Pros and Cons of allowing Cell Tower on Property?

[plowhog]

You've gotten some great advice and feedback.

I have public utility power lines (PGE) on my property. I dislike it. They visually detract from the property. Although I am not planning on selling, it will be an obstacle when I do in the future. The tower would be similar. And I don't like the added people, visitors, and activity on my property.

A big problem for me is that I cannot control exactly *who* comes on my property to do power line maintenance. PGE contracts with arborists, uses their own inspectors, and subcontracts with logging and tree service companies. Those subcontractors therefore inherit the same access rights as PGE. Some of them are quite unscrupulous and have caused property problems for me a number of times.

When you contemplate working with the tower company, it's probably natural to presume you'd be dealing with their employees for any work and service. But what if they subcontractor to others and you wind up in my sort of situation? Unless you add language to the contract-- that may not be the case. In your situation, I would address that. Otherwise, you don't know exactly what you are agreeing to.

 

[erikjohn67]

I’m of the mindset of the poster that mentioned an escalation in the lease payment. $2,500 today isn’t what it was 2 years ago, imagine what it may be in 25.

I would expect it to at least grow at a rate that covers average inflation rates. The second option I would entertain is a lump sum where you can decide how to invest the money and grow it faster.

 

[Richard]

I'd reside on the side of "no thank you". Years ago, we (my father in law next door) were approached about a tower. We have the highest hill in the county on the farm and all three houses are on the lower edge of it, near the lake. It's an excellent location for a tower.

It is (will also be) an excellent piece of land to sell, views to the mountains on one side, views up/down the lake on the other and panoramic view otherwise. When I mow the hill up there, I'll sometimes just stop and idle down while looking at the sights to see.

I don't know what my FIL nixed the idea on but the hill, though not in the 'middle' of the farm, is NOT near the edge. So it's not like carving off a corner and letting them build. They'd need access and that screws up a lot more land to get in/out with no road going there as we speak. It would have eaten up a lot of land to give them full access.

Today, there is a tower maybe 1/2 mile away, it's on the other side of the hill so my reception isn't as good with the hill blocking it.

The tower has the blinking lights and THAT would annoy me if that was up the hill above the house. (we are also on some approaches to the airport but the airport is 25 miles away so the planes (both civilian and military) are still pretty high in altitude, except for when they do their touch & go practice)

I find enough trespassors out here to ALSO have to deal with others who are dealing with a tower.

I'm glad he vetoed it.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I think the advice to contact a KNOWLEDGEABLE lawyer is right on. Look closely at the easement; make it as specific as possible. I would limit it to the company only, so they can't let anyone else use it or otherwise abuse it. I certainly would look at restoration and maintenance. I know from experience, once the contractor is gone, getting sod or topsoil replaced is almost impossible; etc. etc.

 

[jmc]

So is the entity approaching your brother a cell phone company that will only have their equipment on site, or someone that just rents tower space to whomever needs it?

Excellent point. Verizon may not go out of business but the independents might come and go.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nothing to add about towers, but something that I don't thing others have mentioned. My neighbor has a natural gas pipeline on his land that has been in place for decades. He keeps it mowed, sometimes the gas company checks it out, but that's pretty rare. They fly over it a few times a year.

Then one day they tell him that they are going to tap into the pipe and build a distribution station on his land. The easement for the pipe is 50 feet wide, but only for below the ground. They told him that they are going to buy half an acre of his land from him. He said he didn't want to sell, and he didn't want the eye sore on his land. They went through Eminent Domain by claiming it was going to be used by a small local town. The town already has natural gas and the Mayor said that they do not need another supply, and that they do not have the money to install natural gas from this location, which is a few miles away from the town. He hired lawyers, he want to court, he lost and they won. Weeks later, they started building. It's there forever now and there isn't anything he can do about it. He said that he was paid less then he thinks it was worth, but I don't know what the final numbers where.

From what we understand, the natural gas is going to be used to convert plastic shopping bags into oil. This is funded by the Federal Government to a company that has never done this before, but it's for Global Warming, so the money being spent is almost unlimited.

My concern with having anybody do anything on your land is that it opens the door if they decide they want something more. Once they are in place, it's pretty simple for them to take more and more if they want it.

 

[5030]

No negatives for us except I lost a bit of one of my hayfields. We get a nice check from the tower owner (it's a mono pole) and there was already an access lane to the back where it's located. Set ours with a chopper so not a lot of disruption and the airplane lights don't bother us at all. Been there 4 years now.

 

[LouNY]

Well I'll go against the grain I guess, having a way to help pay the taxes on property never hurts.
I can certainly see being cautious, and having some control over expansions on the tower and the foot print.
An open easement is different then a well crafted lease, I would certainly want a clause for increases and also for any tax increases.
As I have said I have towers visible from my house and I don't find them objectionable.
I'll have to find a picture with them in it.

 

[ultrarunner]

The hilltop is zoned open space and this is why the taxes are only 30k

Fine for grazing and something like tree farm if done thoughtfully.

Tower may be a no go on this although one did get approved a few miles away because no other option.

Interesting on natural gas line...

My brother has a major one that crosses a small corner of his property in back as well as sewer.

At the time they were going in the offer was free hook ups which is no small thing as sewer connect is now 50k

The pioneer homestead family said no way ain't going to happen... lost through eminent domain and ordered to receive token payment... all the areas are under paved county maintained roads now that started as farm roads.

In hindsight the hookups would have been a good move...

Not to belabor but the county road has utilities under on my brothers side and he owns to the middle of the road.

He did the leg work and no easements or eminent domain exist and county confirms... the road was the old farm road.

My brother really wanted sewer because septic is becoming very problematic... he again said why 50k hookup when it is on my land?

Politely, he was told it would go eminent domain and the county might need more farm land to widen...

Rural going back 175 years isn't always straight forward...

Heck... the twins born on the farm in 1910 share a single birth certificate.

Brother was able to reclaim property that the farm gave for a one room school house with the provision should there no longer be a school house the acre would revert back... and it now has.

The school house was torn down in the late 1950's after the kids went to town starting 1915...

 

[hornett22]

Seems like a recipe for trouble. I wouldn't do it.