Orange County NC Website
<br />OC Board of Adjustment – 6/8/2015 Page 39 of 68 <br />chop trees off so they won’t get to the power line which in the winter I am glad they do but just because you have pine 1 <br />trees there, they are not very tall and we can see the top half of those easily. There are only two parties with a financial 2 <br />value in this; T-Mobile cares nothing about me, my family, my way of life or my commun ity or they care about is the 3 <br />money. Getting their piece of the cell tower pie. I have great cell service. We had a speech today about providing cell 4 <br />service. Everybody out here has great cell service, internet access, great television. This is not Mi ssouri where we are 5 <br />trying to get people internet access or something they don’t have. We got it. All this is T -Mobile wanting their piece of 6 <br />the cell tower industry. And the other person is the family that is allowing this to take place who has actuall y chosen 7 <br />money over community. Therefore I strongly urge the board to deny the application for this special use permit and not 8 <br />allow this tower to upset our community. I thank the board for its time. 9 <br /> 10 <br />Samantha Cabe: Would you say that people go to your f arm to enjoy the surroundings and the natural atmosphere that 11 <br />is on your property? 12 <br /> 13 <br />Mark Waller: Yes ma’am. 14 <br /> 15 <br />Samantha Cabe: In your opinion, do you think that’s why people would go to your farm? 16 <br /> 17 <br />Mark Waller: Without question. 18 <br /> 19 <br />Samantha Cabe: This is not directed to your strawberries but do you earn money from other operations from you r farm 20 <br />besides the strawberries? 21 <br /> 22 <br />Mark Waller: We are diversified. We have cows, we sell hay, we bush hog. 23 <br /> 24 <br />Samantha Cabe: Do you earn money from people coming to your farm for reasons other than strawberries? 25 <br /> 26 <br />Mark Waller: The education farm tour involved, we have families, we have local schools, local church that come and 27 <br />bring their kids. We start with animals and where their food comes from. 28 <br /> 29 <br />Jeff Schmitt: Is it an economic venture. Do you charge them? 30 <br /> 31 <br />Larry Wright: Mr. Waller, were you duly sworn? 32 <br /> 33 <br />Mark Waller: Yes sir. 34 <br /> 35 <br />Johnathan Blitz: My name is Johnathan Blitz, my address is 5820 Ten Springs Lane which is about a quarter mile from 36 <br />the proposed site and I have been duly sworn. And I am from Missouri. I can also to the use we make of Mr. Waller’s 37 <br />farm although I would be able to see the proposed tower if it is allowed to be built from my property. I can tell you we 38 <br />take many visitors to our home to Mr. Waller’s farm during strawberry season to pick there and our experience would be 39 <br />severely impacted by it a looming metal monstrosity that is supposed to be built here. I want to point out a couple of 40 <br />things to the board and I’m going to follow learned couns el and mix a little facts and law to cut through some of this and 41 <br />simplify the board’s decision tonight. First, there has not been one witness on the applicant’s side who is an Orange 42 <br />County resident or lives anywhere near that tower site. Even the applicant herself, Leah Bergman is not here but I can 43 <br />testify as to her feelings about this and I believe her state of mind is relevant to this board. 44 <br /> 45 <br />Tom Johnson: I object. 46 <br /> 47 <br />Johnathan Blitz: There is an exception to the hearsay rule for admissions. 48 <br /> 49 <br />Larry Wright: We have already heard from another member that is hearsay, can you please move on. 50