Post by Admin on Jul 7, 2015 8:12:54 GMT -5
Editor: Somewhere along the way, I missed this CHUG post so am belatedly posting/replying now.
June 7 (appended)
I am appending this Internet update on June 7, 2015.
In the 01/16/2015 update, I referred to a meeting that was scheduled in February with the County Land Use Department. The County Land Use Department had called me, and then the SLR Office Manager asking for a meeting so they could advise us on how to make this tower problem go away. I do not know what role an FCC report about Rural Internet in the United States had in their requesting this meeting. But, the FCC had recently ranked Polk County, Florida as having the second worst rural high-speed internet service in the US.
Editor: Polk County did its own extensive Broadband Plan in 2013> Polk Broadband Plan < and there is no such reference to an FCC article ranking Polk County. And even if such a report and assessment exists, what is the relevance to S-bag homeowners?
We held the requested meeting with the Land Development staff in early February and Stv Suthrd, D Brnd, Peet Brdun, Chrly Schlz, Melonknee Kreeow, and Bb St aib were present. County personnel suggested that SLR apply for a Level 3 Planned Land Use Modification and gave us the forms. They said that the SLohA had to apply and suggested that KCnetwork sign to signify agreement with what was being requested. They said that "we" should ask for approval for the maximum height towers we thought we would "ever" need and any additional towers that we thought we might need so we would minimize the chance we would ever have to go through this process again. They also said that they would reclassify the WiFi distribution tower at my home as an "office". During subsequent discussion we were confused what the "office" designation really meant. While I do not remember the exact wording of their answer, it was essentially. "If you have a swimming pool in your yard, it is considered to be part of your home. But, if you start to give swimming instruction in your pool, the county sees it as an "office" covered by the Home Business statutes. We would treat your antenna as an "office" and it is OK.
Keep in mind that S u e Tg had alleged that the wi-fi distribution radios on the 28 Grayhackle St tower that feed all of the other S-bag Towers were "inventory stored outside".
Attachment Deleted Front of residence Attachment Deleted Backyard of Residence
Editor: 'Nuff Said.
A public SLohA Board meeting was held on 02/18/2015, the need for the County Land Use filing was explained, and the Board gave proper motions and authorized the filing. After receipt of the filing, the County scheduled the June 3, 2015 hearing. The County mailed letters to every home owner and posted multiple signs and advertized the Hearing in the newspaper.
(Editor: I have the audio. This was never explained. It was bumrushed through on a hurried and pre-prepared Whereas/Motion at the end of the meeting.)
Melonknee Kreeow On June 3 the hearing was held in Bartow, and testimony was taken under oath. The County Board heard from both sides and approved the SLohA request with a vote of 3 to 1. During the hearing it was suggested by one of the participants that this hearing was a surprise and should be tabled until those people now up North return in the fall. When, in fact, this filing was approved by the SLohA board on 02/18/2015 when virtually every Northerner that was coming South this season was already here.
(Editor: Confused. Melonknee Kreeow was fired in March. What was she doing involved in Anything involving this issue which St aib appended in June?)
During the testimony something was mentioned about a "six foot fence" that was required around all towers. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no reason that I know of to surround these towers with a fence.
(Editor: Maybe because that is Polk County's own Building and Permitting Code. The Code is posted on the forum. I have NEVER seen a tower structure open to the public--Ever! Even the one next to us on SR60 has 6 ft fencing around the tower structure itself as well as individual fencing enclosures for each guy wire and pole set.)
Testimony was also presented about all of the other fine internet services that are available. I wondered at the time why the FCC did not know about all of these other fine services when they listed Polk County second from the bottom and I have spent much of the last few days contacting DirecTV and Verizon (the two vendors mentioned) to learn more about these other fine internet services. The best I have found so far is a Verizon hot spot package at $54.50/month with a two year Contract that supplies 3mbit of internet speed and stops working when 5 Gigabytes have been used during the month. Service will start again when the following billing period starts and the total used resets to zero. Verizon's Terms of Use Agreement, I was told, forbids streamed video of any kind. One version of the Terms of Use agreement allows streaming to a cellphone.
(Editor: I have 20GB for $100/month from Sprint--it is reliable-- and it is ALWAYS WITH ME wherever I go! Polk County's own Broadband Report listed 5 providers.)
I am continuing to look for the better service that the Commissioners were told existed. But, I guess "better" is a relative term. So, far I find nothing that compares with the present S-bag service that provides up to 80 mbit Up/Down speeds (15 times Verizon) (depending on when your antenna was installed and whether there is a line of sight path to the tower) and 50 gbytes per month of usage for $40 or $50 per month (depending on whether you are a Charter Subscriber or not). Then, if you exceed 50 Gigabytes nothing stops or even slows down, you are just charged $1 per Gigabyte for additional use. No contract is required and you pay for only the months your account is used.
(Editor: Marketing to S-bag owners on SLohA Official Website)
Recently, I received several Congratulatory phone calls. I told everybody who phoned that nobody has won anything. Saddlebaggers have done nothing but lose. Lost time, paid expenses and filing fees that should not have needed to be spent, Many homes are for sale or about to be for sale because people are tired of standing by while a handful of diehards try their best to ruin or at least control our lives. What if that same energy was spent trying to make things better?
