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Nextel quells worries about antennae tower
Nextel Communications will install an array of antennae near Interstate 25, after the Castle Rock Town Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve a use by special review at its regular meeting.
By By: Susan Dage-Ruby
Nextel Communications will install an array of antennae near Interstate 25, after the Castle Rock Town Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve a use by special review at its regular meeting.
Nextel applied for the use by special review to place the antennae on the Antique Mall, 4700 Castleton Way, a memo from the planning and development department to the town council said.
"Up to eight antennas will be located within a new cupula built on the north side of the building," said Jeff Brasel, development review planner. "The cupula will be integrated into the existing roof of the building."
Nextel needs the antennae to increase the existing capacity of its network, a memo from the planning department said.
The application also includes flush mounting of up to four antennae on the southern side of the building, Brasel said.
Before the issue came to the council, local law enforcement representatives expressed concerns the 800-MHz antennae would interfere with the emergency communications system the sheriff's office uses.
"Public safety and other vehicles with radios have had incidents where radios didn't work because of interference from these types of antenna," said Lt. Mike Coleman, Douglas County Sheriff's Office communications manager in an earlier interview. "The antennae will be less than a mile from the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center."
Also near the proposed antennae is the new Colorado State Patrol Office.
"To resolve possible interference problems that might occur with the justice center 1/2 mile south of the proposed site, the project was continued until Nov. 8," Brasel said.
Nextel, the town and the county met to work through concerns and are satisfied that no interference will result from the proposed tower, Brasel said. "Nextel has provided the town and county additional studies regarding the proposed site," Brasel said. "Nextel also has included measures on the proposed tower to significantly reduce the likelihood of interference."
These measures include a frequency plan that eliminates the use of frequencies most likely to cause interference, Brasel said.
Antennae are not governed by Federal Communications Commission standards, as they are passive equipment and don't generate frequencies of power, a letter from Nextel to the town said. The antennae only radiate power to general from the base station equipment.
"The 4700 Castleton Way site will increase the capacity and quality of coverage in the area with a dramatic increase in in-building coverage," said Paul Zimmerman, Nextel design engineer. "Nextel picked the antenna locations based on the need to focus the directional antennae on I-25 and the Prime Outlets at Castle Rock."
Nextel is licensed by the FCC to operate as an enhanced specialized mobile radio service company and is required to be in compliance with all regulations of the FCC and Federal Aviation Administration regarding wireless communication facilities, Zimmerman said.
"Nextel resolves any interference issues that may arise from our sites, as required by the FCC," Zimmerman said.
Nextel has been most agreeable on the issue, said Norris Croom, division chief of operations for the Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department and town representative at the Nextel meetings, in a memo to the planning department.
"After a review of the [maps and testing] information, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was satisfied there should be no radio interference between systems," Croom said. He added that the sheriff's office did say that if it begins to experience any type of radio reception or transmission problems that may be associated with the site, it would like an immediate response from Nextel.
Nextel also sent the town and county a commitment that if any problems arise, they will receive an immediate response from Nextel, he said.
"The state and I concur with Douglas County and are satisfied with Nextel's information," Croom said.
Nextel applied for the use by special review to place the antennae on the Antique Mall, 4700 Castleton Way, a memo from the planning and development department to the town council said.
"Up to eight antennas will be located within a new cupula built on the north side of the building," said Jeff Brasel, development review planner. "The cupula will be integrated into the existing roof of the building."
Nextel needs the antennae to increase the existing capacity of its network, a memo from the planning department said.
The application also includes flush mounting of up to four antennae on the southern side of the building, Brasel said.
Before the issue came to the council, local law enforcement representatives expressed concerns the 800-MHz antennae would interfere with the emergency communications system the sheriff's office uses.
"Public safety and other vehicles with radios have had incidents where radios didn't work because of interference from these types of antenna," said Lt. Mike Coleman, Douglas County Sheriff's Office communications manager in an earlier interview. "The antennae will be less than a mile from the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center."
Also near the proposed antennae is the new Colorado State Patrol Office.
"To resolve possible interference problems that might occur with the justice center 1/2 mile south of the proposed site, the project was continued until Nov. 8," Brasel said.
Nextel, the town and the county met to work through concerns and are satisfied that no interference will result from the proposed tower, Brasel said. "Nextel has provided the town and county additional studies regarding the proposed site," Brasel said. "Nextel also has included measures on the proposed tower to significantly reduce the likelihood of interference."
These measures include a frequency plan that eliminates the use of frequencies most likely to cause interference, Brasel said.
Antennae are not governed by Federal Communications Commission standards, as they are passive equipment and don't generate frequencies of power, a letter from Nextel to the town said. The antennae only radiate power to general from the base station equipment.
"The 4700 Castleton Way site will increase the capacity and quality of coverage in the area with a dramatic increase in in-building coverage," said Paul Zimmerman, Nextel design engineer. "Nextel picked the antenna locations based on the need to focus the directional antennae on I-25 and the Prime Outlets at Castle Rock."
Nextel is licensed by the FCC to operate as an enhanced specialized mobile radio service company and is required to be in compliance with all regulations of the FCC and Federal Aviation Administration regarding wireless communication facilities, Zimmerman said.
"Nextel resolves any interference issues that may arise from our sites, as required by the FCC," Zimmerman said.
Nextel has been most agreeable on the issue, said Norris Croom, division chief of operations for the Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department and town representative at the Nextel meetings, in a memo to the planning department.
"After a review of the [maps and testing] information, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was satisfied there should be no radio interference between systems," Croom said. He added that the sheriff's office did say that if it begins to experience any type of radio reception or transmission problems that may be associated with the site, it would like an immediate response from Nextel.
Nextel also sent the town and county a commitment that if any problems arise, they will receive an immediate response from Nextel, he said.
"The state and I concur with Douglas County and are satisfied with Nextel's information," Croom said.
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