I bought a house on a quiet street in the country because it’s always been my dream. I grew up in the burbs and it just wasn’t my thing. The town owns a lot across the street from the right side of my property. It took me a few days to figure out what they were doing- I look outside to see a cell phone tower that’s gotta be 10-12 stories high, directly in my view. Damn thing just sprang up. I made a few calls, and found out that:
-It’s been in the works for about 4 years, years before I moved in.
-The highway dept super (works across the street) had pretty much forgot about it until the crane showed up this week.
-I probably would have no way of knowing about it unless I lived here back then according to the town supervisor, but…
-Their realtor should have disclosed this. They sure as hell didn’t. My realtor knew nothing about it and is now researching for me.
-The previous owners of the house KNEW it was happening, and did not tell me. I found this out from the supervisor.
So my questions are, for those who have experience:
Are they most likely going to put a huge light on top? Am I going to hear it? It’s so quiet at night I can hear a pin drop, and it’s dark as hell- no light pollution at all. I won’t even get into the “can it increase cancer risks” debate. How fucked am I in terms of property values? Finally, do I have any recourse due to the fact that this was planned and not disclosed to me by when I bought the house? Basically, yesterday I was planning on having a dream garage built, planning extensive landscaping, and planning remodeling this place into my dream house. I was going to stay for the long haul. Today, I’m just trying to figure which improvements I can do and get my money back, and which won’t be worth it (read:garage). Meanwhile I’ll keep saving until I find a place I like better, surrounded by land that has no chance of being ruined for me. And yes, I’ve talked with a lawyer, but won’t hear from him until tomorrow, so any input is appreciated.
In for what your lawyer has to say. This should be interesting.
As for lights if it’s that much taller than all the surrounding structures I would think it would have to have a navigational beacon. I doubt you’ll hear it running because there shouldn’t be moving parts or enough current draw to make that transformer humming noise. Still, I can see your point about not wanting to look at it.
How bad does it look? Can you take a picture of what you’re looking at? J/C.
I worry about the open field behind my house, I thought it was owned by the sportsman club when I bought it, but realized that it wasn’t, it was owned by a guy down the road. Hopefully he doesn’t sell it.
I remember as a kid growing up in a very rural area that a cell tower was proposed to be built near us. Everyone on the street was up in arms, they organized a opposition group and got to work trying to stop it…
… It got built.
Fast forward to today, we recently sold our childhood home with no negative impact due to the tower. It’s been there for years now and you can’t hear it or even see at night. In the end it was much to do about nothing.
I’m not a good judge of height, so I don’t know. The only structures near it are my house, and the huge house they just built on the other side of the street. Just trees beside that. I used to worry about the woods next to it getting sold and built on, but I figured I’d meet up with the property owner, so he’d let me know if he decided to sell it, and if so I’d buy it as a buffer. Land is cheap out here. It’s basically just a huge tower, like this, but silver, nothing on top of it YET.
^Guess you gotta have a few beers and laugh right? My cousin who lives a few miles away has no cell service at all, lives in a small dead zone. She only has a land line. They’re putting this thing up to get rid of those dead zones. So in return for ruining my place, she will now get great service.
^Thanks, I hope so. It’s Verizon that built it. Hopefully there aren’t lights planned. It’s so dark out here that I have to take my garbage cans out by feel if I don’t bring a flashlight.
The project plan would have been public records. You should have gotten the plans from the planning department at your town hall before buying the house to see what was on the books.
take a pic from your house, i dont see how this structure will destroy your day to day…
this almost sounds like the people who cry about windmills going up in there town… not that your crying about it, i wouldnt be thrilled either, but i think your over thinking it
Not in the mood to trudge through snow to photograph it from my deck, my yard, my fire pit, or all of the other places I like to spend time in the summer. If I wanted to look at ugly shit I’d move to an industrial part of the city. What house is going to sell faster in a rural area- one that has a great view of an ugly tower, or one where you can only see trees and the occasional house? There’s a light on it now, but it’s not turned on yet, so no idea how bad it will be. I’m moving plain and simple when I find a better house, it may take 6 months or 5 years, meanwhile I’ll have to live with it. Some people wouldn’t care- I do. I really can’t remember the last time I felt so sick to my stomach.