(Editor: Indeed. What if...?)
Bb St aib Jr.
June 7 (appended)
I am appending this Internet update on June 7, 2015.
In the 01/16/2015 update, I referred to a meeting that was scheduled in February with the County Land Use Department. The County Land Use Department had called me, and then the SLR Office Manager asking for a meeting so they could advise us on how to make this tower problem go away. I do not know what role an FCC report about Rural Internet in the United States had in their requesting this meeting. But, the FCC had recently ranked Polk County, Florida as having the second worst rural high-speed internet service in the US.
Editor: Polk County did its own extensive Broadband Plan in 2013> Polk Broadband Plan < and there is no such reference to an FCC article ranking Polk County. And even if such a report and assessment exists, what is the relevance to S-bag homeowners?
We held the requested meeting with the Land Development staff in early February and Stv Suthrd, D Brnd, Peet Brdun, Chrly Schlz, Melonknee Kreeow, and Bb St aib were present. County personnel suggested that SLR apply for a Level 3 Planned Land Use Modification and gave us the forms. They said that the SLohA had to apply and suggested that KCnetwork sign to signify agreement with what was being requested. They said that "we" should ask for approval for the maximum height towers we thought we would "ever" need and any additional towers that we thought we might need so we would minimize the chance we would ever have to go through this process again. They also said that they would reclassify the WiFi distribution tower at my home as an "office". During subsequent discussion we were confused what the "office" designation really meant. While I do not remember the exact wording of their answer, it was essentially. "If you have a swimming pool in your yard, it is considered to be part of your home. But, if you start to give swimming instruction in your pool, the county sees it as an "office" covered by the Home Business statutes. We would treat your antenna as an "office" and it is OK.
Keep in mind that S u e Tg had alleged that the wi-fi distribution radios on the 28 Grayhackle St tower that feed all of the other S-bag Towers were "inventory stored outside".
Attachment Deleted Front of residence Attachment Deleted Backyard of Residence
Editor: 'Nuff Said.
A public SLohA Board meeting was held on 02/18/2015, the need for the County Land Use filing was explained, and the Board gave proper motions and authorized the filing. After receipt of the filing, the County scheduled the June 3, 2015 hearing. The County mailed letters to every home owner and posted multiple signs and advertized the Hearing in the newspaper.
(Editor: I have the audio. This was never explained. It was bumrushed through on a hurried and pre-prepared Whereas/Motion at the end of the meeting.)
Melonknee Kreeow On June 3 the hearing was held in Bartow, and testimony was taken under oath. The County Board heard from both sides and approved the SLohA request with a vote of 3 to 1. During the hearing it was suggested by one of the participants that this hearing was a surprise and should be tabled until those people now up North return in the fall. When, in fact, this filing was approved by the SLohA board on 02/18/2015 when virtually every Northerner that was coming South this season was already here.
(Editor: Confused. Melonknee Kreeow was fired in March. What was she doing involved in Anything involving this issue which St aib appended in June?)
During the testimony something was mentioned about a "six foot fence" that was required around all towers. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no reason that I know of to surround these towers with a fence.
(Editor: Maybe because that is Polk County's own Building and Permitting Code. The Code is posted on the forum. I have NEVER seen a tower structure open to the public--Ever! Even the one next to us on SR60 has 6 ft fencing around the tower structure itself as well as individual fencing enclosures for each guy wire and pole set.)
Testimony was also presented about all of the other fine internet services that are available. I wondered at the time why the FCC did not know about all of these other fine services when they listed Polk County second from the bottom and I have spent much of the last few days contacting DirecTV and Verizon (the two vendors mentioned) to learn more about these other fine internet services. The best I have found so far is a Verizon hot spot package at $54.50/month with a two year Contract that supplies 3mbit of internet speed and stops working when 5 Gigabytes have been used during the month. Service will start again when the following billing period starts and the total used resets to zero. Verizon's Terms of Use Agreement, I was told, forbids streamed video of any kind. One version of the Terms of Use agreement allows streaming to a cellphone.
(Editor: I have 20GB for $100/month from Sprint--it is reliable-- and it is ALWAYS WITH ME wherever I go! Polk County's own Broadband Report listed 5 providers.)
I am continuing to look for the better service that the Commissioners were told existed. But, I guess "better" is a relative term. So, far I find nothing that compares with the present S-bag service that provides up to 80 mbit Up/Down speeds (15 times Verizon) (depending on when your antenna was installed and whether there is a line of sight path to the tower) and 50 gbytes per month of usage for $40 or $50 per month (depending on whether you are a Charter Subscriber or not). Then, if you exceed 50 Gigabytes nothing stops or even slows down, you are just charged $1 per Gigabyte for additional use. No contract is required and you pay for only the months your account is used.
(Editor: Marketing to S-bag owners on SLohA Official Website)
Recently, I received several Congratulatory phone calls. I told everybody who phoned that nobody has won anything. Saddlebaggers have done nothing but lose. Lost time, paid expenses and filing fees that should not have needed to be spent, Many homes are for sale or about to be for sale because people are tired of standing by while a handful of diehards try their best to ruin or at least control our lives. What if that same energy was spent trying to make things better?
(Editor: Indeed. What if...?)
Bb St aib Jr.
