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Commissioners debate tower aesthetics: monopoles favored by some, camouflage by others
Summary
Commissioners discussed aesthetic trade-offs between monopole towers and camouflaged towers; one commissioner said monopoles blend better locally while another noted camouflage can work in heavily forested areas but may not suit Calera's landscape.
Commissioners debated aesthetic and siting trade-offs for different cell-tower designs during the ordinance discussion.
One commissioner argued monopoles could blend in better with the local context and preferred including them as an option: "I think the monopole would be Or blend in a little better." Another commissioner countered that camouflage can be effective in forested terrain, describing how those towers "blend in with the forest" in mountainous areas, but conceded that camouflage may be less appropriate in Calera. A different commissioner expressed a personal view: "I don't like the camouflage. I think it looks worse."
The exchange highlighted that aesthetic preference is context-dependent; commissioners asked staff to include both form and aesthetic considerations in the draft ordinance so that the review in the public hearing can weigh visual impact alongside engineering and coverage needs.
