public opposition to leslie rd communication tower

PUBLIC OPPOSITION TO LESLIE RD

COMMUNICATION TOWERSue Logan and Tylor Wood

on behalf of many

WHO ARE WE?

• 600 petition supporters

Viewshed Analysis

Our Goal• Demonstrate proposed site fails to

consider best interests of local stakeholders:– The Province, HRM, local residents

• Convince HRM to oppose proposed siting, thereby setting precedent for future proposals to better meet interests of all stakeholders

Lawrencetown Beach Provincial Park

• Cole Harbour – Lawrencetown Regional Park System– Provides recreation for local residents and attract tourists – Preserves “valued natural environment areas”

• Assets presented in HRM Strategic Plan for Lawrencetown:– “unique coastal environment”– “rural character”– “magnificent scenery”– “proximity to Halifax-Dartmouth Metropolitan area”– “environmentally sensitive marsh and lake systems”

Land Use By-Law for Lawrencetown

• Limits on structure size:

–height 35 ft

–footprint 4000 ft2

• Development must not adversely affect residential development

HRM Municipal Planning Strategy for Lawrencetown

• Indicates Lawrencetown Designation mostly comprised of “undeveloped forested land”

Local Residents’ Concerns

• Not compatible with our community– Lack of consensus regarding long term health

effects

– Short walk for kids to access and climb the tower and its fencing

– Hurricane force winds create safety concerns regarding the tower’s close proximity to homes

• Negative Visual impact

What are Others Doing?• Other Canadian locations have planning strategies

specific to communication towers• Toronto for example, requires:

• maximizing distance from neighbours• avoiding obscuring public views and natural

features• using monopoles in close proximity to

neighbourhoods• encouraging property line setbacks of a

distance equivalent to tower height• Leslie Rd communication tower proposal fails to

standup to these requirements• Would assume HRM would refer to this and other

existing strategies when developing their own

Summary• Eastlink’s proposal fails to consider interests of the

Province, HRM, and Leslie Rd residents

– Is in contrast to Provincial Park investments

– Does not satisfy land-use bylaws

– Not supportive of a healthy residential community

– Not supportive of HRM’s three criteria regarding placement of communication towers: Visual impact, aesthetics, and compatibility with community

• HRM should not approve the proposed tower

– Therefore setting precedent for future proposals to consider all stakeholders