Land Use Plan with arbitrary omissions and
  inclusions (without formal approval of the Planning Commission). CARE
  presented an 8-minute video produced by filmmaker Len Aitken at the
  Oct 21 hearing, calling for prevention of more proliferation of radiation
  and the ugly impact of towers in the mountain backdrop.
  Commissioners Stone, Holloway, and Lawrence denied the
  Mt. Morrison application.
• January 20, 1998: JeffCo planners Janet Bell and Russell Clark
  attend a CARE Antenna Tower Committee meeting. JeffCo considered
  resident citizens as “ stakeholders” requesting county enforcement of
  numerous zoning violations on Lookout Mountain, completion of a
  comprehensive environmental study, and research alternative,
  sparsely populated tower sites.
• July, 1998: Electrical engineer Al Hislop records radiation levels
  exceeding legal limits and requests action from the FCC, Denver
  broadcasters, and Jefferson County. When FCC Senior Scientist
  Dr. Robert Cleveland arrives to measure levels in October, he
  explains that the agency relies on client reporting and Jefferson
  County is responsible for zoning violations.

   

• CARE petitions the FCC to stop licensing antennas on Lookout because of violations of Federal law.
  CARE later discovers that the FCC reacts by initiating a covert operation called “Operation Buffalo Chips”
  designed to get digital on Lookout over the citizens’ objections. The FCC secretly worked with the
  broadcasters to find violations before Jefferson County or the citizens could document these
  violations. The FCC found a number of violations and that there were approximately 600 RF devices.

• Radiation surveyed by the EPA in 1986
  increased by 1998. Tribune’s KOSI/KKHK-FM
  multiplex on Cedar Lake Rd, Jacor’s KHIH-FM by
  Buffalo Bill’s Grave, and KCFR-KUVO-FM on
  Colorow Road are causing “hot spots.” FCC
  recommends that the stations turn their power
  down and fence public areas where the limit is
  exceeded, but reports to Jefferson County that
  Lookout Mountain is “within limits.” The FCC has
  never fined, revoked a license, or required
  removal of any transmission device on
  Lookout Mountain. On Dec. 15, 1998, the BCC
  gave “temporary” permission to wrap “hot
  spots” with orange plastic fencing to post
  “warning” signs of the danger.