New 190-Foot Awbrey Butte Tower ‘On Hold’

Bend has seen its share of land-use battles over cell phone and other towers, especially at the most visible, decades-old spot for several towers atop Awbrey Butte. But the latest proposed high-profile addition is proving to be a different situation, at least so far.

After hosting more than a dozen butte residents for a meeting Tuesday evening, the Deschutes County Sheriff?s Office made clear Wednesday that a proposed new 190-foot tower for emergency communications atop the butte won?t be proceeding through the land-use process until more answers are ready, and efforts continue to get all on board first.

The proposed tower is one of 30 in a scaled-down, statewide wireless radio system for police and other first responders. The Revised State Radio Project has a hefty price tag of over $200 million — but that?s just one-third the cost of an earlier, 300-tower proposal, the Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network, that was the target of critics as it fell behind schedule and, they said, lacked proper management control.

Lawmakers got so frustrated, they shifted control of the project last year from Oregon State Police to ODOT, followed by the retooled, smaller project that will rely heavily on existing towers. It also won?t use the latest communications technology, because, as one ODOT official put it, ?It?s beyond what our pocketbooks can afford.?

Meanwhile, back in Bend, sheriff?s Capt. Marc Mills issued a news release Wednesday, after meeting with the butte?s homeowners association, that said, in essence, there will be no fast track or deadlines for a new Bend tower, until valid issues raised by the proposed tower?s neighbors are resolved satisfactorily.

Mills said the proposed new tower would replace one of 60 feet that would be taken down. He?s still pointing to the potential advantages of the new tower, offering more redundancy in the event of a cut or dug-up line than the current site.

He also said the state is working on an issue known as ?interoperability,? to improve communications between different state and local agencies.

But the captain said the neighborhood offered ?constructive input? and that while some answers were given, others will have to be researched as part of ?due diligence? such projects need.

After thanking the residents ?for their valued questions and input,? Mills said, ?At this time, and until the sheriff?s office compiles additional information, there will be no further meetings scheduled and this project will not immediately be moving forward.?

?We will continue to work with the communities on Awbrey Butte, not only for public safety reasons but to be a good community neighbor,? Mills concluded.

Mills told KTVZ.COM, ?We?re going to put it on hold. The neighborhood association had some great questions, comments and input. We need to answer all their questions. … We want to be a good neighbor.?

Resident Debi Curl, a veteran of battles over previous tower proposals on the butte in recent years, considers the tenor a breath of fresh air.

?I really felt that the county had some public safety needs to be met, especially as of today, and they are realistically assessing what measures they can use to minimize the impacts on the community at large, not only Awbrey Butte,? Curl said.

Issues that have been raised range from how deep and what kind of footings the tower would need, to the sounds that can whistle through a broad metal tower and their impact on nearby homes.

?I commend any organization that will invest that kind of time in putting something together,? she said. ?That?s almost unheard of. … Typically, when one gets to that process, the tenor of that meeting is, the public is treated like a fly in the ointment. We were treated respectfully, as individuals who could add to the process and make it better.?