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he submitted a letter from the University of North Carolina Hospital System, signed by Drew Melvin, <br />Telecommunications Analyst, in which he testified to the need and desire by the hospital system for this <br />communication tower. He read this letter which is herein incorporated into these minutes by reference. In <br />response to the Planning Board objection that photographs did not adequately depict the site from Greenfield <br />Road and specifically the balloons from North Greenfield Road, he distributed some pictures taken from the <br />back yards on Greenfield Road with the balloons flying. He said that in the first picture you see the <br />photographers finger pointing to where the balloon is. As a prior witness commented, with the tree foliage, it <br />is virtually impossible to see the balloons. In the third photograph, it is really impossible to see the balloon <br />either in this picture or the day the photograph was taken because of the distance the balloon was from the <br />back yard and the light in the photograph. The final picture, the large picture is an actual picture taken from <br />the backyard of one of the neighbors houses. It is a computer simulation of the lattice tower superimposed <br />behind the trees as the tower would look through the trees. This shows that the tower would be very difficult <br />to see from this particular vantage point. This was to address the Planning Board's concern over the <br />inadequacy of photos because they did not depict the view from Greenfield Road. The other specific <br />Planning Board concern was over the inadequacy of the appraisal which he believes the record will reflect <br />was their concern over the inadequacy of including comparables from Orange County. He presented Mr. <br />Tom Morgan, a certified appraiser, who has conducted a further study of cell tower locations in Orange <br />County with comparables that he believes will respond to the neighbors concerns and the Planning Board <br />concerns with respect to similar lot sizes and similar values. <br />Chair Brown and Commissioner Gordon made reference to the adequacy of photographs and <br />Carolyn Briggs from Gearon Communications answered questions about the pictures. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the finding has to do with the following: "photograph of a clearly <br />visible balloon floated at the proposed tower location to the maximum height of the tower. Photograph shall <br />be taken from locations such as property lines, etc. and other locations that are deemed necessary by the <br />Planning staff to assess the visible impact of the proposed tower." She said that the photos are showing <br />nothing clearly visible so how is this addressing the concern. Mr. Cain said that there are already submitted <br />in the record some additional 14 photographs that were discussed at the prior public hearing. Some of those <br />clearly show the balloon. He said that he believes the concern on the part of the Planning Board was the fact <br />that there was no representation from the Greenfield Road site itself and that is what the most recent <br />photographs were designed to respond to. <br />Carolyn Briggs said that she was actually present for each of the photographs. The photos were taken <br />by a professional photographer. Mr. Katz from the Planning Board was present as were a few of the <br />neighbors. She explained how the photographer took the pictures and said that because of the lighting, you <br />can't really see the balloon in the photographs. If they had taken the pictures in the afternoon when the <br />winds picked up, it wouldn't have been an accurate location of where the balloon would be located. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that her question is that the finding has to do with a clearly visible balloon <br />and the photos show there is no visible balloon, so how does this answer the Planning Board problem. <br />Carolyn Briggs said that it is a problem that they tried to address with the photographs and by inviting <br />everyone out to the site for the balloon test. It was not possible to get an accurate location with the balloon <br />just because the way that particular site was, the balloon would not be located in an accurate location when <br />they could photograph it. When they could photograph it when it was in an actual location the sun was such <br />that they could not, which is why they sent out additional notification to everyone and had a professional <br />photographer and that is why his hand is located where the balloon would be located in the photograph. <br />Commissioner Gordon said "but you can't see it right in the photos" and Carolyn Briggs said "right". <br />Jim Cain said "well, isn't that what he is pointing to with his finger". Carolyn Briggs was going to answer <br />further but Commissioner Gordon said that Ms. Briggs answered her question. "You can't see it in the <br />photos. Thank you." <br />Jim Cain said he would like to remind the Commissioners that there is a photograph previously in <br />evidence where you can clearly see the balloon which he believes was the response we were intending to